The role of international schools in preparing our students for the 21st century
Dr. Mark A. English
THE nature and role of international schools today is multi- faceted and can engender a variety of expectations both real and imagined. Here in Jeddah for example, many international schools have student populations with a variety of different nationalities and cultures. Although English is the primary language of instruction in some of these schools, there are many languages spoken with Arabic being chief among them.
As the superintendent of the American International School of Jeddah (AISJ), this notion of internationalism and cultural diversity is of
How do we go about doing that? What is the reality of our role in terms of the expectations from community members, investors, owners, and board members? By answering this critical question we can also address the roles and responsibilities of international schools as they confront the realities of educational policies of the Kingdom.
All of our actions at the international school level are guided by the Ministry of Education and we work diligently to maintain full compliance with all the appropriate directives, policies and procedures as transmitted to us from the ministry.
This is not always an easy task but through constant communication with the Ministry of Education to include regular visits, we remain transparent in our school operations which include but are not limited to: Student achievement, professional development for our faculty and staff, and the development of a safe and secure educational environment. On this last point let me emphasize that safety in our educational facilities and the school environment is one of our primary responsibilities. At the American International School of Jeddah for example, we have made extensive renovations in our facilities to comply with ministerial and Civil Defense safety and security requirements. The measures we have taken to insure the safety and security of all of our students, faculty and staff is also reflective of other international community schools which have similar policies and procedures in place.
Central to the international school ethos is the expectation of ensuring that our students and our graduates possess those core competencies they will need to thrive and not just survive in the 21st century. Some of these competencies include the following:
perspective guided by a thorough knowledge of current global issues and an understanding of individual responsibility on the local, national, and international levels as a global citizen.
- tion and self-direction. They must have empathy and respect for others. Each student has a responsibility to self and others. Each student must practice self- discipline, self- assessment and proper social skills.
must have project based learning experiences that foster the development of multiple intelligences, creating lifelong learners who are inquiring, knowledgeable. It is a hands- on approach to teaching, where students create schoolwork that demonstrates core subject knowledge.
mindset characterized by a willingness to generate new ideas, possibilities and outcomes. It is multi-faceted, ranging from cognitive to aesthetic.creativity is stimulated by asking new questions while generating new ideas to apply to various situations and challenges.
the tools which allow an individual learner to enhance or to facilitate his or her learning process.technology expands our ability to communicate through a wide range of media. Technology supports self-directed and differentiated learning.
To a large extent these expectations have been met and are being realized at many of our international schools. However, there are several realities with which we must confront in the implementation of these expectations. One of those realities is the need for more resources in terms of teacher education programs to help our locally hired staff become more qualified and certified in their respective teaching fields.