In my work I am very fortunate that I get to visit schools around the world. From the dirt floor school in Arusha, Tanzania to the International School of Geneva, which was the very first International School, I see something of the range of what schools offer, where they succeed, and where they struggle.
Some schools knock my socks off. The American School of the Hague has an amazing purpose-built school for young children, with a well conceived playground and a building that melds with a very old barn structure. The teachers there are highly trained and very worldly. Many of them have taught in other international schools and know a lot about different cultures and ways of life.
The International School Of Amsterdam has an amazing building as well, and also features motivated and intelligent teachers. The building was designed to be like a village, and as Susan Loban, who is an administrator there put it, they see the environment itself as a third teacher. The spaces are set up to make collaboration not merely easy but necessary. Susan also said, “The IB curriculum’s main purpose is internationalism. In addition we recognize that with privileged kids we need to teach and focus on empathy.” These children will most likely be in positions of power and privilege, and anything that helps them to take those positions with a greater ethical and emotional foundation is a good thing for the world.
Privilege is never far from my thinking as I visit these schools. They can easily cost upward of 20,000 dollars per year, and that money makes many things possible. I wish the world were more equitable and that more children could experience this kind of education.
At the same time, examples of excellence and innovation inspire me with ideas to share. Not all of them are about having money. Attitudes of inquiry, valuing real life experiences, and focusing on hands-on learning should be more present in every school, and don’t in themselves cost.
Food Technology room at the International School of Amsterdam. I wish my kitchen were 1/4 as nice.
