What is the Difference of International School with Traditional School?

There could be some misconceptions regarding international schools. The most common is that it is a school for foreigners or kids from other nationalities transferring to a school not their native. What some should know is that a school is international not because of the students enrolled but on the framework they follow. That same framework results to gaining students that came from other countries. Some students of international schools are expected to be children of diplomats, missionaries, staff of international organizations or foreign businessmen.

Here are some of the differences of an international school with a traditional school:

Curriculum

This is the definitive difference of international to traditional schools. International schools follow another country’s curriculum, which promotes international education. Some international schools adopt the curriculum based on the International Baccalaureate or International General Certificate of Secondary Education. Some locals also enroll to international schools to learn more of international education that can be useful for employment or plans for education abroad.

Same on traditional schools, international schools also has basic subjects like mathematics, science, reading and language, arts, and physical education. Traditional schools on some countries on the other hand have a subject that teaches the country’s national language. They also have the subject History that discusses the origin and highlights of their country.

Some international schools also uses different textbooks depending on the curriculum they follow. Some have manuals provided for them as reading materials or softbound text books. Traditional schools have set of textbooks required for them that have specific authors which aresometimes written by professors or mentors from their country.

Student – Teacher Ratio

International schools often have a lesser student – teacher ratio as compared to traditional schools. Since traditional schools have a greater number of enrollees, one teacher is equivalent to more than 30 students. For international schools, there are times when a teacher is equivalent to less than 20 students.

There are advantages for that, both for the teacher and the student. With a lesser number of students, the teacher is less likely to be stressed or have a hard time teaching, as just compared to a bigger number of students in a class. With a more intimate class discussion, the teacher is also able to take one step forward to discussing a lesson and won’t have to rely on text book alone.

For the students, with a lesser teacher – student ratio, international school teachers can have more time and space to look into their needs. There is more interaction within the class so for introvert students, this can be a good opportunity to step up. Although traditional schools are also great too because you have more chances to create new friends and form big groups. Group activities can be an option for teachers to develop the kids’ social interaction.