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Showing posts from October, 2011

Why schools love the International Baccalaureate

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The International Baccalaureate is highly prized by university admissions officers and gives students skills they can use all their lives It is a rare thing indeed for teachers, pupils and university lecturers to agree, but representatives from all three groups are big fans of the International Baccalaureate (IB). From a standing start as a niche sixth-form qualification for a privileged few in the Seventies, the IB is now available at 190 schools across the UK.

How to help with primary reading, maths, homework

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Reading with your child is vital. Research shows that it's the single most important thing you can do to help your child's education. It's best to read little and often, so try to put aside some time for it every day. Think of ways to make reading fun - you want your child to learn how pleasurable books can be. If you're both enjoying talking about the content of a particular page, linger over it for as long as you like. Books aren't just about reading the words on the page, they can also present new ideas and topics for you and your child to discuss.

International school opens children’s eyes_Part 2

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Becoming a member school of these programmes is tough to say the least, as the rigorous authorisation process demands its fair share of both work and resources.  The reward is an unbeatable seal of quality. "We send all our teachers on workshops at least every third year," explains Svaninger. Following these programmes also means that Stockholm International School can offer students a high level of consistency in their learning. "Students can finish here on a Friday, and start in New Delhi, Cape Town, Seattle or Buenos Aires on the Monday, in the same programme," explains Rune Svaninger. He emphasizes that Stockholm International School is unique among Stockholm schools, as the only truly international school. Although there are some other schools that offer tuition in English, these either follow the Swedish curriculum or do not cater for students for the whole of their school careers. "I think one of our biggest strengths is that we just follow the inte

International school opens children’s eyes_Part 1

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Studying at Stockholm's oldest international school gives children not only a rigorous academic education, but also a unique understanding of other cultures. "If adults could treat each other as the students do, we would have no more wars," says Rune Svaninger, Director of Stockholm International School. As I arrived at the attractive school building in central Stockholm, the children were just coming in from their morning break. Laughing and playing as they ran up the stairs, kids of every ethnicity were milling about on their way back to their classrooms. Stockholm International School educates 550 students from over 50 different countries. From the United States to Uzbekistan, from Sweden to Singapore. "We usually say that this is like a miniature United Nations," says Rune Svaninger, now in his third year as the school's Director. He describes one of the school's most cherished traditions.

Checklist for Choosing an International School

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The following checklist is designed to help you make an informed decision about the right school for your child. Parents need to be aware of unsubstantiated claims—please do not hesitate to ask for documentation for any claim. There are several high-quality schools in Bangkok, and it is important to get the right fit for your child. The following are some factors you may wish to consider in your quest:

Tips on choosing a British International school

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Why choosing a British international school The vital reason is British education has attained worldwide reputation and quality. The status is due in part to the renowned and academic excellence of institutions such as Oxford and Cambridge. British education system focus on processes and outcomes, which means the teaching process, concentrates on what a child should know and do at any given age.

What is International Baccalaureate programme?

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International Baccalaureate, abbreviated IB, is the International qualification that has well-known reputation all over the world. The IB programme currently offered by 1800 schools around the world and managed via the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) in Switzerland.  The IB Programme is for student age from 3-19 and has 3 levels: The Diploma Programme (DP) for students aged 16 to 19 The Middle Years Programme (MYP) for students aged 11 to 16  The Primary Years Programme (PYP) for students from 3 to 12. 

Overview about international school in Vietnam

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Trends  The trend of international schools has been increasing. The foremost reason is there are big differences between the curriculum of state owned schools and international schools. The learning style of state owned schools is too heavy for children compare to international disciplines. Most of children who study at stated owned school have to take extra classes after hours at their school. Thus they are too busy with the schedule and do not have time to play or relax.

Westernized children shock Vietnamese parents

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Many Vietnamese children can speak English better than Vietnamese and they lead lives much closer to that of westerners. When Linh returns home from school, the girl always waves and says “Hello me” (Hello, mum) and “Hello ba” (Hello, grandmother). She speaks English very well, but she cannot speak Vietnamese fluently. Le Chau, Linh’s mother, brought Linh to an international kindergarten when she was small and her daughter began learning English in kindergarten. Now she speaks English very well.  Chau sent Linh to an international school because she wanted the child to speak English fluently as an adult. Now Linh goes attends first grade at an international school. She speaks daily with foreign teachers and friends in English. 

Choosing between state-owned and international schools

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A lot of well-to-do families want to send their children to international schools. However, they fear that the high tuition levels will be a heavy burden.    After two years at Asia-Pacific International School , Thanh’s son will go to a state-owned school. Thanh cannot afford the tuition, which has multiplied. Though Thanh and his wife earn tens of millions of dong a month and are considered as high income earners, he still finds it hard to pay the school’s tuition, nearly 100 million dong per year. “To study at an international school, you need several billion dong in your bank account,” Thanh estimated, complaining that his business now is not really good and it is very difficult to earn money. “I foresee as time when I cannot earn enough money for the boy to continue studying there until he graduates. Therefore, we have decided to quit,” he explained.

International schools set sky-high tuition fees

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It is now time for international schools to enroll students for the new school year which begins in September.  Most international schools have announced extremely high tuition fees. Students of an international school at botanical garden in HCM City At Horizon international school, a high school level student has to pay $8,330 in tuition for the nine school months. This does not include expenses for extra curricular activities, syllabuses, uniforms, school bags and some others items. The above tuition fee only covers the school term fee ($500), expenses for meals ($3,150) and tuition ($4,680 for nine months).  Communication officer of ABC International School said that the tuition here is $5,000 per annum. Here, all subjects are taught in English and students go to school for 13 years to graduate instead of 12 years as stipulated in the Vietnam Education Law. 

List of kindergartens and International Schools in Ho Chi Minh City

(update on Aug 08/2015) KINDERGARTENS Renaissance International School Saigon (RISS)  From pre-school to grade 12 System: British - IB school 74 Nguyen Thi Thap Street, District 7 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Tel: 84-8 08-3773-3171  Web : www.rissaigon.edu.vn ABC International School  28 Truong Dinh St, District.3 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Tel: 84-8 930-3533 * Fax: 930-1289 Preschool - Fundino (BIS)  11B Nguyen Gia Thieu, District 3 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Tel: 84-8 930-0514 KinderWorld International For 19 months -5 years old kids 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St, District 1 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Tel: 84-8 827-2464 * Fax: 827-2465  Little Angels International Preschool British Pre-School Curriculum For 18 months - 6 years old kids 17A Dang Van Ngu St, Ward 10, District Phu Nhuan Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Tel : 84-8 444-3719  Playmate International School  40 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan St, District 3 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Tel : 84-8 930-5930  Rain

Beginner's Guide to IGCSE Education

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Introduction Today, parents have a variety of educational boards to choose from, to enroll their children, it is not just the traditional SSC (Secondary School Certificate), CBSE ( Central Board of Secondary Education) or ICSE (Indian Certificate of Secondary Education). Just International Schools presents a beginners guide on the IGCSE curriculum. The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (abbreviated IGCSE or iGCSE ) is an internationally recognized qualification for school students, typically in the 15-16 age group. It is similar to the GCSE in England, Wales & Northern Ireland, Standard Grade in Scotland or Junior Certificate in the Republic of Ireland. The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is a globally recognized qualification, conducted at the Class 10 level, similar to the Class 10 examinations of the CBSE and ICSE or the middle years programme of the IB. IGCSE, formed in 1988, is a comprehensive

Beginner’s Guide to IGCSE Education / Schools (CIE) _ part 1

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The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (abbreviated IGCSE or iGCSE) is an internationally recognized qualification for school students, typically in the 15-16 age group. It is similar to the GCSE in England, Wales & Northern Ireland, Standard Grade in Scotland or Junior Certificate in the Republic of Ireland.

Beginner’s Guide to IGCSE Education / Schools (CIE) _ part 2

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Affiliation The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is a globally recognised qualification, conducted at the Class 10 level, similar to the Class 10 examinations of the CBSE and ICSE or the middle years Programme of the IB. IGCSE assessment is conducted by two UK assessment bodies: Edexcel (also known as London Examinations) and Cambridge International Examinations (CIE). The Cambridge IGCSE was developed by University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) in 1988. The examination board Edexcel, offers its own version, the IGCSE. IGCSEs were created by Edexcel for those international schools which are unable to offer GCSEs. They embrace the best practice of GCE O levels and GCSE.

Choosing The Right International School For Your Child

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How do you choose which worldwide school is best for your young ones? What should you seek out when choosing an international institution for your children? Qualifications - Look for colleges that have been accredited simply by an international body. In other words, this means the school has already established to prove several level of competency in an array of criteria. Businesses like IBO, CIS and NCCT often check on schools to be sure they are meeting the particular set standards involving operation. A school using these seals of authorization has jumped via a number of hoops in order to acquire and maintain the qualifications.

How to choose a British International School?

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When choosing a school it is important to do as much research as possible. Find out what schools are available in the area to which you are moving - ask for advice from your employer, the British Embassy, the British Council, local expatriate organisations, etc. Check with organisations such as COBIS (Council of British International Schools) for suggestions.

Living Abroad With Children : Expatriate Schools : International Schools

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International schools If you have the budget, and a suitable school is available, it is often worthwhile enrolling your children in an international school. It is highly likely that these schools will be using the same syllabus as your home country and the curriculum and school environment will be very similar to that with which your children are already accustomed. International schools are used to receiving new students every year from all over the world. They will help to make the process as smooth and stress-free as possible for you and your children. International schools will also offer your child an opportunity to mix with people from a range of different backgrounds and teach them social skills that they might not otherwise learn until much later in life. There will always be children in these schools who are from a similar background to your own children and it can therefore be much easier for your child to make new friends and adjust to the new life abroad.

International schools the good choice, but…

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A lot of parents now tend to bring their children to international schools instead of paying thousands of dollars worth of “underground fee” to obtain a seat at star state owned schools. However, international schools could not be the suitable choice for all. High tuitions make parents shrink In general, the total expenses for sending a child to a school which follows the international teaching model (with English intensive hours), including the meals and the boarder-day services are between four and 10 million dong a month. Meanwhile, the total expenses for international schools are around 20 million dong a month.

What should parents consider when choosing an international school?

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With the number of ‘international’ schools continuing to rise in Ho Chi Minh City, it becomes all the more important for parents to know what to look for in choosing the right international school for their son / daughter. We have put together a 6-point guide to help parents make informed decisions about their son / daughter’s international schooling. Is the school formally accredited? Is the school accredited by an external body? Schools that have been accredited by an external international body are more likely to have better procedures and standards in place. External international organizations like the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) or the University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) regularly check on schools to make sure they are meeting international standards of practice or operation. A school accredited by an international organization is more credible and established than those without. Does the school offer an international curric

A guide to choosing an international school from telegraph.co.uk

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A guide to choosing an international school Expat parents can feel overwhelmed when it comes to selecting the best school for their child. Here are a few useful tips on finding the right fit. Visit a school and talk to the people who work there about the hopes, fears and expectations that you have for your child When it comes down to it, most of us want the same basic things for our children. We want them to be safe, happy, to have friends, to do the right thing, to learn something about themselves and the world around them, and to have the best possible future beyond childhood. Of course, there is much more we might go on to say. We might expect our children to learn a new language, become proficient in the creative arts, grasp an understanding of complex scientific knowledge or lead a team on the sports field. In the end, however, many of us will settle for knowing that we, as parents, had made choices that ensured our children became happy, successful and ethical members of soc

Choosing an international school - not easy

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When parents seek quality schooling for their child, they seek quality in education, services as well as infrastructure. Schools that aspire to provide the best in the field of education are plunging in for nothing less than international curricula and rightly so as programs offered by the International Baccalaureate and Cambridge go beyond the confines of a classroom seeking to develop the child in a holistic manner.

How to Evaluate and Choose a School

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Factors to Consider When Choosing a School Whether parents live in a school district that offers school choice, are changing residences, or have a child entering kindergarten, choosing a school is a complex decision that includes the characteristics of the child, family, and schools. School quality depends on many characteristics, not all easily measurable, and not all equally important for each individual child or family. Parents may want to consider the following characteristics when evaluating a school. Child characteristics. Parents will want to think about their child's personality, learning style, and any special needs. Does the child need the structure that a traditional school setting would provide, or does he or she prefer to explore and take more personal responsibility for learning? Could she benefit from some type of alternative schooling approach? Does the child respond differently to being in small and large groups? If, for example, a child learns best in smal

How to choose the right primary school

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Choosing a Primary School is a big decision for parents - our guide will help you pick the right one! Do your research It may sound obvious, but you'd be amazed how many parents rely on rumours and opinions of a certain school rather than using their own judgement, and their own eyes. International primary school RISS - International primary school

How to choose best international school?

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It is true to say that choosing the best school for your child is all about finding the school which offers the best fit for their needs. While every school is unique, making comparisons between schools can be difficult. Big international schools are not always superior and the quality of teaching and learning is not always amplified. However, in today's world it is fashionable to pay high prices for schooling under the long term assumption that the needs of a child will be met through large scale commercialised education. So should parents choose a school based on the size of a sports field or on the activities that happen on the field? For some parents – the size of the building is more important than what is actually happening inside its closed doors or on its manicured sports fields.