What's An Education Worth?

By Sandra Lee

Tuition at international schools is often prohibitively high for parents who aren’t on expat packages. And the costs continue to rise year-on-year, often topping out well above tuition for colleges and universities around the world, leaving parents wondering if it’s a good value. What it really boils down to is the teachers – and they’re worth it.

Beyond each schools’ excellent teacher/child ratio and vast resources, the global perspective that students and teachers share gives children a greater competitive advantage for their future. It’s about more than just reading about the different social, political and environmental forces that shape our existence, these students are able to live it – and the teachers at international schools have the skills to make that experience have an even greater impact on their students’ futures.

International teachers have a unique background that helps to enrich their students not only in the subjects taught, but also in their overall worldview. It has been said that the young may be smart, but are seldom wise. Wisdom comes from experience, which usually is a function of trial and error through many years. These teachers, with their unique world experience, are well suited to impart such wisdom.

“My students benefit from my global perspective,” says Marie Williams from Shanghai American School, “because I can reference my experiences of living in different countries and the difficulties I have faced in adjusting to new situations and cultures. When they hear about ways that I have used to adjust, it makes them feel less isolated and more likely to open up to their own struggles of adjusting to a new life overseas.”

Well-travelled teachers encourage their students to examine their views of life through the lens of multicultural societies and a rich history of experiences.

“Our years abroad shift paradigms of what you define as normal, effective and enjoyable,” says Terry Schaffer, an IB English teacher at Yew Chung International School of Shanghai. “It also causes one to reflect on the distinctiveness of one's own culture and have a better understanding of self, tolerance towards classmates’ differences and acceptance of different learning styles.”

Appreciation of diversity starts fundamentally with respect. Most Asian nations consider education a highly valued privilege. Fortunately international school students have the “advantage in being exposed to the deep respect that is shown for education in Asia,” says Schaffer.

Some students may only have the opportunity to live two or three years abroad, but as Dena Zingales of SAS points out, “Exposure to rigorous academic programs, language and different cultural norms aid in developing children’s ability to learn, adapt, grow and accept change and difference.”

The decision of whether this type of education is worthy or better cannot really be made until many years later by the students themselves. However, the question parents could and should ask is, ‘Is my child enjoying his/her experiences at school? And if so, do I see a positive difference in their outlook of people and life as a result of his/her experiences?’

Parent Karen Chow answers yes to both questions. Her children, both now at university, “have more confidence in dealing with new situations because they have had to adapt to new places and faces during their time in Shanghai."