[ back to school ]
New Beginnings Starting School in Foreign Country Is Learning Experience for Kids, and Parents
Photo: iStock
by Audrey Hoffer
“I
don’t want to go to school!” Practically every parent on the planet has heard that phrase at one time or another. But hearing, “Why did we have to move here?” adds another layer to a parent’s angst. That’s because going back to school can be a chore for any child, but starting a new school in a new country is a whole different mess altogether. Foreign families confront a host of issues when learning about U.S. schools, and though the cultural barrier may seem insurmountable, practical solutions abound, often in plain sight. In particular, many schools here in the nation’s capital have a long tradition of welcoming new students from abroad — including the children of diplomats — and introducing them to the seemingly foreign American education system. Still, change is always difficult for children, especially teens, and moving to another country with a new language and culture is particularly unnerving at the start of the academic year. It can be just as daunting for the parents.
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“The organization of the schools here is different,” said Catherine Mathieu, the World Bank family network coordinator. “For many cultures, it’s strange that we, the parents, are supposed to be very active in the school. We’re supposed to be inside the school talking to teachers and involved with the PTA. For most of us this is new. “We don’t know what a counselor is,” she added, noting that many parents don’t know how to take advantage of what this school professional can offer their children. “I didn’t know that when teachers send home a list of the next year’s classes in advance, this is partially negotiable. I wish we did because maybe my son could have had a different class with a different teacher,” Mathieu told us.“I didn’t know it was OK for me to go to the school and ask.” Fundraising is another wholly American aspect of schooling, as parents are routinely asked to contribute for a range of items, from cookies to out-of-town class trips and even the school endowment. It is always voluntary, but parents from abroad often don’t realize that private contributions enable many school programs to function. Cultural norms in the United States can also trip students up, especially for young children in pre-school and early elementary school. For instance, American-style handshakes and arm and shoulder gestures may not be familiar to students so we try to make them comfortable,
EDUCATION
The Washington Diplomat
September 2013