Do you ever wonder how parents across cultures think about their child’s education? Tami is back to reflect on聽her experiences with this question. -Ed.
– – – –
Last fall, I had the privilege of visiting Ascend International School in Mumbai, India. As the Admission Director, I was charged with observing the admission process for a school that was located on the other side of the world. Although Ascend and 果冻传媒 are similar in their educational philosophy and approach to individualized instruction for students, I wondered if the cultural differences would highlight different questions from parents in India. 聽I observed Indian parents on their school tour of Ascend and listened to the questions they asked the Admission Director and Head of School. It turns out, their questions were no different than those of parents from the tours I hosted at ucds. In fact, there was one question that stood out as a commonality. 鈥淚s my child the right fit for your school?鈥
That is the million dollar question. I鈥檝e heard that question over and over again throughout my tenure at ucds. In my opinion, the answer to the 鈥渇it鈥 question really lands in the laps of the parents. The question is not whether their child is a fit for the school. The question of 鈥榝it鈥 should be an intentional assessment from the parents to determine if the school fits their child鈥檚 needs. Parents should ask themselves when touring schools, 鈥淒oes this school align with our value set?鈥 聽鈥淒o we feel this school fits the educational philosophy we are looking for?鈥 鈥淒oes this school align with our idea of assessing our child emotionally and academically?鈥 聽When I鈥檓 asked the 鈥渇it鈥 question, I often respond with these types of questions. Turning that question around on parents isn鈥檛 avoiding the answer. It鈥檚 asking them to reflect on their value set as a parent team. Parents can then recognize the needs of their child and family and what they expect from a partnership with a school. 聽If they answer 鈥測es鈥 to those questions, they are likely applying to the right school. Regardless of if a family is touring Ascend in Mumbai, India or 果冻传媒 in Seattle, WA, if they seek to find a school that aligns with their values and approach to education, the answer to their 鈥渇it鈥 question will be answered.
