There are many reasons why parents might want to send their children to an international school.
Parents need to think very carefully about the education that they provide for their children. It is important for the values of the parents to match the values of the school. Therefore, the most important reason for parents to send their children to an international school (or to any particular school) is because the school is offering a program that is in line with the parents’ own values and hopes for their children. At Tsukuba International School, our program focuses on developing the creativity, independence, and critical thinking skills that will allow our students to adapt to many different people and situations in the world. This focus is what some parents are hoping for in a school, and will, therefore, lead them to choose an international school.
Also, some international families may prefer to send their child to an international school if they need to be able to communicate in English with the teachers and staff of their child’s school.
In addition, some international schools, such as TIS, have small class sizes, which is conducive to developing a vibrant learning community.
Finally, for parents who are planning to stay in Japan for a short time (e.g. one or two years or less), it may be difficult for their children to adjust to the Japanese school environment and keep up with their studies. In cases like this, where parents have concerns about their children keeping up with their cohorts back home (in cases where they study in English in their home country), an international school like TIS can be a good option.