United Nations in miniature
A peek at school life in the international schools
By Becky Chu and Teresa Fung
I
t is 3 o’clock in the afternoon. All lessons in the primary school are over. When the door of the main entrance slowly opens, crowds of students dash out at once.
Along with the many Chinese students, there are students with bronze hair and blue eyes. Others have their heads wrapped in cloth.
Compared to the huge population of Chinese students, foreign children are a clear minority in Hong Kong. They enrol in both international and public schools.
Many of their parents are business people assigned by companies to work in Hong Kong. They tend to send their children to international schools.
Ms Lim Eul La’s family is a typical example.
To work in Hong Kong, Ms Lim’s husband brought the whole family from South Korea to Hong Kong a year ago. However, they eventually will leave Hong Kong. Thus, Ms Lim has sent her daughter to the Korean International School.
“I hope my daughter can adapt to the Korean education system with ease when we are back in Korea,” Ms Lim said.
Foreign students usually need a long time to adapt to the environment in Hong Kong.
Mr. David Rittmann, headmaster of Hong Kong International School in Tai Tam, said some foreign students may have emotional upsets. “They may miss the open spaces and seasonal changes (in their native countries),” said he. “Children may also be upset about being pulled away from their friends.”
According to Mr. John Holton, principal of South East Asia Canadian Overseas Secondary School in Mong Kok, students sometimes are reluctant to make friends because they will be in Hong Kong only for a short period.
To help students adjust to the new environment, many international schools encourage close teacher-parent relationships.
Also, international schools use specially designed textbooks that teach Hong Kong and Chinese culture, as well as local geography.
Nevertheless, some foreign students do not have many chances to travel around Hong Kong in their leisure time.
Ms Kim McMeans, head of the Junior Division of the Chinese International School in North Point, explained the reason.
“Occupied by their work, most parents have no time to take their children out. Therefore, the foreign students are either left alone or with their maids at home.”
While international schools seem to be a common choice, some parents of foreign children prefer to send their children to local public schools.
One Indian housewife sends her 6-year-old son to an Anglo-Chinese primary school in Jordan — the Portuguese’s Community School.
Said she: “My son was born and is still living in Hong Kong. I think he should learn more about the local culture.”
Ms Mari Ioka, a Japanese mother, sends her son to the same school. She said she has never thought of sending her son to an international school.
She said, “My son can learn neither English nor Chinese in Japanese schools. What he can learn there (in Japanese schools) is Japanese, which I can teach him at home.”
Surrounded by Chinese classmates, foreign kids are inevitably influenced by Chinese culture.
“Our parents give us red packets on the Lunar New Year,” said Viren, a Primary 6 Indian student at the Portuguese’s Community School.
Their hobbies also relate to Chinese culture. “I like watching kung fu movies,” said Veshal, a Primary 4 Indian student at the same school.
Although they have lots of Chinese classmates, some foreign students don’t make friends with them.
“The local students are too passive,” Viren said. “During physical education lessons, they usually stand aside watching, instead of participating actively. They look sick!”
On the other hand, Seerna, an Indian friend of Veshal, said local Chinese often criticize foreign classmates’ behaviours.
Said she: “My classmates dislike my long fingernails. However, this is not their business.”
Besides, some foreign students feel discriminated against by their local teachers.
“I heard from my friends that some Chinese teachers regard Indians as dirty,” Viren said. “Besides, when something bad has happened, they usually suspect the foreign students first.”
Nevertheless, this does not happen to all foreign students. According to one Indian mother, her sons are treated in a manner equal to that of local Chinese students.
A better, nurturing place
By Becky Chu and Teresa Fung
or most local primary students, having complementary facili- ties like tennis courts, gymna- siums, well equipped laboratories and computers in schools may be a dream. However, most international primary schools manage to realize this dream.
Large campus areas with lots of modern facilities are characteristics commonly associated with them.
In Hong Kong, there are mainly three types of international primary schools.
Two major groups follow the British and American, or Canadian, education systems.
The other type adopts systems of various countries such as Japan, Korean, Australia, Singapore and France.
Despite the different education systems, international schools in Hong Kong have similar teaching formats, which distinguishes them from local public ones.
Most of them advocate a child-oriented and individualized teaching approaches.
Instead of sitting and listening quietly, students are encouraged to participate actively in classes.
Besides, they have to join field trips, outings and lots of practical exercises like group projects and research.
“Students should have more chances to learn through experience,” said Mr. James Mistruzzi, principal of the English Section of the Korean International School.
In most international schools, students are not only evaluated by academic results.
Said Mr. Mistruzzi: “Formal examinations cannot accurately assess the academic achievement of primary students.
“Therefore, we also have participation in classes, speaking and writing abilities, quality of projects and assignments as major criteria for assessment.”
The child-oriented teaching approach is enhanced by small class sizes, usually 20 to 25 students per class.
Mrs. Kathy Messick, director of external affairs for the Hong Kong International School, said, “Small class size guarantees sufficient teacher-student interaction.”
In addition to the academic curriculum, students can join a great variety of extracurricular activities. Chinese painting, calligraphy and lion dancing are some of them.
“These activities enhance students’ personal growth,” said Mr. John Holton, principal of the South East Asia Canadian Overseas Secondary School.
“The activities help students learn more beyond the academic curriculum.”
School regulations in most international schools are not as tight as those in local public ones.
In most international schools, students are not punished for being late to school. Moreover, light chatting and discussion during lessons are allowed. In the Hong Kong International School, apart from the lower primary section, wearing school uniforms is not required.
However, some rules in international schools seem strange to outsiders.
At the Hong Kong International School, for example, skateboards and Walkmans are not to be used in the school premises.
In addition, T-shirts stating, suggesting or depicting offensive material about drugs, alcohol or sex are not acceptable. T-shirts with profanities or religious or racial slurs are also prohibited.
Despite the many differences, there are also some similarities. In terms of the curriculum, international primary schools offer courses similar to those offered in local schools.
Meanwhile, the school fees usually account for tens of thousands every year. Therefore, not all families can afford to send their children to international schools, so they send them to local public schools instead.
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April 1996