Archive for the ‘Education for Expat Kids’ Category

The band started playing “Pomp and Circumstance” as the graduating class of 2010 processed into the gym. Coming to see the graduation of some of the students I had worked with on college applications was the culmination of a busy week in which I had blogged, posted, emailed, and spoken to parents about the transition to college, especially for Third Culture Kids. I had listened to, advised, and consoled parents about how to get through graduation without tears and embrace the changes their children were about to experience. So then, as the students entered the gym, why did I get a lump in my throat and feel tears stinging my own eyes? I did not expect to get emotional – after all, I wasn’t the parent this time and I was the one who had been doing the consoling!

As I sat there through the graduation ceremony, I thought about that long and hard. What was wrong with me? Why was I getting emotional about this? And the answer came to me – because as the one who helped to guide and advise these students, as well as my other students in other parts of the world, these kids and their families had become very dear to me as we experienced the journey together.

The role of the educational consultant, or independent counselor, is not just that of someone who helps kids decide on schools and gets the applications done. No, it’s much, much more than that. It’s about relationships.

With each one of my students, we had spent hours and hours talking about their personalities, interests, hopes, and dreams. Together with their parents, we took our time fine tuning “the list” until we had a list of schools that would be appropriate for them and their uniqueness. We had brainstormed ideas about essays, and in doing so, had had wonderful and candid conversations about who they were, who their friends were, what stirred their souls, and how they were going to tell their story. I knew when each one of them had hit the “send” button on their applications, and heard from them one by one as the acceptances and denials came. And I helped them think through their values and how they would make their final decisions. For each of these kids, I have loads of emails and online chats saved, most of which start with “Hey Becky!”

But even that was not all that we experienced together. Each student and family has a special story to tell….and throughout the year, the story keeps unfolding. We talked about their schedules, how to approach the SATs, how to deal a difficult class, stress, a less-than-hoped-for grade or grades, wait lists, denials, and setbacks. My students faced crises throughout the year as well – serious illness, deaths in the family, the loss of fellow students, and uncertainty regarding their own family circumstances. Parents confided their own hopes, dreams, fears, and worries with me, too, and I answered countless questions that they had. We were in this together.

So it’s no wonder that seeing students graduate was also an emotional moment for me. It wasn’t just seeing the students I had worked with make it to the finish line with their college acceptances in hand. I was also thinking of the students whose graduations I would not get to see in person, and knowing the stories of the families who stood behind their kids. Most of all, I was struck with how much love and support these kids had been fortunate to receive. And how lucky I was personally that I got to play a role in shaping their futures. These new graduates are my kids, too, and therefore, my own tears are those of pride and joy.

One job requirement I love about being an educational consultant is that I have to get out and visit schools. Although I have seen over 175 different boarding schools, I grab every opportunity I have to learn about new schools so that I can better serve my students and families. After just visiting another five American boarding schools, I am more enthusiastic than ever about the huge range of students served and the opportunities these schools offer. What is so remarkable to me is that each boarding school has its own unique character, culture, student profile, and niche of students they serve. And each school is mature and self-confident enough to know exactly who they are and who they serve best, so they don’t even attempt to be all things to all people. I like this approach, because I feel that ultimately, it’s the student that is best served.

All of these schools welcome international students as well, and do their best to make them feel at home.

Some schools offer fantastic learning support, while others emphasize a classical approach to education while acknowledging that it’s not for everyone. Some schools have a very experiential approach to learning, and all schools seek to take advantage of their geographic locations to maximize learning opportunities for students. I spoke with administrators, counselors, and teachers about the teaching and learning experience at these schools, but it was the conversations I had with students that thrilled me the most.

My favorite question to ask students is, “What will you take away from the experiences you have had at this school?” Here are their answers – let them tell you why boarding school is an option they have loved!

• College is no longer daunting for me because I know I’m ready
• I’m more willing to try new things
• I was exposed to many more experiences as well as culture
• I’m more open-minded
• I love the sense of community
• I got to be in leadership roles
• The academics
• I like going away from home and being with my friends in the dorm, and will be a proctor next year
• I learned organizational skills
• I became more independent
• I learned how to manage my time and my things
• I realized there is always help around from teachers and other students
• I learned study skills
• I loved the relationships with my teachers – the biggest class I’m in has 12 students
• I like being able to build relationships with my teachers and the ability to quickly get help and quick extra study sessions at night
• Here the teachers really care about their students
• The teachers are our friends, too
• I learned how to manage my time and be self-disciplined, and that will help me in college
• I learned how to find resources on my own, and not just go to my parents and my brothers
• I have had to relate to other people and groups that are different from myself
• The work is hard but I’m more interested
• I like being able to introduce my new friends to my old friends back home
• With only 8 kids in my class, I’m more invested in my own learning
• This school taught me how to think
• I feel good about myself
• I can participate in a lot more activities
• I like the family feel here
• I became a self-starter
• I now think about something greater than myself
• I learned how to be a more “faithful, hopeful, loving person”

For photos, please visit our Facebook fan page at RNG International Educational Consultants, LLC and look under “photos” or at previous posts.

Welcome to my blog where I will be talking about important issues that families face as they move their children around the world. There are many wonderful advantages as well as challenges that come with raising global nomads. Here you will find discussion about issues that are on every expat parent’s mind – transitions and resiliency for our Third Culture Kids, planning for the next move and choosing the right school, how to best serve our children with special needs, and when boarding schools are the right choice. We also need a forum to talk about what to do when our kids struggle and things start getting rough. And lastly, we need to talk about planning for college/university and how to go through the application process.

Why join me? I am an educational consultant, but not just any ed consultant. I specialize in working with internationally mobile families as well as international students. These families face all the challenges that every other family faces, and then some. Few people “back home” really understand what it means to uproot your family every few years and start all over again in a new part of the world. Even going “home” isn’t as easy as one would think!

So when I am working with a family, we not only need to talk about the schooling issues at hand, but also how that fits into the reality of being a global nomad. There is an extra layer of complexity that we need to deal with, whether it be choosing a college, boarding school, finding solutions for the child with learning challenges, or transitioning to a new locale. The conversations are about the child and school – and so much more.

However, many of my international families are NOT on the move. Many of the students and families I work with are living and working in their native lands, yet also have concerns about their children’s education. I have worked with families from every corner of the world, and from a huge range of ethnic and religious backgrounds. Being aware of how culture affects the situation is also critically important when working with a family.

So join me on the journey as we talk about that which is most dear to us – our children!