Class Difference of International Schools

lulusing

The following is an earlier posting from a parent:  

Re: Singapore International School  
Morning YYY, 我想問一吓你, 你小朋友係SIS讀書, 裡面既同學仔會唔會好似其他INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL咁, 好多都係有$$$$$$既家庭, 睇唔起D平民同學仔?????

The discussion was on SIS. Can anybody share ideas on this theme [class difference (階級分野)] in and among other international schools?
   

lulusing

Just want to discuss from another point of view.

Shall we consider the class difference before we send our kids to an international school? For example, a child from an average family (middle class family but not a poor family) should/should not be admitted to an international school in which students generally come from very rich families. The indicators of such a school include: very high tuiton fee or being located at an area surrounded by high class residential buildings etc.

Opposite view may be: there is not problem only if parents can afford the fees, and the main concern should be the children's academic ability and other  competencies but not the family background.  However, do you think that a child like this will find it very difficult to adapt or no problem at all?   

lulusing

I think the point is not whether:
1) middle class parents can afford the fees (tuition and activities) or
2) the parents think about what other parents think,
but that there are different life styles objectively and the possible development of the children. Even though there are no intentional discriminations, students from different families are probably leading different types of life. For example, their parents drive different cars, live in different residential areas with different house sizes, go to different restaurants, and have different consumption patterns and different hobbies. I think the concern would be: Can middle class kids go to any international schools in Hong Kong without problems? Or some international schools are not suitable for them since they are full of students from very rich families? The questions again: is the adaptation of middle class students themselves still a problem?                 

lulusing

Dear oooray,

I am sorry that the discussion comes to    .
In fact, I did not mean to produce questions only without generating answers. Be honest, I really don't have any definite answers and I sincerely want to have ideas from parents. You are very right that we need the real experience but not logical thinking only. Anyway, if you come up with any other ideas and got some friends with the experience, please do share with me.

lulusing   


Hi oooray, WYmon and Ruby-Duong,

Many thanks for your contributions. The tentative ideas are:
1)  We need to take our family background into account on choosing a 'right' international school. That is, the family background of the students should be similar to ours.
2) If we are middle class paretns and have got two oustanding ISs for considerstion, our child(ren)should go to that one with more foreign students.

The questions would be:   
1) Which ISs in Hong Kong are (most) outstandng?
2) What are the family backgrounds of the students there?
3) What are the percentages of foreign students?
4) Can any middle class parents with child(ren) studying in ISs share their experience about the discussion------middle class children go along with other students from very rich family?      

lulusing

Govinda 寫道:
Not at all

Dear Govinda,

Please elaborate. Thanks!

lulusing

lulusing

Kycmc 寫道:
What appears to be disturbing to adults may not bother children at all.

"We are friends to each other, rich or not, makes no difference in our school." That's my child's response.

It may not be the case in secondary schools. Any ideas?

lulusing

Dear all,

Many thanks for your encouragement and positive experiences. In view of these, middle class parents, including me,  should send their children to the international school they found beneficial to their children's development, no matter if it is full of rich families.   

lulusing