The international schools map (or what I do)

The world of international education organizes itself into different patterns: geographical mostly but also by nationality type, curriculum design and philosophical bent. It’s all very confusing at first. In fact, after 30 years of working in this area it is still bewildering. Hint- here’s why - the huge proliferation of schools in China and the Middle East and the emerging trend of more and more “national” schools adopting international curricula. There is a blending effect at work.

Put briefly, there is no simple map of the international school world.

A general rule of thumb, dear Reader: any city large enough to sustain international trade, commerce or diplomacy has at least one “international” school. Brussels, at last count, had a dozen. I have to bracket international because a definition is needed…. and that’s another post for another day.

International school people get together regularly at spots around the globe. Tomorrow I head to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to kick off the autumn conference season. PV, in short-hand, is hosting the annual gathering of the TRI-ASSOCIATION [www.tri-association.org]. This organization supports American-type and other international schools in Mexico, Central America, northern South America and some of the Caribbean islands. My logo map adjacent will not be of much help, I’m afraid.

I’ll write from PV.