International Schools

We have been thinking a lot about the contrast between teaching back home in NZ and our new environment in the ‘international’ schools system.

Our school ISS, (International School of Singapore) tends to be classified like many other schools in Singapore as international, because it offers a curriculum that is foreign to the local Singapore national curriculum and that it draws students from a range of nationalities. Our school offers a curriculum called the International Baccalaureate, which includes a Diploma programme in the last two years. Students study six subjects for two years and sit one final exam in May. This is the largest contrast from the NZ system, which I perceived as too heavily focused and potentially driven by external examinations and assessment specifications. The curriculum is global in nature and prescribed by a group that originated in France in the 1970’s from memory. The benefit of the International Baccalaureate is that students can easily change schools and fit into new classes with ease. This is important for some of the transient students who follow their parent’s careers around the world. One Malaysian student arrived in my class in January. He was born in Malaysia but has since travelled the world, and arrived at our school from Stockholm in Sweden last year. He still had the same Economics textbook I use and slotted into class with ease.

Other bigger schools in Singapore such as United World College of South Asia (UWC) offer the British IGSE and A Levels, the Australian School of Singapore offers the New South Wales Curriculum, and is beginning to introduce the International Baccalaureate over the next couple of years. The size of schools here are far larger than most in NZ and perhaps something more similar to the US system. UWC has around 2700, and the Australian School is about 3000. Tanglin Trust, The American School and Overseas Family School all have over 2000 students, from Grade 1 – Grade 13. Our school has around 700 students and is perhaps slightly smaller than our old schools Queen Margaret and St Mary’s College in Wellington.

Our school is a very multicultural place with students from around forty different countries and staff from nearly every continent. This is a large and significant point of difference from the other, so called international schools in Singapore. The Canadian School is nearly exclusively for Canadian nationals and the American passport holders gain priority but not guaranteed access to the American School. I think most of our student’s parents value the multicultural aspects of our school. If you life in a foreign country, wouldn’t you like your sons or daughters to mix with students from other nations? It seems that many foreigners spend their lives in the expat enclaves of Singapore’s condominiums.

The pressure on quality education here is amazing. All of the big schools, UWC, OFS and the American School have long waiting lists, despite the recession. Maybe the scene will be different in 2010 but at the moment, the Straits Times still publishes articles deploring people who pay the SDG $250,000 for a guaranteed place at any of these schools. For around $80,000 you will get a place on the waiting list.

The education of people, is perhaps Singapore’s most important process. The county has no natural resources and still imports water from Malaysia and yet it can place itself among the top 20 wealthiest nations in the world. The change for Rach and me has been fun so far. We have probably learnt and gleaned more experience than we would have in New Zealand in another 5 years at our old jobs. In a while we will look forward to coming home and working in New Zealand schools but at the moment change is as good as a holiday.

Finally a nice place to run

We finally ventured out to one of the reserves on the edge of town this morning for a run and walk. MacRitchie Reservoir is a large lake in the centre of the island. It is surrounded by some nice rain forest, plenty of off road trails and the odd family of monkeys. Anything off road is a bit of novelty here, so I was keen to explore.


I managed to loop the lake in about 65 mins, which was about 11km with a few ups and downs. Rachel left at the same time and did a nice out and back walk along the boardwalks and tracks. In hindsight, we should have been a little more organised instead of our leisurely 10.30 departure. We both felt really cooked at the end from the heat and spent the rest of the day recovering. One stretch of about a kilometre in the open sun alongside a golf course knocked a bit out of my legs and once you get hot it seems to take ages to cool the thermometers back down again. A bit like running in winter, when you get progressively colder and cant warm up.

Anyway, it was nice to explore somewhere new and to enjoy a longer run. I am thinking of doing a few more triathlons here as the scene seems pretty competitive. Running is a bit hard with the climate and I can't yet manage the same miles I did back home. Hopefully I can substitute some of the running, for miles on the bike and make good use of the pool downstairs for training.

When the novetly factor ends

Last weekend I headed back to NZ for the wedding of my two close friends, Chris and Emma. As a groomsman I had long promised be around for the wedding but intervening events such as getting a job in Singapore made a promise a little harder to keep.

Nevertheless I managed to get some cheap flights back to Wellington so I headed off late on a Wednesday night Singapore time and returned five days later on the following Monday. The beauty of Singapore is its close proximity to most things. I arrived in Sydney after seven hours of flying then was back in Wellington after another small three hour flight. I do remember that somewhere on the first flight; probably after a neck cranking sleep, that the novetly of jet setting is not that glamourous. I remember those first few flights when you read every detail of the safety handout and watch the video and animated air hostesses perform the drill. The highlight of this flight was the dinner, a few glasses of red wine and five hours of deep sleep.

I expected coming home to feel a bit weird. In hindsight I hadn't been away very long to actually to realise the change. The roadworks on the motorway out to the Hutt seemed unfinished and the shops still had sales signs up in the windows. I turned up back at work to surprise a few past collegues and to grab a lunch and a nice coffee, plus enjoyed a stunning run around the hills with some orienteering mates.

The wedding was great and a very happy affair. I felt a bit dwanted at all of the details that Chris and Emma had remembered for their wedding and the numerous nice touches. I have made a list of things for our wedding and now Rachel is excitied and thinking about our plans for the day. A quick catch up with friends, and a game of cricket at the staduim made for a cool few days. Sunday was family day and we headed over the hill to Martinborough to see out our wedding venue again. Everything seemed great and we look forward to sorting out our invitations in the next month. It has a nice outdoor area and relaxed feel which fits our plans for the day.

Coming back to Singapore and meeting Rach at the gate felt very good. Singapore after two months no longer seems so foreign and busy. It is still one large concrete jungle, which is the largest contrast from Wellington but we could happily make Sinagpore home for the next few years..... as long as the economy holds up :)