Same issues, different location

Sometimes it feels like we have such different issues at our international school than we did back in our home-country school system. But just how dissimilar are those situations?

In "Preparing Hispanic Parents and Children for School," New York Times writer Valerie Cotsalas explores how one program is trying to ease the transition for very young children. These kids -- and their parents -- have to deal with hurdles very similar to many in our JIS community: language and culture.

It's easy for those of us who speak English as our mother tongue to forget how difficult it must be to study -- or figure out the system -- in a totally different language. (I shudder to think how I'd do as a parent in a Dutch school district. I'd probably end up crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. There certainly wouldn't be much of a "partnership" going on!)

Anyway, food for thought.....