MANAGING COMPLEXITY AND DIVERSITY
The breadth of challenges and opportunities is what makes an international school leadership position so rewarding.
International schools often have over 100 different nationalities under one roof, this makes for a diverse student and parent body. International schools tend to celebrate this diversity on a yearly basis with an International Day celebrating every country and culture evident in the school. Managing the diversity and expectation of all parents matters in a school. Different groups and different parents will have different expectations on a number of matters such as homework, sport, competition, progression, exam results etc. As a leader you will need to have a clear vision on what is important for the whole school and be able to manage different pockets of expectations using a number of strategies.
Students in international schools may be especially resilient, potentially having grown up with parents of different nationalities, now living in a different country, and speaking (or at least learning) in multiple languages.
Of course, with these strengths, come challenges for the students and the school. Some schools consistently need to welcome and incorporate new students for whom English is an Additional Language. It’s important to ensure that new students have a strong buddy system in place. Whilst every school aims to promote inclusivity and a welcome to outsiders, this is especially important in international schools where many (and in some cases the majority) of students may be ‘outsiders’.
