I am thinking a lot about the ethos of international schools and how so many mission statements want to develop global-minded learners. I think this is wonderful!… but, at the risk of generalizing, I would bet most of the kids in international schools have been exposed to the world for years by living and traveling abroad and having parents willing to leave their own doorstep (not that this ensures global-mindedness, of course, but it’s a big step). Wouldn’t it be great to have an international school that emphasized local-mindedness? An ethos that motivated learners to burst their expat bubble and weave themselves within their host community…adaptable, open-minded, and empathetic enough to identify and solve local (and culturally-different) issues. I bet this approach would make global-mindedness even deeper and more meaningful.
Coconut Thinking 