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“Why we chose an international school for our boys.”

By on January 4, 2016

The hallmark of being bicultural is one’s exposure to two languages and having two cultural identities.  A recent European study explains bicultural kids are more likely at ease when they are with other people with the same bicultural background. Bicultural kids thrive in an environment that’s more open to diverse beliefs and perspectives, a quality that makes them successful later in their careers.

Mika and Kevin Williams, Japanese-American parents of  Kaiser, age 12 and Killian, 8, did just that by putting  the boys in an international school setting.

“We felt that an international school environment would provide the best overall opportunities for our boys in preparation for their future. It exposes them to a variety of people and social constructs, delivers a platform for creative thinking, and gives them greater and more diverse options when it comes to higher learning,” explains Kevin.

With most of the boys’ time spent at school, it is easy to assume that Kaiser and Killian are more fluent in English than Japanese. But it’s the opposite. The boys are fully bilingual which their dad attributes to a systematic arrangement he and wife Mika had worked out in the beginning.

“We believed early on that our boys should speak to each parent in the native language so they converse with the fluent speaker. This helps to avoid the tendency of bilingual individuals to use both languages, back and forth, within one conversation,” says Kevin of their language arrangement at home.

“One challenge we’ve come across is navigating how curriculums are taught in Japanese vs the international environment. For example, mathematical word problems that cover the same subject material are taught using vastly different methods. Since we have access to the Japanese public school curriculum/textbooks as well, we try to explain the methods as taught in each language as alternatives,” he added.

Kaiser Williams, currently in grade 6 at KIST, is very happy with his school.

“I like my school  because classes have a variety of teachers and they all have great knowledge in their particular subject. Because every class has a different learning style, it is fun to learn at KIST. There are also after-school clubs that provide students with more opportunities to interact with other students and teachers. It is also a time to take a break from core classes. There are many different kinds of clubs, including sports and education. Everyday when I go to school, I enjoy seeing and spending time with my friends, and we always share our knowledge. There are so many well-rounded students, all with different backgrounds and personalities,” proudly says Kaiser of his high school peers.

Between Math and English, Kaiser prefers the latter.

“Math is difficult for me. There is a large difference between elementary math and secondary math, so the transition has been challenging. My math teacher is patient and helpful when teaching new lessons, and introduces different concepts to make them easy to understand. I am improving on math, and I am very thankful for the teacher’s support,” adds Kaiser.

“I really love English class. There are many units, each one having a different background. I really enjoy the poetry unit. There are many different types of poetry. One of the tasks was to make a booklet with a variety of original poems. We also used our art skills to personalize our books with color and design. I really enjoyed that.”

When not busy with school work, Kaiser makes time for his favorite sport.

“I also enjoy the after school clubs. I am currently in the high school basketball club, and I can practice my basketball skills with my friends in the higher grades. I can take a break from academics during the day, and focus on the time I can spend on the court. This is a great treat for me,” says Kaiser.

Killian Williams, the youngest of the brood who is in grade 3, attributes his understanding of math to his favorite teacher.

“My favorite teacher is Mr. Carufel, my homeroom teacher. He is very smart. I like science and math, and he teaches us about many different scientific ideas and ways to understand math,” says Killian fondly of his teacher.

Although both the boys are doing well in math, Kevin admits, “Killian has a slight advantage of having an older brother who has gone through the math system.”

Even when things become challenging academically, “Having the two boys doing well in sports (basketball and cross-country) contribute to their level of confidence in tackling school work,” he adds.

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