How do the factors contributing....
How do the factors contributing....
for kids and parents alike so the circumstances culture’s habits and inclinations and with time
of family tension and arguments can be lower assimilate into their own culture.
than that in US.
We have covered some of the salient factors
Another thing not to be overlooked is the cul- that are crucial for academic success but the list
ture. High school students in US have no prob- is non-exhaustive. In the next article, we shall
lem hanging out till 10 at night with friends, look at how learning styles, academic facilities,
dressing more casual in summer among other luck and self-esteem of students tend to differ
things. However, it is not possible if the Ameri- in different places and how they impact the ac-
can family is located in a more culturally sensi- ademic success of students
tive country. For exam-
ple, in the Middle East,
you have to cover your
shoulder and your
knees and hence you
cannot wear shorts
or skirts to go out in
public. It can be seen
as disrespecting their
culture and you could
be jailed. Hence, the
students and the fam-
ily take extra care. Students develop sensitivity
that helps them mature as a person. This gives
them a world sense and broader understand-
ing. It affects the way they see and analyze ev-
erything. US has a materialistic culture and you
have billboards and advertising bombarding a
person everywhere. There are constant sales
and many outlets. There are the same things
overseas but some cultures has the saving ten-
dency such as in India. Living with a different
culture, students incorporate some of the other
High school students in US
have no problem hanging
out till 10 at night with
friends, dressing more
casual in summer among
other things.
Another factor is the composition of students.
In US, students are majorly interacting with the
same race. The mix is not as drastic as outside.
In US, there are many schools for one student to
attend and the foreign population is generally
the minority in the school. However, in over-
seas, there are only two to three schools cater-
ing to a vast foreign population consisting of
Americans, Africans, Singaporeans, Malaysians,
Indians and many more. Hence, the mix of race
is more prominent. In a class of 24, you do not
see predominantly white but rather an eclectic
mix of many races. Students are opened up to
a lot of world view from a young age as they
interact with the other races. They cannot be
clique-oriented because the proportion of the
races makes it difficult but not impossible. The
commonality that brings them together is the
26
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fact that they are in a completely foreign land
and they are peers in the same school.
Economic factor is fairly simple to understand.
In most cases, especially if the American fam-
ily is moving to the Middle East, India or Phil-
ippines etc., the company pays for the hous-
ing and education. The parents do not have to
worry about money with respect to that and
hence parents have no qualms or reservation
in putting their child in the best school environ-
ment possible. Moreover, the money saved can
be used to do other exercises with their kid that
promotes family bonding which again is impor-
tant in how a kid performs in school. When in a
foreign country, it is not rare to see family just
whisking away for the weekend every other
week. This getaway helps in stress alleviation
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