Guide to International Schools in Japan

This guide is essential reading for expatriate parents, internationally-minded Japanese couples, and bicultural families. The first-ever comprehensive guidebook to international schools in Japan, it gives parents the ability to examine almost one hundred schools, all in one publication. This book is also a vital resource for adventurous teachers looking for the perfect school in which to continue their careers. Based on over 60 questions that parents ask when looking at educational options for their children, this guide is like having a 6-page, 2,000-word mini-prospectus for each of nearly one hundred schools, all in one handy package! Read all about: - Age, gender mix, and student nationality - Class and school size - History, goals, ethos, and curriculum - Facilities, hours, terms/semesters, and vacations - Contact information - Key staff backgrounds and qualifications - Awards and recognitions - Languages taught and language of instruction - Services for bicultural children - Special needs services and gifted child programs - Level and placement tests held - Religious affiliations - School lunch policies - Disciplinary procedures - Sex education policies - School buses and parking - Security - Homework expectations - School trips and special events - Extracurricular, after-school, and summer school programs - Expected parental involvement - Alumni activities - Fees, discounts, and scholarships - Application procedures and acceptance criteria

About the Author :
Caroline Pover graduated from the UK's University of Exeter as a qualified primary school teacher, with a First Class Honours degree and a Dean's Commendation. After teaching at the same school she had attended as a child, a desire for adventure led her to Tokyo in 1996 where she was soon hired by a Japanese international school. Teaching by day, Caroline launched her own magazine and interviewed 200 foreign women as she wrote her first book, Being A Broad in Japan: Everything a Western woman needs to survive and thrive. The first edition of the Guide to International Schools in Japan was her second book, followed by the first in the Ask Caroline series for Japanese women, and a guide to love and romance for Japanese men. She enjoys sharing her knowledge of independent publishing by consulting with individuals, community groups, and corporations to help them to put their own words in print. Since the 2011 earthquake, Caroline has been dividing her time between the UK and Japan, giving talks to schools and community groups in both countries, and raising funds for various projects she organizes for fishing communities on a remote peninsula in the tsunami-affected area. She has been recognized for her many contributions to the foreign women's community in Japan, was awarded the inaugural British Business Award for Best Entrepreneur by the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan, and received an Outstanding Service Award to commemorate the International Women's Day centenary. She has given hundreds of speeches in Japan and the UK, and her TED Talk earned her a nomination for the inaugural Body Confidence Awards in the UK. Drawing on her background in education and interest in child development, this updated edition of Caroline's Guide to International Schools in Japan remains the most comprehensive guide to international schools throughout Japan. Caroline can be contacted at caroline@carolinepover.com.

Review :
... will save those seeking an international education for their children many hours of searching the internet and visiting schools that turn out not to be a good match. -- Weekender magazine ... staggeringly comprehensive ... designed by someone who understands schools from the viewpoints of both teachers and parents ... an excellent tool for evaluating options, some of which you might not have known existed. -- Being A Broad magazine Caroline's guide offers the most in-depth account of Japanese international schools available. You can find bios on the entire faculty for some schools, as well as each school's policies on issues like sex education and discipline. Required reading for any parent thinking of sending their child to an international school in Japan. -- Gabriel, father of two As first-time parents and long-term residents in Japan, this book really gave us food for thought on planning our son's education from nursery right up to secondary school. Finding a school that coincides with how we want to raise our child is daunting. Luckily, we found our son's first school through this book, so we have no hesitation in recommending it! --Yukiko, mother of one This book has extensive detail on each school. Not only is the reading interesting, it's informative and provides details that are usually found only by word-of-mouth. This book will help all families already living in Japan and searching for the right school for their children, and will be especially helpful to the overseas families who have not yet had time to build their community network here. -- Anne, mother of two I enjoyed reading the descriptions of international schools in Caroline's book. Not only are they very informative, but it is possible to make comparisons between schools across a range of issues. The book will prove to be a very useful guide for parents faced with the critical decision of choosing a school for their child. -- Mark, father of one An extensive guide to international schools, with a wealth of information that allows you to compare similar aspects across the board. While some is publicly available information, there is no one place where this level of detail is available and it should make the search for a school a lot easier. This guide will allow parents to look at schools based on criteria such as location, curriculum, admissions requirements, costs, language, special needs, etc., as well as details important to the day-to-day problem of whether you can park anywhere near the school. A truly impressive compilation of information that will be especially invaluable not only to parents who are coming to Japan for the first time, but also as a resource for longer-term residents. -- Conny, mother of two While most foreigners know of the larger schools, it is refreshing to find out how many more lesser-known schools are out there. This book is an invaluable tool for any family about to be stationed here or even moving domestically to another area, especially if they have younger children. Every larger company's HR department should have one sitting on its shelf. --Simon, father of two After reading this guide, I am left with no more questions about which school I want to choose. I have been agonizing over which school to send my children to for the past year and a half. Dozens of hours searching the Internet, trawling forums, sleuthing out other parents and school staff--all this is thankfully behind me now that I have this guide in my hands. Such a simple idea, and brilliantly executed--thank you! -- Lily, mother of two