Dhaka, Bangladesh Report of what it's like to live there - 08/03/10
Personal Experiences from Dhaka, Bangladesh
School Name:
American International School in Dhaka (AIS/D)
Background Information:
1. Are you the parent of a child(ren) attending this school? A teacher at the school? Or both?
Parent, School Board member
2. What grade or grades do/did your children attend at the school? During what year(s) did they attend the school?
almost all of them 2-10.
3. During what years were you affiliated with this school?
2006-2010
4. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
government service
Admissions & Welcome:
1. Are the admissions and placement procedures clearly stated to prospective families, either on the school website or through other means of communication?
B: Again, apply as soon as you know you are moving to Dhaka.
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
B. Registering your child from abroad is challenging and spaces fill up early. However, once you are in Dhaka, things become much clearer. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL JULY/AUGUST to try to enroll your child. Start as soon as you get your orders--especially for pre-school.
Administration & School Procedures:
1. Describe the general climate of the grade level that you teach or your child attends:
positive, supportive--from elementary through high school.
2. For the following attributes, down to the next blank box, grade your experience at the school on a scale of A (excellent) to F (unacceptable/terrible) and provide comments:<br><br>Overall fair and equitable treatment of all students and families:
A. Limits on the number of local students and the overwhelmingly large percentage of US teachers creates an environment supporting expat children. However, by no means are US/European/Canadian children the majority.
3. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
C: Again, the switch to student led conferences takes away that valuable time between the parent and the teacher--especially in the elementary school. However, teachers were always an e-mail away and seemed sincerely in touch with my children. Also, teachers would phone me or write if they had any concerns.
4. Services for gifted students who need academic challenge and students with learning difficulties:
C: This is an area with on going revision and growth. Better services for the learning challenged than for the gifted. Push-in support in elementary and middle schools. "Challenge" course work for the gifted.
5. Availability and variety of after-school activities for various ages:
Yes! Your child's after school activities will drive your life--although fortunately, the bus will bring them home afterward. There are sports, swimming, jewelry making, scouts, plays, musical groups, cooking, and for the high school set, the SAISA league offers volleyball, soccer, swimming, track, Math, music, art, cricket, badmitten, tennis, and a few more. You child can be a four season athlete at this school.
6. Maintenance of appropriately high standards for all students:
B: In the high school and middle school it is more clear, but the twice a year report cards and vague grading system in the elementary school leave parents wondering what is going on and what the standards are for their elementary school student. Further a shift to student led conferences have taken the interaction between parent and teacher to times when the parent initiates a special scheduled meeting.
7. Homework assigned (quality, quantity):
B: This always seems just right--students do daily homework but also get experience developing projects over a period of time, even from elementary school.
8. Administration-parent communication:
C: The weekly circular went on-line and no one reads it any longer. It is a shame because it decreased the flow of communications between the administration and the parents.
9. Teacher-student communication:
A: My children always knew what was going on. There was no mystery.
10. Academics, answer the following questions "yes" or "no" with an explanation if appropriate:<br><br>Are there any classes or subjects where students are not appropriately challenged?
No, my children worked hard all the time--even in "soft" subjects like music/performing arts--they were pushed to take on rolls, project their voices, play instruments.
11. Does your child receive any special-needs assistance or instruction at this school? If yes, what types? Who provides services and where:
No. However, two of my children had tutoring and it was done by a teacher during the weekend. (I paid for it out of pocket but it was very convenient and affordable and I knew that they were in good hands.)
12. Do you believe the special-needs assistance is appropriate and fills your needs? Explain:
N/A
13. Does the gifted and talented program meet the needs of students? Please explain:
Hard to tell--does a truly gifted child learn from living in Bangladesh, where a fifth grader might develop a micro-insurance programme for school janitors and run a store/develop a product for an economics unit? Many GT parents are frustrated that the school does not meet their child's needs. My GT student excelled--and was challenged without any special services.
14. Does the school offer a wide variety of elective or non-core classes such as art, music, and drama?
Yes. There is design technology and a few other add on subjects to diversify the curriculum like Life Saving. Languages taught are English and French.
15. Please describe any classes or programs that you believe are missing:
Not really
16. Are there academic requirements such as trips or other activities that cost money in addition to school fees?
No, the class trip is included in the cost of tuition. However, if your child is a SAISA athlete--get ready to pay for the airfare and uniforms.
17. What activities do you feel are missing?
Again, with the dance, but this did not effect my household.
18. Have your children participated in the activities offered? If no, please indicate why:
Yes.
19. Does the school provide appropriate assistance to new students?
Yes.
20. Please describe any problem areas or challenges in social interaction at the school:
None. Except, this is a small town--you, your children, and your children's teachers and the administration will be hanging around by the pool together at the American Club during the weekend. Your kids have to learn to live in a fish bowl and to respect their teachers' privacy. Also, you have to be nice always!
Academics & Resources:
1. What personal or academic counseling resources are available at this school? Is there a dedicated college counselor at the school? Is he/she familiar with universities worldwide?
A: Great counseling and ever improving college application support.
2. Does the school have a library? How large is it? How updated are the books? Can students borrow books to read at home?
A: The library is the best in Bangladesh. You and your child will go there on the weekends and during the summer to read magazines.
3. How are information technology resources at the school. Are they up-to-date? Is there a computer lab?
A: This is a Mac school. The ratio is moving toward 1:1 for the high school.
4. Describe the physical education resources at the school. Is there a gym? A swimming pool? Are there playing fields or tennis courts available?
A. With block scheduling your child will move for an hour and a half two days to three days a week. Swimming is an essential part of the PE curriculum--and the pool is the best in Dhaka (on campus, heated in winter, and under a cover--so no sunburns). You child will run, swim, learn how to use work out equipment, and have health.
5. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
There are generally three sections with less than 60 kids in a section. So in elementary, less than 20 students per class--but there is additional support in the classrooms.
6. Are Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses available in upper grades? If this is an IB school, is the full diploma required of all students?
B: For IB--all courses are two years. There are no longer AP courses offered (although motivated students can take the AP exams). Think hard before moving here with your high school senior. Come with a rising junior without any trouble--but someone trying to finish up that last year of high school will be stuck trying to pull a rigorous schedule together.
7. Is the amount and type of homework generally appropriate for the age and grade of the students?
Yes.
8. What fine arts electives are available (music, drama, visual arts)?
B. Excellent in the elementary school and there are an expanding variety in middle school and high school. This is a small school--so there is no dance or film classes--but there is IB art/music/drama. There is also photography and other art-ish electives.
9. Are the teachers at the school required to speak English as a first language--or at least fluently?
YES! Again, most are from the US. All are certified as teachers.
10. What services are available for gifted/advanced students at the school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
No
11. What extra-curricular activities (including sports) are available at this school? Have your children participated in these activities? What activities do you feel are missing at the school?
Yes.
Social & Emotional Well-Being:
1. Do expatriate students socialize with local students at the school? Are both groups successfully integrated into the school culture?
Yes. This is a very social place to be if you are an AIS-D student--at all ages. There are parties and playdates. Children have very close friends here--and what is nice is the ethnic/national diversity of your child's friends.
2. Are there are any problems with exclusionary behavior, cliques, or bullying at this school? Please describe any problems your children may have experienced in this area.
One of my sons was bullied in the elementary school to the point that the bully left the school and went back to Korea. He also experienced bullying in in the middle school. The locker room was an unsupervised nightmare--and we worked hard with the school to fix this problem. In general, the school and the students are very inclusive. It was just a bad group of kids in one grade--moving up the ladder.
Overall Impressions:
1. What is the greatest strength of this school?
The school is the hub of the community--so that it will have a central role in your life while in Dhaka (in a way that is hard to explain--but you will be there all of the time for events, festivals, shows, meetings)--however, for your child, the school is small (700 kids, K-12) and child centered. Your child will both learn a lot and love that learning.
2. Greatest challenge?
Living in Dhaka is tough. The greatest challenges are overcoming the poverty, dirt and pressing population density. The power outtages take their toll and so do raising property/rent prices. The school must stay current and positive.
3. Would you choose this school again? Why?
Yes, absolutely. This school is a great size, attracts great teachers and provides an amazing experience in an amazing place. I would select AIS-D today even over the AIS-D of four years ago...it just gets better.
