Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Report of what it's like to live there - 09/27/11
Personal Experiences from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
School Name:
School Name: International school of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Background Information:
1. Are you the parent of a child(ren) attending this school? A teacher at the school? Or both?
Parent
2. Are you the parent of a child(ren) attending this school? A teacher at the school? Or both?
Parent
3. What grade or grades do/did your children attend at the school? During what year(s) did they attend the school?
10th & 11th
4. What grade or grades do/did your children attend at the school? During what year(s) did they attend the school?
10th & 11th
5. During what years were you affiliated with this school?
2011
6. During what years were you affiliated with this school?
2011
7. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
Government
8. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
Government
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?
Don't know enough to comment.
2. Are the admissions and placement procedures clearly stated to prospective families, either on the school website or through other means of communication?
Don't know enough to comment.
3. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
A - there are so few students here that a new one gets showered w/ attention.
4. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
A - there are so few students here that a new one gets showered w/ attention.
Administration & School Procedures:
1. Describe the general climate of the grade level that you teach or your child attends:
Good
2. Describe the general climate of the grade level that you teach or your child attends:
Good
3. 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:
B - No noticable prejudice, although the dress code changed this year so that students wouldn't insult those who are from "more conservative cultures," which seems a little odd for an AMERICAN school. In other words, acceptance is out in this situation.
4. 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:
B - No noticable prejudice, although the dress code changed this year so that students wouldn't insult those who are from "more conservative cultures," which seems a little odd for an AMERICAN school. In other words, acceptance is out in this situation.
5. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
A
6. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
A
7. Services for gifted students who need academic challenge and students with learning difficulties:
B - regarding gifted in high school - the school manages an remarkable number of AP classes, and will run a class with only three students. However, math stops with AP (AB calculus, meaning if your child got ahead (perhaps in a GT program in the US), he/she is out of luck for 12th grade. As far as non-AP classes in h.s., the academic rigor is lacking in some but not all. And regarding learning difficulties - I only know about one younger child w/ hyperactivity, who is treated compassionately and creatively. I think the upside to this small school is that kids are treated and accepted as individuals.
8. Services for gifted students who need academic challenge and students with learning difficulties:
B - regarding gifted in high school - the school manages an remarkable number of AP classes, and will run a class with only three students. However, math stops with AP (AB calculus, meaning if your child got ahead (perhaps in a GT program in the US), he/she is out of luck for 12th grade. As far as non-AP classes in h.s., the academic rigor is lacking in some but not all. And regarding learning difficulties - I only know about one younger child w/ hyperactivity, who is treated compassionately and creatively. I think the upside to this small school is that kids are treated and accepted as individuals.
9. Availability and variety of after-school activities for various ages:
C - No high school bands. None. After school intermural sports are nice and not cut-throat, so your no-so-gifted-athletically child will get to play and enjoy it.
10. Availability and variety of after-school activities for various ages:
C - No high school bands. None. After school intermural sports are nice and not cut-throat, so your no-so-gifted-athletically child will get to play and enjoy it.
11. Maintenance of appropriately high standards for all students:
B - but A for the AP classes.
12. Maintenance of appropriately high standards for all students:
B - but A for the AP classes.
13. Homework assigned (quality, quantity):
A - for high school
14. Homework assigned (quality, quantity):
A - for high school
15. Administration-parent communication:
B - they try with newsletters but the top levels seem a little clueless about real students and their concerns - too ready to bring a PR approach to answering parents.
16. Administration-parent communication:
B - they try with newsletters but the top levels seem a little clueless about real students and their concerns - too ready to bring a PR approach to answering parents.
17. Teacher-student communication:
A - teachers are helpful to students who seem to need extra attention in a subject.
18. Teacher-student communication:
A - teachers are helpful to students who seem to need extra attention in a subject.
19. 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?
Yes, only a few.
20. 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?
Yes, only a few.
21. Does your child receive any special-needs assistance or instruction at this school? If yes, what types? Who provides services and where:
No
22. Does your child receive any special-needs assistance or instruction at this school? If yes, what types? Who provides services and where:
No
23. Do you believe the special-needs assistance is appropriate and fills your needs? Explain:
24. Do you believe the special-needs assistance is appropriate and fills your needs? Explain:
25. Does the gifted and talented program meet the needs of students? Please explain:
Yes overall.
26. Does the gifted and talented program meet the needs of students? Please explain:
Yes overall.
27. Does the school offer a wide variety of elective or non-core classes such as art, music, and drama?
No! No h.s. band, which is a crime. They could get together one that included adult teachers, as was done in our previous small international school. Musci doesn't seem to be an administrative priority.
28. Does the school offer a wide variety of elective or non-core classes such as art, music, and drama?
No! No h.s. band, which is a crime. They could get together one that included adult teachers, as was done in our previous small international school. Musci doesn't seem to be an administrative priority.
29. Please describe any classes or programs that you believe are missing:
BC level (2nd year) calculus. Band.
30. Please describe any classes or programs that you believe are missing:
BC level (2nd year) calculus. Band.
31. Are there academic requirements such as trips or other activities that cost money in addition to school fees?
32. Are there academic requirements such as trips or other activities that cost money in addition to school fees?
33. What activities do you feel are missing?
Band. More h.s. clubs, such as service clubs. There is manadatory "service learning" that sucks the life out of real service and real caring.
34. What activities do you feel are missing?
Band. More h.s. clubs, such as service clubs. There is manadatory "service learning" that sucks the life out of real service and real caring.
35. Have your children participated in the activities offered? If no, please indicate why:
Yes.
36. Have your children participated in the activities offered? If no, please indicate why:
Yes.
37. Does the school provide appropriate assistance to new students?
Yes, definitely. They worked very well with my incoming middle-of-the-year student.
38. Does the school provide appropriate assistance to new students?
Yes, definitely. They worked very well with my incoming middle-of-the-year student.
39. Please describe any problem areas or challenges in social interaction at the school:
Not enough students, although this is a hard one to fix. The nice thing in the h.s. is that as a result, the grades mix very well together. Not likely to result in seniors becoming lazy or snobby, as I've seen elsewhere.
40. Please describe any problem areas or challenges in social interaction at the school:
Not enough students, although this is a hard one to fix. The nice thing in the h.s. is that as a result, the grades mix very well together. Not likely to result in seniors becoming lazy or snobby, as I've seen elsewhere.
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?
C - counselor is not well-informed. College advising will be done by my family via Internet, not by trusting the counselor.
2. 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?
C - counselor is not well-informed. College advising will be done by my family via Internet, not by trusting the counselor.
3. Does the school have a library? How large is it? How updated are the books? Can students borrow books to read at home?
B
4. Does the school have a library? How large is it? How updated are the books? Can students borrow books to read at home?
B
5. How are information technology resources at the school. Are they up-to-date? Is there a computer lab?
B
6. How are information technology resources at the school. Are they up-to-date? Is there a computer lab?
B
7. Describe the physical education resources at the school. Is there a gym? A swimming pool? Are there playing fields or tennis courts available?
Can't comment because my child started ASOY after the physical ed required years. The after-school intermural teams are nice, and include adults with high schoolers.
8. Describe the physical education resources at the school. Is there a gym? A swimming pool? Are there playing fields or tennis courts available?
Can't comment because my child started ASOY after the physical ed required years. The after-school intermural teams are nice, and include adults with high schoolers.
9. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
A+ - Very good.
10. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
A+ - Very good.
11. 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?
A - a lot of AP courses considering the number of students.
12. 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?
A - a lot of AP courses considering the number of students.
13. Is the amount and type of homework generally appropriate for the age and grade of the students?
Yes
14. Is the amount and type of homework generally appropriate for the age and grade of the students?
Yes
15. What fine arts electives are available (music, drama, visual arts)?
D - there's no high school band, just a new performance music class that is only one semester. Music is a definite deficit here. There are plays but the small number of students means they are low quality.
16. What fine arts electives are available (music, drama, visual arts)?
D - there's no high school band, just a new performance music class that is only one semester. Music is a definite deficit here. There are plays but the small number of students means they are low quality.
17. Are the teachers at the school required to speak English as a first language--or at least fluently?
All in the h.s. speak it well except for a French teacher who speaks to her upper-level students in French, and that's the point of French class anyhow!
18. Are the teachers at the school required to speak English as a first language--or at least fluently?
All in the h.s. speak it well except for a French teacher who speaks to her upper-level students in French, and that's the point of French class anyhow!
19. What services are available for gifted/advanced students at the school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
Yes, AP classes.
20. What services are available for gifted/advanced students at the school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
Yes, AP classes.
21. 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?
Trip to Mt. Cameroon is nice and well-organized.
22. 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?
Trip to Mt. Cameroon is nice and well-organized.
Social & Emotional Well-Being:
1. Do expatriate students socialize with local students at the school? Are both groups successfully integrated into the school culture?
No.
2. Do expatriate students socialize with local students at the school? Are both groups successfully integrated into the school culture?
No.
3. 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.
Not at all.
4. 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.
Not at all.
Overall Impressions:
1. What is the greatest strength of this school?
Small classes and good teachers.
2. What is the greatest strength of this school?
Small classes and good teachers.
3. Greatest challenge?
Facilities are somewhat run-down, although a good architectural plan was done this year, and if followed through, in 3-5 years will be done and the campus will be logically laid out. The facilities now aren't terrible, just not great. The h.s. labs seem to have adequate equipment. Also, some mingling with other schools would be helpful to prevent ASOY students becoming isolated.
4. Greatest challenge?
Facilities are somewhat run-down, although a good architectural plan was done this year, and if followed through, in 3-5 years will be done and the campus will be logically laid out. The facilities now aren't terrible, just not great. The h.s. labs seem to have adequate equipment. Also, some mingling with other schools would be helpful to prevent ASOY students becoming isolated.
5. Would you choose this school again? Why?
Yes.
6. Would you choose this school again? Why?
Yes.
