Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Report of what it's like to live there - 05/29/14
Personal Experiences from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
School Name:
School Name: Home Schooling Resources
Background Information:
1. Are you the parent of a child(ren) attending this school? A teacher at the school? Or both?
Both.
2. What grade or grades do/did your children attend at the school? During what year(s) did they attend the school?
Our children were in middle school when we homeschooled in Bishkek.
3. During what years were you affiliated with this school?
2011-2012
4. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
Academic.
5. Are other schools available to expatriates in this city? Why did you choose this particular school?
We homeschooled because we couldn't afford the tuition at any of the international schools in Bishkek.
Administration & School Procedures:
1. Does the school offer a wide variety of elective or non-core classes such as art, music, and drama?
Hope Academy had a reasonable selection of elective classes that our children could participate in.
2. Please describe any problem areas or challenges in social interaction at the school:
It would be fairly difficult to find English-speaking tutors in Bishkek.
Academics & Resources:
1. Does the school have a library? How large is it? How updated are the books? Can students borrow books to read at home?
We were able to use Hope Academy's library, which was very helpful. It's not huge, but it was a great resource for us.
2. Describe the physical education resources at the school. Is there a gym? A swimming pool? Are there playing fields or tennis courts available?
There aren't a lot of sports programs available for children in Bishkek outside the international schools.
3. What fine arts electives are available (music, drama, visual arts)?
We talked to both QSIB and Hope Academy about participating in art and sports classes. Hope Academy seemed to be the most open to the idea and allowed us and other homeschoolers to take classes there for a very reasonable fee. Hope Academy is Christian, but even though we are secular homeschoolers, it worked fine for us. Our children took art, rock climbing, basketball, and other sports classes, and also went on field trips with Hope Academy.
Social & Emotional Well-Being:
1. 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.
Our children were warmly welcomed by Hope Academy, even as homeschoolers.
Overall Impressions:
1. What is the greatest strength of this school?
Homeschooling worked very well for us in Bishkek. We've homeschooled four different times overseas and our year in Bishkek was the most successful ever.
2. Greatest challenge?
For us, it was having very few resources, but that wouldn't apply to many expat families with homeschooling budgets and HHE shipments.
3. Would you choose this school again? Why?
Yes.
