Ashgabat, Turkmenistan Report of what it's like to live there - 01/08/15
Personal Experiences from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
School Name:
Ashgabat International School
Background Information:
1. Are you the parent of a child(ren) attending this school? A teacher at the school? Or both?
Parent.
2. What grade or grades do/did your children attend at the school? During what year(s) did they attend the school?
Two children in elementary grades.
3. During what years were you affiliated with this school?
2013-2015.
4. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
USG.
5. Are other schools available to expatriates in this city? Why did you choose this particular school?
It is the only international school in Ashgabat.
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?
A
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
A
Administration & School Procedures:
1. Describe the general climate of the grade level that you teach or your child attends:
The general climate is very warm and supportive and tight-knit. Having my kids there and getting to know the international teaching staff has been one of the best parts of our experience in Ashgabat. I don't believe that the academics are particularly rigorous, but they are fine, and the wonderful atmosphere at the school makes up for whatever rigor may be lacking.
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
3. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
A
4. Services for gifted students who need academic challenge and students with learning difficulties:
C
5. Aside from school fees, are there required expenses such as uniforms, laptops/tablets, musical instruments, or field trips that parents are expected to cover? What are the approximate costs?
Students can purchase lunch at school if they want. There are no uniforms or other hidden costs that I'm aware of.
6. Availability and variety of after-school activities for various ages:
B
7. Maintenance of appropriately high standards for all students:
B
8. Homework assigned (quality, quantity):
B
9. Administration-parent communication:
A
10. Teacher-student communication:
A
11. Does the school offer a wide variety of elective or non-core classes such as art, music, and drama?
These are somewhat limited, although they faculty really tries considering the size of the school.
12. Please describe any classes or programs that you believe are missing:
I would like to see better foreign language options.
13. Are there academic requirements such as trips or other activities that cost money in addition to school fees?
There are occasionally field trips for a small fee but these are optional.
14. Have your children participated in the activities offered? If no, please indicate why:
Yes
15. Does the school provide appropriate assistance to new students?
Yes
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?
B
2. Does the school have a library? How large is it? How updated are the books? Can students borrow books to read at home?
B
3. How are information technology resources at the school. Are they up-to-date? Is there a computer lab?
B
4. Describe the physical education resources at the school. Is there a gym? A swimming pool? Are there playing fields or tennis courts available?
B
5. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
A
6. Is the amount and type of homework generally appropriate for the age and grade of the students?
It seems to be. My older child is in an early/middle primary grade and has about 30 minutes worth of homework most evenings. I wouldn't want there to be much more than that.
7. What fine arts electives are available (music, drama, visual arts)?
C
8. Are the teachers at the school required to speak English as a first language--or at least fluently?
Yes, the majority of teachers are American.
9. What services are available for gifted/advanced students at the school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
The school brings advanced kids up to the next appropriate grade level for a more challening learning environment, but I am not aware of other instruction geared towards gifted and talented.
10. 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?
They do their best, but I would like to see more organized sports being offered.
Social & Emotional Well-Being:
1. Do expatriate students socialize with local students at the school? Are both groups successfully integrated into the school culture?
The school is approximately 1/3 Turkmen, but I think most expat kids pretty much only socialize with other expat kids.
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.
Not that I'm aware of.
Overall Impressions:
1. What is the greatest strength of this school?
The administration is approachable and really cares about the school. The teachers work hard to create a caring and tight-knit community while also maintaining academic standards.
2. Greatest challenge?
Turkmenistan is a challenging place because of the isolation and the dictatorial government. The international school is a little oasis where we can forget about those issues and just enjoy each other's company and have fun with our kids.
3. Would you choose this school again? Why?
Yes, definitely (although if you're posted in Ashgabat there are no other choices except home-schooling or boarding school).
