What kind of things are students in EF Academy gaining through being part of an international environment?
EF Academy is a truly global school with students from over 35 different countries. This unique environment encourages cultural diversity, global awareness, and valuable interactions across languages, traditions, and worldviews. The vibrant surroundings are helping students to gain new insights and embrace diversity. To explore further, how does this diverse environment impact students’ perspectives and growth?
According to the EF Academy website, the school carefully organizes every class so each student can contribute their unique and distinct voices in the discussion. Throughout this learning environment, students can teach each other and enrich their understanding with different viewpoints. It allows students to practice every day listening to different viewpoints, asking each other questions, having conversations, and constructing bridges of respect and understanding across ideas and cultures.
Students in EF Academy are enjoying being in an international school community. Yufang, an 11th grader, enjoys being in an international school through everyday exposure to a wide range of cultures and cuisines with “trying so many new foods” that Cena offers. She shared how it’s fascinating to see people from different backgrounds and how different cultures approach daily life.
The majority of students are gaining new perspectives or insights through interactions with people from different cultures. Ai, an 11th grader, used to believe that being different was not normal and often viewed those who stood out more than others were unusual or strange. However, throughout being in an international environment, she highlighted that “I have learned to accept and appreciate individuals who are different from myself,” recognizing that there are multiple valid ways of thinking and approaching life. This experience allowed her to learn about diversity and how individual differences can enrich others. Moreover, she highlighted that “I can now respect various mindsets while maintaining my own individuality,” viewing it as “I am me, and others are others.”
In addition, Hjiri, an 11th grader, used to think being too friendly or open to others in the first interactions was unusual. Nonetheless, after attending EF Academy, she “noticed how warm and welcoming everyone was” which encouraged her to reflect on her own approach. The friendly surroundings made her “become more approachable and comfortable in initiating conversations with new people.” As a result, Hijiri stated “I am confident that my interactions with others have significantly improved” which fostered “stronger connections and a more open communication style.” Hence, these exchanges are challenging their preconceived notions and encouraging them to broaden their perspective on the world.
International environments are allowing students to develop themselves as people. Aina, a 12th grader, used to hesitate in expressing her thoughts, often doubting and worried about whether her opinions would be valued or understood. However, an inclusive and discussion-oriented environment with different people enabled her to share opinions during class discussions and group work. Additionally, nearly all the people around her were claiming their opinions honestly by showing confidence which was a discovery for her. These environments made her communication skills and confidence develop. She mentioned confidently “Now I have become a person who can express my thoughts and feelings more clearly than before.”
Moreover, she was inspired and influenced by how peers of her age from different countries were thinking a lot about their own future with clear goals and a strong sense of purpose. Observing their determination and forward-thinking mindset, positively changed to start considering what she would like to do or achieve in the future. She added that “being in an international environment offers more opportunities and allows me to broaden my horizons to the world.”
The biggest difference between an international school and a local school is the diversity of cultures, perspectives, and opportunities available for students. Rachel, an 11th grader, mentioned that in a local school, “students are often sharing similar cultural backgrounds and experiences,” which creates a more “unified environment.” On the other hand, an international school like EF Academy brings students together from all over the world, promoting a diversity of cultures and encouraging individuality or uniqueness while respecting other cultures.
Aki, a 12th grader, highlighted the distinction between an international school and a local school, saying, “in Japan, we all did the same things together, but here, we can explore different paths and listen to a wide range of opinions.”
Additionally, Maria, a 9th grader, mentioned that since “there’s a lot of presentations and class discussions with classmates from a variety of countries,” it enables her to “gain different points of view that I have never thought.” This exposure to diverse perspectives is one of the main advantages of being in an international school. It creates an environment where students have opportunities to challenge themselves with their own ideas and expand their understanding through listening to different opinions, from which they can explore new ideas and ways of thinking.
Studying in an international school environment also enhances students’ academic experiences by providing access to a diverse range of discussions. With classmates from all over the world, students can be exposed to various teaching styles and approaches to problem-solving, and develop academically. This diversity enriches classroom discussions and even encourages critical thinking skills, and collaboration skills with different people, and develops creative and original ideas.
Furthermore, international schools often offer a broad range of advanced courses, extracurricular activities, and cultural diversity experiences that expand students’ intellectual and personal growth. These elements collectively create an environment that enables students to succeed globally.
Rachel mentioned that “the variety of courses like AP classes, allows me to explore subjects I‘m passionate about” which is helping her to “prepare for college-level learning.” Similarly, Yufang highlighted the value of extracurricular activities. Since she joined clubs that she never had access to before, she stated that “they’ve helped me discover new interests and skills.”
The majority of students have been inspired to learn new languages through interaction with international friends. Hijiri started to have an interest in Mandarin after frequently hearing her friends speak it. “I enjoyed hearing the sound of Mandarin,” she shared. Her curiosity motivated her to pursue learning Mandarin, and she joined a Mandarin class. She added, “I wanted to be able to communicate with my friends in their native language, and it’s been a rewarding and enjoyable experience so far.”
Most of the students said they would highly recommend being in an international environment to others. Maria strongly recommends, insisting that “international school has more opportunities to experience different kinds of things” that “enrich and enhance life experience” and can become “a more experienced person.” In addition, Aina emphasized the unique benefits of such an environment, stating that it provides “new stimulation that cannot be obtained in an environment where everyone comes from the same county or shares similar backgrounds.”
Overall, EF Academy’s international environment significantly impacts students through fostering personal growth, cultural understanding, and academic development. Throughout daily interactions with peers from diverse backgrounds, students gain new perspectives, challenging preconception notions, and develop a more profound appreciation for differences or accept them. This environment helps them to build confidence, and enhance communication skills with different people. Furthermore, it influences and inspires them to pursue new interests, find goals, and embrace individuality while respecting others. EF Academy offers a uniquely developmental experience by combining a diverse community with rich academic and extracurricular opportunities, preparing students to thrive in a globalized world.
