Xiao Ling “Michelle” Liu, student at International High School at Union Square
“One thing that I leanred about this organization is that they help immigrant students go to and feel comfortable at school. At other schools, they speak only English. But at the Interational Schools, we have different students from different countries and we can leanr different languages and cultures from other students.” – Xiao Ling “Michelle” Liu
Today, for our third installment in our Summer in a Safe City campaign (#NYCSafeSummer), we want to introduce another one of our grantees, Internationals Network for Public Schools’, a marvelous organization that is changing education in New York and across the nation with one student at a time.
Internationals Network for Public Schools provides a quality educational experience for recently arrived immigrants by growing and sustaining a strong national network of innovative International High Schools. The average student at International High Schools has been in the United States for approximately four years or less and on average score within the bottom quartile on English language tests at the time of admissions. According to the statistics conducted by the organization, in the School Year 2011-12, students came from over 119 countries, speak over 90 languages, and their English language skills vary on an individual level.
Internationals Network is widely recognized across the nation as a leader in the field of English language learner education. Their unique approach to education provides a social and supportive space for these students. A team of teachers will be matched with a team of students who work with each other across subject areas. This promotes a process of working with a diverse set of skills with students and allows students who may speak the same native language to help each other in different subjects and also strengthen their English. This particular method sets International high schools apart from other schools who serve English language learners across the nation.
This organization provides support for not only the students but also the school leaders and teachers through an inventive and innovative array of programming and activities structured to strengthen their skills for teaching and advising. Each year, teachers will attend a workshop to learn the latest and effective strategies to educate and support students within the Internationals Network.
