The elite nature of International Schooling:A theoretical framework based upon rituals and character formation

The well-established yet under-theorised body of ‘Traditional International Schools’ warrant much greater sociological analysis and inquiry as ‘elite’ educational institutions. This paper uses Basil Bernstein’s Sociology of the School to discuss the ‘expressive culture’ of such schools, representing an idealised model of conduct, character and manner. The role of rituals in transmitting this culture is discussed by applying Randall Collins’ Interaction Ritual Chain Theory showing how every-day festivals and fundraising events (commonly conceptualised as forming the ‘Five Fs’) can help build up positive emotional energy, which can be used to facilitate action, and embed the expressive culture. Maurice Halbwachs’ concept of Collective Memory is then used to show how interaction rituals can deliver a permanent group recollection, essential for enduring class solidarity and cohesion. Overall, an introductory and coherent theoretical framework for identifying a Sociology of International Schooling is presented, focusing on what aspects of the schooling experience make it an attractive and elite, privileged one

Leadership of ‘messy, tense International Schools’:The potential scope for a fresh, positive lens of inquiry

The diverse field of ‘International Schooling’ continues to grow at a fast rate, and is expected to double in size over the next decade in terms of schools, staff, students, and fee revenue. At the same time, the literature continues to paint a bleak picture of insecurity and precarity. The area of leadership (Directors, and middle-management Principals) in particular continues to attract a very unappealing picture of operational activity within ‘messy, tense’ school environments. Within this emergent ‘Growth Paradox’, where continuous entry and retention of school leaders is perhaps surprising given the unappealing conditions, there is a need for a fresh lens of inquiry. This paper explores the normal picture painted by literature, since the 1960s, arguing it to be atypical of a ‘Negative Sociology’ lens of inquiry. This paper subsequently proposes a fresh approach based upon a ‘Positive Sociology’ perspective (a form of ‘humanistic sociology’), seeking to investigate how and why school leaders cope and ‘survive’. A potential research agenda, focuses on resilience strategies, is proposed. Ultimately, we need to move further towards a discrete ‘Sociology of International Schooling’ if we are to understand its continuous growth, and a ‘Positive Sociology’ approach is one fresh avenue of inquiry

Leadership of ‘messy, tense International Schools’:The potential scope for a fresh, positive lens of inquiry

The diverse field of ‘International Schooling’ continues to grow at a fast rate, and is expected to double in size over the next decade in terms of schools, staff, students, and fee revenue. At the same time, the literature continues to paint a bleak picture of insecurity and precarity. The area of leadership (Directors, and middle-management Principals) in particular continues to attract a very unappealing picture of operational activity within ‘messy, tense’ school environments. Within this emergent ‘Growth Paradox’, where continuous entry and retention of school leaders is perhaps surprising given the unappealing conditions, there is a need for a fresh lens of inquiry. This paper explores the normal picture painted by literature, since the 1960s, arguing it to be atypical of a ‘Negative Sociology’ lens of inquiry. This paper subsequently proposes a fresh approach based upon a ‘Positive Sociology’ perspective (a form of ‘humanistic sociology’), seeking to investigate how and why school leaders cope and ‘survive’. A potential research agenda, focuses on resilience strategies, is proposed. Ultimately, we need to move further towards a discrete ‘Sociology of International Schooling’ if we are to understand its continuous growth, and a ‘Positive Sociology’ approach is one fresh avenue of inquiry

The continuous growth and development of ‘International Schooling’:The notion of a ‘transitionary phase’

Volume 38 of Compare included my paper (Bunnell, 2008) addressing the changing landscape of ‘International Schooling’. There, I had argued the case for identifying and predicting a ‘second phase’ of growth and development appearing, after a slow, gradual growth pattern evident since at least the 1960s. A decade later, it seems time to re-visit the situation, and discuss the emergent nature of this shifting scene especially as it was at that time, ‘relatively early in its development’ (Bunnell, 2008 p.416). In particular, the arena is now ripe for sociological inquiry (Resnik, 2012; Tarc and Mishra Tarc, 2015), and we can now add a sociological lens to my notion of there being two ‘phases’ of growth and development

The continuous growth and development of ‘International Schooling’:The notion of a ‘transitionary phase’

Volume 38 of Compare included my paper (Bunnell, 2008) addressing the changing landscape of ‘International Schooling’. There, I had argued the case for identifying and predicting a ‘second phase’ of growth and development appearing, after a slow, gradual growth pattern evident since at least the 1960s. A decade later, it seems time to re-visit the situation, and discuss the emergent nature of this shifting scene especially as it was at that time, ‘relatively early in its development’ (Bunnell, 2008 p.416). In particular, the arena is now ripe for sociological inquiry (Resnik, 2012; Tarc and Mishra Tarc, 2015), and we can now add a sociological lens to my notion of there being two ‘phases’ of growth and development

Social media comment on leaders in International Schools:The causes of negative comments and the implications for leadership practices

The diverse body of international schools continues to grow and develop. Yet, the realities of being a leader in such a school continue to be neglected by discussion and research. It is acknowledged that international schools are complex organizations to lead and manage, with numerous boundaries, transient stakeholders, and opposing priorities. They exist as very challenging arenas for leadership, ripe for conflict and tension. This article uses anonymized comments on the social media website internationalschoolreview.com (ISR.com) to explore how and why teachers might post negative comments on school leaders. The framework of the “toxic triangle” is used as an instrument for presenting the comments. The article then discusses the implications for leadership practices. In particular, the comments on ISR.com reveal how isolated international schools are, with seemingly few options for teachers to release the “pressure valve” if unhappy or unsatisfied by what they might deem to be unethical and immoral leadership behavior. Further, the comments show how loosely coupled and fragmented the schools are, and many of the teachers themselves exist in a precarious state of anxiety. Overall, the comments add substantial weight to the argument that international schools are complex and challenging leadership environments.</p

Social media comment on leaders in International Schools:The causes of negative comments and the implications for leadership practices

The diverse body of international schools continues to grow and develop. Yet, the realities of being a leader in such a school continue to be neglected by discussion and research. It is acknowledged that international schools are complex organizations to lead and manage, with numerous boundaries, transient stakeholders, and opposing priorities. They exist as very challenging arenas for leadership, ripe for conflict and tension. This article uses anonymized comments on the social media website internationalschoolreview.com (ISR.com) to explore how and why teachers might post negative comments on school leaders. The framework of the “toxic triangle” is used as an instrument for presenting the comments. The article then discusses the implications for leadership practices. In particular, the comments on ISR.com reveal how isolated international schools are, with seemingly few options for teachers to release the “pressure valve” if unhappy or unsatisfied by what they might deem to be unethical and immoral leadership behavior. Further, the comments show how loosely coupled and fragmented the schools are, and many of the teachers themselves exist in a precarious state of anxiety. Overall, the comments add substantial weight to the argument that international schools are complex and challenging leadership environments.</p

The ‘internationalisation of public schooling’ in practice:A ‘Skeptical Reality’ approach

The ‘Internationalisation of Higher Education’ is well discussed, and relatively well theorised. An established model (e.g. Knight, 2004) identifies four distinct strategies, in practice. These involve: governance; operations; support services; and human resource development. Yemini (2013 p.475) has offered an adjusted model for application in the context of ‘public schooling’: governance; curriculum; operations (activities); and support services. My chapter will deal specifically with the ‘curriculum’ aspect of this broad framework, and the somewhat unexpected and largely under-reported entry into the public schooling sphere, in some nation-states, of the programmes of the International Baccalaureate (IB), beyond the traditional, core base of ‘pioneer’ private international schools’ (see Bunnell, 2013). This phenomena has particularly involved the IB’s ‘flagship’ Diploma Programme (IBDP) but the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Primary Years Programme (PYP) are also involved. <br/

‘Diluting, decoupling, and dovetailing’:Considering new metaphors for understanding the changing International School landscape in China

A major development in recent years concerning the growth of ‘private English-speaking international schooling’ has been the transition from a ‘traditional’ mode of activity towards a ‘non-traditional’ context. This is especially the case in Asia, where the majority of international schools now reside. Moreover, we find that in Mainland China two-thirds of the (approximately) 900 schools that might be thought of as international schools are now perhaps better classified as ‘internationalised schools’, catering largely for Chinese nationals and being taught by a largely local teaching force whilst delivering a fusion of international and national curricula in a profit-driven paradigm. A major challenge is to picture and theorise this changing, and increasingly very different, landscape. This paper offers a new imagery for discussion by using metaphor. Building upon the conflicting ‘diluting’ and ‘decoupling’ metaphors that have been recently introduced in the international schooling literature, we present here a conciliatory new imagery: that of ‘dovetailing’. This alternative, third metaphor suggests that the changing landscape of international schooling in places including mainland China involves models of private bilingual international schooling that are pragmatically ‘dovetailed’ with national forms of schooling, fusing cosmopolitan sensitivities with the nationalist needs of the state. This metaphor is now ready to be developed and adapted in China and beyond.</p

Escaping the fire for the frying-pan?:British teachers entering International Schooling

The arena of ‘English-Speaking International Schooling’ continues to grow, reaching almost 12,000 schools in 2020. The growing teaching arena attracts 30,000 new entrants each year and continues to be dominated by British-trained teachers. Little is actually known about the motives or subsequent experiences of this body. However, the narrative about this ‘brain-drain’ tends to be negative and condescending, referring to teachers ‘fleeing’ Britain and ‘escaping’ neoliberal performativity and accountability, and finding ‘refuge’ overseas. The reality is that many may enter an equally difficult, insecure, and precarious environment. This paper explores the emergent terrain and shows how it has changed over time, revealing the reality of teaching in a new arena of profit-driven activity in mainland China, aimed mainly at local Chinese parents. A resultant new narrative is proposed, based upon positive notions of ‘resistance’ and ‘self-care’, which helps to explain why the exodus tends (at present) to be largely one-way