International School in Luang Prabang

It's been a few weeks since I started my new job as Headmaster of the international school in Luang Prabang in northern Laos, so here are a few of my thoughts.

'International' schools are generally defined as those which offer an international curriculum, such as the IB. My school does fit that definition, but because the vast majority of current students are Lao with varying degrees of English language ability, it also offers an intensive ESL stream for those who are not yet at 'mainstream' grade.

The lack of non-Lao students is quite understandable, given that the school is newly-opened and there are no suitable alternatives in the region. There are Canadian, Vietnamese, Korean etc students enrolled at the school.

So far, I've been given a fairly 'free leash' by the school director as to how I manage the school, especially concerning their new campus which will open in a few months. I hope that my 'independence' will be allowed to continue, because I have a lot of plans for the school.

I first visited Luang Prabang 30 years ago, so it has changed quite a lot. It's still very laid-back, but with a better choice of bars. Can't beat Beer Lao of course, but Myanmar Beer comes a close second.

All in all, I'm not regretting my decision to come here :) I've also applied for my radio ham licence, so expect to be arrested shortly....

Simon

Simon,

I'm teaching at an international school in Vientiane and we have a mix of Laos, Thai, Korean and Western students - how many kids enrolled do you have? We haver around 500.

Best of luck to you Simon.
Its a great bolt hole for peace and quiet is LP, but does it have enough hotels ?:)

An excellent spot to build a hotel, Simon. Good Luck. :)

Good luck with it Simon.

If you need me to teach a Grammar Class Just PM me. :)

Cheers.

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An excellent spot to build a hotel...

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Yes .... and no....

I actually visited Luang Prabang and other areas in Laos about 3 years ago with that idea in mind. But as far as LP, I decided that there were already many hotels and guesthouses, (which makes it difficult to break into the market), and there was nothing 'niche' like a busy airport that's 1 hour drive away from the hotspots, (as is the case in Phuket).

I did like some of the projects offered by ecotourismlaos.com, especially the project to build a small hotel at the Khamouane caves. But I decided that since I was married, my wife would not appreciate being stuck in a remote place far from the HiSo shops :)

Although I'm not doing any hotel-building here, I am walking about each week in mud on the building site of the new campus. The construction is very similar to my own hotels, (no, not crap, but straightforward). I have to ensure that enough of the campus is completed in time for the start of the new school year.

Simon

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Originally Posted by Simon43

'International' schools are generally defined as those which offer an international curriculum, such as the IB. My school does fit that definition, but because the vast majority of current students are Lao with varying degrees of English language ability, it also offers an intensive ESL stream for those who are not yet at 'mainstream' grade.

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The definition for Internationalism is changing.
Even among IB schools now, only ~10% are the traditional expat enclaves, most international schools these days are filled with mixtures of national and other students teaching with an international curriculum, or even a national curriculum but with so called western teaching approaches, as opposed to 'chalk and talk' and rote learning.

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Originally Posted by terry57

If you need me to teach a Grammar Class Just PM me.

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You're on the list along with Ratchaburi and GravyDavy.

There will be vacancies on the new campus, but they are likely to be in core subjects, such as Science, as well as Art and Music.

Any of you guys good at traditional Lao dancing??

Absolutely

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Originally Posted by Simon43

There will be vacancies on the new campus, but they are likely to be in core subjects, such as Science, as well as Art and Music.

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What about ICT? What syllabus will you be using? Cambridge?

Hi Rubert, I already have a NES ICT teacher, but there may be a need to recruit a second teacher.

The new campus building that will house the ICT lab is not yet built.... I don't think it will be completed by start of term. (I can only push the Vietnamese workers so hard and I don't speak their lingo anyway)