Geneva’s teachers continue to strike over increased hours, larger classes and potential job losses. Many parents and students have supported teachers in their efforts to preserve the quality of their teaching environment. New developments however are posing questions on the effect of extended strike action on the children. Students recently voiced their discontent when the […]
From School to University : a giant leap?
The IB, A-Level, Maturité and Bac are all stepping stones to university but how adequate are they in preparing students for what is to come? Does one serve that purpose better than others? These different diplomas offer different styles of studies but are equally valid in terms of academic level. The Maturité trains students to […]
The plague of plagiarism in schools
Rather than simply punishing students for passing off other people’s work as their own, schools need to help them become more discerning – and critical – with their use of online research. William Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde and Martin Luther King all have been accused of plagiarism, so what chance do young students stand in coming […]
Assessment – to grade or not to grade?
Further to recent reforms in the English National curriculum, parents may want to ask about new systems of assessment. There are fundamentally two different schools of measuring a child’s progress and Great Britain may be about to make a leap from one to another. To grade or not to grade, this has been the question […]
Back to school: Are your children excited or dreading it?
Summer is almost over and heading back to school is – for some – an exciting period to catch up with friends or get back into a familiar routine. For others, it will be a time of anxiety because they know that the bullying will start again. Shocking as it may sound, between 10% and […]
Are schools ready for the future?
As the world of business, science and technology is changing around us, school education must follow suit. But do our schools prepare the citizens of tomorrow’s world adequately? The question is all the more pertinent now that China is taking over as a leading economy with a completely different take on education from most Western […]
Let’s talk about sex
Sex education continues to be a delicate, if not difficult, issue in schools. At the same time, it is one that regularly appears on the political scene as it speaks to the public’s emotional, social, moral and religious mind-set. This year, it is Switzerland’s turn. Some of the conservative parties are seeking to make it […]
Holiday Camps – Keeping the kids busy
SUMMER Now is the time to think about what to do over the summer for your children. Camps are a good option. 101 For many parents, it’s that eternal conundrum – what to do over the holidays? For those who can’t get away, there’s actually plenty to do in the Lake Geneva region. Holiday camps […]
How does the IB compare to other diplomas?
GENEVA Sabine Hutcheson explores the requirements for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, which is growing in popularity among international and Anglophone schools in Switzerland. The appeal of the IB Diploma is primarily its international approach. No particular culture is favoured and students are educated to become world citizens, preparing them for careers wherever they choose. […]
Choosing a school in the region
GENEVA English-speaking families are often overwhelmed by which option to choose for their children: a local Swiss or French school, or an international one with English only, or bilingual options. The same goes for Germans, Italians, Dutch and other nationalities. The Lake Geneva region is an exciting place for education because of the variety of […]
