Guide to International Schools in Japan [Perfect Paperback]

Caroline Pover (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 18, 2009

Japanese international schools are now easy to locate with the first ever comprehensive guidebook to international schools in Japan. It gives parents, adventurous teachers, and school owners the ability to examine over a hundred schools, all in one publication. No need to gather brochures from many different schools; no need to sit endlessly jumping from one Japanese education related website to another; no need to read between the lines and wonder what's missing!

Based on over 60 questions that parents ask when looking at educational options for their children, the Guide to International Schools in Japan features six pages on each Japanese international school, including four photographs and 2000 words it's like having a mini-prospectus for over one hundred schools, all in one handy package!

If you are expatriate parents, a bicultural family, or internationally-minded Japanese parents, the Guide to International Schools in Japan is essential reading!

Read about:
* Age, gender mix, and nationalities of children
* Class and school size
* History, goals, ethos, and curriculum
* Facilities, hours, terms, and vacations
* Key staff backgrounds and qualifications
* Awards and recognitions
* Languages taught and languages of instruction
* Services for bicultural children
* Special needs services and gifted child programs
* Examinations held
* Religious affiliations
* School lunch policies
* Disciplinary procedures
* Education policies
* Transportation and parking
* Security
* Expected parental involvement
* Homework expectations
* School trips and special events
* Extracurricular and summer school programs
* Alumni activities
* Fees, discounts, and scholarships
* Application procedures and acceptance criteria

Editorial Reviews

Review

Caroline Pover's latest work offers insight into Japan's international schools

by Christina Bell

This summer, Caroline Pover has good reason to celebrate. The May release of her latest book, the Guide to International Schools in Japan, marks more than just another important milestone in the career she never expected to have. It is the embodiment of a passionate endeavor, achieved in spite of significant personal upheaval. However, the completion of her latest project while recovering from cognitive damage has been the biggest triumph of all.

Caroline didn't start out as a writer, magazine editor, or a publisher. She trained to become a teacher, and after teaching in the United Kingdom, she came to Japan. Here she completed and self-published her first book, Being A Broad in Japan: Everything a Western Woman Needs to Survive and Thrive. She also ran Being A Broad and Weekender magazines. Soon, this transplanted teacher found herself accepting the BCCJ's British Business Award for Best Entrepreneur at their 60th anniversary celebrations in 2008.

Three years ago Caroline suffered the first of three small strokes that left her with cognitive damage. It was during the time after her strokes that she spent time discussing educational issues with friends who were looking for appropriate schools for their young children. The more she listened, the more she realized that there was no easy resource for families looking at international schools in Japan. It was this epiphany that launched the ten-month process of conducting interviews with schools all over the country.

The Guide to International Schools in Japan gives detailed information on over 100 schools. Whether parents are seeking information about schools from abroad or are already situated in Japan, the guide gives a detailed picture of what Japan's international schools have to offer.

Every school in the guide was asked to give information on its vital statistics, including their hours and which holidays they honor. Not only is whole school and class size listed, but an estimated gender and nationality breakdown within that population is also given. There is information about how each school was founded, and how it is managed by the current administrators and teachers. Educational philosophies are examined in great detail. Betsy Wiedenmayer, a mother of three who was given an advance look at the book, was impressed by the variety of educational opportunities she saw. "I was amazed to learn about so many different schools in the greater Tokyo area with emphasis on music or art or the overall education of the child." Her children were born in Japan, so language skills are a priority. "I am interested in my children being fluent speakers of two or more languages, so I was happy to know which schools offer a bilingual or trilingual education."

The Guide to International Schools in Japan will save those seeking an international education for their children many hours of searching the internet and visiting schools that turn out not to be a good match. It has the potential to become a vital resource for anyone raising school-aged children in Japan.

Since her strokes, Caroline has thrown herself into this project. Now that it is completed, some of the schools in the book have invited her to visit and speak to the students. She looks forward to the opportunity to encourage young people to find something they love and, in her words, completely immerse themselves in it. Surely, her joy and passion will have an enduring positive influence upon those who hear this message. --Weekender magazine, 5th June 2009

About the Author

Caroline Pover graduated from the University of Exeter, Devon, UK, a qualified primary school teacher with a First Class Honours degree in Mathematics and Education, and a Dean s Commendation. After teaching at the same school she actually attended, a desire for adventure led her to Tokyo in 1996. Caroline was soon hired by an alternative Japanese high school, where the entire curriculum was dedicated to international understanding the first high school of its kind.

While teaching by day, Caroline launched her own magazine for foreign women in Japan, entitled Being A Broad, and interviewed 250 foreign women as she wrote her first book, Being A Broad in Japan: everything a Western woman needs to survive and thrive. She established Alexandra Press (named after her mother) under which to self-publish her book, which was released in 2001. Within three months it became a number one bestseller, and Caroline was soon in demand as a motivational speaker to men and women throughout Japan.

The success of her book led to further publishing projects: for Tokyo English Life Line, the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, and Tokyo American Club Women's Group, as well as corporations and individual authors. In 2004, she took over the first free publication in Japan - Weekender magazine (established 1970), publishing two issues per month, and revamping the magazine and the business, until she sold it in October 2008. She still publishes the monthly Being A Broad magazine and oversees the Being A Broad support network.

Caroline was recognized at Foreign Executive Women's 20th anniversary celebrations in 2002, for her many contributions to the foreign women's community in Japan. She was also awarded the British Business Award for Best Entrepreneur at the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan's 60th anniversary celebrations in 2008.

Drawing upon her background in education and interest in child development, Caroline's second book is the first ever comprehensive guide to international schools throughout Japan, and combines her two passions: publishing and pedagogy. Still just in her thirties, Caroline is a stroke survivor, and this book is a particular joy to her, as it wasn't that long ago that she was unable to write an email, let alone a book!

Product Details

• Perfect Paperback: 692 pages
• Publisher: Alexandra Press; First edition (May 18, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 4990079175
• ISBN-13: 978-4990079178
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.8 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #188,104 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Caroline Pover graduated from the UK's University of Exeter as a qualified primary school teacher, with a First Class Honours degree and a Dean's Commendation. After teaching at the same school she had attended as a child, a desire for adventure led her to Tokyo in 1996 where she was soon hired by a Japanese international school.

Teaching by day, Caroline launched her own magazine and interviewed 200 foreign women as she wrote her first book, Being A Broad in Japan: Everything a Western woman needs to survive and thrive. She established Alexandra Press under which to self-publish her book, which was released in 2001 and quickly became a number-one bestseller.

The success of her book led to further publishing projects for Tokyo English Life Line, the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, and Tokyo American Club Women's Group, as well as corporations and individual authors. In 2004, she took over the first free publication in Japan--Weekender magazine (established in 1970), publishing two issues per month, revamped the magazine and the business, and sold it in October 2008. She still oversees the Being A Broad support network and services at http://www.being-a-broad.com and publishes its monthly magazine.

In 2002, Caroline was recognized at the Foreign Executive Women's 20th anniversary celebrations for her many contributions to the foreign women's community in Japan. In 2008, she was awarded the inaugural British Business Award for Best Entrepreneur at the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan's 60th anniversary celebrations.

Drawing on her background in education and interest in child development, Caroline's second book is the first-ever comprehensive guide to international schools throughout Japan, and it combines her two passions: publishing and pedagogy. Still just in her thirties, Caroline is a stroke survivor, and this book is a particular joy to her, as it wasn't that long ago that she was unable to write an email, let alone a book!

Caroline lives in Tokyo and can be contacted at [e-mail].