Stepping into the International Landscape

President's Corner

Have you ever visited a school in another country? Educational trips to school systems abroad can be enriching and life-changing experiences. For school district leaders, these learning excursions also can be incredibly humbling.

When we stay within our school systems, our mindset is limited to that system, to what is known and to what is comfortable or expected. Exploring international school systems and immersing yourself in environments with different languages, models and practices pushes you to reflect and reconsider.

I have visited other countries and learned about their educational systems for the past eight years. In 2016, I traveled to Israel to observe an early childhood Arab-English bilingual school in an Arab/Israeli community, an elementary school of grades 1-6 and a 7-12 high school in the Gaza Strip. I left with a greater appreciation of the fact that local context matters and that the history and experience of a country are reflected in its educational systems. Even in schools with bomb shelters, students were happy to be in school and learning.

In 2017, I visited elementary schools, specialized schools for exceptional children and trade schools in Cuba. A big takeaway was the focus the country places on early learning. Every child age 1-5 participates in a program called Educate Your Child, where preschool educators visit families’ homes. In Cuba, learning and literacy are encouraged for everyone, from birth to 99. Students with few resources were happy to be in school.

In 2018, I observed private schools in Ecuador, where children received a top-notch education, and traditional public schools, where children learned the basics. I walked away thinking about how U.S. schools have similar patterns: Some have many resources, and some do not. Regardless, children were happy to be learning in school.

I traveled to the Dominican Republic in 2020 as part of a Lifetouch Memory Mission to build an addition to a school in the Rio Grande community. This life-changing experience gave me a heightened awareness of gratitude for U.S. public schools. The residents were grateful to have us assist with their school expansion.

In 2023, I traveled to Canada to participate in a school leadership conference. While there, I learned about the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, the largest class-action settlement in Canadian history. A commission facilitated reconciliation to repair the harm done to former students. This experience led me to reflect on marginalized groups’ hardships worldwide and the importance of working together to first acknowledge and then repair the harm done.

Visiting school systems elsewhere has broadened my horizon about what schools can and should be. These experiences have made me more reflective on the practices we promote to ensure every child receives a positive learning experience.

The key to successful international travel for professional learning is to be open-minded and to choose destinations that may interest you based on your district or the country’s priorities. When visiting school systems, actively engage with students, educators and leaders by asking questions. Take notes and photos. Share your learnings with your team at home and explore ways to implement innovative ideas or adapt best practices.

So pack your bags, embrace the unknown and embark on a journey of professional growth through international travel. You might be surprised at what you discover!

It has been my pleasure to serve you as president of AASA. Best wishes to incoming President Gustavo Balderas.

Gladys Cruz is AASA president in 2023-24.