Episode 203 - A Mother's Journey Halfway Around the Globe in Search of the BEST Education for Her Children

If you want to look at a country’s future, look at what is going on in the classrooms, and you’ll get a great snapshot.  The education system in America is still far away from being perfect - children often don’t feel safe in schools, there’s a great gap between students coming from different environments, parents have to put a lot of effort to make sure their child receives a proper education, and the list can go on and on. In today’s episode, Teru shares her experience with the Asian education system, highlights some of the difficulties that everyone enrolled in the American system faces with, and gives us advice on what should be done to expand our educational bubble in order to align with the rest of the world.  Teru Clavel is a Comparative Education expert, and the author of the book, "World Class: One Mother's Journey Halfway Around the Globe in Search of the Best Education for Her Children." She has written columns on education for the Japan Times and the Financial Times, she's made appearances on Fareed Zakaria’s GPS, The TODAY Show, CBS's This Morning, CNBC's Squawk Box and Channel News Asia. She has also been interviewed on countless radio shows and podcasts. She spent a decade raising her family in Asia, which includes Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Tokyo. She has a BA in Asian Studies and an MS in comparative international education. After two years in Palo Alto, California, Teru has returned to live in New York City with her family. So, listen to Episode 203 of Becoming Your Best, to learn the impact that education can have on children and the importance of rethinking our American schooling system. Questions I ask: Tell us about your background, especially including any turning points in your life that have had a significant impact on you. What has helped you come to where you are today? (03:04) What led to writing the book in the first place? (05:20) What are some of the personal challenges you faced and overcame having raised your three children in so many countries and having moved so often? (08:20) Do you talk in your book about the role of parents? (17:19) What is, from your perspective, Teru, the single most important thing parents and teachers can take away from your book, "World Class"? (25:00) Any final tips you'd like to leave our listeners with, today? (26:23)  In this episode, you will learn: Teru’s life in Hong Kong and the education her children received there. (08:51) Teru’s experience of living in an ex-communist tenement in Shanghai. (10:14) The impact that the international education has had on her children’s view of the world. (15:33) The reasons why Teru calls the US - “The Great American Swiss Cheese”. (18:56) The importance of teaching our current and next generations about globalization and global competence. (21:00) Connect with Teru: Website Instagram  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.