What were your reasons for entering the elementary school?

We were impressed by the Japanese-English International Baccalaureate, which is something that other schools don’t offer and we decided to attend an open school. 
My son enjoyed the friendly classroom atmosphere during a trial lesson so he transferred from a public elementary school to Kansai International Academy Elementary School during 3rd Grade

What were your reasons for entering the secondary school?

My son had a strong desire to attend KIA Secondary School. This is the ultimate reason we chose this school.  
When choosing his junior high school, my son knew that the I.B suited him and that learning English and studying abroad was something he wanted to do. 
Although we visited other schools, we wanted him to follow his strong desire to continue learning in the KIA environment and chose to go to Kansai International Academy Secondary School.  

What curriculum is particularly attractive at KIA?

Inquiry learning is what makes KIA Elementary School so attractive.
It may seem mundane because it’s done everyday but it is very important. Researching something until you are completely satisfied and summarizing it in a concise manner will serve as a foundation for skills that are necessary in secondary school, like coming up with research questions and thinking logically then presenting it. 

For secondary school, it’s studying abroad.
From the moment they enter secondary school, they know by looking at past G9 students that when they become a G9 student, they will study abroad themselves. Everyone in the grade studies abroad in a country and school that they chose, contact each other during the study abroad and receive a warm welcome a year later by teachers, older students and younger students. 
For secondary students preparing to study abroad, there isn’t a more reassuring environment.

Please share an episode that made you realize your child is a KIA student.

①“The ability to turn homework into laughter”
When he was in upper elementary school, he would spend so much time making funny example sentences out of the new kanji he was learning (often using the same kanji three or four times in the same sentence!) that he would make me and the teacher laugh everyday.  

②“Bringing joy to those around him by pursuing his interests” 
This was also from when he was in upper elementary school but because my son loves games, he would take cards the size of business cards and create his own card game with unique characters, abilities and rules. During recess, he would play the card game with friends which he enjoyed. Eventually, almost all of his male classmates helped him create cards and brought a mountain of cards to school everyday. 
 

What is the best way to recommend your KIA?

The teachers and the students are very close.
Because the teachers at KIA are friendly and open, the students, while respecting their teachers, can talk to them about anything as if they were talking to a friend or a family member. The entire class, including the teachers, is like a family.

What is KIA to you?

The school is a treasure house of unique children with numerous potentials and a second family for my son with many teachers who watch over him growing up.
When my son was in elementary school, unlike public elementary schools, he was able to challenge himself in many different things everyday. As a family, we were grateful that the teachers supported and encouraged him through both his successes and failures. 
Although he is now a high school student, I am still in the process of discovering new depths of the I.B education through watching him everyday.
I am very much looking forward to seeing what kind of adults the KIA graduates will become in the future.