My visit to the American School in Mexico City

The American School Foundation, A.C. of Mexico City

Earlier this month I visited the American School in Mexico City – the same school that I graduated from high school at back in the late 80’s.  This year marks the 120th anniversary of the school making it one of the oldest schools of it kind in the world and part of the global network of American Schools that pepper the world’s most important cities.  American Schools can be found in most major cities in Latin America as well as in places like London, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, and Tokyo .  American Schools are also found all across Mexico in cities like Monterrey and Guadalajara.

Since its inception the American School of Mexico City has catered to the American expat community in Mexico City as well as many of the Mexican families that want to have their kids experience an international education within the context of dual-language education where English is the primary language of instruction.  The school, recognized as a International Baccalaureate World School, allows children to graduate with both English and Spanish certified diplomas.  In fact, when I graduated from there some 20 years ago I obtained both a US High School diploma as well as a diploma certified by the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).  To do this I had to take all of the courses required of students in the US as well as those needed in Mexico to obtain a Mexican High School diploma.  Although this might at first seem like an unattainable goal requiring students to take 2x the course load the reality is that it isn’t.  Why?  Because one of the great facets of dual-language education is that it is predicated on the fact that core subjects can be taught in one language and that these will automatically convert over to the other language without having to take the course twice.  In other words, if you take Math in one language it is not necessary to take the whole course again in the second language.  As long as math concepts are embedded into coursework offered in the second language the students will make a seamless conversion of their skills.

The Middle School Building at the American School in Mexico City

The net effect of this methodology is that students graduating from the American School achieve academic literacy in BOTH English and Spanish at the highest standards.  In some ways, the American School of Mexico City is a mirror image of what we need to have right here in Austin – a school that puts forth a mission of making our kids global citizens and giving them education with high academic standards that ensures academic level literacy in English and Spanish.

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