In this second season of “Confidently Wrong,” we are bringing you real life perspectives of raising and educating kids in Mexico. We have talked to parents as well as administrators of small schools on the Pacific Coast and in San Miguel de Allende. In this episode, we head to the big city and go straight to the leader of the more than century-old American School Foundation in Mexico City. The school had the first kindergarten in Mexico, as well as the first computer.
Of course a school like this isn’t for everyone. To begin with, it is not inexpensive compared to many other options in the country. But it gives an excellent comparison to the other schools (and the school leaders) that we have interviewed and provides some real insight into educating kids in another country.
The American School Foundation of Mexico City is a pretty special place. Located on the edge of the massive Chapultepec Park in the central city, I had the opportunity to visit it personally a few months ago and was totally impressed with the sprawling campus. Why did I go there? I had heard about the school for years, decades really, and wanted to check it out first hand myself.
The classrooms are impressive, as is the performing arts center. The sporting facilities, fields and the common areas are all first rate. The place exudes coolness and confidence. I was equally impressed that the entire campus is a “cell phone free zone.” Wow! Who would have thought you could get kids (and parents for that matter) to agree to do that in this day and age?
The impact of the policy is real. Kids talking, playing, making eye contact, laughing, flirting. Kids even seem to have normal posture, as they are not hunched over their cell phones. The energy of the place felt very different.
So check out the latest episode of “Confidently Wrong” on Spotify or YouTube, and be inspired by the possibilities and potential of educating your child in Mexico!
Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for nearly 30 years.
