Ready to Understand What Your Child Needs?

When parents prepare their child for preschool or kindergarten admissions in Tokyo, they often focus on academics. They worry that their three- or four-year-old needs to be able to read sight words, count to 100, or write their name perfectly to pass the admissions assessment. But after observing hundreds of admissions screenings at international schools in Tokyo, I can tell you that schools often care much less about these early academic skills, and focus more on your chil

One family I worked with came to me after their child didn't pass the admissions assessment to enter an international school in Tokyo. We looked closely at the skills their child was struggling with, worked on the areas that needed development, and then regrouped and tried another school. Their child got in. That experience is important because “not quite ready” doesn't automatically mean your child won't succeed in an international school environment. Sometimes your child s

As an international school teacher who has taught at The Montessori School of Tokyo, ASIJ, Nishimachi, and ISSH, here are four things I would look at before choosing a school for your child. When researching international schools in Tokyo, it is easy to focus on reputation, facilities, and what other parents say. Those things matter. But they don't tell you whether the school is right for your child. 1. Don't choose a school just because everyone knows it. A strong reputatio

Choosing the right international school isn't just about finding a good school. It's about finding a school where your child has a realistic opportunity to succeed. That's something I help families look at before they make a school decision. Having worked at several international schools in Tokyo, I can help you look at the demands of a school alongside your child's current strengths, challenges, independence, and learning needs. One of the places parents often start when re

After so many months of applications, paperwork, and waiting, you find out your child didn't get in. Of course it hurts. You spent time, money, and a whole lot of anxiety getting here. Now, rightfully so, you want to know what happened. You will probably never know exactly why the school said no. Sometimes, when you apply to a school, there simply isn't enough space for all the children applying. Other times, though, the admissions process reveals something you need to pay

Don't panic about one bad moment. If you're worried about how your child will be perceived, talk to someone like me (Kinota Braithwaite) who has actually worked inside these schools and understands what educators are looking for. It is every international school parent's worst nightmare during a preschool or kindergarten admissions process. You have done all of the paperwork, paid the school's application fee, and finally arrive for the observation day at your child's future

If you're preparing your 3-year-old for an international school preschool interview, I can help you prepare them for what the school is actually looking for not train them to perform like a miniature adult. I recently read an article describing the extreme lengths some parents go to prepare their children for preschool admissions. According to the piece, some parents are hiring learning specialists to train 3-year-olds for "school interviews": teaching them to walk into a roo

Before you apply to an international school, I can help you understand your child's current academic and learning profile, identify the skills that may need attention, and give you time to work on them before you apply. Why does that matter? When your child applies to an international school in Tokyo, their current school will usually be asked to provide a confidential teacher reference. You can't control what a teacher writes. But you can control what your child is working o

Parents often ask me what their child should be doing to prepare for an international school. This is where I can offer families the most help. I look at where your child is developmentally, identify the skills they need to strengthen, and provide targeted learning support before small gaps become bigger problems at school. If your child needs reading support, we work on reading. If they need math support, we work on math. If they need help becoming more independent, organiz

If you are applying to international schools in Tokyo, how many schools should you actually apply to? There is no magic number, but as a general rule, I would usually suggest families seriously consider around 2–7 schools. This range can change depending on your child's age, the schools you are considering, your child's profile, and whether you are applying from overseas or already living in Tokyo. Applying to just one school can be a bit risky. However, if it your dream sc

I often tell families applying to international schools in Tokyo that probably the biggest part of the admissions process is simply not hurting your child's chances. When I was a teacher, I was involved in student screenings. I saw parents do things that made me wonder whether they understood that they were also being evaluated. I have had parents ask me about the race, nationality, gender, religion, and political views of other students and families at the school. I have h

In Tokyo, international school parents often focus so heavily on getting accepted into top international or private schools that they miss the bigger picture: school fit. A child who thrives in an open-ended, project-based environment may struggle in a highly structured academic program. Before your admissions interview, ask yourself: Executive Function: Does your child need step-by-step guidance, or are they comfortable navigating independent study? Academic Safety Nets: If

Almost every parent I work with asks me this at some point. They are worried that if they check the box saying their child gets math tutoring, speech therapy, or extra English support, the school will quietly reject their application. Here is the truth: I would guess that over half the kids in Tokyo international schools have some kind of outside help. It’s totally normal. Having a tutor doesn't mean your kid has a learning disability, and schools know that. That said, if yo

If you already have a child attending an international school, you may have an advantage when you apply for a place for your younger child at the same school. Schools generally want to keep families together, and having a sibling already enrolled can put your younger child's application in a different position from a family applying with no connection to the school. Having a sibling at the school does not mean your younger child automatically gets a place. The advantage you r

The parent interview at an international school in Tokyo is almost like a job interview. The school is getting to know you, but you are also getting to know the school. You are both trying to decide if this environment is the right fit for your child. Before the interview, it is best to think about how you would answer some basic questions: Why are you interested in this school? Why are you considering leaving your current school? What are your child's strengths? What does yo

If you are applying to an international school in Tokyo, you will often be asked by the admissions team: How long does your family plan to stay in Tokyo? Schools understand that international families come and go. For example, if your family is moving from Germany to Japan because of a company transfer, the school understands that you may only be in Japan for a few years. For local families, however, schools generally expect that you will stay with the school for as long as p

Some international schools in Tokyo use rolling admissions. Instead of having one application deadline, the school accepts and reviews applications throughout the year. For example, Canadian International School of Tokyo states on its website that there is no specific application period and that it accepts applications year-round, depending on available spaces in each grade. This means you don't necessarily have to wait until the next school year to apply. For families reloca

You have applied to an international school in Tokyo and your child has been placed on a waitlist. So what does this mean for your family? It means that the school has more qualified applications than it has places available. There is still a possibility that a place will become available, but the school may not know exactly when that will happen. After initial decisions go out, accepted families usually have a limited amount of time to make their final decision. The school

Sometimes, the current school is simply not working for your child. They may be struggling academically, having difficulty socially, or not getting the support they need. When this happens, deciding whether to stay or change schools is a serious and often difficult decision for a family. Before making that decision, I help parents understand what is actually happening for their child. Is there a learning difficulty? An academic gap? A language issue? An executive functioning

I remember one moment from my preschool classroom experience that has stayed with me. One morning, just before we went outside to the playground, a three-year-old boy looked at me and said firmly, “Mr. Kinota, you need to put my jacket on.” I remember thinking, Why because you can do it yourself. I said, to him “No. I’m going to teach you how to put your jacket on by yourself.” He looked at me for a moment. “That’s your job and my mommy also does that for me.” Apparently, he