Domestic Practices in Foreign Lands: Lessons on Leadership for Diversity in American International Schools

One of the prevalent concerns in educational leadership practices in urban schools in the United States relates to diversity issues, especially the disengagement among students of certain ethnic groups with regard to succeeding in school. In this ethnographic study, educators who once served in U.S. public schools were invited to reflect on this issue. Their perceptions as educators in K-12 American international schools were significant because their overseas experience seemed to develop new perceptions about leadership for diversity. The questions in this study included, (a) What kind of leadership for diversity is being practiced in American international schools that can inform the U.S. social and cultural educational landscape? and (b) How can educators' knowledge of teaching and leading in multicultural settings inform schools with high demographic diversity? The educators' lessons included deep concerns in relation to public schools, especially the practice of educating for assimilation instead of educating for integration.