Where Do I Send My Missionary Kid to School? [FREE Download]

Bethany DuVal • Aug 28, 2018

Deciding how to educate your kids can be overwhelming for any parent. But put that parent on the mission field, and you have a whole new level of stress.

It’s not just finding a school that’s strong in academics. It’s creating a missionary kid education plan that will:

· Help your kids learn the local language

· Teach them about their host culture

· Teach them about their own culture

· Give them friends

· Prepare them to one day return to their passport country

· Hopefully not scar them for life

So how do you do it?

I sat down with TEAM ’s global third culture kid (TCK) coordinator, Valerie Williams, to find out. For nearly a decade, Valerie has helped parents navigate foreign education systems and build solid plans for their kids. And as a former missionary, she knows those difficulties firsthand. Today, I’m sharing her process for creating a missionary kid education plan.

Read to the end for a BONUS download for your education planning!

1. Decide what education means to you — without your spouse.

When it comes to education, it’s easy to assume you and your spouse have the same values. But Valerie says writing down your philosophies separately helps some of the unseen differences come out.

“Sometimes the parents have grown up in very different contexts and don’t realize that they have different opinions on what education is,” Valerie says.

So, Valerie recommends that each parent write a paragraph on what you believe education is for. Then, come together and share your perspectives. Are there surprises? Are there conflicts? Now is your chance to work through them together, before any investment has been made.

Once you’ve worked through any differences, write a new educational philosophy as a couple. Keep it as a reminder throughout your missionary kids’ educations. It will guide you in making the best decisions and help you honor each other as you do so.

2. Figure out your 18-year goals.

Missionary life is busy, and navigating education in a foreign country can be tricky. So, it’s not always a surprise when missionary kids turn 18 and aren’t quite ready for life as young adults. Or rather, it is a surprise — for all the wrong people.

Valerie urges parents not to be blindsided. Instead, ask yourself, “By the time my child turns 18, what do I want them to know and believe?”

If you want your kid to attend college in their passport country, you’ll want a missionary kid education plan that meets that country’s requirements. If you want them to develop a certain talent, you might pick a school with that extracurricular. If you want them to have a Christian education, you may send them to a Christian school.

Keep your vision broad, but be intentional in meeting that vision.

3. Ask someone on the field what’s possible — and what looks bad.

Before you get your heart set on an educational ideal, ask a missionary or expatriate about what’s possible. Not every field has a missionary kid school at the ready. Not every country allows homeschooling. Find out what’s actually available. And then, find out what’s culturally acceptable.

If the best fit for your family is culturally uncommon, you may decide to stick with it anyway. But you should be prepared for the impression you’ll make. For example, homeschoolers have to be able to answer the question, “Why aren’t our schools good enough for you?”

Find out how local people perceive various school options, and plan how you’ll handle or avoid those perceptions.

4. Figure out who your kids are.

Student's desk at a missionary kid school

Not every school option will be a good fit for your children. Take your kids’ personalities and interests into account as you make decisions.

“It’s definitely not one size fits all,” Valerie says. “Each of your children are unique … and you need to think about what suits their needs best.”

Talk with your kids about what they like and where they thrive. When Valerie returned from the mission field, she and her husband asked their kids what they wanted to do. One chose public school; the other two chose homeschooling.

Even if your kids are younger, Valerie says to look at their personalities. Is your kid self-motivated enough for homeschooling? Can your child handle being away from family at boarding school? Will a local school give them the academic stimulation they crave?

5. Have a plan B … and C, D and E.

Even when you’ve done all your research, things change. Hold your plans loosely.

Valerie swore she would never send her kids to a boarding school. But when her oldest child outgrew the local missionary kid school, she says, “he pretty much wilted that year.” He did school online, but he didn’t have any friends.

So, on the family’s next trip to the States, Valerie let her son stay behind with a family friend and attend school there. And once again, her son began to thrive.

That season taught Valerie to never say never — and to be open to God’s surprises.

Your ideal school might close. Or you might discover that it doesn’t work for your child. But if you have a backup plan, these changes won’t make you panic. You’ll move to the next option — and keep moving until you find what’s right.

6. Decide how you’ll fill in the gaps.

If you send your kid to a local or international school, you may have to fill in gaps so they meet their passport country’s expectations.

Valerie strongly warns against doing this in the first year: “Your child is going to be absolutely exhausted from being in a different language environment all day — just as you will be after a few hours of language school.”

But once your child has a firm foundation in their host culture , start teaching your country’s history at home. Have them practice writing by keeping a journal or writing a letter to Grandma. With some simple exercises, you can help your kid build a firm foundation in both cultures.

7. Write it down.

Once you have your plan figured out, don’t just hold it in your mind. Writing it down will help you think through every aspect of the plan. Sharing it with your missions agency or supporting church will help them support and encourage you with the best resources. And having a plan on paper makes it easier to re-assess.

At the end of the school year, pull out your plan and see how you did. What worked? What didn’t? What do you want to add or take away next year? Answer these questions and add them to the written plan.

You may not always have the perfect school situation, but with a bit of work, you can see your kids thrive in cultures around the world!

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Want to learn more about creating a missionary kid education plan? We asked missionaries for their best tips, their biggest challenges and how they make each kind of school work on the mission field.

Download your missionary kid education guide to get the scoop on boarding schools, homeschooling, online schools, national schools and international schools!

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By Suzanne Pearson 23 Feb, 2024
Justin Burkholder, pictured here with his wife Jenny and their daughters Isabella, Olivia, and Zoey, has recently been named as TEAM’s next International Director. On February 19, 2024, with much excitement and gratitude to the Lord, TEAM announced that Justin Burkholder will become our organization’s new International Director, effective July 1, 2024. Justin, who is currently TEAM’s Executive Director of Global Ministry, will assume his new role upon the retirement of the current International Director, Dave Hall. ( Read the full press release here. ) We sat down recently with Justin to learn a little more about his background, his family, and the journey that has led him to TEAM. Q: Tell us a little bit about your “origin story” - Where did you grow up? What was your family like? A: I grew up in Mexico City as a missionary kid. My parents were focused on church planting. We were very close as a family. Both of my parents are still alive, and my dad serves as a pastor in southern Florida. I have one brother who is a pastor in Wisconsin, and the most special individual in my family is my sister, Amber. She was born with a very severe case of cerebral palsy and is entirely dependent on my mother...who is extraordinary! The three most impactful forces that have shaped who I am (outside of God’s grace) are growing up in Mexico, having parents who loved and planted churches, and sharing life with someone with a severe disability. My parents belonged at the time to a church and denomination that came with quite a bit of legalism and performance-oriented Christianity. Grace was a challenging concept to grasp. While I had an awareness of my sin and need for redemption, it wasn’t until I attended Moody Bible Institute that I began to grasp the fullness of God’s grace and His delight in His children. I have continued learning and trusting in the Gospel through formal education, like completing my M.Div., and through spiritual practices in community. Learning the Gospel and believing the Gospel has been a daily exercise. The Gospel is as beautiful and multi-faceted as a diamond! At an individual level, it is simple enough for us to live convinced that “Jesus loves me, this I know.” At a corporate level, it becomes the foundation that forms and informs our life as a spiritual family. At a cosmic level, it is redemption that reaches as far as the curse is found. It is hard to even grasp the multiplicity of goodness found in the Good News. Q: Share a little bit about your family life now. What does a typical day look like in the Burkholder household? A: My wife Jenny is my high-school sweetheart! She brings joy and kindness wherever she goes. She’s the best listener I’ve ever met, and we love spending time together. We have three daughters. Isabella is ten, Olivia is seven, and Zoey is four. Each of the girls is unique and has taught us a lot in our process of following Jesus together. We like to go out on walks and go to the park together. Once a month I try to get some alone time with each of my daughters which usually includes bowling or trampolines. A typical day in the Burkholder house starts around 5:00am. Because of traffic here in Guatemala City, we have to leave early for school. After school, the girls come home to different activities - sometimes swimming class, sometimes piano lessons. Four or five nights a week we have dinner together where we usually talk about our high and low moments of the day. On weekends, we enjoy time together, playing outside, or watching sports together. Go Cubs and Go Buckeyes! Q: What are your interests and hobbies? If you have the day off, what are you likely to be up to? A: I enjoy physical activity, running, strength-training and following sports. I also love music and, truth be told, am a bit snobby about my taste in music! I also am a very curious person and love reading just about anything that passes through my hands. A day off is usually an opportunity for time with family. Jenny and I like to cook something interesting together on our days off. Often there is time for some reading and watching some type of athletic event. Q: How did God lead you to TEAM? A: My wife and I were working in the Chicago suburbs. I was a youth pastor and she was a Spanish teacher. When we got married, we had already sensed God’s direction to serve cross-culturally, but it was a matter of discerning when and where. There was a driving desire in me to see a church deeply love the Scriptures and at the same time, be deeply engaged in loving and serving their city and the most vulnerable among them. As God directed our paths, we visited a variety of places and made some friends in Guatemala who opened up the path for us to serve here. While we were exploring, we knew that the International Director of an organization called TEAM happened to go to our church, so I decided I should probably invite him out for breakfast - his name was Charlie Davis. Charlie was extremely thoughtful, passionate about disciple-making, and very gracious in creating space for us as we stepped into this endeavor. Charlie connected me with Steve Dresselhaus, a fellow TEAM global worker who was at that time serving as the Senior Director for the Americas. I cannot express the debt that I owe Steve. He walked closely with me in the transition, encouraged courageous thinking about the church and her role in society, and blasted open the doors for us to serve in Guatemala. After meeting Steve, we spent some days praying about joining TEAM. One thing I will never forget – one night during the process, I found myself wide awake in the middle of the night. A peace like I have seldom experienced passed over me confirming that we should join TEAM. There is no doubt in my mind that God tied all of these pieces together to bring us into the TEAM family and community. Q: What roles have you held in TEAM? What have been the milestones in those roles? A: The most important role I have held in TEAM is that of a global worker. God in His grace has allowed us to help plant two churches here in Guatemala, serve in leadership development, counseling, and discipleship. Our greatest joy has been found walking with those who are learning to follow Christ more deeply. I served as the Ministry Area Leader in Guatemala from 2016 to 2019. We helped to establish and lead this ministry area as it grew from just four global workers to over 15. I then served as Senior Director for Mexico and Central America from 2019 to 2021, Regional Executive Director for the Americas in 2021 and 2022, and then transitioned to the role of Executive Director of Global Ministry which I’ll continue in until the end of June. 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