FAQs

In Tokyo there are so many wonderful international schools available to choose from for your family’s needs. However, we at Sesame International have created a special situation, a “home away from nome” that not only will your child be nurtured and encouraged, but also you child will be given an exceptional educational opportunity. To help better understand what Sesame has to offer your family we have created this A page to answer some of the most common questions we have received.
What makes Sesame different from other schools?

First and foremost, what sets Sesame apart are our kind hearted teachers. Almost all of our student’s parents comment on the homelike feeling of our school setting and the loving care of the staff here. But more than just the care given, we offer a curriculum unlike any other school. We believe that children are only limited by a lack of experiences and benefit most from an increase in opportunities. With that in mind, we include learning topics such as Science, Art & Music Appreciation, Physical education, Cooking and various Fun Days to enhance their knowledge and school experiences. Even our youngest students learn about flags from around the world and look at works of the Masters!

Explain the principles behind Sesame’s curriculum.

Not only do we instruct children in a comprehensive curriculum to build a strong foundation in English, but we also “spice up” our basic program with stimulating subjects such as Science, Art & Music Appreciation, PE, Cooking and Fun Theme Days.

How are such high learning expectations possible for small children? How can they learn these things when they don’t speak clearly yet?

By considering first and foremost a child’s comfort, we are able to introduce these topics and ideas, because the children are enthusiastic about learning and sincerely look forward to learning. I consider this point to be a teacher’s greatest job because when a child has that positive attitude about school, that attitude stays with them for their lifetime. Learning is fun and that opens the possibility to reach for the stars!

I have a 2 year old, how would they learn about the Masters in the classroom?

Predominately we teach in an American English dialect, however because both our teachers and students are from a variety of different backgrounds, we sometimes use different dialects of English and highlight these differences to our students. In the world not everyone speaks with the same dialect, so we hope to have our students experiment and experience all dimensions of the language.

How many days do children typically come to Sesame?

We offer a full range of attendance options, including from 2 to 5 days, and both full and half-day options. Typically however, when it comes time for Parent & Teacher Conferences, the most common comment we hear is that students who only come a few days during the week have a level difference compared to a child who comes for 5 full days. The reason for this is quite simple, and it is due to their more limited opportunity. The students who come everyday have more opportunity to learn, use their acquired language and new skills, and have the benefit of our full daily learning curriculum. i.e. Monday is Geography Day, Tuesday is Science Day, etc.

What are your admissions requirements? Do you accept Japanese children?

We do not limit spaces for foreign or Japanese students, but at the same time we strive through our recruitment to maintain a true international setting whereby many countries’ citizens are represented. Our mission statement reflects our sincere desire to have a student body that reflects the world we live in because we believe that when children interact with children from other countries and make friends, we all benefit.

What kind of school does Sesame Alumni typically attend?

Sesame Alumni typically attend the following type of school. International Schools such as

* American School In Japan
* St. Mary's International School
* Seisen International School
* International School of the Sacred Heart
* The British School in Tokyo
* United School of Tokyo
* Japan International School,
* Montessori School of Tokyo
* Lycée Français International de Tokyo
* Canadian International School
* Laurus International School of Science, , etc.,

or Return to their home country and attend Japanese Private schools.

Do you offer a school lunch program?

As another example of the specialized care we offer at Sesame is our school lunch program. Since we are a small private school we are able to offer special lunch menus for those students who have specific dietary needs or requirements due to allergies or their religion.

What age are your students?

We offer a full-range of programs to include an age range from 6 months (Baby Class) to ten years old (Advantage Classes), with the majority of our students from 1 years old to 6 years old in our main preschool program. For more details, please check our web, or contact us.

In your school, what dialect of English do you use?

American English, basically.But we want to be "International" and never stick to specific dialect of English.