Diversity at Champittet: What does it mean to be a Third Culture Kid?

Our Champittet students represent more than 50 nationalities, and each student’s unique cultural heritage adds to the richness of our vibrant community. In many cases, our students identify with multiple cultures. They are what some people call “Third Culture Kids” (TCKs).

Third Culture Kid: Growing up as a citizen of the world

First coined by sociologists Ruth Hill Useem and John Useem in the 1950s, the term “Third Culture Kid” originally referred to the children of expatriates working and living abroad. Spending a significant portion of their youth in an environment different from that of their own nationality, these children ultimately develop relationships with the culture of their parents and the culture of their local environment. They also form part of a “third” culture of global citizens – those who share similar international experiences of living among multiple cultures.

Today, the phrase “Third Culture Kid” can also describe the experience of children who grow up in bicultural families, or who switch between multiple cultures in their daily lives – for example, by attending an international school in English while living in a non-English speaking country. Growing up as a TCK is a privilege that brings many advantages: such children tend to have stronger linguistic skills, global awareness and resilience. However, TCKs can also struggle with their sense of identity, feeling a certain cultural rootlessness and a lack of belonging.

How can we support Third Culture Kids?

Many TCKs live in multiple countries during their childhood years, transitioning between vastly different cultural environments. For this reason, school can play a vital role as an anchor in times of change. International schools are particularly adept at helping students to integrate into their new community. Buddy systems, social events and extracurriculars are great opportunities for newcomers to make friends and settle into a sense of routine. And when it’s time for a student to relocate to another country, perhaps because of a parent’s professional duties, an international school can help to ease the way by introducing students to peers who have previously lived in that same culture.

At Collège Champittet, we are proud of the diversity of our international school. By recognising and celebrating our diversity, we aim to make every student feel welcome.

For more insights, read the Nord Anglia Education article: The Reality of Being a Third Culture Kid