Interns will work in the Art, Science, or IT department at the Kodaikanal International School in the Tamil Nadu state of southern India. Develop your cross-cultural professional skills with a diverse team of staff and students while applying your technical expertise to real-life situations through short-term projects. KIS is located in the picturesque Palni Hills in the town of Kodaikanal (elevation 7,300’). The town is a popular resort destination in the summer, and many outdoor activities are enjoyed by the 450+ students and 200+ staff at the school.
Kodaikanal International School (KIS) is one of India's most prestigious independent academic schools. KIS was founded in 1901 as a school for children of missionaries residing in India. Early on the school established a reputation as an excellent academic institution, furthered by the fact that in 1976 KIS became the first IB school in India, one of only 10 schools worldwide to trial the IB Diploma program. The school now offers the full IB curriculum, from kindergarten through high school, to approximately 480 students from thirty countries.
KIS is a residential school located in the Palni Hills in south India at a height of 7,300 feet in the town of Kodaikanal. The town is surrounded by forests and farmland which contributes to its attraction as a hill resort in the warm summer months. KIS offers an extensive range of outdoor activities including sports, hiking, and land-based service programs for students and staff.
Additional activities available to students encompass the performing arts, music, service projects, and yearly fieldtrips throughout India. More than 200 staff members oversee the academic, residential, and extracurricular aspects of the school. Their mission is to teach and model a lifestyle of acceptance of diversity with a philosophical foundation based on Christian principles.
KIS operates on a semester schedule (mid-July to November and January to early May). For more information about the Kodaikanal International School, visit their website.
There are three internship positions at KIS in the fields of art, science, and information technology. All interns will develop their ability to work and teach in a diverse setting with students and staff from many countries.
KIS offers art classes at all levels of the school, from elementary through high school. Art is one of the subjects available to students pursuing the IP diploma, so advanced art courses are taught at the junior and senior level. Some of the subject areas include: painting (oil, acrylic, watercolor), pottery design (fashion, product), cubism, mask-making, sculpture, digital art, drawing, mixed media, art history, and art criticism.
Art interns will work directly with the chair of the art department to assist with department activities. Interns may be involved in a variety of areas depending on their interests and skill level, including: assisting students with IB portfolios, assisting art teachers with classroom activities, presenting and learning new art techniques, participating in experiential fieldtrips in India, and developing a digital archive of students’ work. Art interns will develop their understanding of Indian design and art forms, as well as the creation of art through social experience.
KIS offers both standard and high level chemistry, biology, physics, and environmental science based on the IB curriculum for high school juniors and seniors. General science is offered at the middle school level and introductory chemistry, biology, and physics are offered for freshman and sophomores. All courses integrate lectures and participatory laboratory experiences. The natural environment of KIS, located in a rainforest at 7,300’, and the impact of intensive development provides an excellent setting for scientific observation and evaluation.
Science interns will work directly with the Science Department chair to support a variety of science-related activities depending on the intern’s skills and interests. Potential areas include: assisting teachers with lab experiments, assisting students with extended essays (for IB curriculum), participating or leading science-related social experience activities (e.g. farm to table, impact measurements), or conducting field studies related to the intern’s course of study (e.g. environmental impact, water resource management, etc). Science interns will gain direct experience within a different ecosystem (a high altitude, low latitude rainforest) and develop an understanding of local issues including engendered species, impact of development and tourism, and water resource management.
KIS has a solid technical infrastructure with a wide array of applications that are available over a wired and wireless network. Much of the application development and support is managed in-house by a staff of IT professionals. There is an interest in further application development, particularly web applications, and in improving the staff's knowledge of available software.
IT interns would work directly with the IT Director and could be involved in a number of IT activities depending on their interests and skill level to help further application development at the school. Example areas include: academic application, programming, web development, network analysis and troubleshooting, user training, database management, and mobile application development. Interns will develop their understanding of technical requirements and challenges within an academic setting.
Housing for interns is provided on site at KIS. The accommodation is within walking distance of campus, and is furnished. Rooms may be shared with other staff. The KIS dining hall offers three meals daily for students and staff.
Fall: April 15
Winter: September 1
- Interest or experience in international education and/or IB curriculum
- Academic or professional experience in art, science, and IT
- Experience teaching or working with youth