A week of "firsts"...
- Nov 11, 2018
- 4 min read
After just one week living with a French family, teaching at a French school, and exploring the area, I have learned SO much more than I could have imagined! From the differences in instruction in the classroom to the French gastronomy and beyond, I am beginning to discover and understand the reality of living as the French do.
The first thing to note about French people (or at least the ones that I met) is that they do NOT fit the stereotype of being condescending or unwelcoming at all. In fact, I have found the absolute opposite to be true! Everyone has been extremely welcoming, patient, and generous. Even though the teachers are much more strict in school with the students, the teachers at l'École Sainte-Jeanne d'Arc are very kind and approachable. In addition to the teachers, the students are very understanding of my accent and willing to help in any way that they can, which has made this a positive experience already! My cooperating teacher let me correct their French grammar with the whole class on my first day, which was great! I have also gotten the opportunity to take their lunch count, read their "dictée du mots" (spelling words), and correct their math homework together. Even though I make mistakes, it is great to have the opportunity to get involved in the class early on.
One difference that I noticed right away is that it is mandatory to write in cursive in school and the style of cursive is different from the style that I learned in elementary school. I find this fascinating, but it takes me a little longer to read their handwriting as a result. In addtion, the standard school supplies are different from ours in the states. For example, the standard paper size is a little longer and skinner. They also use erasable pens for everything and graph paper instead of lined paper.
One pedagogical difference that I have noticed is that the classroom is much more traditional in the sense that it is primarily teacher-led and students work independently. This is evident in the format of the evaluation to the right and the exam answer of one student when the student says, "La géographie une chose qui demande de la concentration en evaluation", which translates to "Geography is a thing that demands concentration during evaluations." Although I found this to be funny, the student is correct and demonstrates the emphasis that teachers place on individual focus. Although it seems as though the students would not like school as a result, they are very accustomed to this methodology, so they generally are more on-task and intrinsically motivated. This experience will give me the perfect opportunity to improve my confidence and use of discipline in the classroom because it is a central part of the "gestion de la classe", or classroom management. In France, direct discipline is much more prevalent and is highly regarded because it is a part of showing respect.
While living in a French home, I have also learned about the customs and importance of food. For example, after lunch and dinner, it is customary to have a cup of coffee with a piece of chocolate or dessert. However, the cup is about half the size of the cups that we are accustomed to. Meals are also much more formal than we are used to in the U.S. and there is always a round for the appetizer, entrée, cheese, and dessert, which are served separately. I am willing to try many different types of food in order to fully experience the French culture, so this week I tried l'aigneu (lamb), foie gras (duck liver), radis noir (black radish), and some different types of fish. Everything has been delicious because it is fresh and has great flavoring! My host mom, Claire, loves to cook with "les bons produits", so she collects differnt nuts, algaes/ seasonings, and buys fresh products, which I absolutely love! Going along with that, inviting people over for a meal is a much more formal occasion and Claire showed me how there is a certain formal way to set the table, which is slightly different from how I learned. I also went to the sewing group with my Claire and I made a "petit poche de noël" (there is a picture below).
Each Monday, Claire also tutors two boys, Joseph (8) and Georgeou (6), in French who recently moved to France from Lebanon. I had the opportunity to meet them this week and they both had so many questions for me and wanted to show me their English skills. Joseph's favorite line was, "I am boy!" I even got to work with Joseph on French and read to him, which he found very amusing with my accent and expressions when I read! At the end, Joseph was asking for me to come back again next week so we can finish the book together! They are both adorable, but their family has had to overcome a lot, so it is great to get to know them and help tutor in French!
Although it was raining all weekend, I went to Paris with Marielle (Claire's daughter), which was great because we got to walk the streets of Le Marais, which is a famous shopping district. We planned on going to the art exhibition for Gustav Klimt, but it was sold-out, so we ended up going to "La musée de la chasse et de la nature" (Museum of hunting and nature) instead because it was nearby. Although I am not interested in hunting, I found it to be pretty interesting!
Within the first week, this experience has really challenged me to adapt the way that I view teaching to fit the customs of the French society and their values. It has also taught me the importance of letting go of the little details of French grammar when I speak so that I can convey a message without speaking too slow to be understood. I look forward to getting more involved in the classroom and learning more this week!
Thanks for reading this long post!
À la prochaine! Au revoir!
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