Friday blog Part 2: School

Allo le monde (parte 2)

SCHOOL

This past week has been all about training. The main orientation, as I told you a couple of posts ago, was last Friday, but by Monday everyone was in their respective towns around Orléans-Tours, and we all had our own things to do. For me, that meant going to a two-part orientation on Monday and Tuesday with the other primary school assistants (there are only about 10 of us). We spent those two days talking about what to expect during these 7 months, the French school system (briefly), and basic theory. We were informed of the best places to find resources for the classroom, and we were introduced to our advisors and given our schedules. Before giving you a peak at my schedule, I’d like to explain the Orléans school system briefly (what I’ve learned so far, anyway):

The French school levels are quite similar to the U.S.’s, but go by different names. The levels are:

FIRST DEGREE

Maternelle (kindergarten)[ages 2-6]

Élémentaire (if combined with maternelle, the school is called an ‘école primaire’/primary school) [ages 6-11]

SECOND DEGREE

College (middle school)[ages 11-15]

Lycée (high school) [ages 15-18]

HIGHER EDUCATION

Université [age 18+]

I’ll be working with the kids in élémentaire, which is broken up as follows:

CP (cours préparatoire, ages 6-7)

CE1 (cours élémentaire 1st year, ages 7-8)

CE2 (cours élémentaire 2^nd year, ages 8-9)

CM1 (cours moyen 1st year, ages 9-10)

CM2 (cours moyen 2^nd year, ages 10-11)

In France children are required to begin learning English at 6 years of age (though up until three years ago, it was Spanish they were learning). I have a total of 10 classes that I will be working with each week. Three are CP, two CP/CE1, one CE2, one CE2/CM1, one CM1, one CM1/CM2, and one CM2. The classes that I’ll be writing actual lessons for and teaching myself are two of the CPs, one CP/CE1, and the CE2/CM1. In the rest of the classes I will be assisting the teachers by taking a group aside and helping them with pronunciation, culture, etc.

Just like in the U.S., France separates Church and State, and thus neither teacher nor student is allowed to wear any kind of religious paraphernalia or to talk about religion in the classroom. When it comes to holidays, we are only to teach the cultural aspects of the holidays, not their religious backgrounds or meanings. At this young an age, I don’t foresee that being much of a problem.

Teachers here also seem to be a bit more strict that in the U.S. Just a small example: In one of my schools the students were required to stand up when an adult entered the room, and could sit down only when the adult in charge said “thank you, you may be seated.” I found their voices were a bit stricter as well…but I haven’t really seen much yet, so I’ll give a better idea of the inside of a French elementary classroom once I’ve had a bit more experience.

Well, that’s all I have time for today. Until next time!

Lots of love, Meg