Inspiration and hard work

I continue with the work to link the children in the small village school in the Mayenne region  with a similar rural village school in Staffordshire, England. The French class now has twenty children from 8 to 11 years and caters for two adjoining villages.  The 'infant' class is in our neighbouring village & the juniors here. So this week has been further work on greetings, both formal & informal in English leading up to the writing of a simple letter to the children in England.




Though the class size here has more than doubled in the new intake this is not as positive as it sounds, because there are fewer & fewer younger children.  My friend Liz who actually introduced me to the school,has been working solidly, year on year with these children and now I can see just how much skill, confidence and pleasure in English she has given them.
 Not a teacher by profession, but a natural teacher with a passion for communication, Liz has given these new kids a real head start and didn't I notice it.


So this time when it came to the verbal games they were up for it and fully participated, it was delightful. And, later with  the more formal written stuff it was easier to differentiate the work and talk with the children about what they were writing.




Result, twenty short, but clear messages for me to forward onto the school teacher in Staffordshire, some basic self portraits (art work is seldom a strength here) and a really good feeling about what can be achieved.

And where my French faltered, Liz's son, one of the older boys in the class was there to be my bi-lingual aid and actively encouraged the elder children to support the younger ones and do so in spoken English.
 
Just goes to prove what one persons passion can do to influence & develop a child's learning. So this is one big thank you to Liz, she'll never know quite what an inspiration she has been......

Manners maketh man.....A table !

Differences in learning also translate into table manners, a somewhat old fashioned concept in modern England, but one that still holds value in France.
In France,one should attend the table when invited & only sit when your host is seated.Chairs are placed at a slight angle from the table to indicate vacancy & welcome guests. Your hands should be above the table at all times, though not on the table. My mothers reminder to, 'take my elbows off the table' would certainly fit with French etiquette, but hands above or on the table would have been impolite to Granny's eye. UK etiquette, if it exists, still dictates that hands should always be out of sight, preferably  on your knees. This English practise incidentally makes the French wonder what we are doing with your hands, out of sight....now what could we be doing with our hands under the table that is so impolite? Answers (clean only ) on a postcard...my gran would turn in her grave!


The French table is laid  with the back of the fork and spoon being upper most. This comes from the times when families  had coats of arms on the back of their cutlery & these were to be displayed. This doesn't quite work with Ikeas best cutlery, but the practise still persists in France. French meals are eaten slowly with the cutlery placed down whilst chewing or talking. The meal, its flavours, aromas and ambiance  should all be savoured.

Never the case when it came to  stew / lobby day in my childhood; the order of the day was get you head down & trough; grunting appreciative noises was  the only social discourse expected or delivered. To place down the cutlery of idly chat would have been met by, 'less yapping more eating' or 'is there something wrong with it?'

Bread at meal times does have memories, great chunks to be dipped or bitten into. Any pretence to dab or scoop the food, as with a piece of French baguette, would probably have been reprimanded by instructions of 'not to mess with your food, eat it!'

The taking of bread, serve yourself dishes & drinks follows strictly the hosts direction. All this bodes ill for Anglo /Franco relations. We sit when led to the table (if indeed we use a table) and usually eat at speed with scant conversation, helping ourselves  to whatever is on the table. French children are told to  sit upright, imagine 'one cat in front and two cats behind ' and young children should only speak if directly asked a question. Now Granny really would approve....'speak when you are spoken to', 'be seen and  not heard'. This would never work in the UK where family banter or tele watching with your dinner is still the order of the day.

And here lies the final conundrum diner is lunch time in France, dinner is tea time in England and supper well who knows? Its not the differences that are important here, more communication and social living. We have fast food, take away restaurants, disposable cutlery , TV dinners and trays.

And if you still don't understand, just watch what a Frenchman does on receiving his meal, at a self service restaurant. He simply places the tray on the table, while his English neighbour unloads the plates and items carefully onto the table. To the Frenchman the tray is an irrelevancy he doesn't even acknowledge its existence; its social protocol & the occasion that matter... 

Its never too late to learn...

Seems I've reached the dizzy heights of being immortalised in print, but what a mistake that was, not  the worst in my life, but a learning experience.

Several weeks ago I was contacted by an Anglof/Franco newspaper who had heard of blog and take on the two education systems of  England & France. They were preparing for 'Le Rentree' and wanted  a teachers comments to aid the article. "Its just a short piece, only your view, humorous or insightful".
 
Having never been asked to comment in all my years in the profession 'officially', here I was being asked my personal views, based on one village school in France, one hour a week, for less than half a school year, over three years. 

The phone call that followed was a strange affair,because the reporter had no knowledge of teaching and said he only wanted me to talk for a couple of minutes. After half an hour and constant encouragement to "keep going this is fascinating", he finally rang off.



Later came a request to send an electronic photograph, to which the response was that, it was, ' not good enough for publication'. Some what affronted that a complete stranger should make a judgement of my looks, my husband quickly rectified things by explaining that they needed greater photographic resolution; a better lit & quality picture, not a prettier person.

So today, partly on a whim, I bought a copy of said paper (there was an article listed about new tax laws) and there I was smiling into the camera and a third of a page of tabloid print. To say surprised is to put it mildly and greater still was my surprise to find what I'd said.

They say the press embellish the truth well this was like taking some of my anecdotal stories & comments, throwing them in the air and then adding a couple of inaccuracies just for fun.

No harm as such, but a strangely worded/ punctuated  article which referred to me "throwing a toy to teach grammar" and how parents should contact the 'British Ministry of Education to check pupil levels'.

They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, well  it seems that this newspaper has taught one old dog it can be tricked. "It will be fine", reassured my ever supportive other half, " anyone who knows you will realise you wouldn't phrase things like that".

 

Did I mention its a national newspaper ???

No limits...the very Frenchness of it.

There something about being a teacher which is both rewarding and giving; it feeds off the excitement & enthusiasm of the students, their sharpness and their curiosity. I have spent years with pupils who have barriers to learning, limitations, confusions, even arrogance...blocks to learning.

But now I find that I have encountered something new, a student who has no apparent limit to their abilities,who is multi directional and socially highly mature. This young lady has a capacity to learn in every area we have shown her, she appears to have no weaknesses and any uncertainties are turned intoto successes. She  is without arrogance or self deceit .

I can honestly say it has been a joy, maybe even a privilege to teach her. She absorbs every experience, every conversation, every activity, every minute with equal & pure passion. This intensity has encompassed logic & problem solving, general knowledge, practical skills like cookery, games like bowling & mini golf, creativity like jewellery making and drawing, she even has a sense of humour. In deed we have yet to find an academic area she does not absorb, develop , blossom & flourish in ...its quite amazing, exhausting and delightful.

So had she limits? Well yes of a sort, and that is in her very Frenchness. This showed itself in a deeply embedded  belief that, her nationality,both  the methods used in learning and indeed the culture itself, must be right; not merely different, but correct.
The example that best shows this is a discussion on table etiquette, because in France how you attend the table,sit, place your hands and eat all have importance.

So how do these cultural differences limit? Well it started as an interesting cultural exchange,talking about the differences and then the phrase 'personal choice' was used. Suddenly it was evident that, though  French culture can accept that other nations may respond differently, fundamentally the French have it correct. They  allow these lapses in their fellow man because they are not French. Well that led to a very interesting debate about 'correctness' and 'change', really fascinating!

So our delightful young  guest returns to Paris and her Baccalaureate studies, wiser in the spoken English word and  importantly in perceptual cultural  differences. After all we learn more from our uncertainties than from our successes...

Full circle ....la rentree

Summer is over and 'La Retree'  is upon us. This is the manic time in the French, and indeed English school year, when the students and children  return to the classroom. In France this is one of the biggest sales times for the leading supermarket chains,in terms of academic stationary and ancillary goods. From mid August the retail publicity shouts about books, clothes, desks and even IT hardware, all trying to compete to get the French parents to purchase these for the new school year.

Anxious parents and intent children carrying the 'List' of essential school materials scour the shelves of stationary. Exercise books of various types & sizes, writing & drawing implements, assorted  items like glue & correction fluid, plus the essential school agenda must be bought. Not to forget the bag to carry it all in, plus means of filing & storage, possibly even a desk for all those hours of homework!

And all this, paid for by the parents ,though state help is possible for larger families or unemployed / low income families,says one thing very loud and clear....responsibility & commitment. The parents see it as their duty to provide these materials, not the text books or the teaching materials, but every other element of their child's schooling.
Now parents in the UK are just as committed and responsible, but the emphasis is on the schools & local authorities to provide these disposable materials. The school must provide text books, paper, rulers, crayons, whatever is needed. Some children  may have additional utensils, but these are seem as non-essential and personal. The difference can be seen is in how the children respond in the classroom. In France; no bickering about  a lack of pen or pencil, arguing over  crayons half broken or felt tips run dry and certainly not wastage of paper or graffiti covered  books. Imagine trying to explain to your French  parents that you just fancied scribbling over the cover or breaking 'le Bic', when they have to earn & pay for it. Result neat books, care in ownership & use of materials, sharing & enjoyment; indeed a pride in what is produced.

 In England having jointly class owned materials, with  some children owning additional items and perhaps not wanting to share, can cause tension & frustration. When UK schools purchase they are limited to suppliers and when these firms have won the contracts from local authorities the choice, quality & cost can be arbitrary. When the French parents purchase the big chains and smaller stores compete to provide customer choice & keep prices down.

Advertising leaflets drop through the door publicising  additional activities for the usual (though not always) school closure every Wednesday. Little Thomas could go to judo, karate, learn tennis or athletics, play a musical instrument or learn to paint & draw; all extra curricular to mainstream French education.In England  young Jane can participate in physical activities;  sports, learn music and develop her art, all within the school curriculum and Wednesday is a working day.

 But what both cultures have in common is the trepidation & excitement of the return and that includes the teachers. Why, because it might be a return, but be you teacher or student, everything has changed. Class members, curriculum, timetable and sometimes even the school itself ,change.

So you leave in July confident in where you are & what you know and return in September uncertain in what is to come & how difficult the coming academic year will be. That's why teaching is called the 'Chalk Face',its hard practical, intellectual & emotional work, your job is to get the very best out of those pupils.
 
 Its not about subject knowledge or techniques its about the ability to communicate and the passion to inspire.Vive la rentree!

Learning should be fun...

We now have a new English Immersion student,an intelligent young man with an open smile and great curiosity. He is very mature in all he does, well mostly and, has studied diligently the work set by the company, even though some of it is very dusty.

It seems that there is part of the French educational psyche that feels that it is essential to have tight packed formal worksheets requiring that all important  ability to rote learn & regurgitate. Other areas of work are lighter; crosswords and puzzles.

For example: do you know the English  for papaya, the American for courgettes or a six letter word for French phrase, legumes verte?..... answers on a post card please.



But yesterday & today I have seen him learn from activity, socialisation & drawing and did he progress.
Saturday an English party & socialising
Monday Accrrobranche; for the uninitiated a high wire / tree climbing assault  course on scary scale.
Tuesday sketching  & describing paintings.




The outcome:

• One chattering young man, who actually forgot he was speaking English.
• One determined young man who sounded very fluent and forgot he was working.
• One exhausted young man who found that the English can be fun.

Now that I count as a success...

Incidentally the answers in reverse order are greens, zucchini and paw paw, never thought I put those words together in a single sentence.

Family is everything ....

This weekend has been a rapid learning curve for me. It was my birthday...one of those big ones and I was informed, the day before, that we were going for a trip to the coast. The day dawned. bright & sunny and we set off on a scenic route to the Brittany coast. Meal & a walk to the beach and , just as I was thinking what a pleasant surprise,  I was informed that we had to pack up as we had something to collect Indeed couriered in by special delivery for my birthday.

So there we were at Dinard Airport awaiting a Ryanair flight, with me very nervous as to what this 'large parcel with my name on it...' might contain! To say I was surprised when son,  his girlfriend and our grand-daughter all stepped forward, is an understatement. I uncharacteristically screamed (not good in an airport arrivals lounge)...elbowed my way through the throng and wept copiously over everybody. Apparently this has been in the planning since Christmas & I had no idea.

The weekend was spent in a whirl of presents, barbecue, a super restaurant meal and even crazy golf, it was fantastic! But it was my elderly French neighbour who put it all into context as we chatted that first evening. She greeted everyone, smiled and in answer to my garbled French explanation of what had happened simply looked at me, shrugged and said, "well that's family".

The French certainly have that right, they keep the family as the core, why work more days, longer hours, earn extra when you can enjoy the time and on high days & holidays be with the family. They give people their time.

So today, 'Quinze Aout'...the 'Feast of the Assomption' and a national holiday, every French family will gather. Not because of any deep religious conviction, but because they can.

Because they can sit in the sun and enjoy the finer things of life, good food, fine wines and the people they love.I think I finally learnt that, though we don't choose our families.indeed sometimes they actively break the link, close family are precious & priceless..."Ah c'est votre famille".

Ah c'est votre famille