School days……(July 21, 2008)
We started our second “quinzaine” (15 day session) today, with new courses. Of course, we are only going to be here for half of this quinzaine. In reality, after today we only have four more days of class.
I have always considered myself to be very fortunate because my career incorporates my three main interests….the French language/culture, teenagers, and teaching. I have always known that French teachers do not have the same connection/rapport with their students that we American teachers are encouraged to have. This summer I witnessed this cultural difference firsthand!
Don’t misunderstand me….I have enjoyed my courses very much. Even the civilization course turned out to be bearable in the end. But it is obvious to me now that French professors see their roll as providing as much information in a lecture format as possible, with little or no input from the students. I have sat in several sessions where the professor talked the entire hour and a half, and then three minutes before we were to end, asked “Avez-vous des questions?” (Do you have any questions?) Are they kidding? By then our derrieres and our brains are so numb, who would dare to ask a question? The other classmates would hang us out to dry. (They also never dismiss class early….if anything, they hold us over 10-15 minutes.)
I had a very good relationship with my phonetics teacher, Dominique Abry. But this is probably because I initiated it. She wore awesome jewelry and I commented on it after class one day, and asked her if she could recommend any good jewelry shops in town. From then on, she made a point of talking with me before/after class and even in the hallway. She was an exception to the rule, but then she has traveled a lot and taught in other countries so perhaps she has escaped her culture.
I also had Whitney’s favorite teacher (Danielle Demmarest) for a course. That course was a killer because it lasted 2 hours, from 3:30-5:30! It was hot (no AC) and we were brain dead to begin with, but it was still a very good course. Since we were reading contemporary French and trying to decipher it, she did let us have input. That was not too bad.
The civilization teacher was very intelligent and very interesting, but aside from the video excerpts that he showed us to illustrate his points, all he did was talk and talk and talk. He had a good sense of humor and made some good jokes. When we laughed at his jokes he seemed to appreciate it, and knew we were listening (or faking it). And he did smile and say hello to me in the hallway one day.
I have changed to new courses for this week. One is on teaching with TV5, another is on teaching with printed media, and the last one is called “Dynamiser la classe” (making class dynamic). The first two teachers are again very nice, very entertaining, but obviously see themselves as the dispensers of information and us as the receptors. The last teacher must be an alien, because she is the most like what we Americans are used to. She is teaching us how to get our kids up and motivated, interested in learning, etc. Today I learned that she has actually taught in the United States, so that explains why she does it “right”. (smile)
By far the very worst examples are the “forums” that they have from1:30-3 every day. We are “required” to attend three. I attended my second one yesterday. Honestly, this teacher talked non-stop for 1 hour before someone finally got a chance to ask her a question, and Allison, Kristen and I got up and left. (We had already signed in, and we were not the first ones to get up and leave. It was our French friend Nathalie who told us that French students sign in and leave all the time. I can see why!)
I asked Allison, “What teacher could possibly enjoy talking for an entire hour and a half, with no interaction from her audience which is obviously not engaged in her presentation?” I think that would be a good definition of “hell” for me. Allison teaches at the French School for Americans in Los Angeles, and most of their teachers are French. She said they have to spend a week in orientation deprogramming the French teachers so they can teach American kids. She said that the American parents complain all the time about the French teachers.
Anyway, if I had to teach like the French way, I would not be a teacher, that’s for sure!
(The other job I would never want to have a museum proctor! Talk about boring!)
We started our second “quinzaine” (15 day session) today, with new courses. Of course, we are only going to be here for half of this quinzaine. In reality, after today we only have four more days of class.
I have always considered myself to be very fortunate because my career incorporates my three main interests….the French language/culture, teenagers, and teaching. I have always known that French teachers do not have the same connection/rapport with their students that we American teachers are encouraged to have. This summer I witnessed this cultural difference firsthand!
Don’t misunderstand me….I have enjoyed my courses very much. Even the civilization course turned out to be bearable in the end. But it is obvious to me now that French professors see their roll as providing as much information in a lecture format as possible, with little or no input from the students. I have sat in several sessions where the professor talked the entire hour and a half, and then three minutes before we were to end, asked “Avez-vous des questions?” (Do you have any questions?) Are they kidding? By then our derrieres and our brains are so numb, who would dare to ask a question? The other classmates would hang us out to dry. (They also never dismiss class early….if anything, they hold us over 10-15 minutes.)
I had a very good relationship with my phonetics teacher, Dominique Abry. But this is probably because I initiated it. She wore awesome jewelry and I commented on it after class one day, and asked her if she could recommend any good jewelry shops in town. From then on, she made a point of talking with me before/after class and even in the hallway. She was an exception to the rule, but then she has traveled a lot and taught in other countries so perhaps she has escaped her culture.
I also had Whitney’s favorite teacher (Danielle Demmarest) for a course. That course was a killer because it lasted 2 hours, from 3:30-5:30! It was hot (no AC) and we were brain dead to begin with, but it was still a very good course. Since we were reading contemporary French and trying to decipher it, she did let us have input. That was not too bad.
The civilization teacher was very intelligent and very interesting, but aside from the video excerpts that he showed us to illustrate his points, all he did was talk and talk and talk. He had a good sense of humor and made some good jokes. When we laughed at his jokes he seemed to appreciate it, and knew we were listening (or faking it). And he did smile and say hello to me in the hallway one day.
I have changed to new courses for this week. One is on teaching with TV5, another is on teaching with printed media, and the last one is called “Dynamiser la classe” (making class dynamic). The first two teachers are again very nice, very entertaining, but obviously see themselves as the dispensers of information and us as the receptors. The last teacher must be an alien, because she is the most like what we Americans are used to. She is teaching us how to get our kids up and motivated, interested in learning, etc. Today I learned that she has actually taught in the United States, so that explains why she does it “right”. (smile)
By far the very worst examples are the “forums” that they have from1:30-3 every day. We are “required” to attend three. I attended my second one yesterday. Honestly, this teacher talked non-stop for 1 hour before someone finally got a chance to ask her a question, and Allison, Kristen and I got up and left. (We had already signed in, and we were not the first ones to get up and leave. It was our French friend Nathalie who told us that French students sign in and leave all the time. I can see why!)
I asked Allison, “What teacher could possibly enjoy talking for an entire hour and a half, with no interaction from her audience which is obviously not engaged in her presentation?” I think that would be a good definition of “hell” for me. Allison teaches at the French School for Americans in Los Angeles, and most of their teachers are French. She said they have to spend a week in orientation deprogramming the French teachers so they can teach American kids. She said that the American parents complain all the time about the French teachers.
Anyway, if I had to teach like the French way, I would not be a teacher, that’s for sure!
(The other job I would never want to have a museum proctor! Talk about boring!)
5 comments:
Our class was with Dumarest was very interactive. She would sit on the desks and talk with us. But I think she taught in the U.S., too, at some point.
And I know what you mean about the lectures. We had to do the same thing once a week for Art History, but I never ditched after signing in, Mom.
Well I wouldn't have either, when I was your age! At my age, we realize that there are better uses for whatever time we have left!
It's interesting how as American teachers we are turning away from lectures..especially at the K-12 level. Why is it that Higher Ed insists on this format? As the popular saying goes, let's be guides on the side instead of the sage on the stage!
Great blog! I'm enjoying all the pictures of DELICIOUS food!!!
There are not many people who can deliver lectures day after day after day that will hold my interest. Not in this day and age....!
I honestly don't know how you do it. Some of this sounds like my idea of hell..................
Pam
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