Look at her!

Karie taught the euro class last week. The students did a quizz entitled "How green are you?"...I think I can leave the classroom and have a lovely cup of tea...she's doing very well ..even better than me!

Carie Von Fange: an American assistant in Paris

This is my fifth time in Paris… I just cannot stay away! However, this time is the most special and important trip that I have made to Paris, because I will be teaching English at Claude Chappe and Henri Bergson. I have very few experiences teaching, and have never had a job outside of the United States, so this is a “big deal!” At the same time, I am earning a master’s degree at New York University in Paris, specializing in Teaching French as a Foreign Language. My goal is to eventually be a certified French teacher in the United States. However, my first few weeks have been so great in Paris, that I feel I will want to return some day and work here… we’ll see!
I come from Virginia, in the United States of America: Virginia is in the Northern most part of the southern states. I grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is a very beautiful part of the country, with a very nice park called “Shenandoah National Park.” I love it! I do miss autumn in the mountains… it is the most beautiful I have seen anywhere! So, in Paris, I like to take walks in the Park Buttes Chaumont… to remind me of the forests in Virginia.
So far, I have been thrilled with teaching at Claude Chappe. I like the job, because it is challenging, but also a lot of fun. The students are apt to ask questions and participate. They are full of positive energy! I feel like they are genuinely interested in learning English and American culture. I hope that the year continues to go well… I’m sure it will!

Our new assistant : SARAH WALKER!

Well it’s time for you to be introduced to another language assistant!
My full name is Sarah Gemma Dawn Walker. I’m twenty years old and I come from the wonderful city of Nottingham in England. I have wavy brown hair, green eyes, fair skin and I’m average height.
Nottingham is a nice size, it has everything you need. There are about 279,000 habitants. It is roughly a two and a half mile car journey north of London. There is a lot to do in Nottingham, such as ice skating, bowling, cinema. It is very good for shopping and nightlife. It also has a big sporting scene as we are host to Trent Bridge cricket ground (a major venue for international matches), Holme Pierpoint National watersports centre, two football teams (Nottingham forest and Notts County), the National Ice Centre (which is home to our ice hockey team- ‘The Panthers’) and we have a large tennis centre. Nottingham is famous for it’s caves underground, the castle and for the myth of Robin Hood. There are is plenty of countryside not far from the city of centre as Nottinghamshire as a county, is very big. You can visit Sherwood Forest in the north of Nottinghamshire which is where Robin Hood is said to have lived.
I go to Aston University in Birmingham which is known as the second capital in Britain because it is the second biggest city. It is a very cosmopolitan, vibrant and multicultural city. I prefer Nottingham because it is more charming than Birmingham. At Uni I study straight French. Currently I am in my third year, so this is my placement year abroad. I chose to be an assistant because I like working with children and might become a teacher one day so it is a very valuable experience.
In my family, there are 6 of us. Mum, Dad, my two brothers and my sister. They are called Tom, Daniel and Isabel. Tom is 18, Dan is 15 and Isabel is 9, so I am the oldest. We have a dog called Honey and two rabbits called Freddy and Fluffy.
In my freetime I go out with my friends a lot, watch fims, go shopping and I enjoy eating! My favourite type of food is probably Mediterranean. My favourite types of films are “chick flicks” like Bridget Jones, The Holiday, Love actually, Dirty dancing etc. I love art and being creative. I love going to all sorts of new places and experiencing new cultures. One of my biggest dreams is to travel the world.
I am very fond of Paris and all it has to offer. My favourite places I’ve visted so far are Jardins de Luxembourg and The Pompidou centre. By the end of this year I hope to be fluent in French, know the French culture better and to have helped the improvement of your English.

FAREWELL!

I have come to the end of my sojourn here in Paris, France and it is with deepest regret that I’ll have to return to my homeland (YESSSSSSS!) and leave the many acquaintances that I have made. But before the tears fall let me say a big thank you primarily to your teacher Mrs. Létant, a true gem, to the clerical staff of Claude Chappe and to the teachers those of whom took the time to relieve me of the nostalgia and entertain me with the pleasantries of what become my home away from home. This experience is inextricably linked to the students that I have placed in front of during my stay. By and large, I found you all really receptive, both to myself and the language. As such it was a pleasure having lessons with you.


The seven-month period here was a time where I was trying to put things into perspective not only concerning my dreams and future endeavours but also in terms of awareness of the culture of the French language. Returning to my homeland will mark a new period in my life in that I will become part of my county’s working population. In the same breath, the experience garnered here has been nothing short of magical except the CARTE DE SEJOUR (that I just received) and the SECURITE SOCIAL(forget it !!!!). The food, the architecture, the museums and all…..it is just to die for and wish to come back some day.

Au boulot….October 1, 2k6

Tablier rendu…April 30, 2k7

TWO INTERVIEWS OF YOUR FAVOURITE ASSISTANT!

Here is Shaun's pic ! Not only can you discover our great Jamaican assistant at last but you can also listen to what he thinks about his stay in paris . There is also a second interview about his native language.

Don't miss these two nterviews and enjoy!

short version.mp3

Shaun's interview2...

HEROES HOLIDAYS IN JAMAICA

On the 14 to the 16th of October Jamaica celebrates National Heroes Weekend. This is a grand spectacle in the life of the country where we pause to celebrate the life and work of the heroes and heroine that fought relentlessly for the rights and privileges that we now enjoy. For this year 2006, Jamaica will be celebrating National Heroes Day on the 16th of October. At this occasion one will be able to see float parades, live performances of folk and cultural dance forms; for example Dinkie Minnie, Brukkings, Quadrille, May poll etc.

It is at this time of the year too that children are able to learn about the contributions that these heroes and heroine have made to their country and so all weekend long there are documentaries on the national station showing the way in which they lived their lives.

To show our gratitude to the heroes of our country, we erected a park in their honour. At this park one will be able to see the tombs of all the national heroes and heroine. Present at each tomb is an art piece or a sculpture that is done specifically to fit the characters and the lives that they all lead. The name of the park is National Heroes Circle. It is at this location too that on this day the Diplomatic corpse and the members of parliament join to recognize the lives of the heroes and heroine by the laying of wreaths at each of their graves. These solemn moments are accompanied by the singing of the national anthem, national song and the saying of the national pledge.
The heroes are comprised of six males and one heroine. Their names include Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Sir Alexander Bustamante, William Gordon, Paul Bogle, Sam Sharpe, Norman Washington Manley and Nanny of the maroons.

Good bye, Farewell, Adieu....

Emily is leaving this week and we are all very sad because everybody really appreciated her. We hope she will be able to come back next year...And after all who knows? Here is the last message she has posted for you.

Although I have just spent two wonderful weeks of spring vacation exploring Paris, I am sad at the same time because my contract as an English assistant at College Claude Chappe will end on April 30th. I would like to take this opportunity to say what a wonderful experience it has been. Because I had no prior teaching experience, I started the year somewhat nervous, but both the teachers and the student were so welcoming to me that I felt comfortable right away. I believe that the students benefited from their time with me by improving their conversational English, and I certainly learned a lot from them as well. I have asked for a renewal of my contract as an English assistant for next year, and I will eagerly await my response during the month of May. In the mean time, I would like to wish everyone a great end of the school year and a great summer vacation. Hopefully I will see you all next year!

My trip home

"For my two weeks of February vacation I decided to return home to New Orleans. It has been six months since Hurricane Katrina, so I was very anxious to see how the city has changed. Unfortunately, New Orleans seems only to have taken small steps to clean up and rebuild. There are still large amounts of debris and lots of destruction. Once I got past the initial shock of seeing my devastated city, I was able to appreciate my time with my parents and pets in their new home. Luckily, the popular and historic parts of the city were unharmed, so my French friend and I were able to do a lot of sight-seeing. We walked around the French Quarter or “Vieux Carré” known for spicy Cajun food and jazz music. We also took a boat ride along the Mississippi River; we toured a sugar cane and cotton plantation; we went to the zoo; and we took a haunted tour of the city to learn more about some local ghost stories. Despite the condition of the city, my friend and I had a lot of fun, and I was sad to say good-bye, once again, to my parents at the end of the two weeks. However, they will be joining me in Paris this summer, so I don’t have to wait too much longer."

Emily Dupuis.

Our American assistant.

Last December, the British Council celebrated one hundred years of the language assistant programme. Even if things have changed since the beginning of the century in terms of teaching, the role of the language assistant hasn’t changed much : the programme still enables the students to hear a foreign language spoken by a native speaker and aids their understanding of neighboring countries and cultures.
Since 2000, our collège has been lucky enough to welcome native English speakers : three British and two Americans.

This year, Emily Dupuis from New Orleans has joined us. These are her impressions of her experience as an assistant in our school and her impressions of Paris.

"Currently in my fourth month as an English assistant at Claude Chappe, I can say with out a doubt that this is a great experience. The faculty has been kind and welcoming to me, and the students have been enthusiastic during our class time together. Thanks to the language assistant program I now have some real teaching experience, a career that I have been considering, and I have had the opportunity to spend a year in Paris! I absolutely adore the city and hope to reside here permanently (maybe as a full-time English teacher one day!)"