Today we are talking all about how to create a thriving French program in your department. Now, as French teachers we recognize that there can be so many elements entirely outside of the control of teachers. Most of the time, we cannot change those circumstances. Today in this video, we are talking about circumstances we French teachers DO have control over and therefore can change.
Sheena is my fellow work bestie. I am so, so lucky to have Sheena by my side. Over the years we have increased retention in all of our courses. We’ve now hired another part-time teacher. This is something we are very proud about. However, this was not accident. We were very intentional about the student experience in our department.
Sheena and I moved to our current school at the same time. Hear all about our story in the video below!
P.S. students at our school do not HAVE to take French class. They do need a language 11 to go to University in British Columbia. However, they can also do this online if they find the class to be painful (as is the case with any subject matter). However, we are capped at 30 students for most of our classes and there often long wait lists to get into a class in September!
Our students WANT to be in our classes.
Your French classes are boring ):
I know. This one is a very tough pill to swallow.
If you are struggling with retention in your classes, it may be that the student experience is lacking.
Just look at your students expressions while you’re teaching. What do you see? Have you asked your students if they like French class? If yes or no, why or why not?
If your French classes are boring, the only way to remedy this is to step out of your comfort zone. Try new units, methods of teaching, games, practices, etc.
How can you bring the French and Francophone experiences into your own classroom?
Your students think French is pointless
French is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, with over 300 million speakers across the globe. It is also a working language of many international organizations, including the United Nations, the European Union, and the International Olympic Committee.
French isn’t just a language spoken in France. It is spoken in over 30 countries over the world.
It’s so important to share these nuggets of information with our students so they can see that French is relevant.
Tip for creating a thriving French program : collaborate with colleagues
If you are a department of one, reach out to colleagues within your board and collaborate with them. With the Internet, you can also easily collaborate with teachers all over the world.
If you teach in a department with more than one member, it is so important to build a culture of collaboration. The students will benefit significantly from this harmony.
There are so many other topics, suggestions, and ideas we discuss in the video! Please do watch the full video if you’re interested in hearing how Sheena and I fostered a thriving French program at our school.
