Chapeaux aux assistants d'Anglais!!

Teaching in France has been incredibly rewarding and such a valuable experience. It is so exciting to see the children so enthusiastic and engaged in learning another language. So far, we have taught 4 classes today: two 6th grade classes, one 7th grade class, and one 8th grade class. While teaching the older kids is a bit intimidating, after a little while they really open up and fully engage in the conversations and games. We performed a skit, asked questions, did drills, and played a lot of Pictionary. They really love Pictionary! It’s a great way to help them strengthen their vocabulary. It was absolutely adorable because all the little kids asked us for signatures, and it’s so cute that they look up to us so much!! One girl gave me (Hannah) a drawing which was so so sweet. My (Alexis) personal favorite has been playing Heads-Up! It is super fun to see them all work together, and it brings out their personality. Our first day here, everyone’s heads would follow us around the courtyard, and all the little girls wanted our signatures. We were also able to have some free time to explore Calais on our own which was super exciting. We searched for a café and a bakery! Today, everyone is tired and Nathan fell asleep! After school, I have many conversations with my host family (Natalie). They own and live on top of a pharmacy! They showed me all the products and taught me the different names of each brand. Also, I have been playing fuzzball (they call it babyfoot) with the children of my host family (Gabriele and Esther). Overall, my knowledge of French culture has greatly improved! One culture shock was when my family had hot milk with cereal for breakfast! I was very confused, but they said it was not a traditional French dish, but rather something that they enjoy personally. I (Nathan) have had a great experience and It has been a blast getting to know the children. I love signing kids hands and papers. They think I am going to the NBA so it has been fun making jokes with them. I am getting way better at French and I am becoming a part of the community!! (Nathan).

I am very thankful for this experience, despite how exhausted I am by the end of it. The connections we’ve made with the students are irreplaceable. From playing soccer in the courtyard to singing “head shoulders knees and toes” with CM2, I’ve gained a lot of perspective from my time here. I’ve learned how to adapt and stay flexible, even if things don’t go as planned. Today we introduced ourselves and our favorite food in our 6th grade class, and it was funny to hear that so many of them love hamburgers so much! I will be sad to part ways with the students, but I am looking forward to Belgium tomorrow!

I think I never want to see children ever again, but it was very fun and sometimes very cute. The younger kids enjoyed everything and I had a lot of fun with them. I also had a lot of friends with younger kids on the playgrounds because they were very welcoming. (Warren)

Although I am absolutely exhausted, this experience was very fun. It was interesting to see how much the engagement and knowledge levels varied. My favorite parts were learning how to play French children's games and trying to do a skit with an Australian accent. I was shocked to see how different the schools are here. (Catie)

Melody: Every time I teach children, I am reminded of how exhausting the life of a teacher is. However, I am also reminded of how fun and fun-filling it can be. As children rush up to hug me, and I am able to make their day just with a simple hug, I am also overwhelmed with joy. I have done icebreakers, skits, songs, games, really all of the above. I am still really confused about the way the security and set up here, but I am learning alongside of the children. As far as my time with my family, it has been a blast. I have visited Nausicaa, the beach, and the restaurant “Crocodile.” I have also played “just dance” and Quicko? As nervous as I was to meet my host family (because I definitely forgot to reach out), I now have so much love for them and will be so sad to leave.

The past two days have been filled with teaching students at the College Saint-Martin, and I have had a really fun, yet tiring time. From meeting my correspondent’s friends in the middle school, to playing with the younger students who swarm us every recess asking for autographs, it has been a very immersive week so far! Teaching the students has been very fun, and we’ve had to think on our feet multiple times to decide what lesson we would use to teach the different classes based on their French levels. Outside of school I have been busy touring around Calais, Boulogne and everything in between! (Coco)

Practicing the snap point look!

Preparing the classes --They taught nonstop from 9am -5:30pm for 2 days!