Teaching abroad
Many teachers feel the vocation for this career early in life, but many others turns themselves in that direction only later on. I studied law for six years, in France and Norway, before deciding that I wanted to be a teacher - that is, specifically, a French teacher, working abroad.
While getting my maîtrise in law in Oslo with the Erasmus program, it became more and more obvious to me that I did not want to become a lawyer. I needed something involving more communication, knowledge sharing, and strong cultural elements. In Norway, through my experience in French-speaking theater with Norwegian francophiles, my work as tour leader and my own improvements in English and Norwegian, I realized, after years of disappointing English and German classes, how much I actually enjoy languages. |
Tour leader in Norway - a great introduction to how to share a passion
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French - a global language. Source: francophonie.org
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Thanks to this experience abroad, it occurred to me that languages could be learned and taught in exciting, intellectually stimulating ways; that talent, creativity, strong pedagogy techniques and real progress were possible in a language class. Once back in France, I decided to become a French teacher abroad, and to get a French as a Foreign Language (FLE) bachelor. I did so two years later, as I got another bachelor in Ethnology at the same time, enhanced my theatre skills and got involved with various associations. By then, I was 25, and ready to start teaching full time asap. I heard of opportunities while taking a Hungarian class, applied, and got a teaching position as Junior French, Law and Drama teacher across two universities and one middle-school in pretty Szeged, Hungary, on the Serbian border.
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One of the purposes of the Franco-Hungarian Foundation for Youth (FFHJ), who hired me, is to give recently graduated FLE teachers a first field experience. In Szeged, I indeed learned the ropes of my new work and life style, developed French cultural programs, enhanced my sense of adaptation and, moreover, loved the job.
Attracted by the US, I then got a position in a small elementary school in South Louisiana, in the Bayou Lafourche, via the Council for French Development in Louisiana (CODOFIL). Those two years completed ideally my formation: managing effectively a class, working with younger children, adopting professional consistency, and being flexible in challenging educational systems. |
Various screenshots, documents and pictures of some aspects of my job. Hoover over for details.
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French is often taught within a limited, sometimes even irritating, "Parisian" approach, but thanks to my stay in Louisiana, a major historical and linguistic spot for the Francophones of North America, my vision of French as a global language (the fifth one spoken in the world) became an essential part of my teaching philosophy.
Joining the IB
Campuses of MIS, ISHCMC, AIS, HIS and SCIS (clockwise)
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Thus prepared, I integrated in 2008 the IB program with a MYP French and drama teaching position at the Munich International School (MIS), via Search Associates. Though initially hired for one year to replace a teacher on a leave, they first extended my contract, and eventually made it permanent, as my abilities to teach French and Drama made me quite versatile and, I think, appreciated. I there got familiar with the MYP, the IGCSE, the world of international schools, new technologies; I fully organized and supervised two field trips to Paris; I developed my sense of excellence and integrated even more ways to work and teach. For instance, I adopted the Culture Point system, generalized the use of websites (doc & links available in Toolbox), established a communication system with my students based on emails in French, and developed more of my own materials, testing tools, reminders and teaching strategies.
It was there that I truly realized I wanted to be and remain an international school teacher, that it was that job that fulfilled me the best. |
After 3 great years in Germany, I decided to follow the old dream of mine to live in Asia as I got hired by the International School of Ho Chi Minh City. This turned out as another fantastic experience, with some of the most amazing students and colleagues I ever worked with, and exciting challenges: the French play for my French students is one of my greatest achievement (see the Teaching Drama section for details). In 2013, I decided to acquire an internationally recognized teaching certification, and registered with the online PGCEi program of the Keele Univ. I got it in July 2014, right after accepting a position at the Aga Khan Academy Nairobi, Kenya. Though brief and challenging, my experience in Nairobi proved to be a very rich and exciting one. Despite several great job offers around the world, I accepted an offer from the respected Hanoi International School and headed back to lovely Vietnam, where I taught 3 more years. There, I added preparation of my students to the DELF (Diplôme d'Études en Langue Française) to my skills.
In 2018, desiring to try new challenges and to get back to some Drama classes, I accepted an offer to move to Shanghai and teach at the Shanghai Community International School.
In 2018, desiring to try new challenges and to get back to some Drama classes, I accepted an offer to move to Shanghai and teach at the Shanghai Community International School.
“Wer fremde Sprachen nicht kennt, weiß nichts von seiner eigenen.”
"Those who do not know foreign languages, know nothing of their own."
Johann Wolfang von Goethe
"Those who do not know foreign languages, know nothing of their own."
Johann Wolfang von Goethe