Education

First of all, the strike at the university continues. I am assuming things will get back to normal after the holidays. In the meantime it feels very weird rattling round in a very empty complex of buildings. But hardly any queues in the cafeterias - tres bien!
Now, I couldn't even write with great authority about the New Zealand education system, despite having been part of it all my life AND being highly opinionated! Lol. But I really don't know much at all about high schools these days. So, when I write about my knowledge of the French education system, please bear in mind that this is based on a very, very narrow window of experience. My 5 months at the lycee, anecdotal evidence, heresay and idle gossip. The latter two not to be discounted!
So to begin. I'll go with anecdotal evidence. I had lunch yesterday with Justine, a delightful young lady who was born in France, but moved to NZ when she was a few months old and spent her early years in Sawyers Bay, Dunedin! Just how about that, eh? We met last year at uni when I spotted a kiwi on her back pack. She moved back to France when she was about 8. She said that although she was quite young she can still remember the differences she noticed straight away. In New Zealand she worked in groups and the kids discussed things. She came here and immediately began copying work from the board, a pattern which didn't really change. She said that the students aren't encouraged to think or question. She said she rote learned everything. I think I've mentioned something similar back further in my blog somewhere. Now, rote learning suits some people, but it's like anything - there needs to flexibility and a balance in teaching methods to suit all learners. I often learn my French stuff by rote, but only if I have understood it in the first place. And how tedious to do it all the time!
At the lycee there seems to be some attempt to be 'with it', but when they are so far behind in IT, that is quite difficult. I can't use much of what I prepared in NZ because I need a data projector and they are thin on the ground. There is also quite a bit of copying off the board, but I assume that they are copying summaries of things that have already been discussed. It's like anywhere of course - there are teachers, and teachers! I worked with Agnes - a grave accent over the e, and it's pronounced An-yes - today, and I really like her and the way she interacts with the students. So I am going to just do an observation on Friday, as most of my observing has been done while I have been involved in teaching the lesson. In fact, as I have said before, all the English teachers are nice. And they certainly have better results at getting the students to talk than I do!
The teachers don't seem to work more than 18 hours a week, and all of them with whom I work manage to get a timetable that gives them a full day off each week. They might in fact have 18 hours written into their contracts - I don't know. The lycee has classes from 8.00am though till 5.00 each day, and the students and teachers work to a timetable so the students only attend when they have classes. Well, the same for the teachers. They are just like teachers you would see anywhere, and I always think I am in the Nayland College staffroom, and expect to see someone I know. It's quite funny really. And they have parent meetings and some class trips. But no evidence of staff and/or syndicate meetings, from what I can see!! I just think back to my days as AP at Richmond School. I had a syndicate of 4 or 5, my own class, I coached netball, coached gymnastics and was on the organising committee for the huge Nelson Field Days, ran the Library, was responsible for Road Wardens, organised the school assemblies, trained the choir, was on the Nelson Music Festival Committee, did senior school musical productions which were on a pretty grand scale, was the NZEI rep for a time, chaired the Social Committee, did the collections and bought the gifts for people leaving etc,.... and I'm sure there was more. And guess how much release time I got? None. Nuffink. Rien. Not a skerrick. NOTHING! I just say this not to make you think I was wonderful, (although after typing that I think I should indeed have got a medal!) but to point out what has traditionally been expected of NZ teachers. Certainly in the Primary service. I get some greatly appreciated release time at Papaoetoe Intermediate, I might add.
The students. I really enjoy most of them, although I do wish they would stop bl**dy smoking on the street outside the school! Or just stop altogether would be good. They have a twinkle in their eye and behave just like I imagine my kids and their friends did at Nayland College. (I'm not sure if that is a good thing or not!) They usually speak nicely to me, but there is one class I find difficult to motivate and they don't really speak to me at all! They don't wear uniforms so sometimes I'm not sure if they are students or not, they cluster in the hallways and on the stairs often locked in passionate embraces, and they never make way for teachers to get past. But they are All Right. :-)
That's probably enough to read in this sitting, and that probably covers what I know anyway. The Lycee is open every day, but I think some primary schools are closed on Wednesdays.
Now the search for comments people continues, so please add your comments to be considered for a grand prize.
And so it's good bye from me, and it's goodbye from... well, just me really. A bientot. :-)