Jour de Rentrée

Autumn is here in Normandie.

First day at school, felt about 11 like sixième, the youngest year that I will be teaching. Luckily everyone was absolutely lovely to me, and all attempted to make me feel really welcome. I reckon my responsable Kristie chose that particular class to introduce me to first because they were the best behaved! Although there were only ten of them there was a mix of Franco-British, Mongolian, Nigerian, and some French children who had a higher level of English. Because I teach primarily in the International Section, the class sizes are very small - with around ten students per class, so this one was not abnormally small or anything! Anyway, I wasn't doing any teaching as it was my first day there and I was just observing how a class would be taught. A lot of people I have spoken to have been told that they have to teach the class from their first day - but they really shouldn't be pressured into it, as the teachers are told that we are not meant to teach from day one and to allow an acclimatisation period. Frog in boiling water situation I guess.

Today the lesson focused on the penfriends that the children were about to know - in Denmark. Crazy! Before the children got to know the names of their new "friend", Kristie was asking them what they knew about Denmark...my favourite answers were either that the people are the most relaxed in the world, or that Denmark was in Germany. Well to be honest I don't know how much I could tell you about Denmark anyway, and from this lesson alone I think I'm learning more than the kids!

Faux pas of the day would probably have to be asking the German teacher where in Germany she came from...the answer was France. Well I don't understand accents yet!

Words learnt today:-
- Bull - bulle
- Moth - mite
- Caterpillar - chenille
- Wet - mouillé
- Process - processus [Not [i]procès[/i], that is trial in a law court]
- Suitable - convenable
- Slip of paper - fiche