The lived personal and professional experience of Tammy Oberg De La Garza and Alyson Lavigne did much to spur them to the thinking, writing and teaching that has produced their first book together, Salsa Dancing in Gym Shoes.

Buoyed by personal narratives from Latinx students-turned-educators and scholars, as well as the authors' own journeys as the spouses of Mexican-Americans, Drs. Oberg De La Garza and Lavigne currently serve as Professors of Education at Roosevelt University in Chicago and Utah State University, respectively.

Plenty of pedagogically sound material and information is injected into this very readable tome, which takes the work of these university professors, who met while working at Roosevelt University, in cross-cultural communication and intercultural competence and mixes it with reflections from Latinos who began on the student side of the classroom and have become practitioners in their own right. The resulting admixture is distilled into a case for more equity and accessibility in K-12 and university education across languages and cultures, not only in the U.S., but applied worldwide. 

And this is exactly what our current times and the future of pedagogy require. When asked about this—specifically whether their book is even more relevant now than when they started writing it, Dr. Lavigne responded: "Yes, absolutely. I think one of the shifts that I'm seeing in working with principals and teachers is that equity is now the first question that they're accessing and that's in regards to Black Lives Matter. In combination with Covid-19 happening, there's no way that this issue [equity] can be the second or third or fourth question that we ask as a district or schools. Teachers are asking: "Is there equitable access to resources?"

"I'm currently in Utah and [there's the question of] Native communities and to what extent they have access to even the basic health needs during all of this, in addition to the things that we're requiring for remote learning like computers. And, maybe having folks at home who can support that learning and problem solve issues with them. It is long overdue for this to be the lens through which we approach learning."

Dr. Oberg De La Garza added, "Leading up to this book, the work that Alyson and I did before, was really exploring how students perceive care from teachers. Until they know you care, they don't care what you know.

"You could be a phenomenal teacher, but if there's a break in the relationship between the teacher and the student, the student is not going to benefit as much as the student who is in sync with the teacher, who feels like the teacher and they are one and the same."

The title Salsa Dancing in Gym Shoes is itself a metaphor for bringing one's own approach into a teaching situation with Latino children, particularly as a white educator, and having those implicit biases and methods hinder the learning attempted by those students.

To illustrate both this title and theme of their book as well as the importance of learning compassionate teaching, Drs. Oberg De La Garza and Lavigne cited their favorite examples of pivotal educational moments shared by the Latinx authors whose stories add vibrance to the book.

Dr. Oberg De La Garza was struck by Sarah Rafael García's account of being put on the spot to pronounce the English word "chair" and producing "ch-ch-chair". The experience was made worse by Ms. Garcia's teacher forcing her to stand up in front of the class to do this as an English Language Learner. Ms. García had a panic attack as a result. She has since become an educator and parent who uses this personal memory in her own work and personal life to better approach socio-emotional learning and bilingual learners' specific challenges and vulnerabilities.

For her part, Dr. Lavigne mentioned the writing of Laura Guzmán-DuVernois and her class discussion prompt in a heritage language classroom of the different ways to say "kite" across the Latino world. This meta-linguistic awareness, the chance to acknowledge that even within one language there are a variety of norms, was the gem for Dr. Lavigne. Even in her own home, her children ask about different alphabets and pronunciations among and within languages, which she loves to talk about with them.

To watch kids realize that there are differences between languages and discover that different languages align in different ways to mathematical thinking and reading— is a gift, according to Dr. Lavigne.

Both authors have, in addition to their university work, experience in K-12 education, Dr. Oberg De La Garza in teaching diverse classrooms in Chicago and Dr. Lavigne in observing classroom teachers in Arizona. They agreed that there's a disconnect between what teachers are studying and what's being taught in higher education and what K-12 teachers are doing in the classroom. The two worlds, the authors feel, could be more connected and embedded.

And this is not just a U.S. problem. With another colleague, Dr. Lavigne collected data in the Netherlands on teaching practices and found that K-12 teachers desire more support from universities and other players in teaching diverse youth. She states "There's a gap between K-12 and university teaching. K-12 teachers are doing really important work that no one's studying [at the university level]."

Article written by Andrew Palmacci for NewYorkinFrench on August 4, 2020

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Interested in a new French Dual Language Program in East Village for next year 2021/2022?

Join CEC1, CEC2 and CEC3 on Zoom Monday, July 27 at 7PM 

Dual Language Chairs, Superintendents and Elected Officials will discuss establishing a K-5 / K-8 French and Spanish Dual Language School.

Advocacy makes a impact. Take the opportunity to be heard.

Join us !

Zoom Meeting:

Meeting ID: 891 3113 3966

Password: 161969

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89131133966?pwd=WTJsVyttWGlMTkR2dUF3Y25SWmhhQT09

If you know someone who may be interested in this FREE BILINGUAL PROGRAM, please forward this opportunity!

Thank you for your support.

NYC District 2 French Dual Language Program

https://www.facebook.com/groups/593786378077031 

Details

In the 20th and 21st centuries, it is often the United States that is cited as the country most effective at engaging in cultural diplomacy. Or, the U.S. is touted as a major exporter of "soft power" to the rest of the world. But, in Jane Flatau Ross' Two Centuries of French Education in New York, it is France's efforts to spread influence abroad with culture—in this case education—that is given the spotlight. Dr. Ross, through a look at her own internationally flavored life and long career at the Lycée Français in New York, examines the global network of French schools abroad. She focuses on the subject through the lens of K-12 schools in New York from the early 18th century on, particularly focusing on the 20th-century Lycée Français and an earlier precursor.

Professor of History at Ohio State University, Alice L. Conklin offered the following in praise of Dr. Ross: “In this wonderfully engaging book Jane Ross restores to view a little-known dimension of French educational rayonnement in the US.  A must read for anyone seeking to understand the cultural ambitions of global France today.”

“Jane Ross has written a marvelous history of the Lycée Français de New York, bringing to that analysis deep insight gleaned from three decades teaching in the school,” added Herrick Chapman, Professor of History and French Studies at New York University.

It is true that this work of combined history and memoir is unique, in that few scholars have looked at specific “global school” models. The author’s case study of the Lycée Français de New York (1935-present) and other French schools in New York explores how the French national education systems functions not only beyond the hexagon of France itself, but also beyond the strictly colonial “civilizing mission” that was advanced by French schools in both French colonies and former colonies.

The recently published Two Centuries of French Education in New York was born out of Dr. Ross' work in the International Education doctoral program at NYU’s Steinhardt School. While engaged in her studies there, she initially thought her dissertation thesis would revolve around heritage language learning. She had founded the French Heritage Language Program, an educational resource for Francophone immigrants to the U.S. shortly after her retirement from a career of 30 years at the Lycée.

It was only when the teacher and scholar began to pull material together for her doctoral thesis that she realized that the story of French schools and the history of the Lycée in New York would be fertile ground for research and eventually for publication. That suited Dr. Ross well, as she was "more comfortable with an historical perspective as opposed to an anthropological and statistics-based approach." She was, in fact, educated as an historian, holding undergraduate degrees in History and French from Swarthmore College.

Upon completion of her thesis, one of her committee members suggested she add some personal elements to the writing. This advice was based on that professor's own scholarly work on peace and conflict studies in Afghanistan, in which she interspersed theory with anecdotes from her time on the ground in Kabul.

It took some adjustment of tack, but Dr. Ross states, "I think the most enjoyable parts [of writing the book] were the snippets of personal family history that I added after the thesis was completed. I felt I had more freedom to make the book more personal and hopefully more interesting for readers who might find the more technical or academic aspects less vibrant."

On the contrary, the distilling of French educational history in New York is compelling, particularly including the profile of the 19th-century Economical School that gives insight into the operation of an international, bilingual school in the early days of the American Republic. In fact, Dr. Ross "greatly enjoyed the research into [this] school."

One of the first sections of the book lays out the origins of a global French education system and, to be sure, French education itself. This posed the most challenging research for the author and educator: "The most difficult parts were those concerning the technicalities of the French government's relationship to the schools abroad. While the schools themselves," she adds, "and specifically the Lycée Français de New York, each have a history of their own, they fit into an administrative structure that almost seemed to exist in a parallel universe."

While at the Lycée, the writer of Two Centuries of French Education New York reflected that she "never thought [she] was a part of this "cultural machine", a machine of cultural diplomacy to be exact, which was a true global phenomenon."

"But, I was," she observes. "That was why the Cambodians were there; why the Iranians came after the Shah fell; why Africans were there and why they were sometimes not there." 

“The Lycée creates a cultural outpost with people singing La Marseillaise. It is important to France. I just thought it was a school."

Dr. Ross found working with the international student body the most enjoyable and rewarding part of her 30+ years at the school. "I loved being part of the school, the variety of families and interests they had." 

She taught Turkish students who escaped over borders and walked through deserts to eventually reach the shores of the U.S. Other students were Africans who were the children of diplomats or the children of the diplomats' chauffeurs. Even the French families from the Hexagon were diverse in many ways. She tells me she remains close friends with some of the families.

The ultimate reward for teaching at the Lycée Français for Dr. Ross was, in her words, the "feeling that I had an impact on students who would be [living] all over the globe."”

Lastly, I ask her to sum up the French philosophy of education. She responds, "Education is the creation of citizens."

Then, her own philosophy. She responds unequivocally: "Education makes us human."

Article written by Andrew Palmacci for NewYorkinFrench on July 9, 2020

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Born on the West Coast and growing up in San Diego, California, Deana Sobel Ledeman may seem to have been far removed from a cozy, Upper West Side, Manhattan apartment, but that's exactly where this award-winning cartoonist and children's book author created some of her fondest childhood memories and developed a love for children's literature. During visits cross-coast to her parent's native New York City as a child, Lederman spent time at her grandmother's apartment, reading books such as the Madeline series (the children's classic by Ludwig Bemelmans) in a nook in the room where her own mother grew up. "In New York City, you just feel so alive," she recalled.

"That joyfulness that we experience in childhood, I still really enjoy that feeling. I've kept that with me as I grow older."

Indeed, New York City—and cities in general—have been a major source of inspiration in Lederman's work since she began penning comics as a student at UC-Berkeley and later professionally on the East Coast. This love of cities and the spirit of exploration and discovery they spark, especially in children, continues with the suite of three children's books this author and illustrator has recently published with TBR Books. The poignant yet whimsically rendered books provide a way for parents to talk to their kids about the Covid-19 pandemic and shutdown. 

Now translated into three other languages, the trilogy of Masks!, The Sewing Lesson and Noah Henry: A Rainbow Story all take place in an urban setting. They deal, respectively, with kids experiencing the reopening; non-traditional families making sacrifices for essential workers; and a real-life quarantine phenomenon that took place in Brooklyn, NY. Noah Henry, whose protagonist is named after the two young sons of a friend of Lederman's residing in that New York City borough, chronicles a story of inspiration and hope coming from le confinement. In the book, a child sees rainbows drawn by other kids on their windows throughout the neighborhood, made as a sign of better times to come when everyone could all be together again. 

Reported by the international press, the practice of kids placing rainbows on their windows actually began in Italy and Europe at the outset of school closures there, but soon spread to the U.S. and Canada. In Brooklyn, Lederman's friend experienced this happening through the eyes of her young boys. "Whenever we face times of adversity, there are really inspirational stories that come out of it," observes Lederman, writer and illustrator of this book trilogy. She spoke to me of inspiration from her own family history, where one set of her grandparents escaped Europe during World War II and her grandfather on the other side of her family served as an American fighter pilot.  

Returning to the present, the author cites the importance of and difficulty faced by essential workers and "even people sitting at home and sewing masks for everyone," the central subject of The Sewing Lesson. Despite the crises so far in 2020, she states, "There's a lot of greatness—the right kind of greatness—happening." Lederman's trilogy, known as Rainbows, Masks and Ice Cream, is her latest artistic and literary contribution to the world, this one particularly for families, during the current moment of uncertainty. This trio was drawn not with pen and ink or oil paints (usually her media of choice), but on an iPad. This mother of two children, who is also a former member of the New York City Department of Education's communications team, noted that the digital device was ideal for sketching and creating while she was caring for her youngsters. Her older son, Aiden, even helped her do a read-aloud of Noah Henry in a YouTube video recorded soon after the book, the first written of the trilogy, was finished. The clip was later shared online by both the National Children's Museum and the Minnesota Children's Museum.

While all three are focused on life as lived by children and families throughout the world amidst a global pandemic, shutdown and calls for greater respect for people of color, Lederman's series of children's books seeks to fill a much-need role in contemporary literature and public discourse. The author, reflecting her stories and current times, wonders "if these stories are so timely, how long will they be relevant?" "And it seems, I'm starting to think, they might be relevant for longer than I originally thought. Because, even once things get better, we will probably want to remember what happened."

Finally, she hopes her books provide a means, later on, to look back on our present situation and come away with insights and understanding: "There will be things we learn from this time that we don't realize right now. We'll have much more perspective." For children and families the world over, in different languages, these stories offer a way to explore difficult themes while celebrating life and keeping alive the joyfulness that every child deserves.

Article written by Andrew Palmacci for NewYorkinFrench.net on July 1, 2020

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Upper East Side, NYC — Back in March 2020, we obtained the opening of a brand new French Dual Language Program (DLP) for school year 2020/2021 in New York City, District 2. The Department of Education's second district includes most of Lower Manhattan, Midtown and the Upper East Side. Two French dual language Pre-K classes will therefore open for the 2020-2021 school year at District 2 Pre-K Center, located at 355 East 76th Street in Manhattan, which promotes high-quality early start education and bilingual education. 40 kids from different socioeconomic and ethnolinguistic backgrounds will benefit from this FREE BILINGUAL PROGRAM (English-French), the first of its kind in the Upper East Side. Every kid deserves a top-quality early education and the benefits of a dual language education are endless. Construct an identity through two languages and two cultures is a challenge that parents and bilingual kids can now take up more easily here in NYC District 2.

I am thankful to Aneesha Jacko who accepted to tell me a bit more about her background and excitement about this new opening. Aneesha Jacko is the Early Childhood Director for the District 2 Pre-K Centers, the one on 76th more particularly. She worked for over 20 years in Early Childhood Education. She has worked for years as an Early Childhood Educator with the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens. ‘I started 20 years ago , I am a 20 year veteran!’, she told.

As an Early Childhood Director since 2015, she focuses on nurturing the love of learning which she defines as predominant among the values she - along with her team - considers as essential in early education. To sum it up, Aneesha Jacko defines her motto as: ‘Inspire learning, building relationships and thriving.’, she said.  New York City Pre-K for All Dual Language programs provide instruction in two languages: English and a target language. The goal is for children to experience high-quality early learning in both languages.

What attracted you to bilingual education in the first place? And the French Language?
‘I started to learn French in elementary school, and I believe it was critical feature in my love for the language, culture and my overall academic achievement. The opening of this Universal Pre-K (UPK) French Dual Language Program (DLP) is special to me. To integrate a new language has so much value, appreciation and perspectives. I also worked on Early Childhood and expanding Pre-K for All in NYC with Council Member Ben Kallos. I, as a leader, am very excited to bring this experience and opportunity to our community’. The culture of learning is something meaningful to her. To succeed, she and her staff, are very aware of the key role of the families and aim at connecting this learning environment to them as partners.

How would you describe District 2 Pre-K Center situated on 76th ? How you and your team intend to develop this culture of learning?
‘through the creation of meaningful opportunities for children to investigate and construct their knowledge of themselves and the world around them’. ‘I pride myself in the strength of my team. And I look forward to working with the parents. Right now, we need to be very resilient. And I would love to co-create this French Dual Language Program with parents, to know their expectations. I know how important the families are in the process. I am thrilled and I cannot wait to start this journey together!’, she said.

In this attempt to keep in touch with the families and get them involved, a website has recently been created: District 2 Pre-K Centers: https://www.district2prek.org
Job Opportunity at District 2 Pre-K Centers: https://newyorkinfrench.net/profiles/blogs/job-opportunity-nyc-district-2-french-dual-language-program-upper
- The following link is a recent webinar called The Bilingual Revolution Webinar Series recently organized by The Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the US, hosted by author and Education Attaché Fabrice Jaumont: https://frenchlanguagek12.org/11838-watch-bilingual-revolution-webinarsonline
- For more information on our work: NYC District 2 - French Dual Language Program https://www.facebook.com/groups/593786378077031
- More information here: https://benkallos.com/press-release/french-dual-language-pre-kindergarten-launch-upper-east-side-response-demand-parents

We are currently working on the establishment of a Multilingual School K-8 in East Village for school year 2021/2022. If interested, please do not hesitate to join us!

Catherine Remy is one of the parents spearheading the creation of French dual-language programs in Manhattan. This article was written for NewYorkinFrench.net on July 1, 2020.

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by Andrew Palmacci

I recently sat down for a Zoom conversation with authors Agathe Laurent and Sabine Landolt to hear about the making of their new book, Can We Agree to Disagree?, which tackles the challenges, complexities and, yes, struggles of Americans working with the French, and vice-versa, in companies in both countries. Its format is to treat different work-world themes in sections, seasoned with real-life quotes from professionals of both nationalities on the ground. Underlying the authors' work is the idea of facilitating cross-cultural communication and understanding between professionals from and on both sides of the Atlantic. It's truly an unconventional attempt to bridge the disconnect between cultures.

The authors want to encourage companies, and specifically, HR departments, to support employees in this discovery of the other culture. To go beyond on-boarding and 1 shot workshops, but to foster consistent and in-depth cultural knowledge, to stimulate creativity on how to get there. Ms. Laurent and Ms. Landolt hope their book will whet their readers' appetite to learn more from the real-world experiences that they have organized into a highly accessible format.

They state that their ultimate goal for Can We Agree to Disagree? is to allow individuals to open their minds and work better with their colleagues from either France or the U.S. So, certainly, professionals working in multi-national and -cultural organizations and leaders within these organizations will benefit from paging through this new entry in the business and intercultural communication literary conversation.

Laurent and Landolt's conviction, based on insight they have gained from their own extensive careers and their own thorough research for this book, is simple, but one that is often forgotten: "we should all stay humble and avoid judging when we don't know the other person, their culture."

The book, through the authors' well-devised and vetted interview methods, looks to promote "cultural understanding beyond stereotypes" in the words of these two women.  Normally, they have found that people in a work situation don't understand the reactions of someone of the other culture to one's own cultural mores and attitudes. They insist that you can't extrapolate your own country's working process to another's. Intriguingly, the authors consider feelings and emotions to be an important--maybe the most important--of working through cross-cultural misunderstandings.

As the quotes from French and American professionals working with people of the other nationality form the savory meat of this book, the reader will feel the intensity of the emotions expressed in its pages. Laurent and Landolt noticed that the people they were interviewing felt uncomfortable. A broad spectrum of emotions was triggered in the participants on examining their work with members of the other culture. For some, they really didn't want to work with the other again.

Can We Agree to Disagree? is purposely not a linear read. It's a "mosaic". It features topics that matter to people, to professionals. Chapters connect and refer back to each other, are multi-layered and full of subtleties. It's a book for sensitive people who appreciate the "other" and want to learn par guise de an aesthetically pleasing layout, design, printing, all of which any reader will find in this tome.

Reaching understanding for better working relationships between people of different nationalities, cultures, and really humans of all stripes, is what the two authors of Can We Agree to Disagree? are after--and this is work they genuinely and passionately enjoy.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Can We Agree To Disagree?: Exploring the differences at work between Americans and the French: A perspective on the cultural gap and tips for successful and happy collaborations.

By Agathe Laurent and Sandrine Landolt

A compelling collection of anecdotes about French and American professionals on their experiences working together. This book reveals the risks of misjudgments. It provides tips and tricks to foster mutual understanding.  Its goal is to spark curiosity, encourage professionals to adopt the best methods from both cultures, and to better work together.

Release Date: June 15, 2020
Available in: Paperback, Hardcover, and soon, eBook
Paperback: 124 pages
Publisher: Tbr Books (June 15, 2020)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1947626485
ISBN-13: 978-1947626485
Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.3 x 10 inches
Shipping Weight: 10.7 ounces
Price: $23.99
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I have known Blake Ramsey for almost 10 years when he started teaching in French bilingual programs in New York City. I have watched him grow as an educator, impressed by his consistency and professionalism, as well as his dedication to French dual-language education. He has now embarked in a new mission, carrying the torch of French dual-language education even further, and joining the team at Fort Greene Preparatory Academy in Brooklyn for what promises to be one of the best French dual-language middle school programs in an American public school. Below are his answers to my questions.

Tell us a little bit about your background and interest in dual-language education and the French language:

Having extensively studied, worked and lived in France for about half of my life, French and American English run through my veins. My first encounters with the joys of  bilingualism happened when I was a young child. My father was an Emmy Award winning newscaster which brought many possibilities to meet new people and explore unique places, above all,  France.  My opportunity to become bilingual was rare, especially being from Atlanta, Georgia originally. In the 80s and 90s bilinguals who were not of Spanish speaking origin were few and far between. My bilingualism set me apart, gave me confidence, and has been my link to the closest people in my life. I cultivated my language as an adolescent by frequently  returning to France, and then as a young adult teaching in two Parisian High Schools, and studying in both Nantes and Paris, France at Université de Nantes  and Université de Paris 3; La Sorbonne Nouvelle, respectively.  

As a professional, it has been my mission to make bilingualism accessible to all. I want to change what used to be considered rare into a right. After finishing back-to-back masters degrees in History and Foreign and Second Language Acquisition at NYU, I was ready to dive right into the work. I first started at PS 58 in 2011 after meeting Marie Bouteillon, the founding French Dual Language Teacher of the first French DLP in NYC. I worked at PS 58 for 5 years teaching 4th and 5th Grade French Dual Language. I subsequently served in District 13 at PS 133 for 2 years as a 5th Grade French Dual Language Teacher and Literacy and French Dual Language Instructional Coach. 

Expansion for French Dual Language Immersion proved difficult to ensure, so I set out to help create a pathway for families at the Boerum Hill School for International Studies. I had the distinct privilege collaborating with the magnificent Sarah Brooks who is also BHS’s  founding French teacher. At BHS, I served as the Language Acquisition Instructional Coach, French Dual Language Coordinator and I taught 6th, 7th, 9th, and 10th Grade French Dual Language and Foreign Language classes. 

You will be joining Fort Greene Prep's community in the Fall as their first French Dual Language Coordinator, what was it that attracted you to this new project and this school?

Indeed,  I am thrilled to return to District 13 to serve under the leadership of Principal Paula Lettiere. It is an honor to be the founding French Dual Language Coordinator and Teacher in what will be my 4th school with the New York City  Department of Education. When I initially reached out to Principal Paula Lettiere in March on the eve of the lockdown, my goal was to offer any support I could to her community as a collaborative partner.  After speaking with her about her ideas for the program,  I made sure to  ask her if she had any openings. She described what I have been dreaming of for ages. She has both her head and heart in the right place and truly understands how the brain processes both information and emotion.  She is a phenomenal pedagogue with over 20 years of experience working with virtually every setting imaginable. Even more impressive to me is the fact that she is the founding Principal of Fort Greene Preparatory Academy and is embarking on her 12th year as Building Leader.  She has high expectations and big ideas for both students and teachers with a strong sense of practicality. 

Principal Lettiere is committed to providing a true Dual Language experience for her students, families and teachers.  She understands how to start not only programs, but also entire schools. As previously mentioned,  She is the founding principal of Fort Greene Preparatory Academy.  She knows that you have to start small, and that in order to break the rules, you first need to learn the rules. Therefore, the program design at Fort Greene Preparatory is based on research-based practices. As a French Dual Language Team, we want to equip our teachers and students with what they need to experience success.  Principal Lettiere understands the necessity of reducing the margin of error as much as possible in order to intelligently and intelligibly reflect on best practices, so that next steps truly improve upon the initial ones. 

What is the vision and the approach behind the new French dual-language program and how is the program going to be structured and who will teach it?

We are calling this initiative, “Carrying the Torch.” The expression means, “fighting or striving for a particular belief or movement to make sure it is not forgotten and continues to grow stronger.”  This is our approach at Fort Greene Prep as we are committed to providing a true continuation for French DLP into Middle School. With 8 years of elementary DLP experience and 2 years in Middle School, I will serve as both French DLP Coordinator and Teacher, bringing my experience and invaluable  lessons I’ve learned along the way. 

I am not completely starting the Francophone movement in the school community as there is already an existing  Francophone microcosm.  I will be joined by Mr. Avram Kline who is a trilingual (Spanish, French, and English)  Language Arts Teacher with over 15 years of experience.  Our School’s Guidance Counselor is also Francophone and a certified French teacher.  Finally, Principal Lettiere’s husband’s family is Canadian, so there is a personal tie to French within her own family. 

With regards to how we are “carrying the torch,” my recipe for the successful integration of any Dual Language Program into an existing school community is through carefully blending the Goals of Dual Language Education and the School’s Mission and Vision. Below is my simple, three-step process.  

1. Start with The Goals of Dual Language Immersion:

The goals of dual language are for students to develop high levels of language proficiency and literacy in both program languages, to demonstrate high levels of academic achievement, and to develop an appreciation for and an understanding of diverse cultures. (Center of Applied Linguistics) 

2. Incorporate the School’s Mission and Vision: 

Fort Greene Preparatory Academy is committed to providing an education of excellence that allows each student to develop intellectual independence, self-confidence and a sense of responsibility towards others both within the school and throughout the larger community.

The school will graduate future leaders, decision-makers and innovators empowered to solve the problems of the 21st Century. To meet this challenge, a rigorous inquiry-based curriculum will push students from foundational knowledge towards the problem solving and critical thinking necessary for success in college and beyond.

3. Articulate the Mission and Vision of the School’s Dual Language Program; 

At Fort Greene Prep, our French Dual Language Program aims to serve students who have completed a (K-5) DLP for their continuation of speaking and learning in two languages. Our program is also designed to serve Students with Special Needs and English Language Learners whose language proficiency meet our eligibility criteria. As a French Dual Language Team, our goal is to ensure a rigorous inquiry based curriculum that  builds confidence in our students, so that all learners feel empowered to take intellectual risks in order to grow both inside and outside of the learning community.  We believe that learning in language immersion is optimized when student interest, sense of value, and comfort zone are top priority when designing curricula. Our experience has shown us that this is achieved through thematic units of study,  application of Equity in education and the usage Culturally Responsive Pedagogy.

Our program has the mindset of “strength through stability”.  Dual Language Programs must have a target language and a partner language across subject area(s).  At Fort Greene Prep, for every subject area taught in French, there is a partner language class taught in English. Additionally, we have tight horizontal alignment.  Our students will have equal access  to the target language and partner languages classes at the same frequency for the following subjects: Language Arts, Social Studies, Science with support in Math. Moreover, Dual Language Programs must have sensible vertical alignment so that students have the chance to achieve the Seal of Biliteracy once they are eligible.  Fort Greene Prep’s DLP is based on the existing vertical alignment of Core Content Areas, and incorporates language objectives, just like in the elementary school setting. 

What are some of the advantages that you foresee in a dual-language education at the middle school level?
My experience as a Dual Language Educator has shown me the amplitude of life-skills students acquire, even exclusive of the second language itself.  Indeed, overall I have seen a huge difference in students’ tolerance of frustration heightened.  Their organizational skills tend to be increased; DLP students are able to locate overarching themes that act as “connective tissue” between two seemingly unrelated concepts with greater ease. Students' problem solving skills are more advanced in autonomy. Finally and arguably, most importantly for Middle School,  Dual Language Students tend to be more resourceful and emotionally resilient than their monolingual counterparts.  Adding on a language doubles the amount of opportunities to experience success. At an age where human beings are going through rapid developmental change, the aforementioned skillsets make the experience much more manageable and balanced.  

How can interested parents find out more about the program and sign up?
We are still accepting candidates for our incoming 6th grade cohort.  We are offering seats every day. Interested applicants should apply to the school’s wait list on www.myschools.nyc. After which, Principal Lettiere can locate the applicants who meet our eligibility criteria to then formerly offer a seat. 

Download a presentation of Fort Greene Prep’s new French Dual Language Program: Carrying the Torch

Join Blake Ramsey Principal Paula Lettiere, and myself on Wednesday, June 17 at 3:30 via Zoom

Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/92659088300?pwd=K0ZwTTJWODBIRFlLeUIwcVg1K0gyUT09

"Carrying the Torch An Interview with Blake Ramsey about Fort Greene Prep’s new French Dual Language Program." Conducted by Fabrice Jaumont for NewYorkinFrench.net, June 15, 2020

Cover Photo: Daryan Shamkhali

Related article: New French Dual Language Program at Fort Greene Prep Academy

Passage par le Sénégal et l'Université Cheick Anta Diop de Dakar pour une discussion sur l'éducation plurilingue avec le professeur Mbacké Diagne, Directeur de recherche au laboratoire Linguistique et Grammaire anglaises et africaines .

La situation des langues au Sénégal est représentative du bain linguistique dans lequel les nations africaines évoluent. La place des langues nationales dans les systèmes scolaires, comme le Wolof et le Pulaar entre autres dans ce cas-ci, est encore inégale vis-à-vis de la place qu'occupent les langues internationales telle que le français, l'anglais ou l'arabe. Cette situation est au cœur des débats actuels tant elle est liée à la réussite scolaire des élèves, aux questions identitaires et au développement économique du pays.

Retrouvez les épisodes sur iTunes, Spreakers, FrenchMorning, CALEC ou sur NewYorkinFrench.net

NYC District 2- French Dual Language Program-

UPPER EAST SIDE

Vous êtes de langue maternelle française, vous aimez travailler auprès d’enfants et vous êtes légalement autorisés à travailler aux Etats-Unis ? 

Dans le cadre de son « Enrichment program » en français, EFNY recherche DES PROFESSEUR(E)S pour la rentrée 2020.

Qualités requises :

- avoir une excellente maîtrise du français à l’oral comme à l’écrit

- avoir un diplôme d’enseignement et/ou l’expérience de l’enseignement en milieu bilingue

- être capable de mettre en œuvre une pédagogie différenciée et ludique

Missions :

- enseigner le français à des enfants francophones et/ou anglophones (de 4 à 14 ans)

- transmettre la culture française/francophone par le biais de projets et de méthodes interactives

Volume horaire : entre 2 et 6 heures par semaine, les après-midi 

Durée : de mi-septembre 2020 à fin juin 2021

Rémunération selon expérience.

Envoyer CV et lettre de motivation à efnycoordinationny@gmail.com

Fort Greene Preparatory Academy is excited to announce the launch of our French Dual Language Program beginning in September 2020 with one section of grade 6.  Fort Greene Preparatory Academy is a public middle school located in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY.  Our program has specifically been designed to provide continuity for students who are attending established French Dual Language Programs being offered in our Brooklyn Elementary Schools.

Read More about the School: New French Dual Language Program at Fort Greene Prep Academy by Fabrice Jaumont

We are seeking an experienced, certified French Dual Language Teacher to coordinate the launch of the program and facilitate learning for our first cohort of students. The French Dual Language Teacher is responsible for the education of assigned students and will create a flexible program and class environment favorable for learning and personal growth. The teacher will teach literacy skills and identified content subjects to students through the use of both the French language and English language in a 50/50 model.

The ideal candidate will have excellent language and communication skills in both French and English, including familiarity with online teaching and communication systems.  Ideal candidates will be collaborative, inclusive, and strong builders of culture and relationships within the school, among students and their families, and within the larger community. A strong knowledge of the stages of language acquisition, project-based learning, inquiry-based learning, social-emotional development of adolescents, and differentiation techniques is preferred.  Teachers who are dynamic and creative thinkers are encouraged.

Applicants may submit resumes, cover letters, and digital teaching portfolios to:

Principal Paula Lettiere at plettie2@schools.nyc.gov

Thinking of earning University credit for French classes?

Consider Montclair State University, only 13 miles from New York and easily accessible by mass transit.

An online summer graduate course (15 May to 25 June) explores "Exploits, Disguise, and Trickery in Medieval French Literature" while Montclair State 2020 Summer and Fall classes are dedicated to Translation, contemporary North African writers, Hugo's Les Misérables and its adaptations, and films from French-speaking Africa and the Caribbean (in addition to language and culture classes at all levels).

The French program at Montclair offers:

• BA in French with concentrations in French civilization, translation, and teaching
• A 5-year joint BA/MA in French Studies
• An MA in French with a concentration in Professional Translation or French Studies
• Various pathways to becoming an NJ certified teacher.

For more information, contact the Department of Modern Languages: mll@montclair.edu. Or follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @msufrench

Venez nombreux! Au plaisir de vous voir à Montclair!

 Jacques Blamont, l'action, sœur du rêve / Rina Sherman

dans la collection VOICES. k éditeur. www.rinasherman.com

Premier directeur scientifique et technique du CNES (Centre national d’études spatiales), membre de l’Académie des sciences, auteur de nombreux essais, les titres et références de notre ami Jacques Blamont sont innombrables et ne suffiraient pourtant pas à dire la richesse de l’homme. Rina Sherman lui a consacré un ciné-portrait qui vous permettra de l’apprécier en cette période de confinement*. https://www.clubdesvigilants.com/alerte/cine-portrait-jacques-blamont-laction-soeur-du-reve

Art in my Window: An Ideal Exhibition at home with Hervé Tullet

Can an exhibition take place in a shoebox? In a museum? In a window? Of course! Anything’s possible. 

Children, families and art-lovers of all ages are invited to add color and joy to the world as part of “The ideal exhibition with Hervé Tullet.”

Created in 2018 by Hervé Tullet and Tobo Studio, the Ideal Exhibition is a project in which the acclaimed children’s book author and artist, shares his inspirations, reflections, creative process, and advice for budding artists to create their own exhibitions at home. Since its inception, the project has inspired a multitude of exhibitions of all sizes throughout the world, from Los Angeles to France, Italy, Switzerland, and beyond. 

We are happy to invite you to participate in Art in my Window: An Ideal Exhibition at home with Hervé Tullet, a series of online events designed to guide all generations create a virtual collective museum during the confinement. Together, let’s build a collective museum and create artworks to display in your windows for our neighbors to see and enjoy ! 

These events have been developed in partnership with Herve Tullet, the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, Bayam and La Petite Ecole NY . 

The highlight will be a live online flower workshop lead by Hervé Tullet on Saturday, April 25 at 11:30am. 

-       Mornings workshops with La Petite École New York

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 11:30 am EST, join La Petite Ecole New York  facebook page for a creative workshop for children to create large works of art together to decorate their windows and shine some color onto our world. Themes and dates are as listed below for next week, more informations here

 Tuesday April 21: “Drawing Factory/ Trash workshop” Wednesday April 22: “Totems” Thursday April 23 : "Mosaique/ Windows/ Taches”

-       “Bored Dom Dom Dom” – Hervé Tullet’s ‘stuck at home’ mini-series 

This will make you smile, give you ideas and inspire you to take on art in a new and relaxed way. 

A daily meet-up not to be missed beginning on April 14 at 3 pm on Bayam and Herve Tullet's Facebook page 

-       The Giant Workshop

On April 25 at 11:30 am EST, Hervé Tullet, in partnership with the Cultural Services of the French Embassy and La Petite Ecole New York, will host a live workshop to create giant flowers. The live will then be re-shown for three days on the Bayam site, April 25-April 27.

 Get your materials ready! 

-       Paper: set up a big piece of paper on the floor or on a wall, or keep a  stack of papers close by to use throughout the workshop

-       Paint or markers: Hervé’s favorite colors are blue, red and yellow. Feel free to add whatever colors you like best.

 Post your artwork on Instagram with hashtag #artinmywindow and tag @expo_ideale_herve_tullet, @lapetiteecolenyc, and @frenchcultureus @bayam_fr for a chance to have it shared!