OVERVIEW

The St. Edward’s School of Education was invited by the School of Business and Media Management to facilitate a service program at a public school in Angers, France. This would be the pilot study abroad program for the School of Education and later create more study abroad opportunities for students in the years to come. 

EXPERIENCE

I studied abroad for six weeks in Angers, France. While there I had my own apartment and was fully immersed in French culture while not knowing a single word of French. During this time I had the opportunity to take many excursions around the country and to teach English at a French public school named Collège Jean Vilar. I was a member of a group of six educators from St. Edward’s who, led by our professor Dr. Sloan, together facilitated a cultural exchange project through the use of technology. For this project we worked with what the school system labeled “special needs” students and taught them how to use iPads, iMovie and Disposable Cameras in order to create a photo story of their life in Angers. Arriving the first day at their school I greeted the students with a photo story of my own (which is placed located under the photo story tab).

Throughout our time working with these middle school aged students I learned a great deal about teaching English as a second language but most importantly what it was like to be a second language learner who has been thrown into a new and completely foreign language. I will never forget the experiences I had with these students and I know I will always carry with me these special teaching experiences.