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Educational System in France
The French educational system is reputed to be one of the most thorough in the
world. Public education is free at the primary and secondary levels and is
compulsory from age six to sixteen. Universities are public and tuition is
nominal. The majority of schools (85%) are State run (L'ÉCOLE PUBLIQUE).
Private schools (L'ÉCOLE PRIVÉE), often Catholic, are partially subsidized and
fully regulated by the State.
We have found that these private schools have been helpful in
assisting the English speaking pupils/students into integrating into the French
school system. There is more flexibility in dispensing the student of required
French courses to allow more time for 'French as a foreign language' tutoring.
Some of these schools even allow the tutor (paid for by the parents) onto their
premises; something unheard of in the public school system. There also seems to
be a general consensus that these schools look more at the 'individual needs' of
the student. This is perhaps why many French parents send their children to
private schools when the public school experience has not had good results.
These Private/Catholic schools are open to the general public and count among
their population a good number of non-Catholics and /or secular students.
Catechism is waived upon request.
Another aspect of Private schools is that they, for the most
part, have Saturday morning off; whereas many Public schools work on Saturday
morning. Also, most public schools have up to a 2 hour lunch break, with school
ending at 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., whereas Private schools tend to insist on EVERYONE
lunching at school, thus having a shorter break, which ends the day at 4:00 to
4:30 p.m. Another surprising factor is that these Private schools are NOT
overpriced, with lunch being the greatest expense. There are certainly
exceptions to this, especially private non-parochial schools.
French education is centralized with a nationwide curriculum
imposed by the Ministry of Education that ensures national uniformity. This
curriculum is dense and demanding. The approach to education is aimed towards
the examination process at both the secondary and university levels.
GRADING
There are 3 trimesters (3 month grading periods) per school
year. At the end of each trimester a "CONSEIL DE CLASSE" is held. This
meeting includes the teacher(s), two student delegates (not in primary school),
parent delegates, and an administrative representative (principal or
vice-principal). The teacher briefly gives a profile of the class. In some
Public schools this description includes a general level grouping. For example:
group 1 is strongest, group 1-2 is second, group 2 is third, and group 2-3 is
fourth (students experiencing difficulty) group 3 is last (students who might
repeat the year if they don't improve). Most of the meeting is taken up
discussing the pupils/students having difficulty. Remarks made at this meeting
may show up on the report card. The report card is sent out approximately one
week after the "CONSEIL DE CLASSE."
This meeting is also a forum whereby, delegate students, and
delegate parents (voted in at the beginning of the year) may express concerns.
If a "CONSEIL" expresses 'concern' over a student's progress, the
parents' should take immediate action by seeing the teacher and taking steps to
turn the situation around. For, a warning not heeded in December and confirmed
at the 2nd "CONSEIL" (before Easter) may slot that child for being
left back in June. Private school may have more frequent report cards.
Being left back in France is not considered the extreme measure
it is in the U.S. Generally, Public schools consider it more worthwhile for a
weak student to consolidate his foundations by repeating the year than to move
on to a higher grade on a shaky substructure. Also, French course curriculum is
dense and, Math and Science are more heavily emphasized. This is perhaps why
French students and parents are more or less in accordance with this practice.
Thirty percent of French students repeat at least one year during their
scholastic years.
GRADING POLICY AND ENGLISH PUPILS/STUDENTS
We have found that 3 trimesters (1 school year) is too short a
period to expect ALL immigrant English speaking students to adapt to the
system/language. We find that 5 trimesters is enough to have the student become
fully functional in the system. Upon arrival at a French school, some
administrators would recommend having the English speaking child go into a grade
1-YEAR YOUNGER. This may or may not be judicious, for, no matter which grade the
student goes into, the problem remains whole; HE DOES NOT MASTER THE LANGUAGE.
If, upon his arrival, the student goes into his normal grade, he
has a fair chance of passing the year. If he arrives part way through the school
year, the school would most likely take for granted his repeating the year. At
the end of the first school year, parents may find that their child would have
made a world of progress, and yet be asked to repeat the year. We recommend that
parents negotiate with the school to have their child move onto the NEXT GRADE
and repeat that grade if necessary. In fact we believe that an English speaking
student needs 5 trimesters to fully adapt to the language/rhythm/system.
In primary school, parents have the final word on whether their
child moves on to the next grade. Not all Primary school principals are
forthcoming on this rule.
If parents and COLLÈGE (grades 6,7,8,9) administrators are at
odds on this subject, the case may go to a "COMMISSION"
(administrative type jury) for judgement. If the ruling doesn't go your way, you
may find a sympathetic ear in an 'ÉCOLE PRIVÉ'. There are some grades that
CANNOT be passed through negotiations. CM 2, for example is a key year. If the
teacher recommends repeating the year, it may be difficult for the parents to go
against that decision. Remember, Junior High School classes last only 50 minutes
and the students don't have the same constancy that Primary school provides. The
teacher may have assessed the pupil as not being 'ready' for this change. Poor
grades would reinforce that assessment. Grade 9 has a national test in June
called 'LE BREVET'. A student cannot be accepted into LYCÉE (grade 10) without
having passed that test. Also, be aware of tracking in this grade. Weaker
students may be encouraged to go to 'LYCÉE TECHNIQUE', (an improved version of
a vocational high school.)
In high school (LYCÉE - grades 10, 11, 12), the hours are
longer, the number of subjects increased, and the course content denser. A
student usually recognizes when he is too far behind in a given subject(s) and a
consensus of parents, student, and school authority is normally reached. Once
again, if this is not the case, the student can always apply to an 'ÉCOLE PRIVÉ'
at the next grade level. In 12th grade (TERMINALE), the final high school
diploma 'LE BACCALAURÉAT' is contingent on the student passing the series of
final exams known by the same name. Even if the student has passing grades all
year long, he will repeat the year if he fails the series of finals. If he is
failing all year long in one or more subjects and passes the exam(s), he gets
his diploma.
YOUR CHILD AND CULTURE SHOCK
Your child will take his cues from you. If you remain positive,
finding solutions to your problems one by one, he will do the same.
If you accept different attitudes, methods of doing, types of
relationships, so will he. Remember his experiences, challenges and
accomplishments are greater than his classmates, but not necessarily recognized
or rewarded as such.
Encourage your child to develop a friendship with a classmate.
He most likely will need to take the first step and invite the classmate home. A
friend in the class becomes a resource person if information is not understood.
Speaking on the phone with the child's parents will give you greater access to
information concerning the class, class work, teacher, expectations, and other
concerns.
Also, getting a tutor immediately upon arrival is of the utmost
importance.
HELPING YOUR CHILD ADAPT TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM
The best way to help your child adapt to the school system is to
get him TUTORING. Three types of tutoring are necessary:
First, French as a second language - No matter what grade your
child is in, the French taught in class is beyond his level.
Even in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd grade, French children return home to
parents that correctly pronounce and use the language. Spelling and verb
conjugation are more complex to a foreigner.
The tutor should start at the beginning, and cover every aspect
of language learning.
Secondly, the tutor should be in contact with the teacher to
assure the student does as much homework as possible, as soon as possible and by
the same token, let the teacher know of the student's added effort.
The tutor must be guided by the teacher's curriculum, pace and
advice. The teacher must be made to feel that the tutor is there to assist her,
NOT replace her. The more homework the student does, the easier the teacher can
assess progress.
By the same token, test taking must be worked on from the first.
Math is a good place to start. The content of the lesson can be taught in
English (if you are able) and test taking can be almost immediate.
Science and history may also be worked on with the tutor because
there is usually a textbook to work with.
Of course French and literature come last (although you can
always get the book in English. Amazon.com for on-line book buying). Remember
Math is a privileged subject in France. If a student is strong in Math, all
sorts of allowances may be made in other subjects.
Lastly, but by no means of less importance, the tutor should
play an important role in building self confidence in your child.
The foreign student has lost most of his reference points in the
new system. He may have been a good or very good student back home and now he is
ranked at the bottom of the class. This can be hard to adjust to.
The severe grading policy enforces this feeling of failure.
In Primary school, where they grade out of ten, five passes and
eight is an excellent grade.
In Jr. High and High School they grade out of twenty where ten
is passing, 12 a good grade, 13 to 16 excellent, above 16 you are on Mount
Olympus, 20 is nonexistent except in Math.
The tutor should be made to do evaluations on his own with
positive reinforcement in mind. Stroke the student. Point out the thousand and
one improvements that have NOT been recognized in class.
Build his self-esteem. It's quite important for the student to
feel he has progressed if he is to keep up the sustained effort.
By the 5th or 6th trimester, he'll be fully integrated into the
class, have friends and his accomplishments would be plain for everyone to see.
One thing is sure, no matter what type of student your child was
back home, he would have become hardworking and industrious with EXCELLENT study
habits that will serve him not only for the remainder of your stay in France,
but for the rest of his scholastic career.
Upon return to the USA, he will be placed in advanced Math,
Science, and French classes (High School) or at the very least be placed in
honor classes.
One school year before returning to the U.S., we recommend
working on his English language skills, perhaps by getting the grade level
English curriculum from his High School back home.
THE SCHOOL CALENDAR YEAR
A school day in France is longer than in the USA. The 1½ to
2-hour lunch break has the day ending at 4:30PM, 5:00PM, or sometimes 6:00PM in
LYCÉE.
Public primary schools tend to have Wednesdays off and Saturday
mornings on. Private primary schools tend to have Wednesday mornings on and
Saturday mornings off. In Public COLLÈGES and LYCÉES, Wednesday afternoons are
off but most LYCÉE students have class on Saturday morning.
To counteract the negative effects of the heavy scheduled week,
the French Ministry of Education has established an (approximate) rhythm of
school breaks throughout the year.
The rhythm is based on 7 weeks of school and one or two weeks
off. There are 4 of these breaks per school year. France is divided into
3-school vacation zones.
ZONE A: Caen, Clermont, Ferand, Grenoble, Lyon, Montpillier,
Nancy, Metz, Nantes, Rennes, Toulouse
ZONE B: Aix en Provence, Marseilles, Amiens, Besançon, Dijon,
Lille, Limoges, Nice, Orléans, Tours, Poitier, Reims, Rouen, Strasbourg
ZONE C: Bordeaux, Créteil, Paris, Versailles
Up until and including Christmas break, all 3 zones have school
breaks at the same time:
The week of November 1st
2 weeks at Christmas usually starting around the 18th to the
20th of December 2 weeks for winter break 2 weeks for spring break As for the
winter break, the 3 zones rotate their vacation order on a yearly basis. Check
on an annual basis.
( http://www.moving-to-france-made-easy.com/french-education-system.html
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