Photo of the front of a home in Orleans where two of the UM French exchange students are living.
Week one of France exchange spent learning about education system
Teacher candidate says students use technology in different ways in Orleans classrooms
Four teacher candidates from the Faculty of Education participated in an exchange in Orleans, France, from May 11 to June 6, 2015.
While the students were in France, they kept a blog of their activities.
Post No. 1 is by Veronica Rondeau.
We arrived Sunday May 10, 2015 and were welcomed by our host families and were made to feel very welcome. We have had beautiful weather, usually reaching 26 degrees Celsius with sunshine!
The back garden of a home lived in by two UM French exchange students in Orleans, France. Photo by Veronica Rondeau.
Monday we toured the center of Orleans and began our study of the education system in France. Tuesday and Wednesday were spent in schools, observing a typical classroom.
From my brief time spent in the classroom, I have observed some differences, including the resources used teaching style. Students have access to a computer room, but handheld devices, tablets, or laptops are not used. This is in contrast to the focus Canadians schools have on integrating technology.
Teaching method is much more oral, while students work independently or in pairs. I look forward to future observations and teaching students English as well as information about Canada. They are very curious and welcoming! This weekend, the four of us are heading to the West coast of France to visit the Atlantic Ocean.
Read more about this year’s exchange.