paige INFO-PARENTS COLOMBIE-BRITANNIQUE Be

CULTURE

IN THE CLASSROOM

roud to be Francophone, to

have fun in French, attract

young people, transmission of my culture... All these feelings and many others were expressed by parents during the three days colloque in February on The French School, an environmentfor culture. On Saturday, participants laughed, cried, smiled, regained pride and reflected on the subject.

Lise Paiement, formerly a teacher who became consultant in education forthe Ministry of Education in Ontario, spoke to the hundred participants with awitty eloquence about French culture reminding everyone thatitis important to remember old songs and wear Ceintures fléchées but that culture is something always on the move and should be adapted to the realities of the nineties. In her opinion the Francophone community in British Columbia is reflected by the common interest of the Frencophones and not their differences.

As she underlined, the French culture must be transmitted to our children to avoid severing their cultural heritage by half. Itis not always easy in a mixed marriage but the French school can bring support to the work made at home. Culture in the

classroom is a service well structured,

based on cultural action and enhancement ofthe children culture as wellas giving them asense of belonging to their community. In other words activities should be organized outside school enabling the children to have fun in French.

On Friday the film Mon amour, My love was projected. Reflecting on the reality of mixed marriages itis funny as wellas loving as we go through the daily life of four couples and their children. Choices are made on which language will be spoken at home and which

Many preoccupations were identified by the parents and three of them in each area were chosen as

the main

preoccupations.

language will be learned at school and everyday realities are well rounded up. An active discussion followed and participants expressed their own experiences.

The last day parents participated in an exercice in view of establishing the priorities for the Association three-year plan. Four fields of intervention were selected: education, early childhood education, communications andsupport to members. First the preoccupations were identified and three of them were chosen as the main preoccupations. From then solutions were identified.

The three priorities in each area were defined as follows:

Education:

We want a system of school governance that will include: planning, organization, development, evaluation and supervision. An electronic network for secondary education must be developed.

Will the new system influence the quality of education for better or for worst?

Communications:

What will become of Programme cadre de frangais?

Get more information on what happens in other parts of the Province.

Recruiting means insufficient.

Early childhood education: This field is- notrecognized by the Ministry of Education. Not enough support to English speaking parents at the early stage of the child education.

Not enough intensive training for the early childhood educators.

Support to members

Not enough parents participation (recruitment).

Students do not participate in Parents Committees meetings.

Local human resources not identified.

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