A goodwill programme between The University of Auckland and IUFM d’Alsace has resulted in five students taking away an unforgettable experience of what it means to feel comfortable in multi and bicultural classroom settings.
The students are close to the end of their teacher training in France, and have spent eight weeks in New Zealand immersing themselves four days a week in the culture of local schools.
The successful programme is now in its fourth year, and was the result of a providential meeting at a Language and Education (LED) conference between the Faculty of Education’s Jannie van Hees, and Dr Christine Halot from the Institut Universataire Formation des Maitres d’Alsace (IUFM d’Alsace).
According to Jannie, the idea behind the programme is to expose students to a New Zealand school environment where addressing the needs of students from multicultural backgrounds is an integral part of our approach to primary school education.
"The idea of the programme is for the students to be in a New Zealand context and participate in our primary school culture, particularly the teaching and learning of Students in low decile schools who are from language and cultural backgrounds other than English."
The students who participate in the programme have already completed a specialist undergraduate degree in France, and are close to the end of their required second degree in education. According to Jannie van Hees, the exchange is very successful and the students always go home enthused and keen to apply what they have learned.
"They see a flexible teaching approach here, both in terms of staff collaboration and curriculum delivery. They also observe the positive behaviours among the children in our low-decile schools, who have freedom to learn in a culture of respect. The French students are impressed by how friendly and well-behaved our children are."
The programme looks set to continue, with discussions underway to have a reciprocal arrangement with IUFM d’Alsace in future years. Jannie hopes that in time we may be able to send our undergraduate students to France to expand their knowledge of different approaches to education. In 2009, Jannie has been invited to lecture at the French university.
* Photo: Education students from IUFM d’Alsace gain practical experience of New Zealand schools. From left to right Amelie Bastien, Allan Barborin, Melanie Capelli, Anne-Laure Moeglin, Caroline Doriath.
