I was born in Coaticook, Quebec, Canada. I completed two years of elementary school at L’Ëcole St. Famille in Sherbrooke, Quebec. Then my family moved to Vermont where I attended a number of public schools, and eventually graduated from High School at Marian High in Barre, Vermont. (I’m not telling you when.) I worked for the State of Vermont for a few years and then matriculated at UVM, ultimately obtaining a BA in French, a minor in English, and an M.Ed. in Teacher Education. I worked in the public sector for a few years after graduation due to the lack of teaching jobs. Eventually I began teaching French at St. Joseph’s School here in Burlington, and have been at Mater Christi now for ten years.

ELEMENTARY FRENCH PROGRAM:

Let me give you a brief overview of the elementary French program that I have been devoted to for these past ten years. It is my basic philosophy that a second language should be presented much the same way as one learns their first language. Based on that premise, I introduce topics that are interesting and important to children at this age. This means through games, songs, and activities I have put together units on alphabets, colors, numbers, greeting and etiquette, body parts, clothing, transportation, animals, and so on. In Kindergarten the units are simple, brief, and require a certain amount of repetition which is done through the games and songs. At Level I the units become a bit more complex and so on into Level II and III. Each level builds upon the previous so that there is always review and new material presented for each unit.

Not only is teaching the language important to me, but also seeing to it that the children are aware of cultural differences. Because our world is now so available to us through the internet, books, and the media, it is critical that children begin to understand that our world is made up of all kinds of cultures, traditions and beliefs, and lack of understanding of these cultures can only lead us further into disharmony. Knowledge of a second language is only the first step, but an important step it certainly is. I believe that further understanding of other peoples can ultimately lead to peace. And who wouldn’t want that?

Monique LaPerle email: mlaperle@mcschool.org