Grands Frères, Grandes Soeurs: Upper School French in the Lower School

Newman’s Lower School students look up to their Upper School classmates, so when an opportunity arose for ninth and tenth grade French students to collaborate with their fifth grade counterparts, teachers Benoit Cransac and Alison Chanslor jumped at the chance. The two groups of students – about 20 Upper Schoolers and 30 fifth graders – are spending class time together as they prepare for a cross-divisional field trip to the New Orleans Museum of Art.

 

“The project really fits in with the School’s theme of strong relationships,” says Chanslor. Lower School students are receptive to learning from the Upper School students, and the older students benefit from the increased responsibility of teaching the 5^th graders. “They are taking on the role of teachers, which enhances the depth of their learning and mastery of French vocabulary and its applied use,” says Chanslor. Cransac echoes Chanslor’s assertion, adding, “My fifth graders have an opportunity to see themselves as better French speakers as Upper Schoolers, which is highly motivating for them.”

 

The students are preparing for an immersive French field Trip to NOMA on Friday, which will include a scavenger hunt at the museum, discussion of art and terminology, plus a picnic lunch. Groups of younger students will be led by teams of Upper School students, and all of the activities will be conducted in French. There will be opportunities for plenty of learning and fun along the way. C’est bon!