Salut!
Today, in Colmar, I experienced my first day at a French school. In total, I went to three hours of French class (the equivalent to our English class) and an hour of Spanish class. I was surprised by the strict style of the classes and the freedom outside the classroom. In class, the students sit in rows of desks and the teacher lectures in the front. There are no posters on the walls, clocks, or decorations. At Pingree, the style of teaching is so different. Here, it feels very old school. Even so, it seems effective. For two hours at a time, the kids stay focused and listen attentively. (I did my best to do the same, although not understanding Spanish made for a confusing hour.) When they do not have class, they have free time to spend as they choose. If they want, they can walk down to the center of the town to buy lunch, or hang out at the park in front of the library. They have a degree of freedom that can seldom be seen in American schools. At first, I was surprised by this, but it seemed a great alternative to the American education system: less freedom during class, but more outside the classroom. Both cultures seem to have found their own effective way to balance work and leisure.
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