In our approach, we draw inspiration from the principles of Maria Montessori to create a dynamic, student-centered learning environment. We believe in the importance of allowing students to follow their own pace of learning, explore their interests, and develop their autonomy.
Our pedagogical principles are based on four fundamental pillars: communication, which is at the heart of our educational approach,language learning to foster open-mindedness and intercultural understanding, the development of autonomy to prepare our students to become independent and responsible learners, as well as hands-on experiences in the field or immersion in the real world. We ensure that these pillars are seamlessly integrated into our teaching, while respecting the requirements of the French National Education's common core of knowledge, skills, and culture , as well as the National Curriculum of the United Kingdom, thus guaranteeing a comprehensive and enriching education for all our students.
Communication at the core of education
Communication is the fundamental pillar of education, playing an essential role in the transmission of knowledge, the development of skills, and the building of meaningful relationships. At the heart of every educational process, communication facilitates the exchange of ideas, the clarification of complex concepts, and the expression of needs and concerns. It goes beyond mere information transmission, encompassing crucial aspects such as active listening, constructive feedback, and mutual understanding. Effective communication between teachers and students creates an open and inclusive learning environment, where everyone feels valued and encouraged to express themselves freely. Similarly, encouraging communication among peers fosters collaboration, idea-sharing, and collective problem-solving, thus enhancing learning and social development. By cultivating a culture of authentic and respectful communication, education becomes a dynamic and enriching process that prepares individuals to succeed in an interconnected and ever-changing world.
On a daily basis, learning communication in our school will take place at different levels:
– Within the group, where students will be regularly involved in group work activities and collaborative projects. These experiences will provide opportunities to learn active listening, share ideas, solve problems together, and respect divergent opinions within a team. We will also encourage public speaking through presentations and class discussions, to enhance self-confidence and oral communication skills.
– In the school's immediate environment. Our students will participate in activities such as visits to local stakeholders: shopkeepers, local officials, intergenerational exchanges with elderly people from the village. These interactions will offer students the opportunity to practice communication in everyday life contexts, develop their empathy and sense of social responsibility, while strengthening ties with the local community of their school.
– In the broader environment. We plan to create a school blog, run by the children, and available in both English and French. This blog will allow students to express their ideas, share their experiences, and communicate with a wider audience, beyond the school walls. Students will learn to write articles, select relevant images, and interact constructively with reader comments, thereby enhancing their writing, critical thinking, and digital communication skills.
– Beyond borders. As part of our commitment to promoting open and intercultural communication, we aim to facilitate exchanges with one or more schools abroad, via the internet. This will give our students the opportunity to participate in collaborative projects with foreign students, exchange ideas, share their culture, and do so in different languages. These exchanges will promote the development of tolerance, open-mindedness, and intercultural communication skills, preparing our students to become conscious and empathetic global citizens.
Language Learning
In an increasingly interconnected world, language learning is of crucial importance. Our French-English bilingual program offers students a valuable opportunity to develop their language skills in both languages, opening doors to new cultures and opportunities. These languages are at the heart of our program and hold a central place in our curriculum. Therefore, our approach to language teaching goes beyond the acquisition of language skills. Indeed, we believe in the importance of content-based language learning, with students studying various subjects such as science, mathematics, history, and geography in an English-speaking environment. This immersion enables them to develop a thorough mastery of the English language while strengthening their understanding of academic subjects. That's why the schedule is evenly divided between hours taught in French and those taught in English. Furthermore, we encourage the discovery and learning of other languages, adopting a metalinguistic approach to compare linguistic structures of different languages or language groups, thereby fostering an openness to linguistic and cultural diversity. This may be facilitated with the help of external speakers. Learning opportunities may include optional modules for learning languages such as German, Spanish, regional languages like Occitan, or geographically more distant languages, depending on the children's preferences. Latin and Greek will also have their place, particularly in exploring the etymology of words and the history of language evolution.
Beyond the languages themselves, cultural discovery will have a central role. At the beginning of the school year, a project on the theme of travel will be proposed to the students, including discussions about the concept of exploring different cultures, countries, and landscapes, both physically and virtually. During personal project time, children will be encouraged to research destinations they wish to visit or explore virtually, considering cultural aspects, historical significance, and their personal interests. Students will then be asked to submit project proposals describing their chosen destinations, goals, and proposed activities, with an emphasis on clearly defining objectives and deadlines. Throughout the year, students will work on their travel projects during personal project time, engaging in activities such as:
– Research on the history, culture, and geography of their chosen destinations;
– Planning virtual visits or creating presentations on the monuments and attractions they wish to explore;
– Discovering traditional cuisine, customs, and festivals of the chosen country or countries;
– Exploring or learning to varying degrees the language or languages associated with the countries they are exploring.
Throughout this project, students will be encouraged to reflect on their progress, the challenges encountered, and the lessons learned. They will have the opportunity to receive feedback on their work from other students and teachers to help them achieve the goals of their projects.
Promoting Autonomy
Beyond the acquisition of academic knowledge, we firmly believe in the importance of preparing our students to become independent and responsible learners, capable of thriving in an ever-changing world.
One of the key approaches we adopt to promote autonomy is project-based learning. Through multidisciplinary projects, students are encouraged to explore topics they are passionate about, ask relevant questions, and find creative solutions. This process promotes the development of skills such as initiative, problem-solving, and collaboration, while giving students a sense of responsibility for their own learning.
As part of our educational program, we also aim to provide students with the opportunity to manage a small budget for monthly outings. This project will allow students to acquire practical skills in financial management, such as budget planning, decision-making, and financial responsibility. Under the supervision of their teachers, students will be encouraged to propose outing ideas, estimate associated costs, and make informed decisions to maximize the use of available resources. Beyond financial aspects, students will be tasked with organizing the monthly outings, further strengthening their autonomy and sense of responsibility. They will be encouraged to prioritize environmentally friendly options, being aware of potential impacts and seeking to minimize or even make them positive. Through this process, students will learn to communicate effectively, collaborate with their peers, and solve logistical problems, while developing their environmental awareness. From researching interesting destinations to managing logistical details, students will be involved at every stage of the process, allowing them to develop valuable life skills.
As mentioned above, students will also be involved in managing their school blog, which will serve as a gateway for intercultural exchanges with one or more schools in other countries.
Concrete Experiences
We believe that learning extends beyond the classroom walls and is enriched through practical and engaging experiences. We aim to offer our students concrete and immersive experiences to discover the world around them and connect with their local community through a series of stimulating educational initiatives. Here are some examples of possible experiences:
– Meetings with local elected officials to allow our students to experience citizenship firsthand. By engaging in direct dialogue with representatives from their municipality and other local institutions, students will have the opportunity to understand the functioning of French institutions and local democracy, explore the political and social issues of their region, and learn to express their opinions constructively.
– To enrich their understanding of local history and culture, our students may participate in intergenerational meetings with elderly residents of the village. By listening to and collecting life stories from their elders, students will develop a deep respect for the past and a better understanding of societal and technological developments, while also strengthening intergenerational bonds within the community.
– We may organize meetings with local professionals to allow our students to explore various careers. For example, students may meet with a local restaurateur to discuss careers in the restaurant industry, explore the challenges and opportunities in this sector, and discover the skills needed to succeed in this field.
– Cultural outings to museums will provide opportunities, through guided tours for example, to stimulate students' curiosity and encourage critical thinking about art, history, and culture.
– The “Cité de l'Espace”, for example, will provide them with the opportunity to learn about astronomy and space through interactive exhibitions or educational lectures. The Toulouse Natural History Museum will also allow students to delve deeper into the evolution of species and terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Practical activities, such as dissection workshops and microscope observations, will deepen their understanding of life sciences and develop their powers of observation and scientific curiosity.
– Finally, we will encourage our students to get involved in fundraising initiatives to support causes they care about. Whether through charity events, bake sales, or other creative activities, these initiatives will allow them to develop a sense of responsibility, initiative, and teamwork, while making a positive contribution to society.
In summary, these enriching concrete experiences will enable our students to develop a deep understanding of the world around them, strengthen their social and civic skills, and prepare them to become active and engaged citizens within their community and beyond.
The Dual Common Core
In our bilingual French-English school, we take pride in providing quality education that seamlessly integrates the educational standards of both systems, namely the common core of knowledge, skills, and culture for cycles 3 and 4 of the French National Education, as well as the National Curriculum for Key Stages 3 and 4 of the United Kingdom. By aligning our program with these rigorous educational frameworks, we ensure that our students receive a comprehensive and balanced education that meets both national and international requirements. This approach ensures that our students acquire the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to succeed in an ever-changing world, while benefiting from the unique advantages of an intercultural bilingual education. By combining the best of both educational systems, we provide our students with a solid foundation to reach their full potential and become informed, responsible, and engaged global citizens. Our goal upon completion of middle school is to prepare our students to successfully complete both the French “Brevet des Collèges” and the IGCSE English (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) from the UK, thereby paving the way for international academic and professional opportunities.
Differentiated Pedagogy
Initially, our school will have three levels of instruction: Grades 5, 6, and 7 (UK Year 6, 7, and 8; French CM2, 6ème and 5ème) As Maria Montessori said, this environment with mixed ages allows children to evolve in a family-like atmosphere, as essential for their development as interaction with peers of the same age. This dynamic fosters their mental growth, nurtured for the youngest by continuous observation of the abilities of older children. The opportunity for children to help each other creates a sense of mutual responsibility, thus stimulating their social, emotional, and academic development. The younger ones can imitate the elders, while the latter reinforce their knowledge by helping their juniors, establishing a beneficial learning cycle for all. Older children thus gain confidence and leadership skills, while younger ones benefit from the advice and support of their peers. This mutual collaboration promotes collective progression, based on mutual aid rather than rivalry, strengthening the sense of belonging to a community where everyone actively participates in group life by sharing, helping, and contributing in their own way. Teachers, by adapting content, teaching methods, and evaluation methods to each level, will ensure that each student can progress at their own pace and fully exploit their academic potential. This individualization of teaching promotes the inclusion and success of all learners, regardless of their diversity of skills and profiles.
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