French has been my passion for as long as I can remember, and teaching has been a dream of mine since I started tutoring in grade 7. When I was a child, before I had even started taking French in school, I would change the channel to watch French television programs and would go around for the rest of the day repeating the words I would hear while watching them. In grade four, I started studying Core French where I quickly found myself wanting to know how to speak the French language fluently and travel to French milieus. By grade 8, I was competing in French speak-offs and in grade 11 I finally received an opportunity to travel to St. Pierre for a weekend and learn a little more about the French culture and language. These experiences along with the teachers I had the pleasure of learning from throughout my school years were what motivated me to continue to university pursuing a career in French education.

During my 5 years of study at Memorial University, I spent 3 months partaking in the Frecker Programme (a study abroad opportunity in St. Pierre-et-Miquelon) and 5 weeks completing the Explore Programme at Université Sainte-Anne. I also had the pleasure of volunteering on the executive of the French group at MUN (Le Cercle Français) as well as various events for Canadian Parents for French. Upon completion of my Bachelor of Education in 2012, I was anxious to finally get out into the field and share everything I had learned from such a young age.

Fortunately for me, I have been teaching since September 2012 in a permanent position at Swift Current Academy teaching Core French in grades 3 – 9. Being a first year teacher can be overwhelming at times, but I am very grateful to have a wonderful support system and teachers all over the province that are just an e-mail away and are more than happy to lend a hand. I am so pleased to be able to make a career out of my passion.

What next? I feel that the future will hold many more learning experiences that I have yet to think about. For now my five year plan includes traveling to and living in France; starting and completing my Masters in French education; and striving to incorporate new, fun, and interactive ways to teach French both inside and outside of the classroom. I will also be spending a good part of my summers in St. Pierre and Québec as I have many francophone friends who live in these areas. The only way to keep the French language fresh in your mind is to immerse yourself in it, and I intend to continue doing that on a regular basis for as long as I live!