{"id":22403,"date":"2015-08-31T14:10:03","date_gmt":"2015-08-31T12:10:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/?p=22403"},"modified":"2017-10-23T16:19:01","modified_gmt":"2017-10-23T14:19:01","slug":"french-back-to-school-la-rentree-de-reformes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/french-back-to-school-la-rentree-de-reformes\/","title":{"rendered":"French Back-to-School: La Rentr\u00e9e (de r\u00e9formes)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Uh-oh — it’s already la rentr\u00e9e<\/em>! As the end of August approaches, students are getting ready to head back to school, people are returning back from vacation, and workers are heading back to work. In French, there’s an important word for all of this: la rentr\u00e9e.<\/em> Literally meaning “the return,” la rentr\u00e9e<\/em> refers to the period of time after August (normally the month is taken as a vacation for many in France) when the French return to school and work.<\/p>\n

This\u00a0rentr\u00e9e\u00a0<\/em>is different than others that came before, however. Starting this year, new reforms in the French education system will take place. An article in\u00a0Le Monde<\/em>, titled “Programmes, vacances avanc\u00e9es, \u00e9valuations… ce qui va changer \u00e0 la rentr\u00e9e scolaire<\/em>” describes all the changes that will take place for this\u00a0rentr\u00e9e scolaire (de r\u00e9formes),\u00a0<\/em>from new programs, to a change in the vacation calendar, to a difference in how students are evaluated. Let’s take a look at the article (you can check out the full text here)<\/a>!<\/p>\n

The first big change in the French education system this year is that there will be\u00a0“moins de pression en grande section de maternelle<\/em>\u00a0(less pressure in kindergarten).”\u00a0La grande section de maternelle\u00a0<\/em>is the term for kindergarten, while\u00a0la petite section\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0la moyenne section\u00a0<\/em>are first and second years in nursery school, respectively. In France, public education begins at age three with\u00a0la petite section de maternelle.<\/em>\u00a0The goal here is to focus less on rote knowledge and memorization and more on basic understanding, socialization, and play. From the article:”Plut\u00f4t que d\u2019apprendre aux \u00e9l\u00e8ves \u00e0 compter tr\u00e8s loin, on s\u2019assurera d\u2019abord qu\u2019ils comprennent bien le sens des nombres…<\/em>\u00a0(Instead of teaching students to count to large numbers, we will first ensure that they understand the meaning (or sense) behind numbers).”
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Another\u00a0changement\u00a0<\/em>is the introduction of an hour of “secular morality” in elementary school. This may sound strange if you are not familiar with French culture, but the French government is based on the ideal of\u00a0la\u00efcit\u00e9<\/em>, or secularism, where the state and religion do not mix at all. According to the article: “La \u00ab\u00a0morale la\u00efque\u00a0\u00bb…\u00a0sera enseign\u00e9e une heure par semaine \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9cole \u00e9l\u00e9mentaire, et deux heures par mois dans le secondaire. Cet enseignement, qui doit promouvoir les valeurs de la R\u00e9publique, s\u2019inscrit dans un \u00ab\u00a0parcours citoyen\u00a0\u00bb d\u00e9cid\u00e9 apr\u00e8s les attentats de janvier \u00e0 Paris, qui comprend aussi une \u00e9ducation aux m\u00e9dias”<\/em> (Secular morality (or ethics) will be taught for one hour each week in elementary school, and for two hours each month in junior and high school. This education, which should promote the values of the French Republic, is inscribed in the “Citizens Guide”, which was decided (created) after the January terrorist attacks in Paris and which also includes an education in media studies).<\/p>\n

There are several other reforms as well, including a mandatory 90 minute lunch break in schools and the changing of Spring vacation dates. An interesting debate is going on now as well about the efficacy of the French grading system, and even whether or not grades (les notes)\u00a0<\/em>should be done away with all together! \u00c1 suivre, et bonne rentr\u00e9e!<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

Uh-oh — it’s already la rentr\u00e9e! As the end of August approaches, students are getting ready to head back to school, people are returning back from vacation, and workers are heading back to work. In French, there’s an important word for all of this: la rentr\u00e9e. Literally meaning “the return,” la rentr\u00e9e refers to the…<\/p>\n

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