Last Friday was my last day teaching at Lycee de la Herdie. It was actually quite a normal day since of course everyone still had to work. They were nice enough to throw a little going away party for me and the other assistant, Peggy, during lunch. There was even champagne!!! Unfortunately, I didn’t get to drink any because I was too busy saying bye to people. Oh well, maybe next time!
Peggy is Dutch but is also an English assistant. I am so happy I got to share my experience at La Herdrie with her. She is a really positive girl and full of energy. The experience would have completely different (and not for the better…) without her. We ate lunch together, talked together, did the English camps together etc. We both also have the same work mentality and are very organized so this also helped us to work well together.
The teachers sang “Ticket to Ride” by the Beatles for us. It was hilarious. I promised the students I would post it on YouTube but haven’t yet done it.
A picture with my ‘responsible,’ Veronique. I was also very blessed to have her at the high school. She helped me with so much and was always very friendly. I never felt as though I was being annoying by asking questions etc. There are some other assistants who really had a terrible time with their head teacher – or who didn’t have one at all! It made the assistantship much more difficult for them.
The vice-principal (Monsieur Benac), Peggy, me, and Madame Hermange, the principal. They have always been very supportive of us as well. Madame Hermange had us over to her house a few times for coffee and dinner as well.
This is a picture of the teachers' lounge. Each teacher doesn’t have their own classroom – the teachers move just like the students between each class. The teachers' lounge is where they go between classes, to grade papers, to plan etc. I’d imagine it is difficult for them since you can be easily distracted by others in the middle of grading papers.
On the other side of the teachers' lounge. There are 6 computers for 60 some people. That proved to be quite the challenge…
A classroom I taught in fairly often. Since teachers change classrooms all the time, most of the walls are white with only a few posters here and there. It made it a much colder atmosphere than in the US.
Peggy being crazy Peggy. She made sure she closed the door before standing on top of the desks. We didn’t want to get into trouble on the day of my departure (she actually extended her contract and will be there for another 2 months).
The hall leading to the entrance of the high school.
The heart of the high school.
Oh, Peggy…. :)
Another view of the high school. This hall eventually leads to the teachers' lounge and the cafeteria.
Behind the high school. The bulding to the right in the background is where the principal and vice-principal live. They get free housing. Not too bad, huh?! The building directly behind me is where the students can go when they have breaks.
The ‘front entrance’ of the school. The parking lot is to the left, straight ahead is the gym, and then you make a right and walked down a wooded path until the school pops up out of nowhere!
The wooded path.
Hello there la Herdrie!
As always with such things, it was a bittersweet last day. I won’t miss teaching unmotivated students but I will miss those that made an effort. I will miss the people I met and the experience in general. I learned a lot and hopefully this school year in France will enable me to be a better School Psychologist in the future.
Au revoir la Herdrie!
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