Quantum Posted May 25, 2005 Share Posted May 25, 2005 Bonjour tout le monde,As our lovely English neighbours prepare to leave France for a new life in New Zealand, I wonder what you wish you knew about life in France before you made the move. It's such a shame that it didn't work out for this family here; they didn't really get on with the language, found it difficult (impossible) to find "legal" work here, were disillusioned by the education system for their two girls and of course the old favourite, winter was too cold for them!For me, I wish that I knew that my teaching qualifications would not be accepted here, (even though my PGCE certificate states "You have the right to teach children up to age 18, anywhere in the EU). This wouldn't have stopped us coming to live out here, but it would have meant that I'd have set up my own business sooner.Many thanksQuantum[email protected] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted May 25, 2005 Share Posted May 25, 2005 I don't think that it is that your teaching qualifications aren't accepted here. It is just that teachers here have other things to sit to become functionnaires. The system is different. AND you can apply and sit this here too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tourangelle Posted May 25, 2005 Share Posted May 25, 2005 I wish I'd known that, when working for a French company you have to accumulate holiday, and it is not just something you get. It seemed ages before I could have any paid holiday and when I arrived I was not really in the position of being able to take time sans solde. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quantum Posted May 25, 2005 Author Share Posted May 25, 2005 Yes, teamedup, I realise that eventually I will end up doing the capes, I'm just not ready to be TOLD where I can work. I love living in my area and one of the reasons we left the UK was the endless commuting hours to and from work. So that's the price I pay. I had a colleage at my Lycee who had to delay getting divorced so that she had enough "points" to get a job closer to home. She had to travel from Niort to Civray (hour and a half on a good day). So I've got no grounds for compaint!RegardsQuantum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pangur Posted May 25, 2005 Share Posted May 25, 2005 Quantum, my sister has spent the last two years working in public and private primary schools here in France as the school English teacher. She had to pass an interview and test with the education body in the départment, which was very straightforward (and mostly in English:laugh. She is not working as a full time functionnaire - although she has good French, it is not good enough to teach French children subjects other than English so she cannot expect a full time position as a class teacher. UK qualifications are accepted, but there are language requirements, as is normal. For example, a UK qualified teacher who wants a permanent job in Ireland is required to pass a test in Irish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tourangelle Posted May 25, 2005 Share Posted May 25, 2005 If you don't want to be TOLD where to go it is very simple. You don't take the Capes you take the Cafep. It is the same exam in every way but you do it within a specific academie, and therefore stay there. You work in state funded catholic schools. You are then not a civil servant. You apply for a job as you would in the UK. Last year it was actually easier to get in, the pass mark was lower, than for the Capes. To all intents and purposes you are guarenteed a job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted May 25, 2005 Share Posted May 25, 2005 Tourangelle, it is sort of like a year in hand for holidays here. We are getting the advantage of that now, as before my husband finishes work he has not only this years holiday to take, but next years too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quantum Posted May 25, 2005 Author Share Posted May 25, 2005 Merci beaucoup Touragelle. It's certainly worth considering the Capef. The Capes is really tough, and is not at all connected to how you actually perform in front of a class of 30 teenagers.I'm always looking for new ways to develop as a teacher and want to be "useful" for whom ever I work, but have come the conclusion that I can fill the gap that education nationale leaves empty, by helping students to achieve top marks, by extra tutoring, but from within the private sector . I have previously worked (4 years) as the English assistant at my local lycée, but recently the policy of recruiting locally has been dropped. This is shameful as now, more than ever, the local education authority has at its disposal a rich resource of educated Brits who could easily fulfill the role of language assistant at any school, thus reinforcing local links. Am working on rectifying this for the good of us all. Will keep you posted.bisousQuantum[email protected] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
letrangere Posted May 26, 2005 Share Posted May 26, 2005 I wish I'd known that type writer keyboards were different in France. Desperate to do anything to get me out of the house and using French, I fell back on my reliable, speedy typing skills. Travel agency was terribly impressed, gave me a job immediately, albeit a very mundane one. Naturally, I had egg on my face that first Monday morning. I still cringe when I think about it... M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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