Original Thought

[letrangere]

I'm currently studying for the French Ministry of Education's DALF diploma, that invaluable piece of paper that enables non-native French speakers to study at a French university. However, I am very rapidly coming to terms with the fact that although I may have the required level of language ability, I most certainly do not have the right approach to answering a French examiner's questions. Hence, between now and November I am being formally coached in what can only be described as the "French way of thinking". This has brought home to me - not that I ever doubted it - the enormous differences between our two countries in intellectual approach. "Original thought" something that is encouraged, almost insisted upon, in the British education system from an early age. But in France? Forget it, not only is unwelcome it's a positive obstacle to success. In fact, judging by my frustrating two hours in the classroom last night, it's the path to failure!


M

[Teamedup]

My dermatologist gets very annoyed about philo, when doing her BAC, she had wanted to discuss many of the great philosophers' ideas, but got bad marks when she did, and she never liked having to simply 'accept and quote'.

I was talking to my friend's daughter last week, she is in the middle of her BAC in a lycee with an international section. She says that there are many of the lessons she prefers in english. She did comment that a friend of hers had done an essay on a famous poem, 'giving an alternative and coherant argument about the poet's intention and meaning',her words. She also said that it was an excellant and intelligent piece of work and as was done during the english lessons got the 19/20 it deserved. Adding that it would have been considered heresay to even consider using independant thought during philo or any french class. Conformity seems to be the but, rather than using one's imagination.

[Richardbk]

LAST EDITED ON 22-Jun-04 AT 01:43 PM (BST)

I do not yet have any experience of the French higher education , but I do see the results - we take on stagaires and new recrutes - from France and from many other different countries + of course we have younger children going up the French system.

The advantage of the French system is that it teaches discipline and formality - and there are plenty of jobs that need both of these - the disadvantage is that lateral thinking, original thought and learning to learn seem to be practically non-existant all the way through the system and this is subsequently reflected almost everywhere in daily life. People do not question their doctors, their kids teachers - and have you ever seen a political interview on French TV ? Worse is that this type of culture creates a populations that is largely unable to take individual responsibility and have any form of individual self-determination, instead relying heavily on the state to protect and cushion them from the realities of the real world. This is not to say the short term deductive nature of the anglo saxons is any better - we just need a better mix of the two. In terms of higher education I think the choice for us will eventually depend on child and the area of study they want to pursue. I suspect that for at least one of ours they will go back to the UK to study.

regs

Richard

[Piprob]

Extremely interesting. Tell more.
Rob

[Pucette<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Pucette<FONT><P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt">"Qui ne connaît pas la campagne lhiver, ne connaît pas la campagne et ne connaît pas]

Mmm, you've put me right off the idea of their exams which were starting to tempt me as a winter project... the bright side is that it is easier for an English person to learn to temporarily do things the French way than for a French person to jump into the English style, imo at least...
You've put your finger on one of the things that horrifies me about French education, although as one of the earlier postings says the output is very useful for a lot of things (French research assistants are a Godsend for English scientists, the ones I've come across anyway) to me people brought up in it often don't really live life to the full, it's stifling. I love to learn, it's one of life's great pleasures and one that I would like to see within the reach of all...