Views: 0
Mons-Stratford-upon-Avon, ten years of a successful twinning.
At the Lacordaire private college, for years, emphasis has been placed on learning foreign languages. There are different ways to work on it. Twinning is one of them.
In 2014, the french establishment's first twinning experience was set up with England. Lacordaire College is partnering with Stratford-upon-Avon College. It is a small town in Warwickshire, where William Shakespeare was born. It’s a public college with 1,600 students... approximately double the size of the Mons school. As is still the practice in England, it goes from first to final year. Each year, 25 French students join Stratford. They are welcomed into the families of their correspondents. Then, in turn, the little British cross the Channel, in the opposite direction. They can thus taste of sweet French life as well as small dishes. If the practice of correspondence covers the duration of schooling, annual exchanges always take place at the fourth (in France) grade level.
To celebrate ten years of twinning, French teacher Béatrice Dalleau-White and the headteacher of Stratford College, Neil Wallace, were on the trip. They were already the ones who came to Mons in 2014 for the launch of the twinning. Although a lot of water has flowed under the Baroeul and Avon bridges, they have not moved, always deploying the same energy. For the students, it’s a celebration to be able to get together, especially after a Covid period.
“It’s a little more complicated to bring together 25 motivated students over the 4 years of study,” explains Béatrice Dalleau – White. “In England if French is compulsory in sixth form, then it is optional. There are only 60 students left per class level. But, we get there. »
“Direct contact between students is very important,” continues Christophe Baudry, the English teacher and founder of the event. “We feel a friendly and festive atmosphere to share a meal, a good time, a trip… There is real motivation for all these students to be able to express themselves in a language that is not their own. » This ten-year anniversary of twinning was the occasion for a big celebration, bringing together the directors, teachers and students of the two colleges.
