Forty-eight students and four teachers from the Upper Grand District School Board were fully immersed in French Canadian culture and language during a four-day trip to Saint-Donat, Que. from Feb. 11 to 14. This is the fifth annual trip to St. Donat, located in the Laurentian Mountains.
The students represented eight different schools: Centre Wellington DHS, Centennial CVI, Erin DHS, Guelph CVI, Norwell SS, Orangeville DSS, Wellington Heights SS and Westside SS. Teacher chaperones were Mme. Teresa Katerberg from EDHS, Mlle. Stephanie Severn from WHSS, Mme. Amy Turner from CCVI and Mme. Christina Schilling, curriculum leader and teacher at Erin DHS.
It doesn’t take long to catch the spirit of the dynamic group leaders – “les animateurs” and “les moniteurs.” They teach the students traditional Québecois legends, songs, and how to play the spoons (“les cuillères”). Workshop activities also included drumming and ecology.
In the evenings, students snowshoed through the woods and skated on a 2km lit and groomed track through the woods. There were outdoor winter games and cross-country skiing. Several students dazzled the audience with their musical abilities during the talent show.
Half of each day was spent at the ski hill skiing or snowboarding. The “moniteurs de ski” are experts at teaching students new skills no matter what their level of ability – from absolute beginner to expert.
For some students, being on skies was a first time experience – “merveilleux!” The conditions were excellent, though very cold, and the view from the top of Mont Garceau was “fantastique!” At the end of the day a visit to the town bakery for hot chocolate and a pastry was “parfait.”
As educators, it is always exciting to hear a linguistic transformation occur even over a space of just four days. Students have the opportunity to use their French in a real-life experience, interacting with the locals, the staff and their peers “en français!” The teachers are very proud of these students who made such efforts to learn so many new skills.
And what better way to increase language skills than to be fully immersed, having fun “en français. “
This trip is open to all secondary students enrolled in an FSL program.
Information and applications will be available in all high schools in September. Plan to join us in 2016!
submitted by Christina Schilling