AATF EXEMPLARY PROGRAMS FOR 2021

George S. Parker High School, Janesville, Wisconsin
Exemplary Program with Distinction
AATF member: Andrea Behn

George S. Parker High School is in Janesville, Wisconsin (southern Wisconsin). The student population is usually around 1200, but was lower due to options provided by the district in response to COVID-19. Many families opted to enroll their students in the district’s virtual school for the year with varying degrees of success. The French program numbers were down because of this, but students did return ot French when they came back to school for in-person learning for the second semester.

Happily, Parker gained two sections of French for the 2021-2022 school year! We have an active French Club and SHF, we travel to France with Xperitas every other year, and students have opportunities to be involved in the Grand Concours and the Concours Oral with AATF-WI. We offer field trips and immersion nights, as well as marching in the Homecoming parade and celebrating National French Week.

French instruction at Parker is centered around culture. Students love the authentic resources available to them, whether a video, infographic, or a screenshot from an Insta account. This is what keeps the students engaged and signing up year after year. Additionally, as a French teacher, one does not only teach French! Students love learning about art, history, literature, daily life, math, science, culinary arts, music, etc. 

Several things have become student favorites: lundi lecture, manie musicale, and vendredi vidéo. Mondays begin with some free reading from the class library; it’s a great way to begin the week! Sometimes there are visits from Madame Behn’s foster kittens or dogs from the Humane Society of Southern Wisconsin. Students use this opportunity to practice reading aloud to animals who need to be socialized! (One dog was adopted by a student a few days after his visit!) Manie musicale happens in the spring, usually before spring break. Students love learning the lyrics, guessing the bracket winner, and adding the songs to their own playlists. Finally, vendredi vidéo occurs every Friday and students study francophone films that complement the themes of study during each level of French. Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources become a sort of soap opera for French 3 students, while films like Une vie de chat have students screaming at the screen in French 2! Routine is so important to Parker’s French students and it’s what kept us going through a global pandemic.

 Fort Worth Country Day School, Fort Worth, Texas
Exemplary Program with Honors
AATF member: Rob Napier

Loyola Academy, Chicago, Illinois
Exemplary Program with Distinction
AATF member: Thomas Sapp

Last update: December 8, 2022