Observations about French culture: Creative Arts

In my last post, I mentioned that creativity is not often expressed in the French education system. This is not to say, however, that the French don't recognize the value of creativity -- au contraire! It's just not part of the general school curriculum. (However, both of my daughters have gone on several field trips to see theatre and dance performances.) During the 8 months I've lived in Lyon, I've observed a deep appreciation for the visual and performing arts in French culture. After all, this is the birthplace of impressionism; artists such as Monet, Renoir, Degas, Pissarro and Manet all contributed to this style of painting. (And don't forget the post-impressionists Cezanne and Gauguin).

Lyon is home to at least 18 museums, at least that's how many I counted on the city's tourism website.  So far I've only visited the Musée des Beaux Arts (the fine arts museum), but there are several others I'd like to explore soon: the contemporary arts museum, a Gallo-Roman architectural museum, and one dedicated to the Lumière brothers, the French inventors of cinematography. Just walking around Lyon is enough to get a feel for the pride the French take in the creative arts. Whether it's appreciating the city's beautiful architecture, seeing the modern sculptures in the Cite Internationale, or enjoying the various fountains around town, you can't help but notice that art is everywhere in France.

Old architecture...

...and new

Huge orange guy at Cite Internationale

Fountain in the Place des Terreaux by Bartholdi (the guy who did the Statue of Liberty)

Yesterday, I discovered another unique showcase for creativity in Lyon. It was a beautiful day, so we rented bikes and headed for the Croix Rousse tunnel. This tunnel, which goes under the hills of Lyon between the Rhone and Saone rivers, was recently renovated to include a brand-new walking and biking tube. As pedestrians, bikers, and rollerbladers navigate more than 1700 meters underground, they are entertained by lights, music, and images projected along the walls and ceilings. It's a little distracting, especially on wheels, but really, really cool. (Imagine biking through the line for Space Mountain at Disneyworld). The tunnel was opened just in time for the annual Fête des lumières, or festival of lights -- another amazing showcase for creativity.

Croix Rousse tunnel

How about you, readers? What other works of art or displays of creativity have you seen in France?

Observations about the French education system

This is the first in a series (hopefully) of observations about the French culture after spending 8 months in Lyon. Today's topic is the French education system. 

My daughters attend a unique French public school which is home to 10 different international language "sections." Despite the multicultural configuration, the goal of the curriculum is to get all the students assimilated into the French system as rapidly as possible. The girls take only 6 hours per week in English (British style), and everything else is in French, with French teachers and administrators. The two styles of education are vastly different. Each side has its strengths and weaknesses, and I think it can only benefit my daughters in the long run to be exposed to multiple teaching styles and educational value systems. I'll do my best not to make judgments about good vs. bad, right vs. wrong -- they're just different. So here are some of the things I've observed so far:

• The French system values the collective over the individual. I've seen this play out in a number of scenarios. For example, France has extremely rigid national curriculum standards. Every student in each grade level is being taught the same material in the same manner. The grading system exposes this, too. Every time a student gets a grade, the class "moyenne" (average) is also shared. That way, the student can compare how he or she is doing compared to the rest of the class. Every trimester, a class "conseil" is held. The teachers gather with an elected class representative to talk about each student and how they are affecting the class as a whole: Is Johnny keeping up, or is he dragging the class down? What's the "personality" of this class - is it lively or calm? Serious or silly?
• Neatness is a virtue. During our first visit to Lyon, we had dinner with a family that had a 6 year old daughter. She was working on her handwriting, and I took a peek. Her writing was extremely small, and was produced with careful meticulousness. I remember thinking that I couldn't believe that this was expected of such a young child; that it would never be possible with American kindergarteners. The lined paper used in schools has both vertical and horizontal guide marks to facilitate precision. Four horizontal lines make up each row, like so: 

Students are also required to use a ruler for any line that needs to be drawn: underlining a title, connecting responses between two columns, etc.  A middle schooler showed me one of her science tests, in which the teacher docked points for not using a ruler when she indicated the directional flow of a river current. Which leads me to the next point:

• Perfection is the (impossible) standard. French grades are given on a 20 point scale. Nobody ever, ever gets a 20. The teacher will always find some small error - because although perfection is held up as the ideal, to actually achieve perfection would give the impression that the student is equal to the teacher. (By the way, a double-digit grade is usually considered passing.) Teachers rarely praise students for what they do right; what they do wrong is pointed out...sometimes in front of the entire class.
• Reproduction is more appreciated than creativity. Students are taught to master the material as presented and not think too much outside the box. This is seen even in art class: Draw a chair. THIS chair. Don't use your imagination. 

I could go on, and I will on a future date...I think this post should have a part 2. I still need to talk about math, independence, homework, and more. In the meantime: if you have gone to school in France, I'd like your feedback. Agree? Disagree? Other observations? Post your comments, please.

Lifelong learning

Lately, most of my waking hours are filled with some kind of learning experience. I've recently returned to language school after a couple of months' hiatus, so my mornings are occupied with French verb conjugations, phonetic drills, and writing exercises. Every evening the girls and I gather at the dinner table to do homework -- I help Lindsey with her French and math, and occasionally I glance over Lori's assignments. Oh, and I do my own French homework, too. (The girls are at the point where they can help me when I get stuck.) On Thursdays, I lead a Bible study for the women of our church which requires a lot of self-learning and preparation on my part. And just living life itself in France surrounds me with endless opportunities to learn something new.

I'm not complaining -- I'm a learning junkie. I love to absorb new information; I love to study. I'm one of those nerds that would rather solve a logic puzzle than sit down in front of the TV to unwind. A few years ago, I read "StrengthsFinder" and took the assessment. I wasn't surprised to find that one of my top 5 strengths was "Learner."

After almost 7 months in Lyon, I've discovered a lot of nuances about the French language and culture that weren't immediately apparent. At first, France seemed to be quite similar to America in many ways. Or rather, I tended to notice the similarities more than the differences. But over time I've learned that there are actually many differences. In the next few blog posts, I hope to share with you some of the things I've learned, and what I'm still trying to figure out. I desire to share my observations without too much judgment, since the reasons "why" things are different are often still deeply hidden. It will take a lot longer than 7 months to understand the many layers of values and worldview that cause people of a culture to behave the way they do.

So, over the next few weeks, feel free to visit my blog and interact with my observations by posting your comments. I especially encourage those who are natives of France or have lived in France a long time to teach me more about the French culture. After all, I love to learn!