Almost Famous

Anyone who reads this blog knows that I love my new city. It's young, it's hip, it's beautiful, and yet it has remained (relatively speaking) undiscovered by massive amounts of tourists.

But that might be about to change.

The city of Lyon is actively pursuing popularity. The tourist and convention bureau has created an entire marketing campaign centered around the clever slogan "Only Lyon" (unscramble the letters in LYON to get ONLY). A giant red and white "ONLY LYON" sign moves around the city every few months, offering kitschy tourist photo ops and a unique playscape for kids.

 

An annual event which draws huge crowds to Lyon each December, the Fête des Lumières, is soaring in popularity as well. I've heard estimates of two to three million visitors cramming into the city this year. Although I think the numbers are inflated, it was still amazing to see so many people enjoying the spectacles and light shows scattered throughout the city. (Insider tip: if you tend to be claustrophobic, avoid this festival at all costs!)

Several recent TV shows and articles have caught Lyon Fever, too. This Sunday night, CNN's Anthony Bourdain will feature Lyon on his show Parts Unknown. A companion web article listed eight ways that Lyon outshines Paris. (I agree wholeheartedly). 

And about a month ago, the Huffington Post ranked Lyon #2 in a list of "overlooked European cities you must visit in your lifetime."

So, what are you waiting for? Come to Lyon! You'll be happy you did.

Observations about the French Education System part 2: Math

Math is math, right? I mean, two-plus-two-equals-four no matter what language you speak, and no matter how it's taught. Well, yes...and no. I've discovered through my daughters' experiences in a French public school that cultures can look at math in incredibly different ways. I've been wanting to write this blog post for a long time, but it's difficult for me to wrap my head around what makes French math so different, let alone put those observations in writing. I'll try my best.

The first thing to understand is how seriously the French take math. Mastering mathematics is the ultimate academic goal. French highschoolers must choose one of three tracks: "L" for littéraire (humanities), "ES" for economics & social sciences, or "S" for scientifique (various hard sciences, including advanced mathematics). The "S" is the coveted prize. Good students are encouraged to go for the S, regardless of their giftedness in math, or whether or not they even like math (enjoyment of a subject or career is not at all high on the priority list when choosing life's path in France). A humorous (to me) conversation with Lori's lead professor last fall solidified this point. It went something like this:

Teacher: Unfortunately, Lori's math grades aren't quite what we'd hoped for. 

Me: Yes, math has always been very difficult for her.

Teacher: Oh...well, you realize that this limits her choices significantly. With these grades it will be difficult to progress in the French system, especially the S or even the ES. 

Me: Lori has always enjoyed literature and history much more than math and science.

Teacher: (with disdain) Well, I suppose she could always fall back on the L .... (spoken as if this is the end of the world)

Excellence in math means getting into the best public universities, which means getting the highest paid and most prestigious jobs. Therefore, math gets prioritized in the educational system, and the math curriculum is intense.

Which leads to my second observation about French math: it's advanced. I've been helping Lindsey with her 6th grade math all year, and there are some problems involving geometry I just can't do. I tutored an 8th grade Saxon math class for three years, and Lindsey is doing problems at at least that level (Saxon is considered to be a very rigorous math curriculum). In France, math is not divided into categories by year like in the U.S. (for example, Algebra I and II, Geometry, Calculus, etc.). Instead, a little bit of each type of math is done every year from elementary to terminale.  Everything builds on the foundation of what was learned in previous years, and the result seems to be a more holistic approach to math. I actually prefer this system over ours, although jumping in mid-stream is really hard. 

When Lindsey's math scores started to drop last trimester, I made an appointment with her teacher. The first thing he said was, "She doesn't know her lessons." I found out that meant that she didn't master the math vocabulary. In France, math is just as much a written discipline as it is a problem-solving discipline. Every step must be justified in writing. Sometimes that involves a formula, at other times a sentence. Even when Lindsey knew how to solve a problem, often she didn't know how to express "why". Her teacher went on to say, "Explaining how you got the answer is MORE important than getting the correct answer." I don't think this is true in the U.S. Just getting the answer is usually sufficient. 

My final observation for now about French math is that it's very integrated. I alluded to this above. In order to solve a French math problem, you need to use ALL of your math skills. One single geometry problem might involve fractions and decimals and metric conversions and ratios and using your protractor and ruler to draw a triangle with certain characteristics, not to mention basic operations like division and addition. Lindsey only has math class for one hour a day, three days a week. She might only be assigned two or three problems per week, as opposed to the typical American workload of 20 to 25 problems per day. But these two or three problems might have multiple parts and take an hour each. 

I do think that in many ways, the French model is superior. At home, we've had to combine methodologies to find a way that it makes "sense" for our daughters, and frankly, for us grownups as well. 

Some friends of ours helping us figure out one of Lindsey's math problems.
The man in the center is an engineer!

Pressing on

After a long hiatus, I'm back to the blogging world! Starting to write again has been a difficult mental hurdle. Lots of ideas have been floating around in my head, but for some reason it's been hard to sit down at the computer and get started. Like an exerciser who's been sitting on the couch for two months, I'll probably have to ease back into it slowly.

The initial reason for temporarily abandoning my blog involved a personal tragedy. My sweet mother-in-law, Margaret, passed away in late February after a very short battle with breast cancer. Complications arose after she began chemotherapy, and what we'd assumed would be a long marathon ended up in a quick downward spiral.

Margaret Whitus, Greg's mom, was one of the most joy-filled people I've ever known. She never knew a stranger -- she would strike up a conversation with every checkout person, waitress, shopkeeper...you name it. Her laugh was contagious. Margaret was a loving and generous woman, and everyone who knew her misses her terribly.

This photo was taken last year on Mother's day, just a few months before our move to France. Everyone looks so happy, and this is how I remember Margaret whenever I think of her.

The most important thing about my mother-in-law, though, is that she knew the Lord. We're assured that she's in heaven now, celebrating her new eternal life with Jesus. Someday we'll be there too, and it will be a family reunion like no other!

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!

Something to look forward to

A couple of weeks ago we hosted our first visitors from the U.S. (aside from my parents, who came in August, but they stayed at a hotel). These visitors happened to be Lori's best friend, Taylor, and her dad, Tim. Taylor plays competitive softball, and they were in the Netherlands for a competition. To take advantage of their time in Europe, the team planned a side excursion to Paris for two days. Lori and Greg traveled to Paris and did the touristy stuff with Tim and Taylor, and then the four of them took the train back to Lyon and spent one night with us.

This special get together was long-anticipated. Even before we left the U.S., Taylor's trip was on our calendar. It gave us all something to look forward to on the days when we were the most homesick. We kept reminding ourselves that soon, Taylor and Lori would be together again, even if just for a short time, and that made the most difficult days bearable. Even Lindsey looked forward to it. Taylor's little sister is Lindsey's best friend, and even though she couldn't make the journey, it was (almost) good enough for Lindsey to have Taylor here.

During difficult times, it's always helpful to have something to look forward to. Our time in Lyon has been 95% positive, but still there are those days when we feel blue. We miss home, and the comfort of friends that understand us well. This time with Tim and Taylor was like medicine to weary hearts. Even though our time with them was short, it was incredibly uplifting. Now we have another event to look forward to: in May, we'll be traveling back to America.

What about you? What are you looking forward to this year? Post your story in the comments.