French Schools in Lebanon:
A Progressive Approach
A French School in Lebanon
Our perceptions of a typical French school in Lebanon include a traditional teaching approach, where students are regarded as receptors of information. The classroom is very much teacher-centered. Various researchers and advocates of progressive learning, such as John Dewey, Jerome Bruner, and Paulo Freire, have deemed this traditional approach as ineffective in prompting desirable change that the world is in dire need of.
In this regard, it comes as a surprise to many that a French school could actually be reformed to include essential and desirable 21st century skills. Eastwood International School is one of the pioneers in revolutionizing the notion of French schools in Lebanon into a more interactive, challenging, and student-centered one.
The Best French School at Eastwood International School
Our French school stands out in many aspects. We owe a huge thank you to the educators who have wholeheartedly committed to implement such a change and embraced it with enthusiasm.
Here is a list of our best French school’s attributes:
1. PYP Integration
The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IB PYP) is generally known to be implemented in English sections, specifically in Lebanon. At Eastwood International School, the Program is also employed in the French section. The French educators have been traveling abroad to attend workshops and conferences on that matter.
2. Progressive Teaching & Learning Approaches
Teaching methodologies in the French section at Eastwood employ constructive learning. Consequently, students construct their own learning journeys through inquiry and discovery learning strategies. Teachers act as guides and facilitators only. The classes are student-centered and rely heavily on students’ experiences to make sense of the authentic world.
3. Trilingual
Starting from nursery classrooms, the French school at Eastwood provides instruction in three different languages: French, English, and Arabic. We consider those primary years crucial for language acquisition.
4. Small Classroom Sizes & Student-teacher Ratio
Classroom sizes at Eastwood International School’s French school do not exceed 15 students per class. Moreover, the student-teacher ratio is 3 to 1. This gives students more one-to-one attention, individualized instruction, and time for educational, hands-on activities.
5. Mindfulness
Mindfulness is an essential component of learning at Eastwood International School. Our French sections sit for mindfulness sessions on weekly basis. In doing so, students learn to regulate their thoughts and perceive interactions, feelings, desires, and behaviors as essential mental processes.
Eastwood Contributes
At Eastwood, our mission accentuates our commitment to positively impact the world and instigate change for a better, brighter future. Doing so relies heavily on educating the young minds and prepping them to be global citizens that embrace change and do not settle for anything less than the ordinary. Because we perceive students as agents of this change, we vow to give them the best learning opportunities they can come across. Eastwood passionately contributes to reform the educational system in Lebanon, whether in its French sections or English ones, to achieve the greater purpose of education.
Be part of Eastwood’s best French school! Registration at Eastwood International School is open for the academic year 2018/2019. Check our website for more details.
Michel A. Khoury
Eastwood Schools Director
[email protected]
@michelsworld
