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A Year in the Life

As a French assistant teacher, my experience in the Royal School Cavan was
tremendous. The teachers were very nice and welcoming and they all helped me
adapting in the school. I had some problems arriving in time at the school for the
start of the year and was a little bit tense, but Ms. McElwaine with whom I spoke via
e-mail was very kind and very reassuring. Mr. Corley, the deputy headmaster, had
also sent me a copy of the yearbook from the previous year. I learned a lot of things
from the book about the school, this is also when I realised that I would need all
my ties! In comparison with other assistants in other schools, the teachers have to
wear a tie and I think it’s great, especially when the students wear uniforms that the
teachers also wear proper clothes.

The first day I was introduced to the student by the two French teachers, Ms.
Sheridan and Ms. McElwaine, I was a little bit nervous and excited as the same time.
The students seemed very curious and enthusiastic and they were asking a lot of
questions about France and about me.

I was also able to provide help for the Soccer and the baseball teams; it enabled
me to be more integrated with the other teachers and to get to know the pupils
better. I saw three or four games of the soccer team which never lost when I was
here, therefore I like to think of myself as a kind of lucky charm, and I have also seen
a hockey match for the first time of my life.

This year was a bit peculiar in Ireland since it’s the commemoration of the centenary
of the Easter Uprising and I had the opportunity to see the commemoration in
the school. It was very interesting and I almost had to sing the Irish anthem even
though I didn’t know how most of the lyrics were pronounced. I thought to myself
that I was very lucky to come this particular year.
The students are also very kind and thoughtful, after the tragic attacks on Paris;
they gave me two flags with kind words written on it. I was profoundly touched by
this and I keep both of them hung in my apartment.
I really liked this year in the Royal and I hope the pupils enjoyed it as much as I did,
and I hope that I interested them a bit more about French and French culture, and
that if they go one day to France or any other French-speaking country, they will be
able to speak a little bit French.

Jeff Pinel

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