Something changed
At school I wasn’t a great pupil. I certainly wasn’t grade A. Teachers usually wrote that I “could do better” on my reports.
I didn’t have close friends and avoided groups as they were too cliquey. I spent my time in my own head. I still do actually. However, one thing that I really enjoyed was drama and performing.
My strengths
Where I couldn’t learn my times-tables, I could learn scripts, songs, movement and where I needed to be on a stage. Looking back, I knew I was a “physical” person. I was not too bad at sports and the school desk-work never suited me (does it suit many people?!).
Anyway, at that time in the UK, by 16 years old, everyone had to pass a GCSE in English, Maths, Science and at least one language (also a weird subject called Integrated Humanities but we’ll not worry about that one 😉 ). I had been learning French from aged 9 and I was terrible but, well, I was required to continue.
I changed school
At 13 years of age, and at my new school, we were allowed to try a German class too. I was really pleased as I had heard that German was easier and closer to English. I excitedly signed up…
My request was declined!
It transpired that my previous French teacher had reported to my new school that I should not take on another language. I was “not capable”. That was it. I couldn’t even try a different language. I was destined to spend the next three years struggling in French and try to pass that by the age of 16.
Things looked bleak. Along with the pressure to pass Science and Maths (where I was also struggling) I was finding school really, really hard.
Then something changed
I got a new French teacher! Madame John.
Firstly, she was a real French person! This made me listen to her more intently…she knew what she was talking about!
Secondly, she got us acting! Acting whilst speaking French! Yes, you know, like real communication! Not just reading text books! This was Radical!
Madame John had us write scrips in French. She had us standing up in the classroom as we practiced our lines. We went to the big assembly room to act out our scenes…I suddenly had twice as much drama in my life <3!
(Ok, you may not know how old I am, or that I am originally from a very rural area in England. This was new and exciting…)
I changed
Eeeek, I only had one year left before I would have to pass my French exam! The pressure was on!
I spent my free time at home drawing pictures of things and labelled them with their French names. I soon knew all the parts of the body in French. I knew how to say “put the money in the bag and no one gets hurt” in French (don’t worry, I didn’t use it for real!).
My sister (who had been allowed to try German) could not understand what I was saying. I felt like I was using a secret code. I was enjoying myself!
The GCSE French exam came and went. I had to wait for the results.
I passed
I got a C. Just a pass, but I did it! (I also somehow managed to get a C in Maths! No idea how! Maths only really started making sense to me once I started working in a shop).
A new perspective
It is only now that I realise that school was not real for me. It was a series of places that I had to be. A few rooms that I had to go to and listen to things that made no sense to me. Books and words that had no depth or meaning.
Madame John made the language real.
What she did was link the language to the culture. To the world outside.
This is why I do what I do now.
This is why I wear a badge to find other Japanese speakers.
This is why I prioritise speaking Japanese over using textbooks.
What about you?
Send me an email and let me know what changed for you
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