Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/686175
in California schools com- p a re d w i t h , f o r e x a m p l e , Spanish-language teachers. And th ere's an increasin g number of schools offering Mandarin classes, including private schools. H i g h t u r n o v e r i s n o t u n u s u a l i n D I p r o g r a m s , say educators. A t t h e S a n t a R o s a French-Am erican Chart er School, teachers are brought in from France to meet the demand , and there is con- stant turnover because they are on three-year visas. " It 's n o t e n o u g h t i m e ," says Bertrand Le Rebours, a f o u r th - g ra d e t e a c h e r i n his third year at the school. The Santa Rosa Teachers Association (SRTA) member is from the south of France, and taught French in Dubai for eight years. "I like this school and culture," says Le Rebours. " We try to give these kids the heart and spirit of French cul- ture. We are tr ying to open their minds and give them a broader understanding of the world." E X PA N D I N G H O R I ZO N S , O P P O R T U N I T I E S Cindy Beurtheret, a teacher at the school since it opened in 2012, loves the European environment â and seeing how quickly students adapt. She comments that in Europe, stu- dents are usually taught a second and third language and are expected to be f luent, unlike Americans, who expect people from other countries to know English. Some of the school's youngsters have traveled to Europe and translated for their parents. "I didn't learn French until I was in high school, and it took me a long time to become fluent," says the SRTA mem- ber, who is American. "I love seeing students age 6 and 7 speaking and understanding French." Beurtheret has a big secret: Her first-grade students don't have the slightest idea that she speaks English. That's because she only communicates with them in French . Sometimes students feel sorry for her, so they volunteer to act as interpreters when vi sitors com e. Th e r use is a common practice in DI programs. e pre-Kâ8 school, one of three in the state with French DI programs, has a chef who creates cuisine such as crepes and fisher- man stew. Students enjoy a midday break of 55 min- utes, allowing for lunch at a leisurely pace instead of gulping American-style. T h e s c h o o l i s t r y i n g to " harmonize" both the Common Core and cur - riculum used by schools in France. It's an ongoing c h a l l e n g e , even though they are similar, especially in math. Students also study French history. The students were hit emotionally when terrorists attacked Paris. " There's a lot of empathy," says Beurtheret. "In November, we did a minute of silence in memory of all those who were killed in Paris. It was a very sad day for our school." When students reach seventh grade, they study Mandarin as a third language. Beur- theret believes being trilingual will give students even more opportunities. "It's very exciting to know that students will have a big advantage when they venture out into the job market. They will discover many, many career opportunities are open to them." But for students, it's more about the present. " I l i k e t h e m e a l s a n d b e i n g w i t h my friends," says fourth-grader Liliana Lanvin. "And it's fun being able to talk to each other in another language." "It's exciting to know that students will have a big advantage when they venture out into the job market. They will discover many career opportunities are open to them." â Cindy Beurtheret, Santa Rosa Teachers Association Students of Cindy Beurtheret, who teaches first grade at Santa Rosa French-American, think she does not know English. 29 May / June 2016