Have you ever heard about a school that has only one teacher with one class? No? Well… me neither.
At least not until a beautiful summer day of 2002, when I fell in love with the French movie “Être et Avoir.” [1] I would describe it as a documentary-style movie about a “one-room school” in Saint-Étienne sur Usson, France, where a remarkably dedicated and caring teacher, Mr. Georges Lopez, oversees a mixed class of students ranging from 2 to 11 years-old. This situation still exists in small rural villages in the French countryside.
This school setting teaches us a lot about what I think are the core values of a good teacher: patience, an exceptional psychology approach, a sound pedagogy, commitment, respect, communication… and, yes, subject knowledge, of course! At the school, the teacher faces multiple challenges: teaching different curricula simultaneously, catering for various learning styles, dealing with a group of different ages, maintaining an inclusive and respectful environment, and so on. Interestingly, as these challenges also exist in urban settings, the movie happens, therefore, to be universally relevant. The documentary depicts Mr. Lopez, a committed educator who works late and hard to prepare his teaching material. He is kind and enjoys playing with the kids at recess. He has an encouraging attitude and genuinely spends time talking with the students individually, which demonstrates how much he cares and respects them. Similarly, he has a very positive manner with the parents, particularly during the parent-teacher interviews.
Mr. Lopez needs to be versatile as his classroom is like the stage at a theater with a variety of situations happening. For example, while always being friendly and respectful, he can be strict with Jojo (a ‘cheeky’ and active little boy) but understanding with Olivier (whose dad is sick). To keep the students engaged and motivated, he uses various active learning techniques and collaborative strategies, where older children help younger ones. Notably, the students get to learn everything from cursive handwriting, dictation, literacy, mathematics to cooking pancakes and tobogganing. Mr. Lopez also wants them to learn how to get along with one another, and they are encouraged to express their fears and worries.
At least not until a beautiful summer day of 2002, when I fell in love with the French movie “Être et Avoir.” [1] I would describe it as a documentary-style movie about a “one-room school” in Saint-Étienne sur Usson, France, where a remarkably dedicated and caring teacher, Mr. Georges Lopez, oversees a mixed class of students ranging from 2 to 11 years-old. This situation still exists in small rural villages in the French countryside.
This school setting teaches us a lot about what I think are the core values of a good teacher: patience, an exceptional psychology approach, a sound pedagogy, commitment, respect, communication… and, yes, subject knowledge, of course! At the school, the teacher faces multiple challenges: teaching different curricula simultaneously, catering for various learning styles, dealing with a group of different ages, maintaining an inclusive and respectful environment, and so on. Interestingly, as these challenges also exist in urban settings, the movie happens, therefore, to be universally relevant. The documentary depicts Mr. Lopez, a committed educator who works late and hard to prepare his teaching material. He is kind and enjoys playing with the kids at recess. He has an encouraging attitude and genuinely spends time talking with the students individually, which demonstrates how much he cares and respects them. Similarly, he has a very positive manner with the parents, particularly during the parent-teacher interviews.
Mr. Lopez needs to be versatile as his classroom is like the stage at a theater with a variety of situations happening. For example, while always being friendly and respectful, he can be strict with Jojo (a ‘cheeky’ and active little boy) but understanding with Olivier (whose dad is sick). To keep the students engaged and motivated, he uses various active learning techniques and collaborative strategies, where older children help younger ones. Notably, the students get to learn everything from cursive handwriting, dictation, literacy, mathematics to cooking pancakes and tobogganing. Mr. Lopez also wants them to learn how to get along with one another, and they are encouraged to express their fears and worries.
The movie emphasizes the crucial role that families play. After most probably a busy day at the farm, the parents find time to help their kids with homework. Students and teachers are not the only protagonists of the education system!
It is also a reflection of what life is: a mixture of beautiful and hard moments, which are not occulted in the movie. Ultimately, it was delightful to hear most of the children say that they would like to be a teacher when they grow up. This reflects how they feel about Mr. Lopez.
I would, however, note one weak point in this movie: it did not deal with some ‘modern’ situations such as challenging behaviors or violence. I believe that it was done voluntarily as the film is intended to be an immersive experience that portrays the fundamental values of a good teacher. To me, these values are universal and timeless!
It is also a reflection of what life is: a mixture of beautiful and hard moments, which are not occulted in the movie. Ultimately, it was delightful to hear most of the children say that they would like to be a teacher when they grow up. This reflects how they feel about Mr. Lopez.
I would, however, note one weak point in this movie: it did not deal with some ‘modern’ situations such as challenging behaviors or violence. I believe that it was done voluntarily as the film is intended to be an immersive experience that portrays the fundamental values of a good teacher. To me, these values are universal and timeless!