Bonjour, je m’appelle Jack. In case you’re wondering, that means “Hello, my name is Jack” in French.
I have lived in Cumberland since I was two. I can’t imagine living anywhere else, and I’m sure most of you would agree with me. (Not my dad, though; he always talks about lounging in Mexico.) I have a lot of friends, and this place has everything I like: lakes to swim in, mountains to ski on, a forest to explore, tasty bakeries, and a great community overall— and I hear we’re getting an arcade soon, too!
So, in my opinion, this place is superior to most. The one thing we could use more of is snow, but other than that, it’s great here.
This school year started off pretty rough for me because my parents signed me up for Grade 6 French immersion at École Puntledge Park. Last summer, my mom told me that I would be starting French immersion at the start of the school year, and I’ll admit that I didn’t take it very well.
I was very sad to be leaving my friends in Cumberland—my morning walk to school and recess with my best friends were my favourite times of the day. I was also scared that I had been signed up for one of the toughest programs I could think of.
When school started, it was even harder than I had expected, but I knew a friend from summer camp, and some classmates from my old school, so I had a good friend base. After a shaky start in September and October, I realized that I had supportive classmates and a great teacher! I eventually rose to the challenge and got more comfortable with the classroom environment and the whole “learning a new language” bit.
“If you had asked me in September if I thought I could do any of this, I would have laughed out loud”
Halfway through September, things got more complicated, because I began missing class every Wednesday to attend the Challenge program at another school. I love Wednesdays, because we are allowed to be creative and build things, but I miss a whole day of French. My teacher is very encouraging and makes sure she gives me all the homework I need in advance for the work she has planned for that day, so I don’t fall behind.
One thing I am really proud of is that I now have the ability to stand up in front of my class and present a project in French. It’s not perfect, but it’s good enough.
My class is also participating in something called Concours d’art oratoire, a French speech arts competition that takes place across Canada. In March, each student presents their speech to the school, and if you make the finals there is a chance to go to Vancouver for a provincial competition. If you had asked me in September if I thought I could do any of this, I would have laughed out loud.
I can’t believe I’m admitting this, but I’m happy that my parents signed me up for French immersion. I love the program I’m in and I can’t wait to see what comes next!
