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Almost everyone who applies to the Assistant program is accepted. The only real criterion is that you are a native speaker of
your language. This is not to say that the application process is easy, especially if you are unfamiliar with French paperwork.
Don't be discouraged if there are parts of the application you do not understand. Ask your French teacher for help, or ask on the
discussion page. The American version of the application, which is mostly in French but has some instructions specific to American assistants,
is available at the French culture (http://www.frenchculture.org/education/support/assistant/) site. The file is in Microsoft Word format, and it is possible to fill out almost the entire form on your computer. It's best to
print the completed application in A4 size paper if you
can find it; otherwise it will be shrunk to fit American paper's dimensions. You will need a passport sized ID photo to attach to the application. Shop around a bit for these (drugstores, photo labs,
copy shops…), as their prices are often unreasonable. Look for eight or more for less than $10 — you will need more photos for
paperwork before and after you get to France. On page 10, the application asks for your “preferred geographical location.” You are allowed to specify three
académies in order of preference — these educational divisions correspond with the administrative regions
of France. All of them are large, and you will have no opportunity to make your request more precise. Many assistants request
the Paris académie — dreaming of a
glamorous life in the Marais — but are
placed in some scary Paris suburb. It's best to find an entire region that might be interesting to you. If you like mountains, select a region near the Pyrenees or the Alps. If you are attracted to Italy, Spain, Germany,
Belgium, Luxembourg or Switzerland in addition to France, select a
region close to the particular border. If travel is important to you, make sure you select a region that is well serviced by the
SNCF (the railway). Here is a link to a well-detailed map (http://www.quid.fr/france.html?zoom=2)
of France. Also, here are links to downloadable maps of the train network (http://www.co.sncf.com/nos_lignes/nos_lignes.htm) and TGV routes
(http://www.co.sncf.com/nos_lignes/tgv.htm). You also must select what level of school you would like to work in. Different levels of school have different contract
lengths. High school assistants work only until the end of April, whereas primary school assistants work two months longer. High school assistants generally speak much less French with their students and much more of the language they are teaching.
If you teach in primary schools, you're likely to spend most of your 12-hour week speaking French (which can be good practice).
Some high school assistants receive very little guidance from the teachers. It is not uncommon for a high school assistant to get
nothing but a key to a classroom and a schedule of when they need to be there. It all depends on the individual school and the
teachers there. Your first acceptance letter (the lettre de présentation) only tells you which académie and school level
you've been placed in, and it can come as late as mid-summer. Shortly afterwards, you'll receive an arrêté
(administrative order) telling you in exactly which schools you've been placed. If the first letter mentions “Toulouse,”
for example, don't start looking for apartments in Toulouse. Misleading as it is, this is the name of the largest
académie in France, covering an area of over 45,000 km². Wait until you get your specific placement. Do, however,
start looking for plane
tickets. |
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