French Students Participate In a Virtual French Writing Workshop

On Wednesday, November 3, 2021, students from the French division of the World Languages Department had the opportunity to participate in a French-language workshop with D-Track, a rapper from Quebec. Sponsored by the Centre de la francophonie des Amériques and the American Association of Teachers of French, Madame Stamanis had applied for a grant to participate in this workshop in September. Out of 47 American schools, The Meadows School was one of twenty-five schools in the United States selected for the workshop, and the only one in Nevada. Twelve students from level III French, Pre-AP French, and AP French participated in the workshop.

The Quebecois rapper D-Track worked with the students in French, helping them to write some French language poems. Students were surprised when D-Track started using literary terms for figures of speech (metaphor, hyperbole, personification, etc.) when discussing how to write a SLAM or a RAP. By the end of the hour and fifteen-minute workshop, students were interacting more comfortably with their new French friend. They were treated to an impromptu SLAM when he improvised and created a slam poem using a brainstormed wordbank that the students had created about AMOUR (love). Mme Stamanis is very happy that the students had an opportunity to speak with a native speaker and explore creativity outside of the confines of the classroom. A very special MERCI (thank you) to all of the Upper School teachers who released their students from class to come to the workshop so they could have this unique opportunity to use their French in a constructive manner.

We are looking forward to doing similar workshops in the near future.

Mme Ginnae Stamanis
World Languages Instructor