Natalie Palmer, Hannah Hornsey, and Shuting Li have been chosen as teaching assistants by Assistants de langue en France for 2018-2019. This program is a collaborative effort between the French Ministry of Education, the Centre international d'études pédagogiques, and the Cultural Services of the French Embassy. The program aims to support English-language acquisition in French schools, and provide invaluable teaching experience for the selected students.
Applications for the competitive program are evaluated based on a number of criteria that are indicative of a candidate’s potential for successful participation in the program, including French-language skills, experience working with children and living abroad, teaching experience, the level of the applicant’s college studies, and general motivation.
Palmer, an international studies major and French minor from Murfreesboro, TN, performed as the French Club’s treasurer her sophomore year, and has served as the club’s president this past academic year. In addition to doing photography for The Bridge, a street paper founded by Rhodes students to address issues of homelessness and offer job opportunities to the homeless, Palmer has partnered with Kinney Environmental and worked for Student Development and Academic Services. In spring 2017 Palmer studied abroad in Montpellier, France, and is excited to return and explore her newfound love of teaching.
Hornsey, who hails from Jonesborough, TN, is an English major and French minor. At Rhodes, she has been involved in Mock Trial for all four years, as both a witness and an attorney. She starting working with The Bridge as a first-year, and has served as the nonprofit’s executive director for the past year. In addition, she has been a diplomat, peer assistant, student teaching assistant, and French tutor. Hornsey will be teaching English in Grenoble, which is located in the French Alps.
Li, a French major and psychology minor from Changchun, China, is looking forward to exploring France, particularly Versailles, where the program has assigned her. Having tutored Chinese students at Rhodes, Li feels prepared and excited to teach Chinese in France. Li studied abroad in Rennes through the “Rhodes à Rennes” program, an experience that she says familiarized her with French culture and customs. She is also a member of the French Club and Women’s Chorus on campus, and has taken part in the McCoy Theatre production of Unencumbered and various performances and showcases for theater classes.
By Swaneet Mand ’18