Cyr helps Inuvik kids understand French lifestyle
Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services
Inuvik (Jun 01/01) - From making recipes to teaching songs, Karine Cyr has done a wide range of things while in town the past two years.
Cyr is a French monitor, and works at Samuel Hearne Secondary school in the mornings and Sir Alexander Mackenzie school in the afternoons.
Cyr, who's from the Magdalene Islands (which belongs to Quebec), came to Inuvik two years ago after signing on with the Official Language National Program.
She said her job is to help students understand what it's like to grow up in a largely French area.
"They send French people in English places to help with French as a second language," Cyr said.
"Usually the French teachers are not French, you know, they speak English first, and then they're trying to teach French."
She said it helps to have on hand someone like her, who not only knows the French language but has also been immersed in French culture.
She said that English people are also sent to predominantly French areas, such as in Quebec, to assist in the teaching of English as a second language.
Cyr does activities with students in conjunction with their regular French classes. She has taught them French songs and done some cooking with them, using recipes for French food, such as meat pie.
She also tutors students who need extra help, and has planned special activities for evenings and weekends.
"I do anything that needs to be done, but I do add an extra touch," Cyr said.
"I'm there to have fun with the kids."
Cyr has made friends with many of her students since arriving in September, 1999.
"It was good to learn English for me too, like the kids got to know about French, but I got to learn English, which is priceless."
Cyr said she was lucky to get into the language program.
"It was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life."
This is the last week Cyr will work in Inuvik. She's going home soon, but intends to return to Inuvik as a teacher.
Cyr, who completed two years of university before coming to Inuvik, will enrol at the Universite de Moncton in New Brunswick this fall.
