Inuvik - Hughes Latour has only been in Inuvik for a few weeks, but he already knows he will enjoy his time in the region.

Latour is a French teacher from Montreal, who is also a filmmaker. He arrived in Inuvik at the end of August and is teaching Grade 5 and 6 French immersion.

Hughes Latour is a new teacher at Sir Alexander Mackenzie School. He is from Montreal and is teaching the Grade 5/6 French immersion class. He said he enjoys teaching with his new class and looks forward to a good year. - Dez Loreen/NNSL photo

"I spent some time walking around, seeing sights and meeting people," said Latour.

Latour said that he came up with his girlfriend, who also works at the school as a French monitor.

Latour is also involved with a film company he started back in Montreal.

"I have split my time between film and teaching in the past, but I am a full time teacher here," he said.

"Working with film is fun, but I love to teach."

Coming to the North was something that Latour wanted to do, to document different places in Canada.

"That is a big reason why I came North," he said.

He packed light though, as he said he prefers to rent equipment from local sources rather than pack it all during his travels.

It was back in 1997 that Latour received his qualifications to teach.

Since then he has been across Canada with teaching gigs, learning more about the country.

The French immersion program at SAM school is based around the idea that a student stays in the program throughout their years at Sir Alex.

Latour explained that all of his students have been enrolled in the program since Grade 1.

"You cannot jump in and out, you start early and finish through Grade 6," said Latour.

He said that he was impressed with the students in his class.

"French is a second language here and there isn't a place to speak it outside of school, so it's good to see the progress of the students here," he said.

The first week of school was interesting for Latour.

"There is a different method and system here, which is something that I am getting used to," said Latour.

When he first stepped into his class, the first thing he aimed to do was assess where his students were at with their studies.

"It's been busy, learning the kids names and getting to know them," he said.

"It's been exciting."

Latour said that he was happy to be in Inuvik.

"My girlfriend used to work in Fort Smith, she told me we should move here," he said.

Latour said that like most new teachers, he found his information from the internet.

"I did some research on Inuvik and what it looks like here," he said.

"It's one thing to read about it and another to actually be here."

Latour said he thought Inuvik was going to be smaller.

"There is so much to do here, with a lot of nice people."

Latour said that he wants to experience as much as he can while he is in the North.

"I came here to teach, but to learn as well, we are all students in life," he said.