Cultural Narrative: Talking with Kids
By Sam Lee
This week it felt like there were a hundred children at every museum we visited. Although the kids were loud and everywhere it warmed my heart to see so many youth involved in the arts. Not only were kids seeing the art, but many were sketching and writing about it as well. It feels like the arts are taken a lot more seriously here in France, and valued much more than back in the States. I wish America took the time to introduce its youth to the wealth of art in our country.
While we were at the Musee Marmottan Monet I had the chance to have a brief conversation with one of the students that was also visiting that day. After Marit’s presentation I was inspecting the canvases more closely. I was really curious to see the unfinished areas of the paintings. A little girl caught my attention and shyly asked me what my name was in flawless English. I told her and asked her back (however, I can’t remember her name now), and then asked her what she was drawing. She told me the art. I asked her how old she was (still in English), and she had no idea what I said. She looked over to her teacher for encouragement.
It hadn’t even occurred to me that she was practicing her English on me, so I switched to the little bit of French I know. I dumbly asked her if she spoke French, which she obviously did, and then told her I don’t speak very much French. She smiled sweetly, pointed at her notebook, said something in French really fast, and then ran off shyly. I was disappointed to not have the chance to learn more.
I’m constantly stunned by how well the youth in this country speak English. They don’t have any accent at all, so I find myself constantly caught off guard. I heard some kids on the metro one day practicing with their parents, and again if they hadn’t switched back to French when getting into an argument (they were siblings) I would have been none the wiser. I’m curious to know when these kids are learning English, and how they learn it so flawlessly when most adults I talk to still have a really thick accent.
By Sam Lee
This week it felt like there were a hundred children at every museum we visited. Although the kids were loud and everywhere it warmed my heart to see so many youth involved in the arts. Not only were kids seeing the art, but many were sketching and writing about it as well. It feels like the arts are taken a lot more seriously here in France, and valued much more than back in the States. I wish America took the time to introduce its youth to the wealth of art in our country.
While we were at the Musee Marmottan Monet I had the chance to have a brief conversation with one of the students that was also visiting that day. After Marit’s presentation I was inspecting the canvases more closely. I was really curious to see the unfinished areas of the paintings. A little girl caught my attention and shyly asked me what my name was in flawless English. I told her and asked her back (however, I can’t remember her name now), and then asked her what she was drawing. She told me the art. I asked her how old she was (still in English), and she had no idea what I said. She looked over to her teacher for encouragement.
It hadn’t even occurred to me that she was practicing her English on me, so I switched to the little bit of French I know. I dumbly asked her if she spoke French, which she obviously did, and then told her I don’t speak very much French. She smiled sweetly, pointed at her notebook, said something in French really fast, and then ran off shyly. I was disappointed to not have the chance to learn more.
I’m constantly stunned by how well the youth in this country speak English. They don’t have any accent at all, so I find myself constantly caught off guard. I heard some kids on the metro one day practicing with their parents, and again if they hadn’t switched back to French when getting into an argument (they were siblings) I would have been none the wiser. I’m curious to know when these kids are learning English, and how they learn it so flawlessly when most adults I talk to still have a really thick accent.
Very nice, Sam, kids are a wonderful source of information and also offer a way into the culture that is immediate and pure in its directness. maybe, try talking to the teachers too. Your perceptions about the quality of teaching is right on too - education is a primary value in France as is art. Just the connection between the little girl and her teacher speaks volumes.
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