Anicée Heylemans joined EFBA as a teacher this school year. She is teaching at the Bella Vista Elementary School in San Ramon. She manages a class of children aged 7 to 11, for whom French is a second language. These children are not as exposed to French nor the francophone culture as students who already speak French fluently. They are therefore following a program adapted to their needs.
Anicée could you please Introduce yourself— Where are you from? your origin? Your educational background– what did you major in?
I come from Brussels (Belgium). We arrived in the bay area 3.5 years ago for my husband’s work. I have 3 girls who are 7, 3 and 2 years old, and the youngest was born here. I have a Master’s in Finance & Business Management. I worked for 10 years as a financial director in the pharmaceutical field then for a European hospital specialized in Oncology.
Apart from French or English, do you know other languages? If yes, could you say something in that language?
I also speak Dutch, the second national language of Belgium, and little bit of Italian.
“Goeiemorgen, ik houd van zonnig dagen in Californië! Amo mangiare italiano!”
“Hello, I love the sunny days of California and Italian cuisine”
What is EFBA for you? why did you chose EFBA over other organizations?
I like EFBA’s philosophy of learning through play and autonomy.
Why did you want to become a teacher and what does teaching mean for you?
My grandmother was a teacher and always told me that it’s the best job for women in the world. At first, I did not believe it. At 18, I wanted to be a “business-woman” … Then I came to California and after 10 years of keeping a crazy pace in my career, I wanted to go back to the basic values, closer to my children! Then the idea of teaching came to me with great joy. I observed a class. The time went by so fast, as if the two hours of class had lasted 2 minutes, and at the end of the course, a little boy came to shake hands with me and I fell in love with teaching. I am thinking of undertaking a master’s degree in education next year as well as a Montessori training.
Do you think learning a new language is beneficial and why?
That’s also why we came to California with my husband, to show our children that we can always learn a new language, that it opens the mind to new opportunities, new cultures, new values , new habits, new friendships, and that all this is limitless if we dare!
How do you teach French to your students?
We play a lot of games in class, and I always choose a particular theme for each lesson. We do team activities or have small groups for activities. We always end with a short cartoon or a song.
How do you keep your students’ interest alive?
Having fun, promoting their autonomy! Children have stars in their eyes when they finish their own exercises, games or manage to speak or read! ?It becomes interesting for them like a game, they do not want to stop!
What is one of the best memories or experience you had with your students or while teaching?
When I see that students can read or speak on their own without any fear.
If you were a quote or a word then what would it be?
Life is short, Buy shoes and eat cake !
Finally, could you tell us a fun fact about you?
When I was little and a teenager, I dreamed of being an airplane pilot!
Interview led by Aishwarya Gupta – Communications and Outreach Volunteer
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