OUR FRENCH TEACHERS IN THE BAY AREA
With the objective to provide the best French learning experience, EFBA strives to recruit the finest French teachers of the San Francisco Bay Area. To reach this goal, we have put in place a very stringent recruitment process. The result is a fantastic team of credentialed & experienced individuals who are aware of the issues linked to bilingualism. All year long, our teachers attend EFBA training that is dedicated to their professional development and our service quality control.
All of our teachers and assistants are Francophone and come from different places around the world. They either know the French Education Ministry’s curriculum or are trained in teaching French as a Foreign Language. They bring a unique teaching experience and a different culture. All are dedicated to EFBA’s mission, values and innovative teaching methods. They know how to structure a class for differentiated levels to ensure that each student gets personal attention.
Meet EFBA’s teachers and assistants below!
FLORA GREMAUD
Having arrived in the San Francisco Bay area from France in December 2018, this expatriation has not been just a change of country for Flora. It has also been the opportunity for her to completely rethink her professional work, and recreate it in alignment with her values. She is a mother of two children, and has come to realize how important it is to teach young children about the rest of the world. As a French woman, she holds the rich heritage of her culture and language, and she is eager to share what she has to offer.
ANNE MORAG
Anne is a native of the South of France, but well traveled and very curious about other civilizations, cultures and languages. She holds an M.A. in international relations from the Sorbonne. She also studied American and English literature and culture. She has been teaching English and French as a second language in several countries, in schools, at EFBA and privately for many years. Anne particularly enjoys teaching her own native tongue to children. She marvels at their eagerness to learn and candid questioning, and works to adapt to their interests, rhythms, and learning styles. Having been at EFBA for a few years, Anne is now a senior teacher.
TUNDE VACSI
Tunde was born and grew up in Hungary. She got her Bachelor’s in French teaching there, and spent eight years working as a trade advisor at the French Trade Commission of the French Embassy in Hungary. She has lived in Bordeaux, London, Seattle and now in Mountain View. After moving to the Bay Area in 2014, she decided she wanted to return to working in education and served as an office and teacher assistant in a Montessori Preschool. Tunde joined EFBA in 2015, and is very excited to show the children how much fun it can be to learn French! She likes to travel, hike, cook, watch movies and, of course, teach French.
ELODIE LAPLACE-GRANGIER
Elodie is passionate about helping young children learn the French culture and language. She started her journey into teaching by volunteering as a french activity leader in a Montessori preschool, and then continued on as an assistant teacher. After many years of assistant teaching for a wide variety of age groups, she found she had a particular fondness for working with the youngest students. She has recently moved from being an assistant to teaching her own class, and watching her students’ progress as they grow into confident, culturally-aware French speakers brings her great joy.
SIMONE BLOCH
Simone Bloch is an experienced French teacher with dual citizenship, who has been teaching French and German to people of all ages in France and the United States. She holds a CAPES in German, and also passed the PLP2 after teaching French in a vocational high school in France. She has worked with babies and young children, as well as adults. She’s been teaching with EFBA for almost 10 years, and has been part of the organization’s many programs. She also loves working in summer camps, and in summer 2019, she had the joy to lead one. Her interests are not limited to languages; she holds various certifications in somatic movement, and performs regularly as an actress. She is happy to be working with EFBA for another year, as she loves contributing to the growth of young children, and is now a grandmother.
TORAL MEHTA
Toral holds a Master’s degree in French from Stanford University. She grew up in Djibouti and completed her Bachelors degree in France. She spent four years as a project manager for a non-profit organization that organized mentoring programs. During that time, she implemented their email mentoring program, which matched 150 to 200 students with over 150 volunteer mentors via email. Toral has lived in California since 1988, and has been with EFBA for seven years now. She loves to travel and hopes to make a difference in the lives of her students.
NADA KAISSI
RACHEL NDJE
YASMINE MARTINET
Laura Encaoua
After her Master’s degree in French as a Foreign Language in 2018, Laura has been teaching mainly to children who speak French at home but do not have the opportunity to learn it at school.
Her goal is to offer a chance to every student to learn French in a positive, creative and fun atmosphere and give them the motivation and confidence for their future.
Jonathan Renard
Jonathan was born and raised in Bordeaux, in the southwest of France. He holds several university degrees including a professional certificate of education (CPPE). He has been teaching for over 20 years and his passion for teaching and pedagogy is still intact. Driven by his taste for discovery and sharing, he has traveled extensively. He lived many years in French Guyana and currently lives in the Dominican Republic with his wife and young son. For several years, he has been teaching French with passion to students of all nationalities and all over the world. He loves to share the richness of his language and culture and to see his students enjoy speaking French.
Anne-Caroline Floch
Before moving to San Francisco, Anne-Caroline taught French to teenagers from very different backgrounds during a decade in the Parisian suburb. While studying Positive Psychology and Mindfulness to help her students find intrinsic motivation, she has decided to follow the path of life & wellness coaching. She is thrilled to share her passion for French language and culture with children. When she isn’t working, she likes to hike with her husband and her son and try a new ice-cream place.
Virginie Bossu
Born and raised in France, I moved to California in 2010 after a life-changing road trip in 2008.
I hold a professional teaching certificate (CRPE) and have a decade of experience in education, including elementary school teaching and tutoring in France.
I love learning and sharing knowledge, and my teaching style is all about making the learning process fun and memorable.
I am a creative person. In addition to my teaching, I also run my own freelance design company and I have a deep passion for both music and dancing.
Outside of the classroom, I am a mother of two daughters. My family and I share a dream of exploring all 50 states of America together.
Cyril Gantzer
Cyril, born and raised in France, has spent the last decade immersed in San Francisco’s tech scene. He’s now devoting time to two passions of his, gracefully combined at EFBA: the French language, and education. He’s a dedicated father of two who channels his love for stories into writing children’s tales and turning them into audiobooks. Holder of the BAFA certificate, with years of experience running summer camps in France and mentoring foster children of San Francisco, Cyril is eager to share his love of French culture with his students.
Michaela Jordan
Michaela was raised bilingual in Southern Burgundy. Naturally, she chose to specialize in French and English Language, Literature, Civilization and Translation. After completing a Master’s degree in Education and becoming a certified language teacher in 2017, her curiosity led her to America where she was recruited for Dartmouth College’s French Department, where she subsequently completed a second Master’s degree in Comparative Literature in 2020. Michaela is truly committed to working in education and enjoys sharing her passion for language and culture with her students. Since 2013, she has been teaching French in England and the United States to students in schools, alliance françaises, and universities.
Laura Denis
Cecile Amram
Since 2013, Cecile has called the Bay Area home, bringing with them a wealth of experience from a distinguished career in sales and management across France and California. What began as an accidental entry into the education sector soon blossomed into a genuine passion, leading Cecile to become deeply involved in the Menlo Park school community through dedicated volunteer work with the Sequoia School District. I’m thrilled to embark on this new journey as a French teacher in Menlo Park and eager to share my passion for the French language and culture with our students.
Outside of work, Cecile founded “Les Souliers”, a hiking group aimed at exploring California’s beautiful landscapes. She also has a strong interest in neuroscience. Cecile’s diverse interests and community involvement reflect their vibrant and engaged approach to life
Alexandra Shaeffer
Bonjour à toustes! I’m Alex Shaeffer, and I’m so excited to be back home in the San Francisco Bay Area, after spending almost two decades living across the US Midwest and East Coast as well as France, and even Kazakhstan! With over 14 years of experience, I absolutely love teaching French to students of all ages, especially children. I believe learning a new language should be fun and inspiring, and I’m passionate about helping my students discover the beauty of French. I enjoy making lessons playful and engaging by using stories, songs, and activities that spark curiosity. In the classroom, I always bring a big smile, lots of patience, and a sense of humor. When I’m not teaching, I love exploring new places, reading, and spending time with my family. I can’t wait to share my love of French with all of you!
Marie-Ange Precetti
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