French
April 1, 2024
Leanne Chase
Bonjour! Welcome to our web site and welcome to your journey as a learner at École secondaire Kelvin High School. You might want to know a bit about your teachers’ journeys to Kelvin.
I grew up in a small town in Manitoba, where there was not much going on en français. It was a time when some French and English speaking people in our country were at odds and refused to speak each other’s languages. Aside from the great hockey player, Maurice Richard, few people were able to bridge the gap. Lucky for me, an amazing French teacher came to town and shared her passion for the language and the culture. I was instantly charmed and at 15, and here I am.
That goal lead me to live in Cannes, to study at Le Collège international de Cannes. After a couple months, I could enjoy a stand up comic and the cultural activities of the region. Eventually, I took the Alliance française exam. I returned to Canada to attain a B.A. in French and History at the University of Manitoba and a B. Ed at L’université de Saint Boniface.
I have taught in several schools in Winnipeg and at a High School in Tallahassee, Florida. I first started as a volunteer in Kelvin’s French department in 1987 and joined the staff in 1992. I love teaching all age levels, in all of our French programmes and have enjoyed teaching la géographie, l’histoire, and les arts dramatiques at Kelvin. Kelvin is a great place to learn!
The best part about teaching is that every year is a new adventure with connections to make with new learners. I look forward to walking with you through your travels to bilingualism and to an appreciation for the francophone world. Au plaisir de vous voir à ÉsK!
Mme Chase
Josephine Cox
Je m'appelle Josephine Cox and I have been teaching for over 20 years in various programs abroad and in Canada. After completing my B.A. in French and Psychology at the University of Winnipeg and Université de Saint Boniface in 1996, I began my career in Paris teaching English in the corporate and entertainment sectors. I left France after 10 years, to complete a Master’s Degree in Foreign Language Education and Management at Bilkent University in Ankara during which I taught in the English Language and Teacher Education programs. After my time in Turkey, I completed a 3 month consultancy in Afghanistan, where I developed a training program for English language teachers at Kabul medical university. I then returned to Canada, completing a B.Ed in 2012 at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), specializing in secondary French, Drama and Humanities. Since then, I have taught at several schools starting with high school English at Naotamegwanning First Nation in Northwestern Ontario. I came to Kelvin High School in 2015 where I have taught all levels of French in the English, International Baccalaureate (IB) and French Immersion programs.
In my spare time, you can find me leading FTJ, the French drama club, overseeing Kelvin’s Environmental Action Crew and walking my two dogs Willow and Migsou.
Luc Martin
I have taught French in immersion since 2013 and French IB since 2014.