CIEE Study Center at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain

Contemporary French Studies Program, Paris, France
SPRING 2015
Course number and name: CMBL 3001 PCFS / SOCI 3004 PCFS
Community Service Learning: Social Justice
Language of Instruction: French
Time: Tuesday, 1:30-3:30 pm + volunteering time.
Professors: Séverine Dard and Hannah Taieb
Recommended Credit: 3 semester credits, 4.5 quarter units
Class sites: Class will be held at the Paris Center for Critical Studies (CIEE Paris), 37 bis, rue du Sentier,
Paris 75002, Metro Bonne Nouvelle. Each student will volunteer at Le Club Barbès, 16 rue Ernestine, Paris
75018, Metro Chateau Rouge or Marcadet Poissioniers. There will be a class outing and one volunteering
activity at Collège Georges Brassens, 4, rue Erik-Satie, Paris 75019, in the context of the program for
pupils with special needs.
Course Description
The class intends to use the notion of service learning as the starting-point for a reflection on cultural
notions not only of service but also of justice and of community. In the study-abroad context, service
learning can be more than simply a unidirectional “giving” with Americans sharing their presumed
advantages with those abroad, presumably disadvantaged. Instead, we propose a class based on the idea
of analyzing and interpreting cultural differences about the notions underlying giving and receiving, service
and help, looking in particular at the American notion of social justice and the French notion of solidarité,
and the related but non-identical notions of diversity and diversité. Thus we hope to achieve a dialogic
approach in which American and French youth reflect together on what we can give each other and what
we can learn from each other, enriching our perceptions of the world.
What is Le Club Barbès?
The club Barbès http://www.leclubbarbes.org/ is a youth organization based on the low-income, extremely
diverse neighbourhood of la Goutte d’Or. Its goals are to create an on-going education and personal
support network for middle school and high school students. For many years, CIEE students from the
Contemporary French Studies program have been volunteering with the Club Barbès youth. This class
gives students a framework for reflecting on their activities in collaboration with the young people involved.
American students provide real service as tutors, and this is of particular importance in the Goutte d’Or at
this time since English facility is considered essential to professional success in France. These teenagers
face multiple kinds of discrimination in French society (due to neighbourhood, economic origin, religion and
ethnic background) and the French school system is set up in such a way as to make it essential that they
have help with their homework. The Club provides regular after-school supervision and help, with many
volunteers in various subjects. The American volunteers play a key role.
What is the Collège Georges Brassens program for « élèves à besoins éducatifs particuliers » ?
The Collège Georges Brassens in the 19th arrondissement in Paris proposes several programs for
pupils who need special attention and specific pedagogies. Pedagogical teams with sensitive, aware
professional people work with a wide spectrum of young people, including those with special gifts, those
with learning disorders, those with various kinds of disabilities. Depending on the pupil’s situation, he or she
may be in a special program or in an inclusive setting with special accommodations set up in coordination
with the families and school doctor. The goal is to allow them to blossom and to succeed in middle school,
developing confidence in themselves, in their ability to adapt, and, for some, helping them to overcome
learning disabilities such as dyslexia and dyspraxia.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the semester: (1) students will be able to outline the basic components of the French
educational system, in historical and sociological context. (2) students will be able to distinguish between
U.S. notions of volunteering and service, and French notions of solidarité and egalité des chances,
particularly relating to education and youth, and will be able to situate these notions in terms of some of the
roles they play in society. (3) students will have developed their capacities to tutor English to high-school
and middle-school youth, including both help with homework and the development of activities that are
useful linguistically and attractive to young people (e.g. linguistic games, music, etc.). (4) students will
understand how special needs students are viewed in French society and will be able to express clearly
some contemporary French approaches towards middle-school pupils with special needs.
Course Prerequisites
Students must have an adequate level of French (4 semesters of college-level French or the equivalent).
Course Requirements
Student requirements are as follows: attendance and active participation in class and as a volunteer;
preparation of required readings; maintenance of a diary; preparation of tutoring sessions and Englishlanguage activities, and discussions with French youth and volunteers. There will also be an exam, a
presentation on a theme related to themes of the class, and a final paper reflecting on student experience.
The final paper will be 8-10 pages.
Methods of Instruction
The class will include some traditional class sessions (lecture, discussion), possible guest lecturers,
intercultural discussions and debates, outings, and participant-observation in the activities of our partners.
Active dialog with French youth and involvement in all volunteer activities are expected of all students, and
encouraging student reflection on these activities (eg through the keeping of a diary) is part of the
pedagogical approach.
Assessment and Final Grade
Participation
Midterm
Final presentation on a theme related to themes of the class
Final paper based on student experience
25%
25%
25%
25%
Bibliography
Readings will be distributed each class to prepare the following class.
This following bibliography will be updated throughout the class and a final version of the syllabus will be
completed with all readings added.
Marie-Claude Blais, La Solidarité : Histoire d’une idée. Paris : Gallimard, 2007.
Marie-Claude Blais, « L’idée de solidarité a une histoire, » in Retour de la Solidarité, Sciences Humaines
No 223, Février 2011.
Robin Crabtree. « The Intended and Unintended Consequences of International Service Learning. »
Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, Volume 17, Number 2, p. 43, (2013).
L’Etat des Inégalités en France: Données et analyses 2009. Observatoire des inégalités. Belin, 2009.
“Education-Formation.” Pages 43-49.
Isabelle Ray-Lefevre, “Le regard des Français sur les plus démunis se durcit, la solidarité raidit.” Le Monde.
Cori Jakubiak, « ‘English for the global’ : discourses in/of English-language voluntourism, » International
Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 8 May 2012.
Emmanuelle Lallement, http://www.franceculture.fr/emission-planete-terre-barbes-une-ville-monde-201206-13. & http://www.franceculture.fr/blog-globe-2012-06-13-barbes-le-carrefour-marchand-populaire-localet-mondial-de-paris.
Michèle Lamont, La dignité des travailleurs : Exclusion, race, classe et immigration en France aux EtatsUnis. Paris : Presses de Sciences Po, 2002.
Filmographie
Les Héritiers
Freedom Writers
SCHEDULE
Week one. Tuesday, January 20.
Introductions:
-- to the class.
-- to the Club Barbès.
-- to the Collège Brassens program for pupils with special needs.
-- round table introductions of the professors and of each student.
.
A short in-class written essay about student motivations and prior experiences with volunteering, English
tutoring, and other things related to the themes of the class.
Week two. Tuesday, January 27.
The educational environment and English teaching for young people in France today.
Reading: Dossier “Introduction au système éducatif et l’enseignement de l’anglais en France.” Schéma
système éducatif. Les grands principes éducatifs en France. L’enseignement des langues vivantes en
France – Etat des Lieux. L’enseignement de l’anglais et l’inégalité en France. Exemple d’épreuve d’anglais
au brevet des collèges.
OUTINGS AND VOLUNTEERING :
6:30 pm: Meet at CIEE center to go by metro to the Club Barbès.
7:00 pm: Short walk through the Goutte d’Or neighborhood to Club Barbès. Meet young people and
volunteer of the Club.
Week three. Tuesday, February 3.
What does solidarity mean in France? a sociological approach.
Reading: selections from Lamont.
&: analysis of recent media discussions of solidarity.
OUTINGS AND VOLUNTEERING:
Starting Monday February 2, volunteering starts at the Club Barbès and continues throughout the semester.
Week four. Tuesday, February 10.
What does solidarity mean in France? a historical approach.
Reading: dossier sur Approche historique et comparée des concepts autour de la “Solidarité”
Week five. Tuesday, February 17.
Critical approaches to international service learning.
Reading: Crabtree, “Intended and Unintended Consequences of International Service Learning”.
Jakubiak, “English for the Global.”
OUTINGS AND VOLUNTEERING: French school break is from February 14th through March 2. There will
be no volunteering this week at the club Barbès. An outing will be organized to the Immigration museum.
Details tba.
VACATION (CIEE Winter break: 24-28 February/ French school winter break: February 14 to March 1).
Week six. Tuesday, March 3.
The myth of equality, the reality of inequality in the French school system.
&
Introduction and preparation for the visit to collège Georges Brassens.
Reading: Reading packet on equality and inequality in the French school system.
OUTINGS AND VOLUNTEERING:
Volunteering at the club Barbès starts up again as of Monday March 2.
During the week, there will be a class outing to visit Collège Georges Brassens (date to be decided).
An additional visit (or visits depending on motivation) will be set up in following weeks depending on
students’ schedules.
Week seven. Tuesday, March 10.
Regards croisés, France / Etats-Unis: two cinematographic representations of school issues in the two
countries.
&
Midterm exam preparation.
To watch prior to this class: Freedom Writers et Les Héritiers
OUTINGS AND VOLUNTEERING:
Volunteering at the club Barbès, visits to Collège Georges Brassens tbd.
Week eight. Tuesday March 17.
Midterm exam.
Week nine. Tuesday March 24.
Discussion of the midterm.
Preparation for student research projects.
Check-in on volunteering activities.
OUTINGS AND VOLUNTEERING:
Volunteering at the club Barbès, visits to Collège Georges Brassens tbd.
Week ten. Tuesday March 31.
Preparation for student research projects.
Check-in on volunteering activities.
OUTINGS AND VOLUNTEERING:
Volunteering at the club Barbès, visits to Collège Georges Brassens tbd.
Week eleven. Tuesday April 7.
Student presentations.
OUTINGS AND VOLUNTEERING:
Volunteering at the club Barbès, visits to Collège Georges Brassens tbd.
Week twelve. Tuesday April 14.
Student presentations.
OUTINGS AND VOLUNTEERING:
Volunteering at the club Barbès, visits to Collège Georges Brassens tbd.
VACATION (CIEE Winter break: 20-26 avril / French school vacation: April 17 to May 4).
Week thirteen. Tuesday April 28.
Class session: theme tbd.
Final papers due.
OUTINGS AND VOLUNTEERING:
There is no volunteering this week. French schools are on vacation.
Week fourteen. Tuesday May 5.
CONCLUSION: final exchanges and reflections on the work we have done and on the class.
OUTINGS AND VOLUNTEERING: Goodbye party at Club Barbès.