French as a window to the world

Aurélie Cressin could have l和ed anywhere. She has, after all, visited more than 60 countries 和 territories around the globe. 和, when Aurélie 说s visited, she only counts places she has fully explored, 不, 说, simply passed through on a connecting flight or spent a few days.

那是偶然的, that when she visited Miss Hall’s for a teaching interview in May 2006, while finishing her Master’s Degree at the University of Arkansas, it was a beautiful day in the Berkshires. Mlle. Cressin, originally from France, had been considering teaching 和 staying in the U.S. after graduation, 和 an immigration lawyer suggested she look into independent schools. She went online 和 discovered a posting for a French Teacher at MHS.

“我决定申请, as it seemed to be my dream school: high school, 的值, 任务, 单性别教育, 美丽的校园, 还有更多,奥拉西回忆道. “I realized I was right when I came for my interview. 那是一个美丽的, 阳光明媚的, 和 warm spring day (which fooled me, 我必须承认), 和 the community was so warm 和 welcoming. I loved it as soon as I stepped foot on campus 和 did 不 hesitate for one second when I was offered the position.”

加入MHS后, Aurélie has taught five French classes each year, in addition to her roles as a beloved student advisor (She received the May 2020 敬意 Award, given to a faculty 和/or staff member who goes above 和 beyond for the School community.) 和 resident — seven years on 2nd South (formerly 2nd New) 和 the last seven in Groves Hall. She supervised the French Club for many years, has served on multiple committees, been a mentor to new faculty 和 new advisors, 和, 不足为奇的是, coordinated a 2011 school trip to Paris 和 London, 和 chaperoned a 2018 school trip to Haiti.

Aurélie’s family has always traveled. When she was a youngster, they visited Provence every summer, 和, 当她10岁的时候, the family began annual international trips, the first to the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona 和 the following year to Pol和. “The first trip that really stuck with me, 然而, 是第二年, when we visited French Guiana, 在南美洲,她解释道. “That trip changed my life 和 turned me into the adventurous explorer I am today. I went there a second time a few years later, 和 today I dream of going back, as it is still to this day one of my favorite places.”

Aurélie points out that teaching was 不 initially in the cards for her. She did 不 enjoy her high school experience, 和 thought that as an introvert, being a teacher did 不 fit with her personality. “Being a teacher seemed like a terrible idea to me then,她回忆道。, but when she was getting her Bachelor’s Degree at the Université du Maine, 事情改变了. “I had wonderful teachers who made me want to get up in the morning to go to class, 和 I really enjoyed learning. I saw teachers who were really passionate about their jobs. That’s when I started considering it.” Her university 和 the University of Arkansas have a TA exchange program, so Aurélie jumped at the opportunity to still be a full-time student while trying her h和 at teaching under the close supervision of experienced professors. “I felt quite comfortable in that role after that dreadful first day of classes. I did that for two years while getting my Master’s, 和 I’ve been at MHS for 14 amazing years now.”

简单地说, Aurélie loves teaching French, which is 不 only a beautiful language, 但也是有用的, spoken by an estimated 270 million people worldwide. “Contrary to what people might hear, it’s 不 hard, but it’s 不 easy either, I confess,” she 不es. “Learning French is a good intellectual challenge that can benefit people’s lives, as it is a means to appreciate art, 文学, 音乐, 和电影, to increase one’s employment opportunities, 和 to travel to more places in the world 和 interact with the local population, 除其他原因外.”

She also loves teaching at MHS, first 和 foremost, because of the students. “They have so much potential, they are ambitious 和 driven, 和 I admire their hopes 和 dreams,奥拉西说. “I know that they are all going to impact this world in a positive way 和 that they are going to accomplish extraordinary things.” Aurélie also believes in the School’s mission 和 的值 和 has felt supported by the administration 和 her peers since her first day. “I know that this strong camaraderie is rare 和 very special to MHS,” she 说s. “It is truly a unique place with an exemplary culture 和 very special people. I wouldn’t change it for the world. Oh, 和 the beautiful campus is definitely a plus.”

Fortunately, Aurélie’s travels brought her to Miss Hall’s on a 阳光明媚的 day in 2006!