Madame Catherine Jolivet, a native of France, is the owner and director of the International Enrichment Center, Inc. dba French For Fun, a well-regarded program which began more than 30 years ago at Monte Gardens Elementary school in Concord, where her two older sons attended the Back to Basics program. With Robert, her younger son, Catherine discovered Montessori education and attended St Mary's College in Moraga, CA to learn more about Maria Montessori's philosophy and how her principles could be implemented and adopted at French For Fun. She holds a credential in languages and world history at the secondary level. She participated in many institutes focusing on the teaching of languages at the elementary level. She is a member of ACTFL, the largest foreign language association in the U.S., as well as the National Association for Education of Young Children. Catherine has conducted workshops nationwide for Fles* teachers. She is recognized as one of the most experienced FLES* (Foreign Language at the Elementary School) teachers in the United States.

Recently, Madame Jolivet attended DVC to puruse her education in early childhood education administration in anticipation of having French For Fun's morning program licensed by the Dept. of Social Services of California.

More former students are bringing their own children to Madame Jolivet and that is of course her most meaningful recognition!

Madame Isabelle Magidson is a native of the Central Western part of France called Poitou. She has been teaching in our morning immersion programs for 5 years now and is presently enrolled in a Montessori training course to continue her education in ECE (Early Childhood Education). She is married to an American, and a mother of two teenagers. She has the equivalent of a BA in English Literature and Civilization Studies, and has been teaching French as a foreign language since she moved to the US in 2003.

She is also a professional singer and guitarist, and very much enjoys using her talent as a teaching method.

Monsieur Baimba Kamara is a French native, raised in Paris in a multicultural family. His mother was an elementary school teacher, and his father (born in Sierra Leone) taught English, so education has always been important to him. He is passionate about contemporary art, both as a practicing painter and a student of art history. While attending La Sorbonne, he worked as a recreation supervisor in several elementary schools in Paris, and upon graduating with a degree in Art History, he moved to the Bay Area to be with his American fiancée, now his wife.

He has been working at French for Fun for the past two years, and spent his first year assisting Madame Jolivet both in the morning and in the afternoon program. Therefore he had the opportunity to work with children from pre-school to middle-school.

This school year, Monsieur Baimba has been teaching and planning lessons for the four and five years old class. At the same time, he has been continuing his education in ECE (Early Childhood Education), which gave him the opportunity this year to put in practice the methods he learned, particularly in math and science. In the afternoon, Monsieur Baimba teaches on his own one immersion class at the upper elementary level, and two Fles classes.

He plans on continuing his education as a language and culture specialist with an emphasis in art, since Monsieur Baimba is effectively integrating his talents as an artist in his curriculum.

Madame Parastou Nobari has a Master's degree in French Language and Literature. She grew-up attending French school starting from an early age. She is trilingual in Farsi, French and English. She has been in the field of education and teaching for over 17 years in college and university at different levels. Her experience includes teaching, training, developing and promoting French language programs, researching and implementing different teaching techniques, researching and providing supplementary subjects to text books, managing and supervising more than one thousand students and forty five instructors as the principle and supervisor of a French language center. She is a mother of a school age child

Madame Caroline Clérempuy, a French native, is our Office manager and also a parent at French For Fun. She and her daughter joined the program in 2004. Mme Caroline has been assisting with administration for the past four years. Originally from Normandy, she grew up and spent most of her life in Paris area. She had the opportunity to work in various countries such as Germany, Spain and USA. She came to California fifteen years ago when she was transferred by her French employer to handle major accounts and sell packaging to the Napa & Sonoma Valleys' wineries. She has a Bachelor's degree in business & marketing, specialized in International Trade. She is married to a California native from Orinda and is a mother of two young bilingual children. She feels so lucky to have found a "little France" close by, thanks to French For Fun!

DATE OF TRAINING

DESCRIPTION

PROVIDED BY:

January 2013

Topic: Making connection with nature. Why is it important? Where to begin with young children? Director attends 3 programs at Lafayette library/learning center.

1/17: Discussion about the book & the importance of connecting landscape, people & ecosystems.

1/19 & 26: Teaching techniques about beginning birding & introduce families to the feathered friends in their own backyard. Bird stroll with binoculars.

Speaker Mary Ellen Hannibal, author of "The spine of the continent".

Lindsay Wildlife Museum

February 2013

Topic: Music director, Isabelle Magidson, attends an early childhood musical workshop by Jose-Luis Orozco at Chabot College.

EBAEYC

March 2013

Topic: Gardening. Learning how to start seeds, cuttings, care for them in the early stages of growth and prepare them for transplanting.

Director attends program at the Lafayette Community Garden.

Kathy Echols, retired teacher of horticulture from DVC.