Interdisciplinarity and Professions in Teaching, Education, and Training [FDE]

– Begin preparing students who wish to take the elementary school teacher certification exam as early as their first year of their bachelor’s degree by guiding them toward master’s programs in elementary education (MEEF).

– To help students acquire the multidisciplinary and professional knowledge and skills essential for success on the entrance exam and in the practice of the profession.

– Solidify your career path toward a career as an elementary school teacher or reorient your career path toward various careers in education, training, youth programs, and community outreach.

Skill 1: Develop and practice critical thinking

Faced with the exponential growth of information in our contemporary societies, the multiplicity of sources, and the increasingly frequent manipulation of public opinion by some of these sources (conspiracy theories, “alternative facts,” various forms of dogmatism, etc.), and in the face of various forms of ready-made thinking, both universities and schools have a duty to educate citizens capable of maintaining a critical distance from information (images, facts, assertions, concepts, etc.) by questioning their relevance, contextualizing them, relating them to various frameworks, and taking their complexity into account. It is this critical distancing that enables the formation of a point of view and the production of a well-reasoned and substantiated judgment. Both its development and its practice thereby foster a process of subjectivation and emancipation.

Competency 2: Communicate Appropriately

Teaching and learning are also forms of communication. These acts of communication have become more complex today due to the cultural evolution of our societies, the multitude of communication methods and tools, the diversification of student populations, new approaches to teaching and learning, and so on…

Communicating effectively therefore requires the ability to take into account the specific contexts of given situations in order to understand and produce the appropriate forms of language. This involves becoming aware of the differences and discrepancies between how a message is received and how it is produced; drawing on the knowledge necessary to understand and produce the message; grasping and taking into account the issues at stake in each situation; and adapting the content conveyed to the skills, knowledge, and culture of the audience.

Competency 3: Utilizing Information

The proliferation of content and information sources—amplified by the speed of dissemination via the Internet and social media—requires, on the one hand, the ability to prioritize the constant flow of information in a systematic and reasoned manner; and, on the other hand, the ability to structure information by linking it to specific situations. These analytical and comprehension skills enable us to make informed decisions that facilitate the use and application of information.

Competency 4: Develop and exercise creativity

To address the changes taking place in our societies—such as the growing emphasis on self-actualization and the accelerating pace of change in both professional and daily life—we must create the conditions necessary for the development and formation of a unique individual capable of inventing, discovering, and achieving.

Exercising creativity means looking at a situation or context in a new light. By exploring a range of possibilities in a given situation and developing a different relationship to norms and standards, individuals can simultaneously expand into imaginary and symbolic realms, transform their relationship with the world, and influence it.

Competency 5: Problem Solving

The 20th century and the industrial era were primarily characterized by Fordism and Taylorism—that is, by the division of labor, automation, and the routinization of work tasks. In schools, too, the same ideology of repetition has long dominated the concept of learning.

Today, the world of work and schools are changing in tandem. High-level cognitive processes are increasingly called upon in both spheres: reasoning, adapting to new situations, generating creative and non-routine responses, etc.

Problem-solving helps develop these processes by encouraging students to analyze and examine the complex situations they face, devise a variety of possible solutions, test different approaches, and learn through trial and error. It promotes flexible cognitive functioning as well as an open, non-dogmatic approach to knowledge.

Competency 6: Develop a nonviolent relationship with oneself, others, and the group

Valuing oneself, having self-confidence, not putting oneself down, and loving oneself are essential to living a fulfilling life. It is also crucial for finding one’s place in society, especially since relationships with others or within a group can sometimes be marred by violence and lead to conflicts that undermine the quality of those relationships. It is therefore important, whether within a group or in interactions between groups, to be able to engage in and accept the exchange and sharing of ideas.

Everyone must be able to enjoy freedom of information and freedom of expression, while respecting pluralism and the principle of neutrality. This commits individuals to a peaceful and compassionate relationship with one another, in which conflicts—which are inevitable among people with different personalities—must remain opportunities to develop solutions tailored to each other’s needs.

Developing this skill allows us to be more respectful of differences and to foster openness toward those who are different from us.

Competency 7: Cooperate and Work as a Team

The ability to work as part of a team, to identify and build partnerships, and to be open to others’ perspectives has become an important skill in many professions. To this end, cooperation is the preferred approach because it allows everyone to enhance their skills. The goal, therefore, is to identify and understand the conditions for cooperative work and its advantages, particularly in comparison to competition, even though the two approaches remain complementary.

It will still involve developing projects, implementing them, and negotiating them collectively: these are important factors in an individual’s socialization.

 Competency 8: Developing Effective Work Methods

“Elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and institutions of higher education are responsible for imparting and helping students acquire knowledge and study skills.” With this statement, as early as 1989, lawmakers placed the transmission of knowledge and that of study skills on an equal footing. The effectiveness of study methods is therefore a key factor in learning and success. Organizing one’s work, planning it methodically, and managing one’s time—even if these methods can be developed empirically, systems must be designed to allow everyone to test their validity and effectiveness.

Furthermore, examining one’s own methods in light of the results they produce, comparing them to other possible choices made by others in similar situations, and adjusting one’s own work methods accordingly allows for their development and increased efficiency. This methodological self-reflection, fueled by a thoughtful comparison with the methods of others, serves as a powerful tool for improving one’s own work methods.

In Semester 4, there are two options:

-Spend a semester abroad at partner universities that offer courses related to teaching, education, and training.

OR

-Complete internships at schools abroad and at educational, cultural, or social institutions and organizations in France. At the same time, students must study a foreign language during an intensive language course.