Cara Strachan Awarded French Government Teaching Assistantship

Cara Strachan believes conversations bring people together. This fall, she will have the opportunity to share that philosophy with children in France. As recipient of the French Government's Teaching Assistantship award, Strachan will teach English to elementary level students in Provence. Originally from Rye, New Hampshire, Strachan graduated magna cum laude from Wheaton College with a major in psychology and a minor in French studies.

It was her summer working with autistic children that drew Strachan to teaching. After returning from a semester abroad in France, she took a teaching position in a program for children with autism, behavioral disorders, and developmental disabilities. Her experience changed her. "It was so rewarding to see the students' progress and to have a hands-on role in their growth. I had never really considered teaching before this internship, but now I know that I want to work in a school environment," she said in her application.

Through her own experiences, Strachan came to realize conversational dialogue is the key to making connections between people and cultures. She hopes to develop innovative and engaging lessons using music, films and idiomatic expressions. As her year in France will focus on teaching English to French speaking children, she will use these tools to help make connections through a curriculum based on conversational language–perhaps through an English café model. "This would be a good, informal space to have a cultural dialogue about misconceptions of French and American culture," she said.

While at Wheaton, Strachan volunteered at several community organizations including an internship with the Department of Social Services in Attleboro and Hope Crisis International. She spent a week in Biloxi Mississippi volunteering with the recovery effort after Hurricane Katrina. She is the president and founder of the first Wheaton Field Hockey Club.

French Government English teaching assistantships are awarded directly through the French Ministry of Education. Upon her return to the U.S., Strachan intends to pursue graduates studies in international education.