‘What I am is what I am (are you what you are or what?)’ - Edie Brickell - 1988
Originally from Central France, at the gateway to the Loire Valley, I completed my higher education in Lille, Northern France, where, after studying business and marketing, I obtained a Master's degree in Communication & Media in 1993.
My professional life began in the event industry before quickly redirecting towards the insurance sector where I managed a portfolio of B2B clients. At the same time, I took drama classes before later joining a theatre company.
Moving to London in the early 2000s, I completed and obtained a Diploma in Drama, Theatre and Acting, followed by an MA in Directing in Theatre. While I was there, I also took advantage of this time to study (and practice) 16mm film production and then short-term therapy in Paris, where I obtained a certificate as a practitioner in Ericksonian Communication.
Along the way, I produced and directed/staged a few short films, music videos, and theatre productions, in which I sometimes acted. I was also involved in productions for other companies and events as well as being an extra for major motion pictures such as Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes, War horses...
To supplement my income, teaching quickly became an obvious choice: teaching drama and public speaking in workshops, first, and then in high schools.
Having always been driven by a thirst for learning and discovery, I selfishly thought at the very beginning that my time spent teaching would be time I wouldn't spend learning or doing more interesting things, when in fact, it's quite the opposite! I've never learned so much about others, about concepts, and about myself as I have from teaching!
I gradually moved away from drama to devote myself solely to teaching French - although I am sometimes involved in a one-off media project or simply run a drama workshop if the opportunity arises.
So, since 2002, I have been engaged in...
…preparing students for their exams: GCSE, A-Level, Degree in French, or with French language work in companies, by teaching groups or managing courses to prepare them for the DELF/DALF, the DFP (Business French; Health; International Relations) in various specialised sectors as:
· banking (SG, Crédit Agricole, BNP, Crédit Suisse, JP Morgan, HSBC, IKB, etc.),
· insurance (Heuler Hermes, AXA, etc.),
· media (Channel 5, ITV, Warner Bros., Universal, etc.),
· law firms (Norton Rose, Slaughter & May, etc.),
· and large corporations such as EMA, EDF Energy, Coca-Cola and many others.
... teaching French in high schools or as a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Westminster and then at the UK Defence Academy, Shrivenham to prepare students for the UK Ministry of Defence’s Multi-Level Assessment (MOD MLA), having served as an examiner for this exam, with the language skills assessed in accordance with the NATO STANAG 6001.
...supporting managers, diplomats, and high-ranking British military officers to prepare them culturally and linguistically for their missions in embassies worldwide and, potentially, for their exams (MOD MLA, DELF/DALF, Business French, etc.).
… designing and delivering a week intensive (6 hours a day every day) training programs for corporate individuals and groups of (young) adults…
... designing and delivering intensive 20/30-week (6 hours a day every day) training programs for groups of adult beginners, at the end of which they would reach the Intermediate/Upper-Intermediate/Advanced level in French.
…accompanying groups of adults in France on cultural and linguistic trips (the Wine Route) and also participating in “Let's Release the Toxins!” sporting challenges…
…preparing, coaching and supporting learners for expatriation or for very specific assignments such as purchasing real estate, job interviews or admission to a French-speaking school/university; work on scripts, rehearse professional or personal speeches (weddings etc.) or more unexpected textual requests (here, I ask you to use your imagination!) …
…running pronunciation and voice techniques workshops for students and secondary school French teachers …
All of these wide and challenging experiences have contributed to shaping the teacher I have become.
Being a teacher means demonstrating empathy and intellectual honesty, constantly questioning and adapting oneself, and finally, creating an environment that fosters the desire to learn and progress.
Teaching also means receiving a daily dose of humility. First, a little thought for the novice learner who, at the beginning of their learning, is as technically capable - sometimes less so - as a 4-year-old native, but also and especially for myself, because I work alongside learners who, for the vast majority of them, have achieved remarkable if not exceptional missions during their careers and who know much more than I do in many fields (perhaps not in French - let's not exaggerate though!).
Finally, in 2021, I obtained the DET which validated the 18-month teaching course that teaches teachers how to teach! Fascinating, isn’t it?
Thus, I comply with the DET Code of Conduct & Ethic [summary here] and am able to show on request an updated DBS paper Certificate.
To conclude this bio, I'll add that in everything I do or have done, I have always been driven by the desire to produce and achieve the best; it's my pride!
À très bientôt,
Christophe