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CPFMagazine_FALL2017_Vol5Issue1_eVERSION

A national network of volunteers, parents and stakeholders who value French as an integral part of Canada. CPF Magazine is dedicated to the promotion and creation of French-second-language learning opportunities for young Canadians.

A national network of volunteers, parents and stakeholders who value French as an integral part of Canada. CPF Magazine is dedicated to the promotion and creation of French-second-language learning opportunities for young Canadians.

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genuinely cares about you as a student. It’s the little things like<br />

her saying ‘good morning’ when she sees you in the hallways.<br />

Even when someone’s struggling in class and having a difficult<br />

time she never gives up on us! I can honestly say a lot of<br />

my peers respect Ms. Gromko. This is the first year where I<br />

truly felt I learned a lot in French class, and it’s all thanks<br />

to Ms. Gromko!”<br />

Kimberly Gromko<br />

Quebec<br />

Kimberly Gromko works in Pointe-Claire, QC and teaches French<br />

at Lindsay Place High School. Her career has spanned well over<br />

20 years and includes teaching tenures at the elementary, high<br />

school and university levels.<br />

Kimberly Gromko completed a Bachelor of Education at<br />

McGill University and has gone on to complete her Masters at<br />

the Université de Sherbrooke in Quebec.<br />

How did you choose teaching?<br />

How did you choose FSL education?<br />

My parents moved around between Quebec and Ontario a lot<br />

when I was growing up. Once we settled in Montreal’s East End<br />

my parents enrolled me and my sister into French – a decision<br />

that proved to be very beneficial for me, not only culturally but<br />

professionally as well.<br />

Being bilingual has afforded me a lot of amazing<br />

opportunities throughout my life and is what inspired me to<br />

become a FSL teacher. Being an Anglophone who decided to<br />

learn French by choice makes me an example to the students<br />

I work with. I want them to see what French has done for me<br />

and know that it can do the same for them too!<br />

What is your biggest challenge?<br />

I would have to say my biggest challenge is finding authentic<br />

situations in which the students can speak French. Full<br />

immersion in real life scenarios is the best way to learn<br />

and retain a new language, and is one of the reasons I try<br />

to facilitate learning opportunities outside the classroom.<br />

Ultimately though, this type of approach, while effective,<br />

can be challenging because of tight schedules and<br />

conflicting timetables.<br />

What would your students say about you?<br />

Ms. Gromko put one of her high school students, Sarim, on<br />

the phone. The student stated “She is the kind of teacher that<br />

What new projects or ideas do you want to implement next?<br />

What do you want to achieve?<br />

Textbook teaching isn’t the only way to learn French as a second<br />

language! I’m all about thinking outside the box. I want the<br />

students to be passionate about learning French, so next year,<br />

I will be implementing a new approach that allows students<br />

to demonstrate their reading, writing and oral competence by<br />

showcasing it through something that interests them, whether<br />

that might be science, math or art!<br />

If you could wave a magic wand and bring one improvement<br />

to the FSL program, what would that be?<br />

I would like to see learning be a student-led and -directed effort<br />

with teachers facilitating in the process. I think we need to<br />

trust our students more. They are amazing individuals and can<br />

accomplish wonderful things when given the proper supports<br />

and opportunity to do so! n<br />

5 weeks French immersion including<br />

Workshops & socio-cultural activities<br />

Home-stay (3 meals day)<br />

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by the Centre linguistique du Collège<br />

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6 Canadian Parents for French Vol 5 • Issue 1 • 2017

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