INTERVIEW WITH AN ENGLISH TEACHER: Anne Desgranges

How did you get started teaching English?

I got started in the Peace Corps teaching English in a secondary school in Gabon.

How long have you been teaching OR did you teach English as Second or Foreign Language?

Around 40 years.

In which countries did you teach English? Can you compare your experiences between them/ some of them? Which experience was the most interesting? Safest? Most dangerous? Dearest to your heart?

Anne in front of Sorbonne – Paris, France

I’ve taught in Gabon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, France, and the USA.

All of them were interesting, varied, and valuable experiences.

Gabon: It was my first time teaching (in the French school system); I valued learning about and appreciating both Gabonese and French cultures;

DRC: I worked in the Belgian school system with its wonderful English books in a variety of schools located in areas of conflict and post-independence. I have fond memories of teaching Frost and Shakespeare, which the students willingly memorized.

Côte d’Ivoire: I taught in private and public secondary schools using excellent French English books. The highlight of my professional career was my time as a professor at the university’s Teacher Training College. There, I trained and supervised high school English teachers for the whole country.

France: I remember helping graduate students with their readings/research in English while working as a Teaching Assistant in psychology at the Sorbonne, Paris.

USA: I taught ESL, creative writing, and contemporary thought at Phillips Academy, Andover, MA, ESL at Harvard University, and ESL at several language schools in the DC/VA area.

What’s the most enjoyable/rewarding part about teaching ESL (abroad; domestically)?

It is most rewarding to see the effects of teaching: broadening students’ horizons and providing them with skills to undertake studies in an English-speaking country.

What’s the hardest/ most challenging part about teaching ESL (abroad; domestically)?

The most challenging aspect is tailoring one’s teaching to students’ cultures.

What are your favorite topics or skills to teach?

Writing, advanced grammar, literature, and translation

How much time do you invest in preparing for classes?

2-4 hours for a 4 hour class

If you could give any piece of advice to a person thinking about getting into ESL or EFL, what would it be?

Develop your skills in empathy, patience, and adaptation. It would also help to be proficient in English grammar!