The French program at Tualatin High School (TuHS) has been updated since Madame Diane Leebrick retired last year. Now, Spanish and French teacher Lisa Rand is tasked with teaching four levels of French with two levels in one period.

We caught up with her to establish a deeper understanding of how the classes work with multiple levels at once.

How do you feel about teaching multiple levels of French at once?

“While a split level isn’t optimal, it’s doable and we’re working it out. The students have been awesome with sharing their needs and what’s working for them, and together we’re making it work. “The students are amazing, and it’s good to have challenges to see what you can do.”

How long have you been speaking French and when did you learn?

“My mom spoke some French, so I heard a bit of it growing up. I took it in college, and I went to school in France. I met my husband in Paris and got married in Paris. I have more advanced schooling in Spanish. I picked up French more from speaking it, and occasionally have to double-check myself when it comes to written French.”

What have been some challenges with teaching French this year so far?

“The biggest challenge is time, because it is a big shift. But I’m excited to see where it’s going, and it will take some time to put it all together. I think it’s challenging for [students] to have a new person come in, and I think people are making the shift pretty well. Every language has its cool stuff, but French has got its food, art, architecture and philosophers, such as Jean Paul Sartre, who said, ‘Existence precedes essence.’