Le Bac

Today begins the Bac, or Baccalaureat, which is the deadly end of high school test that all French kids across the country take this wk. As an American, and trained to be a teacher in America, I can say that I categorically have many many issues with the whole Bac process. It is tracking at its finest, narrow-minded, totally arbitrary, non-cumulative, tests only one kind of learning style/intelligence (aka Howard Gardner), and is a make or break for life.
Of course the kids that I give lessons to will all pass, because any parent who goes the extra mile to get private lessons for their kids in general have kids who will not fail the Bac.
Here is Thomas, my student. He'll be 18 in the fall. When I started with him he was 11 years old. He is the dream student. He is my surrogate nephew in France. He goes to the best (public) high school in Nice (because his parents lie about their address to get him in), and is in the best "track", which is Science/Math. Even if it isn't what you want to do with your life, that is the track to be in in high school, because that, according to public opinion (and every teacher I know) is where the "smart" kids are. Which is not true as I know many lovely individuals in the "L" track - literature.
Anyways, good luck Thomas. As I said to him last week at our last lesson, the question isn't will he pass or fail, the question is how high will he score. I am sorry to say that there are thousands of French kids out there who are not in such a comfortable position today as they enter into this barbarian testing system, which I hope to god my daughter will never have to be subject to.