Marshfield —
Bob Courchesne’s classroom at Furnace Brook Middle School showcases his passion for language and international flair.
The colorful posters, globes and messages in foreign words provide the atmosphere for middle school students, and Courchesne said is interest in other cultures reaches far beyond the school day.
“I am the same person inside the classroom as I am when I leave,” he said.
Courchesne recently announced his plans to retire from Furnace Brook after 35 years teaching languages in the Marshfield Public School system. He said today’s America has become very “Anglicized.”
“After three generations, a foreign language disappears in the home,” he said. “It is important for today’s use to understand this so they will see other languages besides English as valuable.”
Born in the French district of Worcester, Courchesne spoke no English during the early part of his childhood. As the son of immigrants, he was raised in a neighborhood segregated by language and culture. The French quarters were self-contained, with a church, school and five-and-dime store nearby, leaving no reason for residents to venture outside of the immediate region.
His education led him to more diverse educational programs in Worcester and eventually in Minnesota. As his love of language flourished, he discovered a passion and talent for theater. During times spent combining his two interests, Courchesne participated in diction, stage direction, drama, stagecraft and performance while overseeing various well-known plays from George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” to Jean-Paul Sartre’s “No Exit.” Radio broadcasting was also among his endeavors.
A brief time teaching junior college in the Worcester area preceded his arrival in Marshfield, where he began instructing young learners and infusing a community with an appreciation of language.
“I consider myself a linguist,” he said. “With the students I try to impart a love of language, an appreciation of other cultures and the awareness that every language that exists has a purpose.”
Courchesne was part of the frontier of modern instruction when he participated in “team teaching” in the mid-1970s. He and his colleagues saw the value of combining modern language with art and history.
“One of the greatest rewards of teaching is witnessing young learners as they develop language skills and watching them grow,” he said. “An advantage to being in the same place for a long time is that I get to see how former students evolve. I have colleagues who were students and students whose parents were in my class. The continuity and value of having deep community roots is unmatched.”
The colorful posters, globes and messages in foreign words provide the atmosphere for middle school students, and Courchesne said is interest in other cultures reaches far beyond the school day.
“I am the same person inside the classroom as I am when I leave,” he said.
Courchesne recently announced his plans to retire from Furnace Brook after 35 years teaching languages in the Marshfield Public School system. He said today’s America has become very “Anglicized.”
“After three generations, a foreign language disappears in the home,” he said. “It is important for today’s use to understand this so they will see other languages besides English as valuable.”
Born in the French district of Worcester, Courchesne spoke no English during the early part of his childhood. As the son of immigrants, he was raised in a neighborhood segregated by language and culture. The French quarters were self-contained, with a church, school and five-and-dime store nearby, leaving no reason for residents to venture outside of the immediate region.
His education led him to more diverse educational programs in Worcester and eventually in Minnesota. As his love of language flourished, he discovered a passion and talent for theater. During times spent combining his two interests, Courchesne participated in diction, stage direction, drama, stagecraft and performance while overseeing various well-known plays from George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” to Jean-Paul Sartre’s “No Exit.” Radio broadcasting was also among his endeavors.
A brief time teaching junior college in the Worcester area preceded his arrival in Marshfield, where he began instructing young learners and infusing a community with an appreciation of language.
“I consider myself a linguist,” he said. “With the students I try to impart a love of language, an appreciation of other cultures and the awareness that every language that exists has a purpose.”
Courchesne was part of the frontier of modern instruction when he participated in “team teaching” in the mid-1970s. He and his colleagues saw the value of combining modern language with art and history.
“One of the greatest rewards of teaching is witnessing young learners as they develop language skills and watching them grow,” he said. “An advantage to being in the same place for a long time is that I get to see how former students evolve. I have colleagues who were students and students whose parents were in my class. The continuity and value of having deep community roots is unmatched.”
Read more: Bob Courchesne retiring after 35 years - Marshfield, MA - Marshfield Mariner http://www.wickedlocal.com/marshfield/archive/x13260103/Bob-Courchesne-retiring-after-35-years#ixzz1G83sB7QJ
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