Comments from Clients
"It all went like clockwork..."
Dear Merryn
I am horrified at how long it has taken me to reach the point of writing to you to thank you for the great talks you gave the students the other week. As an ex-teacher you will remember how it gets at the end of a semester!
But, most sincerely, thank you. The students still comment and use remarks you made, and the senior students who were there really appreciated your time. The person who benefitted most was myself, I think. In bad moments of senior language teaching I find myself wondering if I am talking into a glass tunnel with no-one on the outside, just shadows and shapes! And you made me feel as if there were people on the other side, and I was actually talking sense
as I encourage kids to do LOTE despite the problems at HSC level.
Please let me use you again! You were wonderful.
Yours, Marion
More examples
You can follow the link to read a recent trip evaluation from an adult group. Teachers who went on a tour of Greece.
Take these links to assortsed reports.
Caringbah German Journey: Marist College Blogspot:
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Clonard Schools report on France
Francetastique!
Our inaugural trip to France 2005 was a resounding success. 17 intense days saw a whirlwind of activities, tastes, language and new experiences. Paris and l’Ile de France wooed us all with exceptional weather, friendly welcomes and unforgettable sights.
We are indebted to and would like to warmly acknowledge the outstanding support of our travel agent ‘Passport Travel’, both here in Australia and France. Equally significant, was the close co-operation of the three supervising staff members, Mesdames Lindquist, Lyon and Waller who ensured a safe and memorable tour. Last but not least, is the way in which the students themselves rose so admirably to the occasion; they were exemplary ambassadors to Clonard and indeed Australia! Behind the scenes, we gratefully thank the parents who prepared their daughters in every possible way to ensure a happy and successful France Tour.
Bravo to all and, as we say in French, Bonne Continuation!
France: a trip of a lifetime!
We have just returned from a ‘trip of a lifetime’ to France. Three teachers, Madame Lyon, Mrs. Waller and myself accompanied 12 outstanding Australian/Clonard ambassadors on a 15-day trip to La Belle France. After a very long plane flight, we hit the ground running and made the most of the clear blue sky of Paris by climbing the Eiffel Tower and taking a bus trip to orient ourselves in Paris.
Of the ‘Top 10’ sights in Paris, no stone was left unturned. We walked, metroed and trained to the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, Sacré Coeur, Notre Dame, Musée d’Orsay, etc…all the time soaking up the surrounds, sampling a range of ‘street’ cuisine and noting the beauty of stately buildings. We welcomed the respite of country France with a bus journey through winding streets of villages in the Loire Valley and then to the more solemn Somme district. We visited the castles of Chenonceau and Chambord, Leonardo da Vinci’s house, the War Memorials and the school paid for by Victorian children.
Homestay awaited us on our return to Paris. The experiences, as with all homestays were varied, but our girls were praised highly by their host families. To crown the sightseeing ‘must do’s’, only Versailles and Disneyland awaited us in the last days of the trip…and what a treat! And there was the National Strike Day…just to make it even more French!
Highlights…too many to list but the visit to Lycée Honoré de Balzac (a Parisian highschool with 2,500 students), meeting the Aussie dancing girls at Moulin Rouge and hot chocolate at Angélina’s would certainly rate a mention. And… language acquisition… Many students blossomed in this regard during their homestay while others chose to repeat key phrases on a daily basis in shops, at the station etc. By being immersed in the language through television, household conversations, railroad announcements and billboards has given the girls renewed confidence to tackle classroom tasks.
I would like to publicly thank Madame Lyon for her invaluable leadership during the trip-she opened many doors for us and guaranteed an extra special time for us all. As well, I must thank the beautiful girls we travelled with. They supported one another as family, were attentive to our requests and maintained their enthusiasm despite being occasionally homesick and tired.
Merci et Bravo à ‘zéro, un, deux,…
Abbey BERNARD
Celestine BETTIOL
Elizabeth DOYLE
Lauren HILL
Claire JOHNSTONE
Annie-Rose MALONEY
Samantha McCARTHY
Charlotte McGLINCHEY
Paula PANETTA
Kristina TEMELKOVSKA
Catherine WATSON
Louis SULLY
Finally, thank you to Mrs. Waller for being an extra ‘pair of hands’. She kept us entertained. It was and will remain a very special experience where many life skills were learnt. And it must be said, although it was a 10/10 experience, it was indeed wonderful to arrive back in Melbourne, safe and sound.
Madame Lindquist