Carolyn Fisk

Administrator of Le Grand Concours National French Contest

Carolyn has been the Administrator of            Le Grand Concours / National French Contest for the American Association of Teachers of French Minnesota Chapter since 2010.

Carolyn's story
 

Bonjour.

I have been Administratrice du Grand Concours Minnesota since 2010. I am now retired from teaching French after 42 years at Lake Country Montessori School in Minneapolis. I taught all ages, three years olds though 8th grade, at various times throughout my career, always in mixed grade levels. My junior high students all took the Grand Concours every year!

I began my study of French in 9th grade in Roseville, Minnesota and fell in love with the language because of a fabulous teacher, Carolynn Johnson. I continued French at the University of Minnesota, graduating with a BA in French Language and Culture, summa cum laude. Two years later I graduated with a BS in Foreign Language Education, K -12, also from the University of Minnesota. 

I had an opportunity to spend close to a year in France and Switzerland. I took classes at the Alliance Française in Paris and later, enrolled at the Université de Lausanne. I traveled extensively in France during that time, falling in love with all of its unique regions. I brought my love of all that is French back to my students in Minnesota. Over the years, la Francophonie became a major focus of my teaching with emphasis on Martinique, Québec and l'Afrique.  I was fortunate to work with 21 Amity Interns from 1994 till retirement. 

In 2010, I took on the Administrator role for the Grand Concours Minnesota from Beth Alto. I have enjoyed organizing the Grand Concours Awards Breakfast in May, which celebrates the success in French of our Minnesota students.

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