After another successful French Week this past December, I had the pleasure of sitting down and talking with Upper School French teacher and Modern Language Department Chair, Madame Davis. Madame Davis has taught French at Agnes Irwin for almost 40 years, and she instills her passion for learning in both her students and her co-workers.
Madame Davis was born in Clermont Ferrand, France and had lived in the Soviet Union and Cleveland before coming to Philadelphia. She attended Ohio University, where she earned her master’s degree in French, and she spent two years as a teaching assistant. Prior to teaching at Agnes Irwin, Madame Davis worked at the Miquon School and the Alliance Française.
Madame Davis’ passion for education has been present throughout her life. “I always liked teaching,” she comments, “But teaching French is my passion.” Her favorite part about teaching French is giving students new perspectives on the world. She loves to travel with her students on SSPs, and she works hard to create authentic trips which immerse students in the different cultures they encounter. In addition, she enjoys “French Week [and] incorporating students in the Middle and Upper School assemblies.” She recalls one of her favorite assemblies where students acted out a play which Madame Davis adapted from the story, Madeline Saved from Drowning. Madame Davis enjoyed “bringing language, culture, and history out of the classroom and sharing with the entire school community.”
In addition, Madame Davis appreciates the collaborative aspect of her job. She likes group work, and she remarks, “I am so fortunate to be part of a great team: the Modern Language Department… an enthusiastic, highly accomplished, innovative, and devoted group of colleagues!”
Madame Davis cherishes her time in the classroom with her students. She enjoys being innovative and experimenting in her lessons, and she loves to watch her students grow and progress in their French studies throughout their school years. In addition, she adds “it is always wonderful to hear from former students who have reached yet another notch of their understanding of Francophone culture and who are using their knowledge of French in their careers.”
Lastly, Madame Davis appreciates how her behavior in the classroom is very similar to her behavior at home. She reveals that she teaches the same values to her students as she does to her children, and there is not a “huge separation between her home and work behavior,” a quality one cannot find in many other jobs.
Furthermore, Madame Davis brings her passion for teaching outside of Agnes Irwin. Madame Davis was the president of the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Association of the Teachers of French (AATF) from 2011 to 2014. She then served as the Vice-President of the National Association of French Teachers from 2014 to 2020. She found these positions to be great opportunities to collaborate with teachers across the country and to serve in leadership roles. She expresses that these positions gave her “an inside view as to how info[rmation] is exchanged and accessed.” Aside from teaching, Madame Davis likes to garden, kayak, and cook.
Madame Davis encourages students to explore what interests them. She says not to “feel obliged to make quick decisions about future plans” but to “be open to various opportunities: and enjoy life!” She stresses the importance of relationships and urges us to value our families. Finally, Madame Davis advises, “If you want to be successful in life, work hard, be engaged, and move forward in your life journey with persistence, perseverance, and love!”
