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-ÉDITO“J'ACCUSE …” EAB, located on a street named after the major critic of suppression through newspapers, should have a newspaper that addresses ideas, stories and news that evoke something in the school's society. We, as editors, are proud to have produced an edition in the name of Emile Zola. In this publication, we have included a set of articles that surely will make you question your daily life at our school – hopefully living up to Zola's articles a couple decades ago. The editors-in-chief would like to thank the team for an amazing edition. Enjoy!
“I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death the right for you to make a fool of yourself” - Oscar Wilde !
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In ! this Spring Edition of LE BILINGUE… ! !
DOES COLLEGE REALLY MATTER? RETHINKING UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
PAGES 4–7 ! CELL PHONE ADDICTION ! MUCH IS TOO MUCH? HOW
! ! ! MONSIEUR AUQUIER ! ! IBETAIN ET PROF DE LETTRES ! ! ! ! SURVEILLANTS AND YOU ! ! STRUGGLE OF POWER THE ! ! ! FLASHBACK: OSCAR SEASON ! OUR ! THOUGHTS ! ! ! THE (IL)LEGITIMACY OF THE SAT ! ELITIST? RIDICULOUS? ! ! ! ! DEPRESSION AND MUSIC ! CHANGING THE CANVAS ! ! ! THE ! FACE BEHIND THE VOICE LE !BILINGUE: SOME OF OUR FACES
PAGES 8–9
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P A G E S 10 – 12
P A G E S 13 - 15
P A G E S 16 - 17
P A G E S 18 – 19
P A G E S 20 – 22
P A G E 23
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ubmerged by homework, trying to keep up with extracurricular activities, we strive to have a life matching our perspective and interests, a balance between work and leisure – and always keeping in mind university expectations.
have professors with stronger research backgrounds, state school professors are, on average, as good at actually teaching (if not better). Top academic scholars don’t necessarily make the best teachers. One could argue that having elite academicians is more important in graduate school – after all, what is the use of having a Nobel Prize winning physicist teach a Physics 101 course?
Starting from Seconde, our lives seem to begin revolving around university matters – conversations increasingly mention the subject, to which we start dedicating more and more time; we place a greater emphasis on grades; and have to make choices concerning the planning of our free time. But why are we trying so hard? The purpose of this article is not to shake the foundations of our existence – but do universities determine the unfolding of our professional carriers? Does it really matter what university you attend? The answer is more complex than a clear-cut statement.
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Getting into top-ranked, widely-known universities seems paramount for most of us; however some universities are especially good for one subject, which won’t be reflected in the overall rankings. To take a few examples, in the United Kingdom, the University of Bath in England and the Scottish University of St Andrews rank highly in business & management courses, well above notorious colleges such as LSE, UCL or King’s College London. In the US, Amherst College and Bates College are ranked by higher educational professionals in the top choice for pre-med programs; American University (Washington DC) and Beloit College are ranked first as colleges with excellent political science programs, above the prestigious schools of Harvard, Stanford and Princeton.
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Yes – of course going to an elite school matters. Prestigious university offers high name recognition, offering job opportunities and connections with elite students. Elite universities are able to recruit high-qualified faculty members, often celebrities in their fields of study. Students are therefore given the opportunity to work with experts, which may help them attend prestigious graduate school.
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Did you know that the American government made $41.3 billion in profit on student loans? Is it fair for the US government to make money off students who could be then crushed in the future by debt?
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However, students can only gain these benefits if their courses are taught by professors; but most elite schools rely on teacher’s assistants and graduate research assistants to teach introductory classes.
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In addition, a lot of employers are interested in what you have done outside of university – internships and placements
Most universities are taught by highly qualified professors – while elite institutions !
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will help you learn more about your chosen field and help you build your CV, which becomes useful when looking for a job.
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Going to elite institutions is therefore not the only path one can take – it certainly boosts at first your chances of employment in the most prestigious firms, but there are countless other opportunities ahead. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, were college dropouts – which could indicate, without wanting to sound tedious, what university you go to doesn’t count – it's about what you do with what you have.
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Attending prestigious universities may actually have a negative impact of accepted students, faced with the challenge of competing in classrooms full of equally bright students. Depending on one’s personality, it can prove itself enriching or extremely disturbing. Prestigious universities are notoriously challenging; and if you are considering attending graduate school, your GPA might be higher in a less competitive college, enabling access to the most prestigious graduate schools.
© Bryan Goldberg
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In an attempt to relieve the stress and anxiety emanating from the subjects of university and our future: !
© TripAdvisor!
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Have you considered taking a gap year?!
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f starting university right after 13 years of school just isn’t your thing don’t worry, you aren’t alone. Many students worldwide decide to take a gap year, away from courses, homework and the stress of education by travelling around the world, looking for fun, work experience, or exotic lovers. If you are considering such an adventure you should be informed about the choices gap year students have been making ever since this trend became popular. The two paths undertaken by these fearless men and women are focused on exploring, yet they take rather different forms. If you are a sporty and adventurous type you could opt for an intense and demanding itinerary exploring different countries and cultures. However if you don’t feel like wrestling your way around train stations dragging a bag around, you could opt for a more sedentary gap year, consisting of a prolonged stay in a particular foreign country, as to assimilate the language
and the culture population.
of
the
native
Whatever choice you make it will certainly be a hit. I was told by Louis, an English gap year student in Australia, that taking a gap year “was possibly the best idea (he) ever had”. He decided to leave the dreary English countryside for a far more exotic southern hemisphere location, where he found a job as a surfing instructor and lifeguard on the famous Bondi beach in Sydney. Although you may not have a similar surfing ability as him, finding a job in other parts of the world is actually relatively easier than finding employment in our crisisstricken part of the world. So why not give it a chance? Your memories of such an adventure will accompany you for the rest of your dreary work days and make you a more interesting person, together with providing you with vital life skills that our education system doesn’t teach you, like paying taxes and preparing your own food.
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HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH ? CELL PHONE ADDICTIONS !
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ometimes a cell phone can feel like an extra limb or a non-stop itch. It’s always there, in your back pocket or tucked in your purse, and you can rely on it for just about everything. Want to chat with your friends or get help with a tricky math problem? There’s an app for that. What about if you’re in need of a flashlight or even a mustache? Well, there’s an app for those things too. With cell phones replacing more and more tools and appliances, it’s not hard to see why having one has become such a universal norm. We teenagers, having grown up and matured at almost the same pace, if not slower, than technology, are especially reliant on our “extra limbs”. So what happens when it all gets to be too much? When Flappy Bird, Tumblr and Instagram start devouring your precious free time and take over your life, it could be time to admit there’s a problem and turn the phone off. Unfortunately, it’s not usually that easy. According to a study by Kent State University researchers in Ohio, teens and college students glued to their cell phones are more
anxious, stressed, and do worse in school than those who know when to put them away. After sending over a hundred texts and watching hours of video a day, they come home worn out and unmotivated to do homework and school projects. They feel as though they have to reply to their friends’ texts, because they don’t want to hurt their feelings but also because they’re scared of hurting themselves socially. 4 out of 5 teens even sleep with their phones, ready to check for updates at any hour of the night. No wonder “I’m so tired” is the sentence you hear most often during the school day. Cell phones aren’t all bad though - sometimes studies and tests seem to overlook how much technology has changed our lives for better and not just for worse. Most adults have a hard time understanding that teens use their phones to connect with their peers socially, and not only to disappear into games and videos. Today, the social scene is much different that it was 30 or more years ago when our parents were kids. We need to talk to each other more often than just during the school day, when classes and stress get in the way of our interactions, and now, thanks to cell phones, we can. Calling classes interferences might seem a bit skewed, but isn’t it true that social interaction and conversation are some of the most
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important skills learned at school? After all, these are the tools we’ll use later in life, much more than, say, quadratic equations. It only makes sense that teens continue these important conversations even when not together, through Facebook and texting and who knows what else. The problem only begins when these conversations lead to hours upon hours of stress and distraction that can take away from other essential aspects of a healthy and happy life. After polling our classmates, we learnt that 16% of 2nde students claimed to spend between 3 and 6 hours on their phones, and that 80% use their phone primarily for texting and social media. Those are six hours that could be spent exercising, reading, sleeping, or even just reflecting on their day and their lives in general. Social interaction is important, but is it important enough that we should allow it to consume all other aspects of our existence? As we learn to abbreviate in text language and spend endless hours on small screens, are we hindering our capacity for creativity? Will the
“One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man.” - Elbert Hubbard !
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3 hours we spend on our phones prevent new Oscar Wildes and Shakespeares to be born?
Cell phones are so new that it’s difficult to know how to effectively use them or how to control our relationship with them. We have no past model to look back on and learn from. We are the pioneers of the tech age, and it is up to us to navigate our ways through uncharted waters. It would be easy to suggest moderation in cell phone use or to present a cautionary tale about the crippling effect of addiction. But, in such uncharted waters, how can we truly tell what moderation is? In twenty years, our children might be hooked up to their cell phones at all times, living their lives completely through the screens of futuristic technology that can even breathe and eat for them. Would that be addiction? Or would we simply call that the new normal? We guess only time will tell.
“I fear the day that technology will surpass human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.” - Albert Einstein !
Professeur( de( français( apprécié( de( ses( élèves,( passionné( par( le( théâtre( et( le( bouddhisme,( pianiste( à( ses( heures( perdues( ou( encore( cuisinier( peu( reconnu(?( Frédéric( Auquier( nous( semble( bien( être( tout( cela…( et( encore( plus(!( Nous( avons( eu( la( chance( de( pouvoir( interviewer( ce( fameux( professeur( de( lettres,( au( style( élégant,( bien( que( subtilement(excentrique(dans(sa(sobriété( asiatique.( M.( Auquier,( le( professeur( le( mieux( habillé( de( Bilingue(!( Depuis( septembre( 2006,( Frédéric( Auquier,( qui( enseigne( cette( année( en( classe( d’adaptation,( de( première( L( et( de( première( IB( Littérature,( transmet( à( ses( élèves( de( l’EABJM( l’amour( des( lettres( et( des(arts. Il( était( alors( naturel( que( nous( voulions( absolument( savoir( ce( qui( se( trouve( derrière( ce( personnage( à( l’humour( pudique( et( acidulé.( Nous( avons( donc( décidé( de( l’interviewer.( Il( nous( a( très( gentiment( consacré( une( heure( de( son( emploi( du( temps( singulièrement( rempli( pour( nous( permettre( d’en( savoir( un( peu( plus(sur(lui.( ! Où# étiez)vous# avant# d’arriver# à# l’EABJM#?## Avant(d’arriver(à(l’école,(j’ai(passé(un(an( en( Nouvelle( Ecosse,( sur( Cape( Breton( Island.( Avant( cela,( j’enseignais( dans( un( lycée(de(Nogent(sur(Marne.(( (
Depuis# combien# de# temps# êtes)vous# dans#le#métier#?## J’ai(commencé(à(enseigner(assez(tôt(à(21( ou( 22( ans,( je( ne( sais( plus( très( bien…( en( tout( cas,( je( me( souviens( avoir( eu( des( élèves( plus( âgés( que( moi,( parce( qu’il( s’agissait( de( classes( de( BTS( et( certains( des( élèves( avaient( sans( doute( redoublé( une(classe.(C’était(à(la(fois(intéressant(et( amusant(pour(moi.(( ( Est)ce# que# vous# saviez# d’emblée# que# vous#vouliez#travailler#dans#l’éducation#?## Ah( non( pas( du( tout(!( Je( suis( vraiment( admiratif( des( élèves( qui( savent( ce( qu’ils( veulent( faire( quand( ils( ont( seize( ans.( Quand( j’étais( petit,( je( voulais( être( pianiste(!(( ( Que#pensez)vous#de#la#question#de#la#vie# privée# des# professeurs#?# Quelles# limites# un# professeur# doit)il# poser# face# à# ses# élèves#?# Hmm…( vous( voulez( savoir( si( les( professeurs( ont( une( vie(privée( ?( Non( évidemment,( ils( n’ont( pas( de( vie( en( dehors( de( l’école…( ils( n’ont( pas( d’existence(en(dehors(de(l’école…((rires)( Non,( plus( sérieusement,( la( question( des( limites( est( importante.( C’est( à( mon( sens( au( professeur( de( savoir( quelles( limites( poser,(plus(qu’à(l’élève,(parce(que(l’élève( est( supposé( être( moins( conscient( de( ce( que( sont( ces( limites.( C’est( donc( au( pro^ fesseur( d’essayer( avec( humour,( intelli^
gence( et( finesse( de( faire( comprendre( quand( certaines( limites( ne( doivent( pas( être(dépassées.(( ( Vous#êtes)vous#donné#des#limites#?## Franchement,( si( votre( question( fait( référence( au( fait( de( partager( ou( non( ce( que( je( vis( dans( la( sphère( privé,( je( ne( pense( pas( que( ma( vie( privée( soit( aussi( excitante(que(cela(pour(les(élèves.(Mais,( je( ne( pense( pas( qu’on( puisse( vivre( en( tant( que( professeur( ou( en( tant( qu’homme,( simplement,( en( se( disant( qu’on(cache(quelque(chose(aux(élèves(ou( à( qui( que( ce( soit.( Il( s’agit( plutôt( de( l’espace( qui( est( créé( entre( le( professeur( et(les(élèves,(et(c’est(cet(espace(qui(doit( être( respecté.( C’est( le( grand( mot( à( la( mode( aujourd’hui(:( «(le( respect( de( la( vie( privée(».(Il(s’agit(juste(pourtant(de(laisser( la( possibilité( de( laisser( l’autre( exister( dans( tout( ce( qu’il( a( de( personnel.( Je( pense( que( la( vie( privée( des( professeurs( n’a( aucun( intérêt( pour( les( élèves…( Par( exemple,( j’aime( le( chocolat,( ça( n’est( pas( un(secret.(Vous(le(savez(sans(doute,(mes( collègues( le( savent,( mes( proches( le( savent.(Et(ça(n’a(pas(vraiment(d’intérêt(!( Cependant,( ce( serait( terrible( de( me( dire( que( je( me( cache( de( mes( élèves.( Si( par( exemple,(je((
( me( promène( le( dimanche,( ça( ne( me( viendrait( pas( à( l’idée( de( changer( de( trottoir(en(voyant(un(élève(arriver(face(à( moi.(Ça(ne(veut(pas(pour(autant(dire(que( je(vais(me(mettre(à(raconter(toute(ma(vie.( Pas(tant(parce(que(ça(ne(se(fait(pas,(mais( plutôt(parce(que(ça(n’a(finalement(aucun( intérêt(pour(les(élèves.(( ( Quelle# est# votre# position#sur# le# fait# de# partager# ses# idées# politiques# ou# ses# croyances#religieuses#avec#les#élèves#?## Je(ne(sais(pas(trop(quoi(vous(en(dire.(Les( professeurs( sont( dans( une( certaine( mesure(un(peu(comme(des(parents(pour( les( élèves( :( vous( passez( beaucoup( de( temps( avec( eux( et( pour( peu( que( vous( ayez( un( peu( d’affection( pour( un( professeur,( que( vous( l’estimiez( ou( que( vous( appréciez( particulièrement( ses( cours,( il( aura( malgré( lui( une( sorte( de( responsabilité(morale(sur(vous.(Mon(but( c’est( quand( même( de( faire( en( sorte( que( les(élèves(ne(suivent(pas(nécessairement( une(pensée(établie,(ni(la(mienne,(ni(celle( de( leurs( camarades( ou( même( de( leurs( parents,( mais( qu’ils( parviennent( véritablement( à( construire( eux^mêmes( leur(réflexion(et(leur(identité.(( Au( Etats^Unis( par( exemple,( j’avais( été( frappé(par(le(fait(que(les(sujets(politiques( ou( religieux( soient( très( ouvertement( discutés.(J’ai,(grâce(à(l’école,(participer(à( un( voyage( d’étude( aux( Etats^Unis( et( lors( de( l’une( de( nos( visites( dans( un( lycée( de( New^York,( les( élèves( nous( avaient( demandé( si( nous( allions( voter( pour( Ségolène( Royal( ou( Nicolas( Sarkozy.( Cela( ne(leur(posait(aucun(problème.(En(France( c’est(beaucoup(plus(délicat…( Mais( évidemment,( si( il( arrive( de( laisser( échapper( une( opinion( politique( ou( religieuse,( c’est( la( moindre( des( choses( que(de(préciser(qu’il(s’agit(d’un(point(de( vue( personnel( et( qu’il( ne( s’agit( pas( là(
d’une( opinion( nécessairement( exemplaire.(( Je( crois( qu’il( s’agit( là( d’un( enjeu( beaucoup( plus( important( que( de( savoir( ce(que(j’ai(mangé(la(veille.(( ( Est)ce# que# vous# avez# des# activités# en# dehors#de#l’école#?## Comme(je(vous(l’ai(dit,(je(n’ai(aucune(vie( en(dehors(de(l’école(!((rire)(Je(n’ai(pas(de( vie(en(fait,(je(vis(dans(l’école.(( J’ai( la( chance( de( faire( ce( qui( me( passionne( et( cela( me( permet( de( faire( aussi(ce(que(j’aime,(à(savoir(lire,(aller(au( théâtre,( mais( surtout( voir( comment( l’esprit( se( développe.( De( voir( aussi( comment( on( peut( apaiser( des( tensions,( comment( on( peut( aider( des( élèves,( non( pas( seulement( sur( le( plan( académique( mais( aussi( sur( le( plan( personnel,( dans( la( limite( de( nos( possibilités,( ( de( voir( comment( un( déblocage( psychologique( peut(révéler(un(élève(brillant.(( Quant(à(mes(activités(qui(ne(seraient(pas( directement( reliées( à( l’école,( eh( bien,( je( cours,( si( c’est( ça( qui( vous( intéresse,( je( cours,( je( fais( des( pompes( et( je( fais( des( gâteaux.((amusé).(Soudain(ça(déréalise(la( dimension( plus( académique( de( mon( discours( précédent…( Et,( j’aime( vraiment( la( musique( et( dès( que( je( peux,( j’essaie( d’en(jouer.(( ( En#cours,#on#a#remarqué#que#vous#étiez# remarquablement# polyglotte…# Comment#ça#se#fait#?## Remarquablement,(sans(doute(pas.(Mais( j’ai(toujours(vraiment(adoré(les(langues(!( Quand( j’étais( plut( petit,( ce( qui( me( fascinait,(c’était(les(langues(qui(n’étaient( pas( écrites( dans( notre( alphabet.( Je( pensais( que( les( gens( qui( parlaient( ces( langues^là( étaient( plus( intelligents( que( nous.( Du( coup,( cela( a( d’emblée( créé( un( rapport( excitant( avec( les( langues.( J’ai( donc( étudié( un( peu( l’hébreu,( un( peu( l’arabe( puis( j’ai( étudié( plus( longuement(
le( tibétain( à( l’Ecole( des( Langues( Orientales( de( Paris.( Par( la( suite,( j’ai( commencé( à( traduire( ponctuellement( des( maîtres( tibétains( qui( s’intéressent( notamment( à( la( relation( entre( la( méditation( et( le( cerveau( et( l’effet( que( peut( avoir( la( méditation( sur( le( système( cérébral.( Je( m’intéresse( à( cette( question( depuis(2001(environ(et(je(suis(allé(étudier( aux( Etats^Unis( et( Canada( pour( cela.( Quant( à( l’hébreu,( j’ai( toujours( été( intéressé( par( la( culture( juive,( d’où( l’intérêt( pour( moi( d’étudier( l’Hébreu.( Je( travaille( d’ailleurs( ponctuellement( pour( le( Mémorial( de( la( Shoah( qui( me( demande( d’intervenir( lors( de( séminaires( pour(évoquer(le(rapport(de(la(littérature( à( la( shoah.( Pour( en( revenir( à( mon( apprentissage( des( langues,( quand( j’étais( au( lycée,( j’ai( étudié( le( Grec( ancien( et( le( Latin.( Mais( les( langues( que( je( maîtrise( vraiment( sont( l’Anglais,( l’Espagnol( et( le( Tibétain.(Après,(c’est(ce(qu’on(appelle(le( baragouinage.( En( Allemand,( je( suis( au( niveau( A1( vous( voyez( et( j’arrive( à( peu( près( à( demander( l’addition( ou( le( gâteau( et(le(café(que(je(souhaite(commander…( # Quel# est# le# sujet# d’actualité# le# plus# marquant#pour#vous#en#ce#moment#?### Je( suis( l’actualité( très( régulièrement.( Je( lis( le( journal( et( j’écoute( beaucoup( la( radio,( je( suis( d’ailleurs( un( très( grand( amateur( de( radio.( Mais( je( trouve( personnellement( que( le( problème( de( la( discrimination(devient(un(sujet(mondial(!( Evidemment( en( France,( ce( problème( s’est( particulièrement( révélé( lors( des( grands( débats( en( lien( avec( l’égalité( des( droits,(mais(au^delà(je(parle(vraiment(des( discriminations( de( tout( ordre,( parce( que( j’ai(l’impression,(quand(on(voit(ce(qui(se( passe( en( Centrafrique( ou( en( Ouganda,( mais( aussi( en( France,( que( c’est( quand( même(un(sujet(d’actualité(important.(( (
Est)ce# qu’il# y# a# des# ragots# entre# les# professeurs#de#l’école#?## C’est(évident,(quand(vous(travaillez(dans( une(école(!(On(ne(peut(pas(empêcher(les( gens( de( parler( même( si( je( pense( que( c’est( important( de( se( préserver( des( ragots.( Mais( bon,( tant( que( ce( n’est( pas( dans( la( volonté( de( nuire( et( de( comploter…( c’est( comme( vous,( ça( vous( arrive( aussi( de( dire( trois( ou( quatre( bêtises( sur( l’un( de( vos( camarades( sans( pour( autant( que( vous( souhaitiez( lui( nuire(!((( ( Si#vous#pouviez#constituer#un#dîner#idéal,# qui#inviteriez)vous#?# Je( pense( que( j’inviterais( Tchekhov( et( Pasolini.(Tchékhov,(parce(que(grâce(à(lui,( j’ai(la(sensation(que(même(si(la(vie(à(l’air( parfois( dure,( il( y( a( toujours( la( possibilité( du( bonheur(;( Pasolini,( parce( qu’il( a( su( faire(de(toute(sa(vie(un(acte(poétique.(Et( la( troisième( personne,( je( ne( sais( pas( vraiment( mais,( je( pense( que( j’inviterais( Maria( Callas( ou( Marie^macarons(!)( parce( que( ça( ajouterait( un( peu( d’énergie( à( ce( dîner(!(( ( Avez)vous# un# pêché# mignon#?# Dans# le# genre# films# trash# ou# livres# à# l’eau# de# rose#?## Vous( voulez( parler( des( films( avec( Keanu( Reaves( et( Julia( Roberts(?( (rires)( Mais( ils( sont(sublimes,(vous(savez(!(Keanu(Reaves( a( joué( dans( un( nombre( de( navets( qui( m’ont(tous(fait(pleurer(!(par(exemple,(Un& automne&à&New&York,(vous(connaissez(?(( ( Vous#avez#vu#?#Leonardo#n’a#encore#rien# reçu#aux#Oscars#!## Ah,( Leonardo,( je( ne( l’ai( pas( ajouté( dans( mes( pêchés( mignons( parce( que( c’est( vraiment(un(génie(!(( ( Une# citation# favorite#pour# clore# l’interview#en#beauté#?##
Oui,( c’est( une( citation( tirée( de( MacBeth( de(Shakespeare.(La(traduction(n’est(sans( doute( pas( exemplaire( mais( c’est( sous( cette( forme( que( je( l’ai( découverte( il( y( a( bien( longtemps(:( «&Il& n’est& si& longue& nuit& qui&n’atteigne&l’aurore&»( (
“S U R V E I L L A N T S” The struggle of power You VS. Them Surveillants hold a major role in our school: from guarding the gates to patrolling the corridors, their job is to supervise us and ensure our compliance to the rules. As problems between students and supervisors arise quite often, we thought that the time had come to listen to their voice.
Older students even claimed that some surveillants were abusing their power by invading their private life. Such cases are rare but not isolated – a few months ago, a surveillant reprimanded a group of students when he discovered a prank video they had filmed and posted online.
>> Firstly, from your point of view
How far are surveillants allowed to intervene? What are the limits to their power? Why are they unfair to some students – and can their decisions be contested? To answer these questions, we delved in the world of surveillants.
As we interviewed students from 6ème to 3ème, we discovered that most had a generally positive opinion about surveillants. However, as we dug deeper, a considerable number of students started denouncing their short tempers and tendency to overreact. A 4ème student explains: “I think that supervisors should be nicer some times though… I mean, I saw a supervisor take a carte de sortie or bring a student to the headmistress only for sitting on a table. They have to understand that a student is a student, and that requires indulgence.”
“You students have power too”!
>> From their point of view While many of us complain about their irascibility, all the supervisors we interviewed revealed that, although it was a matter of the individual’s personality and temper,
they were exasperated by students’ behaviors. The different surveillants interviewed all expressed the same objective: “trying to be always fair towards each student”. They acknowledged that an unjust treatment of a student could be the result of their “mood of the day” or “fatigue”; however, all agreed that “some students allow themselves to be rude and arrogant very easily”.
“My kindness has its limits” One supervisor expressed the injustice quite clearly: an unfairly harsh treatment is often the consequence of the “accumulation of the day”, of an “overflow” caused by a misbehaving student like “the straw that broke the camel’s back”. As we were leaving after having finished her interview, she threw the following words at us: “You know, students treat us as though we were transparent”. Another revealed that his experience told him that “being nice” only led to “students attempting to go beyond limits”. Another affirmed that some students treated surveillants like “clowns”, stressing that “yelling at students and taking them to the head teacher’s office” often seems the “the only solution left!”. According to him, the behaviors of supervisors are determined by their “need to show authority in order to gain students’ respect”.
“We aren’t spying on students”
>> The struggle of power
The problem appears to be the lack of a definition regarding the relationship between student and supervisor, which varies according to each individual. “There are rules, and students must respect them” – this is the clearly defined role of the supervisor, as guardian of these rules. However, many revealed that limits are “extremely difficult to set”. One told us that supervisors “have a bit absolute power”, as they can confiscate cartes de sorties even if it is an “arbitrary decision”. On the other hand, another affirmed that their role is impeded by a lack of power, the problem lying in the fact that “you students have power too” – as a result, they find themselves in a “quite delicate position”.
>> Clash between school and private life The lack of outlined limits is also an issue arising when the student’s personal life is involved. When we mentioned this sensitive topic, we received diverging responses. One of the supervisors clearly adopted the following view: “personal life is personal life”. She explained that that she “couldn’t imagine (her) school sanctioning (her) for things done outside of school”, although admitting that “it depends on the context”, and that “there could be some precise case” for which school intervention would be preferable. Two other surveillants agreed that the school has an “educatory role”, meaning that a student’s
private life remained “a bit the concern” of the school, which definitely has the right to “have a say”. One acknowledged that it was “hard to distinguish right from wrong”, but both recognized that they had the duty to intervene when a student’s personal life had an impact on the student’s life at school, for example: “if I see that when a girl comes to school, it’s not that anymore, she’s not laughing anymore, I can talk to la direction because they should know too”.
the school, whose jobs of protecting the rules are crippled by stress and fatigue often resulting from students’ misbehavior. If you find their treatment too harsh, think that this mirrors your own attitude to them – our relationship with surveillants are reciprocal, just like they hold great power and we hold power too. If you believe you have been treated unfairly, addressing this issue to them in a calm context remains the best solution.
After having heard these different voices, another surveillant clearly summarized the relationship of one’s private life with the school, by stating that if a student’s “behavior hurts the school’s reputation or breaks the law, even if the student is outside of school, then the school has the right to intervene if it were to learn about it”. He continued: “I want you to know that we aren’t spying on students, so if we found out something we weren’t supposed to find out then it means that information has circulated around the school! But the worst is when people complain about our students.” As an example, he mentioned students stealing from a shop next to school: “the shop owner came to complain about our students stealing, so of course special measures had to be taken…”.
With many thanks to the surveillants and students who diligently replied to our questions.
Hopefully hearing these different voices will help you understand the role of supervisors in
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Leonardo and Flappy Bird: an intertwined destiny ? !
>> Culture: Our Thoughts
FLASHBACK : OSCAR SEASON
EABJM POLL : BEST MOVIE PREDICTION
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he Oscars have come and gone, but just like every year, some of us are left questioning the year’s winners. Was 12 Years a Slave really deserving the Best Picture award? Why didn’t Leonardo DiCaprio win Best Actor in a Leading Role for The Wolf of Wall Street, losing for the fourth time?
to social issues, one addresses the wealth inequality of America and the other addresses ethnic discrimination. Taking a look back at cinema and society, racial discrimination has been a much more prevalent topic. Political correctness concerning color in the United States is extremely present for obvious reasons. However, “Blaxploitation” is a genre of movies that has explored and shaped ethnic relations in the United States. While some say that the movement has helped tone black empowerment, many have accused the genre of echoing white stereotypes of black people. For example, the black movie director Spike Lee criticized the movie Django by Quentin Tarantino not for the quality of the movie itself, but deemed it as a disrespectful Western slave drama. However, Django does address the same racial problems as many other slave based movies - like 12 Years a Slave. Many of these movies have almost been called clichés although they do address some of the most important issues of American history. So, to
This year has been full of films about previously explored subjects, as well as completely unexplored subjects in Hollywood. 12 Years a Slave was almost sure to win the Best Picture award from the moment it was released. Not only a powerful and well-made film, it explores the topic of slavery, a subject that is sensitive in Hollywood. It is interesting to consider our results for the Best Movie of 2014: according to EABJM students, the two leading movies are The Wolf of Wall Street and 12 Years A Slave, both of which are based off personal “diaries”. Both movies follow the life of men in America, however in very distinct situations. In respect !
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what extent is the addressing of racial problems in film deemed as stereotyping? A question worth thinking about.
Matthew McConaughey portrayed a homophobic, alcoholic yet likable man with AIDS in Dallas Buyers Club. Not only did this film offer a look into the troubled lives of AIDS victims, but McConaughey obviously gave a 110% when it came to his role. He lost a total of 40 pounds (18kg) to emphasize the disease’s drastic effects. If that’s not dedication, I don’t know what is.
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espite being nominated a total of four times for his individual performances, Leonardo DiCaprio left the Oscars empty-handed once again. This may be because his performances, though brilliant, have not allowed the public to relate to him. However, the depiction of the Wall Street monster Jordan Belfort has received mixed responses. Why has the public that watched DiCaprio snort cocaine and live in disgusting decadence loved his character so much? This glorification has turned the character into some sort of anti-hero, even though the movie does address extremely important social issues. He exploits people as well, taking advantage of those who have and know less. This exploitation is of course not to the same gravity as slave owners yet it is an ongoing issue in America.
Gravity won a total of 7 awards at this year’s Oscars, and when looking at how beautifully it was made, it’s hardly a surprise. Alfonso Cuarón won the award for Best Achievement in Directing, making him the first Latino winner in that category. And it is well deserved – just take a look at the magnificent first scene that was shot continuously twelve and a half minutes. Perhaps the most surprising part of the Oscars this year was that American Hustle didn’t win any awards, despite having been nominated for a whopping 10 awards, including: Best Motion Picture, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress and Director. This comes as a shock. The competition this year, however, was just too strong.
Why then has the character of the antihero appealed more to the public than that of the hero? Although the Oscars are based off performance, these two actors were in a close tie – inevitably, their characters’ stories influenced the verdict. Why did we leave the cinema describing Solomon Northup as “courageous”, however we called Jordan Belfort “awesome” after hearing his story? His role in The Wolf of Wall Street may have been shocking and impressive (to some), but neither DiCaprio nor Chiwetel Ejiofor proved to be able to beat Matthew McConaughey.
Despite disappointing its fair share of viewers (and actors as well), the 86th Academy Awards honored some of the best films of the year. This it continues to be an extremely entertaining part of the year for film experts and amateurs who gather all around the world to witness film history being made.
The most memorable part of the Oscars: host Ellen DeGeneres took a selfie which became the most retweeted image ever. ! This selfie was not a spontaneous snap but part of Samsung advertisement campaign, which allowed the firm to make a one million dollar profit. !
17 History being made
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An indicator of future success? A discriminatory tool?
oday, as development in education is growing at a swift speed especially from a technological perspective, people are starting to question certain educational evaluation methods, and notably the SAT. The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) has been the main standardized test used for college admissions in the United States. Today the test is widely recognised and used by students all over the world; however, people have been complaining about it – and we’re not only talking about EABJM students who have to be at school early on Saturday mornings for practice tests. A substantial and complicated debate has been taking place over the past years as to whether the SAT can really determine who can be successful at college. The SAT has been many times criticized in the past. In 2006, the test was modified since College Board officials realized that many tests had been mis-scored. A simple mistake like this seems ludicrous for a test with such a major impact on students’ future. Moreover, many have denounced it as an elitist test. College Board – which literally owns and charges everything that has to do with the SAT – has often been called a monopoly. Setting prices from everything from the tests to the practice books, they have left little for lower income students to be able to afford. However, the SAT is mandatory in almost every single college in the US - taking it is absolutely indispensable. So isn't this test, where private tutoring can cost even 250 dollars an hour, composed of an elitist base? We at Le Bilingue had been researching this topic for the past
month now, and were surprised to see our questions being answered. In March 2014, David Coleman, president of the College Board, explained that starting in April 2016, a “redesigned” SAT would be put in place for students applying to college. One of the main goals to this change is to make the gap of income advantage merge with availability to free online SAT classes. Although this program may have a good intention at heart, as seen in other programs in the US like President George Bush's No Child Left Behind, free tutoring for under performing students has not always been very effective. We guess time will tell... The official reason of this change, however, is that the current SAT is out of date in relation to what students learn in high school and will learn in college. Consequently, the new SAT should be able to better predict the readiness of students for college. Students who will take the test this year have been ranting about the fact that the new SAT will be much easier than the current one. Although it is unlikely in reality that the new test will in fact be easier from an academic perspective than the current one, other critics of this redesigned SAT have been pointing out that it is becoming increasingly similar to the ACT, where questions resemble the ones that can be found in school curriculums. This is a debatable point as well. The inequality in education is already extremely prevalent, so basing off the SAT more on what is on school curriculum could be even more unfair for students from disadvantaged schools. This is one of the fundamental problems of the SAT. It has evolved from its base of measuring IQ, similar to tests from World War One, to a more school-based approach – which could essentially widen the gap between well and poorly resourced high schools.
Also, if the test will be more and more similar to the ACT, isn't it more logical to now take the ACT rather than the SAT?
The College Board, the association that develops the SAT, explains that the SAT enables colleges to determine how ready a student is academically for college and measures the “skills required for success in the 21st century”. What everyone can agree on is that the SAT is an effective way for colleges to compare from an academic perspective students coming from different high schools. The SAT itself is more standardized than grades varying according to the difficulty of classes, or the dedication to extracurriculars which varies from school to school. Indeed, if schools within the US have different curriculums and grading cultures, the disparity in international academics is even greater. Madame La Balme, the US college counselor of EABJM Paris, explains that high school grades seem to be a better indicator of how ready a student is for college, but nevertheless the SAT is still essential for college admissions officers. Opponents to this protracted, standardized test condemn its use as a tool to select who can and who cannot go to a certain college. Those sharing this view explain that the test cannot determine how well a student will do in college on the basis of what he scored on the SAT. Mr Shapiro, the SAT program coordinator at EABJM Paris, even though he is of course not against the use of the SAT, explains: “it only measures how well people do on the SAT, which is also a measure of how hard you worked for the SAT. ”. Furthermore, a psychologist and professor at Stanford, Claude M. Steele, stated in one of his studies that the SAT only “measures 18% of the factors that determine a person’s freshman’s grades”. Of course, people can discredit this view by explaining that the SAT is not the only thing college admissions take into consideration. GPA, extracurricular activities, recommendations, the
famous essay, international backgrounds, and many other aspects interest the admissions office. Nevertheless, the SAT is still a major factor in selecting the hundreds of thousands of students applying to colleges. What is sure is that until an innovative, revolutionary new way of evaluating a student’s readiness for college is introduced, the SAT will still play a major and increasingly important role in college admissions. Madame La Balme also explains that, even though the SAT is not a perfect indicator, it is currently still the best for college admission officers right now. This is because no one has yet found a way to make an objective and holistic judgment of the student’s capabilities, talents, and character that can replace the test. Despite this debate over the use of the SAT, one mustn’t forget that the test is not the only component of a student’s application and that, as noted above, extracurricular activities, school grades, and the essay constitute as well a very important part of the application. The SAT, or any other standardized test will surely improve or change in the future. Nevertheless, it seems unlikely that a perfect, universal indicator that is able to assess how ready students are for college will, in fact, ever be found.
Depression and Music
Changing the canvas
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From anti-governmental protests to the flower power movement, teenagers worldwide have always seemed to evolve in successive waves. Although spread apart, they continue following similar paths, creating trends strong enough to shake the world they live in. In this new technological age, the current trend seems to be much darker than playing Atari or dancing to a different kind of music - the new “thing” seems to be sharing, more specifically mediatizing your pain. The suffering of being a teenager, the struggles that come with growing up may be clichés but they are nonetheless very true and hurtful; however teenagers have began promoting this pain in detrimental ways, through the use of websites such as Tumblr or Twitter. What was first a way to share one’s sufferings, a way to reach out to others in need of help has become a sick contest for who can cut the deepest. Images of scars and blood are flooding young adult’s Web pages, turning scarification from being a violent way of coping with daily pain into a way to glorify and promote your personal struggles. It’s OK to be sad -it’s normal!but drawing this sadness permanently on your body is not the answer. This depression is very real, for both boys and girls, and can not be ignored. However, externalizing and advertising your pain can’t be a solution.
As Shakespeare said, “The pen is mightier than the sword”. Often seen as advice to advocate sound debate rather than fighting, we believe this quote could also be very instructive for suffering teenagers, urging them towards a whole new way of expression. By writing about your pain perhaps painting it or singing it- you would let your feelings be healthily liberated without taking risks or permanently wounding your body. What is to be learnt is not to simply “Deal with it” - how could you forget your pain? It is necessary to take action, but not by harming yourself. You must know - everybody has to know - that there are other options, and when you finally do get better (which will eventually happen) you will not want to have a constant reminder of such hard times scarring your body. This now gives us the opportunity to remind you that you are not alone. Here are just a few examples of people who have noticed or lived through similar situations and have survived or expressed it through their passion. Frieda Kahlo, legend in the art world, devoted many of her paintings to self-portraits, depicting herself entrapped by the depression that consumed her. Instead of physically wounding herself, she would draw this physical pain on her canvases as a way of releasing it. Same goes for the Australian singer Sia Furler with her
song “Breathe Me”, released in 2004. Powerful lyrics are featured in this song such as: Help, I have done it again I have been here many times before Hurt myself again today And, the worst part is there's no-one else to blame Be my friend Hold me, wrap me up Unfold me I am small And needy Warm me up And breathe me These lyrics express the intensity of the pain and craving the writer is suffering from – words allow her to externalize her surges of emotions and not direct them towards herself. Her pain is universal, and can be recognized by Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush in their song “Don’t Give Up”, in which they offer support to all those going through such difficult times. Don't give up 'cause you have friends Don't give up, you're not the only one Don't give up, no reason to be ashamed Don't give up, you still have us Don't give up now, we're proud of who you are Don't give up, you know its never been easy Don't give up 'cause I believe there's a place There's a place where we belong. Another unexpected art form dealing with depression and the hardships one must go through in more
positive ways, from Eminem to EABJM’s very own rapper Antonym. In the song Beautiful, Eminem admits his own depression: can't seem to get out this slump If I could just get over this hump But I need something to pull me out this dump, I took my bruises, took my lumps Fell down and I got right back up He also advises listeners to lean towards empathy, showing the strength that comes from trying to understand someone else. He urges his audience to stay strong, sending a very powerful message through his chorus. I'll be you, let's trade shoes Just to see what it'd be like to Feel your pain, you feel mine Go inside each other's minds Just to see what we find In his song “Demoiselle”, Antonym admits to have witnessed these signs of struggle in someone and promises to stand by their side. Insecurities tangle you up, Into one big mess, Damsel in distress, So you surround yourself by darkness, I still don’t know where your heart is, We could find it Another genre that seems to gain in popularity with people who are suffering is Punk or any genre with an element of punk. This music, which seems to some like an incomprehensive storm of noise, is to others the hand they need to hold on, to pull themselves out of the hole
they have dug themselves into deliberately or not. The music can tell the listener exactly what they need to hear, show them exactly what they need to see to get out of this mess. The ability to get better is with whoever doubts it always, music just has a way of showing you what you should already know. A group called Twenty One Pilots has the recurring theme through their music of surviving, getting out of those dark places so many of us are trapped in. One song in particular: “Holding On To You”. I'm taking over my body, back in control, no more shotty, I bet a lot of me was lost, 't's uncrossed and 'I's undotted, I fought it a lot and it seems a lot like flesh is all I got, ... And I'll be holding on to you. And I'll be holding on to you! The song is about taking control again, over a mind filled with suicidal thoughts and hurtful ideas. “Fight it, take the pain, ignite it”. Taking hold of the thoughts that control you, that contort your mind into unrecognizable pain and simply fighting it and winning. This is the magic of music - it inspires in us a need to push on. No matter what genre of music you listen to, they can all convey a message or surviving.
These examples just to prove that relief for pain can be found, and it doesn’t have to physically hurt you. We strongly urge all those struggling to begin searching, to find a new way to express themselves, the results could be quite a pleasant surprise. And for those who are indeed suffering, never hesitate to reach out to someone, you never know who can help you. From your best friend, to a therapist, or even the authors of this article, people around you are willing to help. We would like to note that this article may seem incomplete; we seem to have simply copied lyrics without truly explaining their meanings. This, however, was done intentionally. We, authors of this article, adore music and have found relief through it, at unexpected times. We also believe that lyrics and music are very personal, up to each person’s own interpretation. This is why we have simply shared with you only a few examples of a large industry that can help in such different ways. We hope you too can find peace!
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The Face Behind the Voice There’s nothing more interesting than our answers to the most random questions ever. What would you reply to this - “If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?” ! ! ! !
“Capitalism” !
“Intolerance”
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“Toddlers and Tiaras”
“The creation of weapons”
Photos by Ines Juster & Prunelle Ayache
! !
“Cancer”
“Hmmm”
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“Sex inequality”
“Monarchy”
! “Dinosaurs going extinct” "!
“Crocs”
Editors in Chief Tae Markey & Chloe Hamilton
Contributors Julian Blum Maya Frenkel David Steiner Eleanor Naiman Alice Bello Katharine Voake Edwin Cossec Maxime Thiam Prunelle Ayache Ines Juster Pietro Capece Galeota Cover by Mehmet Akg端n Logo by Benjamin Issenmann
Want to be part of Le Bilingue? Contact us at lebilingue@eabjm.org, !
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