A professor of French on the major “for your heart”
"Language classes are a great space for students to build connections with one another; it’s nice to think I might be facilitating that,” said Anne-Christine Rice, who teaches in and directs the French language program at Tufts. Photo: Alonso Nichols
‘It Makes Us Feel Valued as Educators’
I’ve always wanted to be a teacher as far back as I can remember. Both my parents were teachers, and I watched them enjoy what they were doing. Also, I liked school, so I could see myself continuing in this environment. The part of teaching I like—the relationship part—was always there, too.
When I was an English major in college in France, I had one professor whom I still think about on a regular basis. She made her classes interesting and funny. Even though I wasn’t aware of it at the time, now I think that I wanted to learn from her in part because she was creating a great learning environment for us. I wanted to respond to this experience that she was offering us.
I try to create a positive learning environment as well—I'm a happy camper in the classroom—and hopefully my students respond to this. My classes are small so I memorize my students' names as quickly as I can, so they feel I know who they are. Because my courses are discussion-based, I can really listen to them ... I listen, and then I rephrase, ideally in a way that encourages them to continue to participate and that builds their confidence. I want them to feel good taking risks with French.
I try to be approachable. And I work to create relationships between them and me and among themselves as well. Language classes are a great space for students to build connections with one another; it’s nice to think I might be facilitating that.
A lot of our students double-major. We often say there’s one major that might be for your career, and a second one that is for your heart. That’s French for some of our students!
Tufts students are golden, the cream of the crop. They are so nice and appreciative. And because languages are important on this campus, and because we have a culture of students going abroad, it makes us feel valued as educators.
What else? I have a 3,086-day streak on Duolingo. I’ve dabbled in, I think, 17 languages.
—Anne-Christine Rice, Teaching Professor and French Language Program Director, School of Arts and Sciences
Our Tufts is a series of personal stories shared by members of the Tufts community and featured on both Tufts Now and Instagram.
