Teacher - secondary school

Dragana E.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Teacher - secondary school

According to Wordreference - a secondary school teacher in France - collège ou lycée is enseignant/enseignante - a professeur is one that teaches at university as well. In this Writing Challenge you used professeur.

Asked 4 years ago
CécileNative French expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

Hi Dragana,

The point is that, I am a French teacher can only be translated by -

Je suis professeur/e /prof de français 

This is the answer (regarding the use of professeur) in France from a cousin who is a teacher there and which you might find interesting -

"Oui,  on dit professeur pour les enseignants en collège et lycée .

Depuis quelques années on dit aussi Professeur des écoles pour les enseignants en primaire.

Il n’y a pas tellement de différence entre enseignant et professeur ; sinon qu’on dit professeur de français, professeur de maths, etc... 

Parfois on peut dire je suis enseignant EN langues vivantes mais c’est plus rare. 

Le terme d’enseignant marque la fonction, tandis que celui de professeur marque le titre ."

Bonne Continuation!

 

Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

That distinction is not correct. Anyone who teaches can be called 'enseignant(e)'; professeur regularly applies to specialised 'teachers' in higher educational institutions, usually with a particular field of interest rather than a general teacher, or with a higher degree underpinning their standing. It appears Canadian use may be different to French use, but in France professeur is definitely not limited to University personnel.

Dragana E.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

So in the exercise "It's not my fault" - the vocabulary specifically said a "secondary school teacher" - professeur was used in the translation. I am confused with your response.

Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Yes, the term 'professeur' applies to secondary school teachers, and the description does too, so there is no inconsistency. Recently there has been adoption of the term for primary school teachers as well, although that had not been the norm previously (instituteurs)- and I am unaware of how widely this might have been adopted/accepted. Professeur is correct - the question is whether enseignant(e) is an acceptable alternative - I think its use here would be replacing a specific term with a more general descriptor, and from discussion with native speaking family and friends here, including retired teachers, that would not be usual. (It could be that has changed among a younger generation - there is an age bias in my contacts).

Dragana E.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Thanks Cécile - so why then make a distinction in the exercise - vocabulary specifically said - teacher (secondary school) - this is confusing. Unless it was indicating that the reference is to a teacher at a shool and not at a "yoga place" - for instance. 

CécileNative French expert teacher in Kwiziq

I am not sure I understand your last comment Dragana. The story is about a teacher of French in a secondary school documenting all the excuses given by students for not completing their homework.

Plus under the title in the vocabulary list it does say a teacher ( French secondary school)a (secondary school) student,  I don't see how we can be more explicit than this.

 

Teacher - secondary school

According to Wordreference - a secondary school teacher in France - collège ou lycée is enseignant/enseignante - a professeur is one that teaches at university as well. In this Writing Challenge you used professeur.

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