France

= France =

Introduction
>>>> Key designs with details such as domes, high ceilings, points, arches, and detail are all things that make up the French culture in terms of their Architecture. The Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, and the Arc de Triomphe are all important pieces of art that influence French style.
 * Overview
 * Official Language: French
 * Capitol: Paris
 * Climate: Temperate winters and mild summers
 * Geography: France is a little bit smaller than the state of Texas, it is about 210,668 sq mi
 * President:François Hollande
 * Prime Minister: Jean-Marc Ayrault
 * Population:64,057,792
 * Monetary Unit: Euro
 * Predominant Religion: Catholicism
 * Government Type: Republic
 * France is the 3rd largest European Country
 * France has some of the highest life expectancies in the world
 * Arts and Education in France
 * The Arts play a major role in the culture of the French people. The French appreciate the arts in many forms, Including but not limited to the following:
 * Music- Early music in France began in the Christian Church which greatly reflects the countries religious beliefs and values. The music was tied into a higher being and belief in one's faith. Modern French music consists of many of the same instruments and ideas that American music has. The song below, is called Mon Essentiel by Emmanuel Moore who was a popular singer and actor in a famous French musical called Le Roi Soliel. French music is often integrated into other forms of art such as theater. The themes of love, despair, strength, and sorrow are all popular themes of French Music.
 * media type="youtube" key="17CFKRwNd-0" height="315" width="420"
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Architecture
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">One of the most dominant cultural aspects of France, especially Paris, is it's beautiful and intricate architecture. There are various museums, art galleries, restaurants, and monuments that have made France popular.
 * media type="youtube" key="_cUUCWg8kVo" height="315" width="560"
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">"Art"-Art in the form of painting and sculptures is everywhere in France. Some of the most famous artists have come from France including, Monet, Cezanne, Degas, Fragonard, Delacroix, and Matisse. For centuries, french artists have lived in luxury and prestige because art is seen as one of the most dominant careers in France. In Paris alone, there are over eleven major art galleries where some of the more prestigious art is shown.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">media type="youtube" key="Mu6qEaAyaEU" height="315" width="420"
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Education in France
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">The educational system in France is thought to be one of the most successful systems in the world. Children from the ages of 6-16 are required to attend school by law. More than 50% of students continue their education after the age of 18 years old. After a student completes their required education, they are required to take a test called the baccalauréat professionnel (much like the United State's ACT's or SAT's) in order to get into a university. The levels of schooling in France consist of the following:
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Ecole Maternelle- Preschool and Kindergarten. "The French école maternelle is more than just a playschool; the curriculum includes reading and writing, numeracy and even sometimes a foreign language, as well as artistic and creative activities."
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Ecole primaire- Elementary School. "The primary school curriculum in France is similar to that in other countries, and includes literacy and numeracy, with classes in French, arithmetic, but also geography and history, the arts, and more and more frequently a foreign language, usually English". Up until about three years ago, students were required to be in school 6 days a week, but now that has been changed to a 5 day school week much like the United States. The students attend 28 hours of school a week which is only about five and a half hours a day. The French generally receive a lot of homework compared to what we Americans are used to.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Collège- Middle School. There are 4 years of middle school education in France in which the students begin to pick a specialization. "The programme in collège includes French, maths, history, geography, technical education, art/music, physical education, civic education, some science, and at least one foreign language".
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Lycee-High School. Lycee further prepares students for their BAC exam.

Christian Dior (Accomplished Artist)

 * Biography
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Born: 1905
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Death: 1957
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Birth Pace: Normandy, France
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Studied political science and joined the military
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Fashion Designer
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Dior began his career by selling sketched of his closes to people in Paris
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Began to work for Lucien Lelong, a design house
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">In 1946, Dior opened his own house
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">1947-Dior presented his first collection
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">1953-Yves Saint Laurent (another famous fashion designer) became his assistant
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">The high end name is know ran by Bernard Arnaut
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">contained a cinched waist and full skirts
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">"Each collection throughout this period had a theme - classic suits, ballerina-length skirts, the H-line in 1954, and A- and Y-lines in 1955."
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">"A woman's perfume tells more about her than her handwriting."~Christian Dior
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Work
 * media type="youtube" key="LFxde-suB4U" height="315" width="560"

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">The French Musical Outreach Program

 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Started in the 1970's
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Works with kids to help them discover their musical talent
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Has been controversial because many people think that the music education can take away from the academic aspects of education
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Gives children an opportunity to choose an instrument of choice and funds the child's need of taking on the responsibility of purchasing and maintaining an instrument
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">the program works with the schools to have music practice available during their study hour and also is available in an after school program
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Much of the funds to support the organization come through donations and also from fundraising that the children participate in
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Directors ensure that the children are taught how to read music, create musical pieces, and know all of the technical aspects of owning an instrument.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">School Arts Program
The arts programs in schools are very similar to the art programs her in the United States. There is required art classes to be taken from the entry of the school system until high school. Frenc <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">h students generally focus on their specialization from what we consider middle school until they are finished with their K-12 experience. This is a problem within French schools because they are not opening up their students to explore various types of creativity and art forms. They have basic art classes that they are required to take and have the option after elementary school to be involved in an instrument class, extra art classes, choir, or theater. Many of the art programs are based off from clubs that the students attend in after school programs, but with all of the homework that French students are required to do it is difficult for them to take time to join a lot of extracurricular activities. The only form of art that the French do require their students to participate in is foreign language. All French students are required to learn the English language and have the option to learn additional languages. In order to make the French art programs more successful, I believe schools must:
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Add additional forms of arts such as pottery, woodcraft, sewing, dance, theater, and scrap booking to their curriculum
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Give students the opportunity to explore their artistic talents
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Integrate arts into math, science, and history lessons

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">Conclusion
<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 150%;">The role that art plays in education in France reminds me much of the role of art in American schools. There seems to be a lack of emphasis on art and it's importance in the learning process. It is important for students to know that there are careers and opportunities available to them that involve being artistic. Art can teach students to be creative, develop problem solving skills, think abstractly, and broaden their perspective on the world around them. It is an international issue that the art programs in schools are not abundant as they should be. What surprised me about French Schools is that they don't include a lot of Art in their curriculum. When I think about France, all i think about is art whether it be from fashion design to architecture to languages to art galleries. My assumption was that in French culture they really attempt to give youth the opportunity to participate in and explore art and that is not the case.


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 * [|www.visitingdc.com/paris/eiffel-tower-picture.asp]
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