“All over France, one can still find so-called
"single class schools": schools that bring
together all the children from one village in a single
class around a single teacher, from kindergarten age
to those about to move on to middle school.
These classes, that are threatened with closure as
soon as their numbers dwindle, keep numerous isolated
villages alive, but for how much longer? Some teachers
have chosen to follow this path. Others have arrived
there by chance, reluctantly at times...But, after
a while, the majority of them no longer want to move
on, and reject any return to the traditional system.
This film was shot in one of these schools, somewhere
in the heart of Auvergne, between Ambert and Issoire.
At its center is Georges Lopez - a dedicated, soon-to-retire
teacher responsible for nurturing a dozen students
ages 3 - 11 in all subjects, ranging from math to
cooking. Caught between self-isolation and an open
approach to the world at large, this small eclectic
group shares everyday life, for better and for worse,
along the steep path of learning to read, write and
count.”
PROSPECTIVE
STUDENTS
