what is a TT?

A couple of you have emailed and asked - what is a TT? Shorthand for Teacher Trainee

Well...
PROGRAM IN GENERAL: This program is a valuable international teaching experience for young French people interested in teaching in a language immersion setting. Our trainees assist the teacher while acting as native French language models in the classroom. They help with lessons, teach small groups of students, write their own lesson plans, and support the teacher with the general flow of the classroom.
REQUIREMENTS: Trainee candidates must be French citizens, between the ages of 20-30, and have the equivalent of an American Bachelor of Arts degree, e.g., une license. Candidates should be interested in teaching children and be adaptable to new cultures. Trainees must be available for the entire school year, able to pay for travel costs to and from Minnesota, and able to obtain a visa.


HOST FAMILIES: Trainees will stay with 2 host families throughout the school year, changing host families in January. These are volunteer families of students in the French program. Trainees are provided a private bedroom and meals, though trainees can purchase lunch at school at their own expense.

All of the host families volunteer their homes for this program. They are not paid for hosting a trainee. Most host parents are between the ages of 30 and 55 and have children at home.

Why do families choose to be Host Families? Our families want to contribute to the success of the trainee program. They enjoy meeting and building a friendship with a person from another country, and they hope to learn more about another culture.
Host families and trainees complete an Interest Survey several weeks prior to the arrival of the trainees in Minnesota in late August. This Interest Survey will be used to help match each trainee to the most suitable family available. However, we cannot guarantee a perfect match. We encourage the trainees and host families to appreciate and accept the differences between our cultures.
Expectations: Host families treat the trainees as members of their families while respecting the trainees' privacy within their homes. Trainees in turn should be cooperative, gracious, respectful of house rules, and help out around the house as members of these families. Spending time with the host families is an important part of the trainee experience. Many trainees find that living with the host families is the most satisfying part of their stay in Minnesota. However, trainees should be aware that living with a host family may require a signficant adjustment of their living habits.