Marie and Juliette run “La Petite École” in Brussels. Their pupils are children who’ve never been to any educational institution — for example, Syrian refugees. After a few years working hard “just” to facilitate integration of their students into conventional school (exactly the kind they left behind to open “La Petite École”), the titular éclaireuses begin to question their original aim.
The documentary raises many questions and leaves it to viewers to come up with answers. I’d like to ask my students (provided that I have any), especially those with teacher aspirations, some of those questions. Is school always a good thing? Is it really such a good idea to focus on the process over the results? Why do you want to be a part of ideological state apparatus? (OK I’ve been asking them this latter question for a while; don’t remember any honest response.)
I loved the clever and sensitive ways the teachers manage to channel the kids’ anger, even aggression, into something creative/positive. Wanna hit things? Let’s hammer some nails in. Wanna fight? Let’s go to another room and fight, but follow the rules (of fighting). It’s all right to break some things. The students learn that things can break — and help to clear the mess.
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