#1571: Creole vs French: A retired teacher's view

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From:Genevievl@aol.com

Hello

I do not write back often but I am so tired of this Creole versus French 
debate, I feel I must step in and stop the foolishness.  

First, let me date myself. I was educated in Haiti by the French nuns of 
Lalue, bless their departed souls.  They could only teach ME in French 
because it was the only language that they knew, but when I started my 
teaching career at 16 (Sacre coeur de Turgeau), there were some Haitian nuns 
there, and they were smart enough to use a bilingual method in Haiti.  I 
remember having to explain the next day lessons in CREOLE to students in 
CERTIFICAT classes, in order for them to understand FRENCH.
I am now retired, having practiced bilingual education all my life and can 
attest that there is no quicker, more intelligent, efficient way to teach 
Haitians or any other people, for that matter on the face of this Earth, than 
in their own MOTHER TONGUE.  So it must be CREOLE for HAITIANS.  Jean Marie, 
Blanchet, Valdman, Dejean, Berotte and al are right on the money. By the way 
most of my former students in NY are now professionals having graduated from 
the most prestigious universities including Harvard, so CREOLE helped them.  
The rest of you, Haitiens Honteux, cut it out please, and a Merry Christmas 
to you all. Let's use our collective energies to help Haiti regain her title 
of the Pearl of the West Indies by using CREOLE in the year 2000. Thanks Bob 
for everything.  Kenbe fem. Pa lage. Janine Genevieve.