Parkour-ED: Recent Episodes
Colin Dailey
Parkour-Ed is an English Language Podcast that explores the paths taken by members of our community at IFS, the International French School (Singapore), formerly known as Le Lycée Français de Singapour, or LFS.
Anyone interested in education, multiculturalism, multilingualism, and expat life will enjoy Parkour - ED We are all so different, and we come from various backgrounds and cultures. The goal of this podcast is to help us get to know each other by hearing the stories of how we all ended up here.
In this episode of Parkour-ED, recorded at the International French School in Singapore, host Colin Daley interviews Natalie DE LEPINE, a new English teacher at the school.
Natalie shares her unique background, including her family history from Martinique and her personal journey. Born in Paris, she moved to the United States at 18 months. She lived with her grandparents in New York and attended the Lycée Français of New York, where she learned both English and French.
Natalie discusses her upbringing, highlighting her experiences in different American cities like Miami and New Orleans, where she attended public schools. Despite being in English-speaking environments, she maintained her French language skills through family connections and trips to Martinique. After spending several years in the U.S., she returned to Martinique for her schooling, where she faced challenges integrating into the local educational system due to her American background.
Throughout the conversation, Natalie reflects on the cultural influences in her life, her bilingualism, and the differences between American and French educational systems. The episode emphasizes her journey and the importance of her cultural roots in shaping her identity as an educator.
The podcast "Parkour Ed" features an episode with Dina Sahlawati Binti Nahar, a member of the IFS (International French School) community. The host, Colin Dailey, invites Dina to share her journey leading to IFS. Dina, a true blue Singaporean of Malay origin, explains her unique naming convention, where she doesn't have a family name but is identified as the daughter of her father, Nahar.
Dina discusses her early life, growing up in Singapore, working with her family in a hawker stall, and her experiences in school. She later pursued a degree in multimedia technology at Singapore Polytechnic, leading to her current role as a multimedia production specialist at IFS.
The conversation touches on her passion for photography, her brief venture into wedding photography with her husband, and her love for travel. Dina highlights her travels to various places, including Europe, Japan, and Thailand, often using her motorcycle for border-crossing adventures.
The podcast provides insights into Dina's personal and professional journey, offering a glimpse into her diverse experiences and interests.
This Parkour ED episode features a conversation between the host, Colin Dailey, and guest, François Petit-Perrin, who shares details about his background and educational journey. François was born in France and studied law and history before obtaining a teaching certification to become a history and geography teacher. He taught at a middle school in a diverse suburb north of Paris for eight years, followed by a move to the United States, where he taught for another eight years at a French American Charter School in New York before eventually relocating to Singapore just under two years ago. Francois' educational and professional path highlights his transition from a background in law and history to a fulfilling career in teaching, where he has worked with diverse student populations. His experiences in both France and the United States contribute to his well-rounded perspective and career. Aren’t we lucky to have him among us here at the International French School (SINGAPORE!)
Please meet Maslina Leclercq who moved to Singapore in 2012. Maslina grew up in Les Yvelines, and arrived in Singapore at the age of 17. She is a graduate of Lycée Français de Singapour, currenetly known as the International French School (Singapore), and currently works at the school as an ECA coordinator and gymnastics coach.
Maslina is passionate about gymnastics and was a gymnast in France, even participating in the French championship. She started coaching gymnastics at IFS and enjoys working with students of all age groups. Outside of work, she and her husband share a love for sports, particularly mountain biking, and they explore Singapore's trails together.
While she still identifies as French, Maslina also feels a strong connection to Asian and international cultures due to her life in Singapore. She and her husband celebrate both Muslim and Christian holidays, embracing their multicultural backgrounds. Maslina values her experiences and connections at IFS and looks forward to the possibility of living in France in the future.
In this episode of Parkour-ED IFS secondary school English teacher James Carey covers his childhood spent in Singapore. At the age of 10, he moved back to the UK with his family, and the challenges of this transition, as he went from the bustling urban life of Singapore to a rural village school in the UK.
After completing his A-levels, James attended the University of Kent, studying politics but eventually shifting to English and American literature. He pursued a master's in the same field at the same university, with a year spent at Indiana University in the US. James reflects on a mix of experiences during university, including staying in dormitories and commuting from home. Campus life in the UK is compared to that in the US, with British campuses being more focused on studies while still providing opportunities for socializing and forming connections.
James played American football at his UK university and shared his love for various American sports. After his Master's degree in English and American Literature, he pursued a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) for teaching, involving hands-on school placements. He taught at schools with contrasting challenges during this training, developing insights into students' lives. Subsequently, he began teaching full-time in southeast London, where he stayed for a year. He then moved to Gillingham in Kent, teaching literature at selective schools, which he found suited his teaching style better. James reflects on his journey from learning to teaching, highlighting the rewarding relationships with students and his ability to bring his passion for literature into his profession.
James describes his transition from teaching in the UK to working at the French school in Singapore. He discusses his teaching experience at the international section and the changes brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. He engages in football activities and expresses challenges in following American sports due to the time difference. He reflects on living in Singapore as an adult, comparing it to his childhood experiences. He shares his language experiences, having studied French and Spanish and having picked up bits of other languages during travel. He acknowledges being part of an English bubble in terms of friendships due to shared cultural backgrounds and circumstances. He relates to the difficulty of breaking out of expat bubbles to connect with local communities.
In this conversation, James talks about his culinary interests, including a preference for spicy food, his love for cooking gumbo, and the impact of growing up in Singapore on his food preferences. He expresses his preference for the freedom in teaching methods at his current school compared to the more structured British system, although he acknowledges the benefits of close department relationships in the UK. The interview concludes with a reflection on his positive experiences with students and the overall positive atmosphere of the school.
Top of Form
IFS primary school teacher, Jérôme CHEZE, discusses his upbringing in Le Mans, France, and shares his journey from pursuing engineering to becoming a primary school teacher.
Jérôme talks about his teaching experiences in different countries, including France, Bangladesh, and Thailand. Over the past 7 years at the International French School (IFS) in Singapore, he has served as a teacher representative and is actively engaged in the anti-intimidation team, providing non-judgmental support to students.
In addition to teaching, Jérôme enjoys motorcycle riding, swimming, playing the guitar, reading, drawing, and dancing.
Mickaël BERTELOOT sat down and talked with Colin Dailey on Wednesday 3 July 2023 to share the path he took from birth in Dunkirk, France until today at the International French School (Singapore). In addition to his role as teacher and I.T. specialist at the IFS, Mickael is also a photographer. You may find his work here: http://www.mikeisfree.net/
Meet CE1 (Second Grade) teacher Mickael Lefevre who has taught in France, the United States of America, Mexico, Brazil, and now here in Singapore.
Emmanuel Bernet sits down with Colin Dailey in the IFS Web Radio Studio to share the path he took that led him to Singapore.
Colin Dailey sits down with 6 guests: IFS Executive Director Yves Marcel, Singtheatre Executive Director Nathalie Ribette, IFS Music Teacher Julie Demange, IFS English Teacher Caroline Wardenski, IFS première student Emily Oda, and IFS French and Latin Teacher Carole Bouquet to discuss their participation in the upcoming tribute concert to Jean-Jacques Goldman which will take place on Sunday the 2nd of April 2023. Go to Singtheatre.com for tickets and info.
In the first 5 minutes of this episode, Colin thanks past interviewees, encourages others to volunteer to be interviewed, and shares information about former IFS teacher Laetitia Klotz's French language podcast Tout sur ma mère. He also shares information about musician Vincent Cateigne who works with students at IFS to produce the podcast Nouvelle Génération. Vincent also produces Mon B.O. Ciné for Art District Radio. We also learn that the next episode will have a panel of performers from IFS along with longtime community member and former IFS parent Nathalie Ribette from Sing'Theatre. In the next episode we will learn all about the Jean-Jacques Goldman Show "Au Bout de mes Rêves" which will take place at the Singpaore Alliance Française on 2 April 2023. Get your tickets here!
This episode we meet Mr. Honda who has been teaching Mandarin at the IFS since 2021. Mr. Honda explains the story behind his name and how his whole family decided to make a big change. We learn of his screen acting as well as many other, unique and interesting things. Here is a link to a YouTube interview with Mr. Honda in Mandarin. Here is a link to his Instagram and his TikTok.
If you are a member of the IFS community and would like to come on the podcast, please send an email to colindailey@gmail.com .
Fifth year IFS Physics and Chemistry teacher shares the path he took from a small village in Southwest France, all the way to Singapore. Don't miss this episode of Parkour-ED!
Colin Dailey sits down with Jean-Marc Arnaud Deromedi on 19 December 2022 at the International French School (Singapore). Jean-Marc first arrived in Singapore at age 15 and he is currently the president of the IFS' Executive School Board.
Colin Dailey interviews ZHU Sijing, a Chinese language teacher at the IFS secondary school.
Colin Dailey sits down to interview Marie Dailey, newly retired IFS teacher who has transitioned to professional street photographer and owner of a fine art photography company found at https://mariedaileyphotography.com/
Please meet Laavanya Ramachandran-Calais, IFS teacher originally from Malaysia, with extensive education and experience in France.
Meet Soraya Hassaine, and hear about how she went from Beauvais to Burbank on her journey here to us at IFS.
IFS Headmaster David Binan sits down for an interview on the Summer Solstice which is also la fête de la musique! Many twists and turns from Lempire to Singapore. A parkour not to be missed!
IFS Lăoshī Benjamin Peres sits down with Colin Dailey to share what Bièvre, Biarritz, medicine, mandarin, martial arts, philosophy, pollution, travel, teaching, and technology may or may not have in common. In this candid interview, we are reminded of the importance of seizing opportunities, and keeping an open mind.
Marie Papillon sits down with Colin Dailey on Tuesday, May 31st, 2022 at the International French School (Singapore) to discuss her Franco-American upbringing in Algeria which led to the study of Mandarin, teaching in Minnesota, Singapore, and in the near future, Luxembourg. The skier and the drummer never could have predicted this! Enjoy!
Aurora Benitez Perez, IFS Spanish teacher talks about her early exposure to French which translated into her love for literature. Recorded at the IFS on Monday 23 May 2022.
Benjamin Rafrafi sits down to talk with Colin Dailey at the International French School (SINGAPORE) a.k.a. IFS. He shares how he went from taking apart a VCR to IT support at INSEAD first in France, then in Singapore, and finally here at IFS.
Claude Chassat sits down with Colin Dailey and talks about the path that lead her to the International French School (Singapore).
Colin Dailey interviewed Tantely Rahobisoa on March 25th, 2022 at the International French School (Singapore) a.k.a. IFS.
This episode: discusses the changes in the Serangoon Gardens Neighborhood brought on by the arrival and growth of the LFS. Students give tribute to retiring English teacher, Colin Sellar. You’ll hear an article from the Economist Magazine about French President Macron’s proposed changes to the French post-secondary education system as well as a short comedy sketch from the BBC. Lastly, Rick Smith, American guitarist and music teacher shares his Parkour.
Colin Dailey sits down with Juliette Kudlikowski, Primary Cycle 2 Director at the Lycée Français de Singapore, a French school in Singapore.
Nicole Comar and Robert Casteels join host, Colin Dailey, for a conversation about what led them to teaching in Singapore at the Lycée Français de Singapour.
Recorded on February 5th, 2018
Sébastien Clergeault sits down for a chat with host Colin Dailey and colleague Stéphanie Guérineau about living and teaching abroad, and the choices parents must make for their kids in unique circumstances.
Recorded on Friday 15 December 2017
Olivier MASSIS, Robert CASTEELS and Stéphanie GUÉRINEAU are guests on a podcast hosted by Colin DAILEY at the Lycée Français de Singapour.
First edition of a podcast recorded at the Lycée Français de Singapour on Friday, October 20th, 2017, hosted by Colin Dailey with special guests: Julie Taylor, Laetitia Gilbert, and Patricia Zahnbrecher.
Sometimes the only thing LFS teachers have in common is their employer. This English language podcast explores the differences and similarities in training, opinions and experiences among colleagues at the LFS.