Page 36 | Autumn 2022
Hard work and a little luck
Regina ’ s Baccalauréat en Éducation française ( le Bac ) program . Jean became a specialist in language development and a specialist tutor for French tests . " I always thought I would be a history teacher and I became a French teacher . I was never the best at French in high school . Yet , I was lucky enough to be offered opportunities and flexible enough to give them a try ," says Jean .
Jean Dufresne retired from le Bac program in June 2022 after a 19-year career in the program .
Teaching was something Jean Dufresne wanted to do from as far back as he can remember . The first university-trained teacher in his family , Jean says , " It started early for me . In Scouts , as a volunteer , even in the Naval Reserve , I was always placed in an instructional role ."
In terms of credentials , Jean ' s path to a 35-year career as a teacher and then teacher educator was unusual : " I have a BA with a major in history and a minor in education ," says Jean , who graduated from Université Laval in Quebec City in the 80s .
Jean ’ s career included teaching social studies and history in both secondary and postsecondary settings , writing French immersion curriculum guides , and teaching in , and finally directing , the University of
These opportunities , Jean attributes to his relocation to Saskatchewan in the fall of ' 86 to be with his future wife Anne Brochu Lambert , who was working with Radio Canada ( French CBC ). " There were 100 people like me in Quebec City . Here , I was special . In Québec , just one among others ," says Jean .
“ I also came to see the prospects for becoming a teacher in Saskatchewan .” says Jean . To become a certified teacher here , Jean had to earn an extra 15 credits of French for the equivalent of a French minor . This he did through le Bac , becoming one of the students in the first cohort of the French education program in the final term . He did not know at the time that the longest stretch of his career would be with le Bac .
Jean was hired in ' 87 at Dr . Martin LeBoldus where he taught mostly history and social studies until www2 . uregina . ca / education / news