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Fréjus Tunnel that connects France and Italy to close this weekend
The tunnel will close for 12 hours and not the 56 hours originally announced
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TotalEnergies opens service station for electric vehicles in Paris
It is the first of its kind in the capital and has ultra-fast charging
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Conductors on French public transport will soon be able to check your address
Move is part of anti-fraud plans to prevent people from giving false information during fines including on SNCF trains
‘Montessori’ state schools in France
Montessori teaching methods - said to nurture a child’s individuality and creativity - are increasingly being used in state schools.
They are mostly limited to maternelle, but more teachers are experimenting with the methods, including providing physical learning materials and freedom to choose activities.
So far there is no entirely Montessori state school – unlike some 200 expensive private hors contrat schools and a few sous contrat (subsidised) ones.
However, some teachers are opting to follow courses in the methods and investing in special teaching materials.
Association Public Montessori (public-montessori.fr), which fosters this, now has more than 1,000 members and has established support groups around the country where people can exchange ideas. It offers to loan materials, which can cost €10,000 per class.
In France there is only the Institut Supérieur Maria Montessori in Val-de-Marne that offers a training approved by the Association Montessori International, the body founded by Maria Montessori, an Italian educational theorist who died in 1952.