The French Dining Experience with Maison Selby

Greenwood students embarked on a trip last month to Maison Selby, a Toronto-based café and bistro specializing in French cuisine. Featuring dishes like Tuna Niçose Salad and French Onion Beef Burgers, the students were in for a very delicious field trip but there was more to it than just trying exciting foods. The students on the trip, those in Core French and Enriched French Language, were in the midst of their “Tout le monde à table” unit, which focused on French cuisine and the dining experience. Naturally, the unit also taught the students on how to interact with servers, menus and ordering entirely in French, building onto their existing skillset with the language.  

Wanting to bridge the gap between the theory and practice of the unit’s core teachings,  French teachers Ms. Spota and Ms. Bredin planned an experiential learning trip to Maison Selby, allowing the students to try the very cuisine they were studying in an authentic setting.

“It was rewarding to watch the students confidently use the restaurant language we’ve practiced in class to successfully order and converse with their peers and staff,” said Ms. Spota. 

For many of the students, it was their first time trying the available French dishes, which made the trip all the more exciting. The students, already engaged with practicing the language with the staff, continued to speak French to each other while dining. 

“The students were genuinely enthusiastic to step out of the classroom and apply their French skills in a real-life, authentic setting. Many said they would return with their folks!” Ms. Bredin recalled.

As we move into Spring, there are still many opportunities for students to engage with their courses in practical and authentic settings through experiential learning!