Interview de Claude Beaunis, FIMEM webmaster

Hi Claude, you came from France to Reggio to run a workshop about the FIMEM website, didn't you ?

Yes. I also joined the newspaper editing team : "Il Giornallo Della Ridef".

This is part of a very long-term project. In RIDEF 2010, in Nantes, France, I was responsible for both the newspaper and website. Then, the FIMEM Board asked me to develop the FIMEM website, according to the RIDEF Nantes' model. I tried and integrated everyone's needs and expectations. I built a multilingual website with a platform translated in six languages (English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish).

On the FIMEM website, you can read the same article in different languages, at least if it has been previously translated.

The FIMEM website is a cooperative one. The contributors are also the users (consumers). I am not the one that feeds it with contents :) My job is rather to create new accounts, to train users during short workshops like the one here in Reggio. My mission is to help the FIMEM website contributors cope with their difficulties, to motivate them to develop their autonomy when adding new multimedia contents online. I also read articles and correct mistakes when I see them for example. I am a link between the FIMEM Board and the website. 

 

How can I get a new account on FIMEM website, to become a contributor ?

Please get in touch with me. Help is also available online. www.fimem-freinet.org/en/recherche/results/taxonomy%253A101

 

What do all these missions for the FIMEM bring to you ?

During the RIDEF, I meet a lot of new people, from France or abroad. These connections create a network that enables me to keep up to date about the situation in many countries. I learn and share a lot of news everyday. 

As part of a new collaborative project team, for instance this RIDEF newspaper  "dream team", I really try and propose new ideas ceaselessly. My proposal can be accepted, or not, whatever, I wouldn't impose anything. I am very reluctant on imposing things. I prefer to clarify things. My expertise and experience of collaborative work helps me to do this. I try to express clearly, to understand others and to help the team to find its own collaborative solution. 

 

Computer, newspaper, international network ... Are these your "profile keywords" ? 

My first trip abroad was in 2003, in Bulgaria, for a Comenius Project. I participated in two Comenius Projects, from 2003 to 2009 and thus developed partnerships with English, Swedish, Czech, Bulgarian, Italian, Spanish and French schools. 

I started learning computer skills in 1983. In my classroom, there was first one, then two, and soon twelve computers. In the early Internet Age, in 1999, I created a class website. Each pupil had his/her own page online, fed with work (texts, drawings, reports...) or exercises created with software such as Elsa, Elmo, from a French Association promoting reading. My class website had many visitors and we also won prizes. That supply of money was invested in new hardware for the pupils.  

At the same time, I created a personal website to share my Freinet practices and tools. I put online  exercises and all my tools, which in these days was not as common as it is now.

Finally, my pupils used to edit a newspaper, sent to their parents, every week or every two weeks, from four to thirty-two pages (!)

 

Apart from your FIMEM involvement, what are your activities ?

For the past five years, I have been working for ICEM-Pédagogie Freinet in France. I manage the ICEM website, Coop'Icem. I created the ICEM online selling site. I am making Freinet class movies, all over the country. I digitize ICEM publications and then put them online. I would like to add all of them, from 1926 until now.  I also manage the ICEM computers and mailings lists etc...

 

What are your projects ?

In September 2014, I will retire but I will go on working, for the archives for instance.  I intend to make more videos in new classes and I will follow the FIMEM website. 

 

A retired teacher, already ?

I entered the French Education Nationale in 1974. I have been working for fourty years. Now, it's time for me to take care of my five grand-sons and grand-daughters. I wish I travelled. I would like to making on my photography portfolio, read and ... develop my computer skills:)

 

Photo of Claude Beaunis by Jochen Thiel

To learn more :

Site Coop'ICEM www.icem-pedagogie-freinet.org

Site de classe www.icem-freinet.fr/archives/sites/Blain/

Site de Claude plano.free.fr/pdagogie.htm

Site de la RIDEF de Nantes www.ridef-nantes.org/