{"id":3156,"date":"2026-04-16T08:12:27","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T12:12:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjepontiac.ca\/?p=3156"},"modified":"2026-04-16T08:13:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T12:13:18","slug":"teaching-learning-and-building-a-life-in-the-pontiac","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjepontiac.ca\/en\/espace-carrefour\/nouvelles\/teaching-learning-and-building-a-life-in-the-pontiac\/","title":{"rendered":"Teaching, Learning and Building a Life in the Pontiac"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2240\" height=\"1260\" src=\"https:\/\/cjepontiac.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/Carrousel-1-10-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3153\" style=\"width:686px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cjepontiac.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/Carrousel-1-10-1.png 2240w, https:\/\/cjepontiac.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/Carrousel-1-10-1-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cjepontiac.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/Carrousel-1-10-1-1920x1080.png 1920w, https:\/\/cjepontiac.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/Carrousel-1-10-1-150x84.png 150w, https:\/\/cjepontiac.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/Carrousel-1-10-1-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/cjepontiac.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/Carrousel-1-10-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/cjepontiac.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/Carrousel-1-10-1-2048x1152.png 2048w, https:\/\/cjepontiac.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/Carrousel-1-10-1-640x360.png 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2240px) 100vw, 2240px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Originally from C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire, Jean Boris Aka arrived in Canada in 2022. After a first year in Gatineau, he chose to settle in the Pontiac in 2023. Today, he teaches 5th grade.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His journey illustrates how integration can take root in a welcoming workplace and an open community.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>An arrival guided by a warm welcome<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even before officially settling in the region, Jean Boris discovered the Pontiac through the Carrefour jeunesse-emploi, which allowed him to explore the area and its attractions. This initial immersion helped him better understand the environment in which he was about to evolve. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Upon his arrival, he was struck by the availability of the people. The religious community he attends welcomed him warmly. His employer and colleagues were also present and attentive.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His director played a decisive role: open, human, and deeply caring, he supported him in his early days. Some colleagues also supported him in his daily activities. One of them even rented him a house and helped with transportation and errands.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For someone arriving for the first time in a region where there is no public transportation, these gestures make all the difference.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Adapting and teaching differently<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trained as a secondary school French teacher, Jean Boris was called to teach at the elementary level in a predominantly English-speaking context. He therefore had to adjust his practice and adapt his methods. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This change represented a significant professional challenge. He learned from his colleagues, observed, adjusted, and developed a new way of teaching. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He sees this transition as an asset. His background and origins nourish his practice. He speaks of a cultural blending in teaching: a way of approaching the language and the subject with a different perspective, complementary to that of the local environment.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This diversity of approaches becomes an asset for the students.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A curious and caring community<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jean Boris highlights the openness of the people of the Pontiac. Citizens are curious, interested in discovering other cultures, and eager to exchange. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He quickly felt a climate of kindness. Connections were made naturally, both within the school environment and in the broader community. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is these human relationships that allow him to feel at home.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong>Giving and receiving<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Through his work, Jean Boris contributes to the development of the region&#8217;s youth. He brings not only his pedagogical skills but also a cultural openness that enriches the school environment. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In return, he receives concrete support and professional recognition that strengthen his commitment.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For him, integration does not rely solely on individual adaptation. It is based on the ability of an environment to welcome and support. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Advice for newcomers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jean Boris encourages people who wish to settle in the Pontiac to build connections as soon as they arrive. In a territory where transportation services are limited, openness and human relationships play an essential role. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Being ready to reach out to others, accepting the help offered, and getting involved in the community greatly facilitate integration.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to him, the Pontiac offers an environment conducive to those who wish to invest themselves and contribute.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, he sees his journey as an experience of mutual enrichment: he learns from the environment as much as he contributes to it.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Discover the full video testimonial of Jean Boris Aka <\/strong><br\/><\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Rencontrez Jean Boris Aka - Bienvenue chez nous, bienvenue chez vous\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/l6FNh9ZOAuU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Originally from C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire, Jean Boris Aka arrived in Canada in 2022. After a first year in Gatineau, he chose to settle in the Pontiac in 2023. Today, he teaches 5th grade. His journey illustrates how integration can take root in a welcoming workplace and an open community. An arrival guided by a warm welcome [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":3142,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3156","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acpt":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cjepontiac.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3156","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cjepontiac.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cjepontiac.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cjepontiac.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cjepontiac.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3156"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cjepontiac.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3156\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3157,"href":"https:\/\/cjepontiac.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3156\/revisions\/3157"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cjepontiac.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3142"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cjepontiac.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3156"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cjepontiac.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3156"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cjepontiac.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3156"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}