From the Swiss Alps to the States: Longtime French teacher found her calling

Clairelyse Touchon stands at the front of her class as she gives instructions on an assignment during third period in room 100 at Manteca High School in Manteca, California. (VIANEY CASTRO/The Tower)

Editor’s Note: This profile is part of a series of stories on Manteca High School teachers who discovered teaching only after starting their professional careers in another line of work.

By SIMAR MANN
The Tower

As a young girl, Clairelyse Touchon never imagined she would grow up to become a teacher in the United States. But 12 years at a finance company was motivation enough for her to move on and pursue something she was truly passionate about – teaching.

When she was just a schoolgirl, Touchon spent her school evenings propping her dolls up on chairs and scribbling lessons on the blackboard as if she were teaching a class. Before she knew it, this became her study ritual: Teaching lessons out loud was a great way to memorize.

“I really enjoyed teaching my dolls,” she said. “Then I found out later this was a great study method, and it helped me become a successful student.”

Despite Touchon's achievements at school, it wasn’t enough to keep her content. She wanted more from life. That’s when she began to envision herself moving to another country. At first, Australia reeled her in, but finally her sights fell onto the United States.

“I was 19 when I left,” she said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get along with my family very well and I wanted out of the house super bad. But what to do? I couldn’t just take off.”

Touchon then explained that a friend of a friend from Stockton came to her and presented her with the opportunity of living with a host family in California through the Au Pair system. This meant that she would receive a room and a weekly stipend in exchange for childcare and household chores. So, when the opportunity rolled by, she decided to snatch it up.

Soon after, she began attending Delta College and got a job as a cashier at a finance company. Although it took time to adjust from Swiss francs to American dollars, Touchon eventually made the jump from cashier to branch manager.

Touchon felt tied down and described the job as lucrative and dependable, but soon the days began to drag and each second felt like an hour.

“I was making good money,” she said, “but I was really unhappy and thought to myself that there has to be more to life.”

Then, one day at work, a friend who happened to be a French teacher shed a piece of advice that pushed her to pursue the career she had been longing for.

“Well, we’re getting older and we’re going to need new teachers,” her friend told her, “and you speak French, so why not switch careers?”

These words slowly dawned on Touchon as she realized life wouldn’t be worthwhile as long as she remained at a job that was unfulfilling. Although she was changing the course of her life by leaving the finance company behind, it in return ended up being the most rewarding choice Touchon could make.

Thanks to her time at San Joaquin Delta College, she received her associate's degree and was able to attend Sacramento State where she took all the required classes to get a bachelor's in education.

During her studies, Touchon was working as a waitress on the side.

“Let me tell you I wasn’t a very good waitress,” she said. “I had the accent, which customers could forgive, but many times I would drive home and remember table No. 4 needed more water or napkins and whatnot and I never gave it to them.”

Following her graduation, Touchon became a student teacher and had one of her professors at Sac State come in to observe her at Elk Grove and Lodi.

“That was the first time I ever set foot in an American classroom and thought to myself: Good thing I never came here,” she said. “Otherwise, I may have never gone into teaching.”

Working as a new teacher at Manteca High didn’t come without its hurdles. On the first day at the job, Touchon didn’t receive the best review. She was crestfallen and one bad review felt like the end.

“I was told I had to improve this and that, but in reality, it was a good thing because it kept me humble,” she said. “It’s a reminder I didn’t know anything and that I had just started two days ago.”

One bad review managed to become a daily mantra for Touchon. It reminded her that she could always turn things around and improve. With a network of supporting colleagues, Touchon pulled through her rather rough first week of school.

She transitioned from a timid teacher the French students were unfamiliar with to a confident and authoritative woman.

“Once that door closes and you look them in the eye, you witness different behavior,” she said. “Everything suddenly changes.”

This year marks Touchon’s 31st year at Manteca High.

Neil MacDannald, the assistant principal here at Manteca High, describes Clairelyse Touchon as relatable and a great storyteller.

“It’s hard to find French teachers when there’s such a surplus of Spanish teachers,” MacDannald said. “But Touchon has managed to be an excellent educator and has left a lasting impression on us.”

The journey to becoming a teacher may have been a long one filled with its ups and downs, but Touchon is more than happy that her dreams have led her to where she is now. She has become an integral part of the Manteca High foreign language department and is a teacher that many students can laugh at and feel safe with.

“Watching the kids who are struggling and suddenly get it ... now that is truly rewarding to me,” she said. “I only play a small role, but seeing my students grow excited to learn is the greatest pleasure.”