The Class Page #5

if you manage to do it well.

Rabah, read us...

your self portrait

- No.

How can I congratulate you

if you dont?

I dont need that.

Make your mind up

Were listening.

My name's Rabah. Im 14.

I listen to rap.

I love my village in Kabylia

and go there every year.

I like music, rap and slam.

I have two brothers

but I dont like school.

I dont like tramps.

I like Zidane.

I like to talk and I like

Psy 4 de la Rime's videos,

...Go Marseille!

We can manage without Marseille.

Go Paris!

We dont need it in a self-portrait

- Thats all.

- He skipped two lines.

Cut it out.

Go, dude.

Boubacar!

- I like to make love

I like to look good for the women

and I like summer,

...to see girls cleavage.

Why not, Rabah?

I never wrote that.

It looks like your writing.

No way!

Theres no shame in liking cleavage.

It's not a sin.

Souleymane stop rocking

and read your self-portrait.

- Im very curious

- Huh?

No, not huh.

I wrote nothing.

- I saw your writing earlier

- No, I wrote nothing

You did

- Nothing

- We're listening.

I'm Souleymane.

I have nothing to say about me

because no one knows me but me

- Bravo!

- All right

Thats good. A bit long maybe

You cant make the effort

that the others did?

I dont talk about myself.

How come the others do?

Thats their problem

I dont talk about my life

He just cant write, that's all!

What's up, you cop?

You talking to me, cop?

I can live with it

- Enough!

- Arrest guys...

...instead of talking to me.

Got your cuffs?

Your breath stinks!

- Chill.

- Heard of Aquafresh?

Souleymane

there's no need

to be offensive.

Need a toothbrush?

Souleymane,

...Youre a lot better

at oral insults than writing

He cant even write his name.

Zip it! What does this say?

Spare us your Koran.

Shut it. Whats wrong

with the Koran.

Ill spare you when you calm dawn

Its the Koran.

Bullshit!

Whats that tattoo, Souleymane?

Why are you showing it?

He claims it's Koran

What is it? Why are you showing us?

It means shut your mouth.

It doesnt mean that

So give us the real translation

Go on, tell us

I dont want to

You show it in my class so tell us.

It says here, right here:

"If your words are less important

than silence, keep quiet. "

What I said

Its not what you said.

Why isnt it the same?

Its different.

I think it sounds better

Yes its better put.

If only you could write such

interesting things on paper,

that would be great

I think so too.

That proves you can do it.

After these fires few

self-portraits, Id like you,

to rewrite them and polish them...

...making sure you answer

the questions that we listed:

what I like and dont like...

my qualities and flaws

who Id like to be?

Come in.

Stand up please. Good morning.

That goes for those at the back too

Come on, stand up.

Cherif, you heard me?

Everyone has to stand.

Its a way of greeting an adult

It doesnt mean

submission or humiliation.

Good. Sit back down

Ive come to introduce

a new student.

Carl.

Try to make him welcome...

...until the end of the year.

Thank you

Carl, go sit in the third row,

in that free place

Khoumba, move your things

Take a sheet of paper and a pen

and try to catch up with the others

...Well talk after

Dont forget the homework

for Monday without fail.

Lets finish with this

Carl, stay here a minute or two

Welcome

I dont know if you know

but I'm Mr. Marin,

your class supervisor.

If theres a problem, tell me.

I know who you are...

why youre here

The principal told me

but that doesnt matter for me

We'll start from scratch here

It will all go well.

Youve seen that we...

Were on self-portraits to be

handed in next Monday.

- Maybe you could do one too

- OK.

Know when the next class is?

Monday, 9.30

Good.

You like French?

Like everyone, I guess.

That doesnt mean much.

Ok, off you go.

Good bye

You know what a self-portrait is?

- Yes.

- Youre sure?

Yes.

Have a good day.

Pleased to meet you

Sit down, please.

Thank you for coming

I know it isnt easy

We're very pleased with Wey

Very pleased. All the teachers

at the staff meeting said so.

He's kind, he's pleasant...

It's good to have him in class.

And its showing in his grades.

we have...

the usual good grades in mathematics.

He's doing well there

In French,

we have a 9 here

Not a lot

He doesnt speak French very well

yet but thats only normal

He speaks a lot.

He tells me about a lot of things.

He talks about his computer

Hes into that

Always too late

He works too late?

Yes, too late, not sleep good.

After, school not good.

...Eyes get sick after

He may spend a lot of time

on the computer

but things are fine at school

for now

He works well

and he doesnt seem tired

Nassim... Id like him to do...

He can go far. He has all he needs

At his age, I wasnt that lucky

Im behind him

Anything he needs, I get him

But he has to do right

Things are good at home with him

but Id like him

to keep on studying

Me and his mother,

wed like to be proud of him

Thats what we ask of him

I think we all agree

on what we need to do.

Its crazy how alike you are

We're lookers in family

Youre right.

An adolescent who talks

with his family,

...who has good grades,

...who has friends,

even if hes a bit of a loner,

...hes an outcast?

Hes a boy who talks with adults,

who exchanges with them

Maybe he doesnt with you

but that means

...hes just a teenager

trying to define himself.

I was useless at school for years,

...I rejected the idea

of marking us fit in with the system.

Do his black clothes bother you?

The way he looks?

I dont get it.

Id like him to go to the best,

to Henri IV.

Why?

Standards again...

Because they have

very high standards.

A mother wants the best for her son

Shes scared Ill feel lost

in high school because of others

...went to fancy private schools.

and Dolto Hogh isnt like that

Its a pity that the teachers...

I don't want to accuse anyone

Go on, accuse us. Its a pleasure

Why dont you try

...to push the better students

...a little harder, say?

They get bogged down

by other students...

...who arent as good

My mom makes stuff up.

Dolto High isnt useless.

- I didnt say useless,

I said average

I didnt call it useless

- We talked about Souleymane

a great deal...

...at the staff meeting

Many teachers have complained

about his attitude

...that is very negative.

What?

Many complain...

...that he comes without his things,

...When he comes, as hes often absent

- I think you know that

- No we didnt know

Souleymane tells us he works hard

She doesnt think so.

- There have been notes

in his report book...

...since September, 3 month now

Notes about the problems

he was having.

- She signs them without knowing

because she cant read.

You read the notes too?

Yes, but I'm just his brother. You see?

But you knew there was a problem?

- No, I didnt know.

He says things are fine when I ask

Does he work at home?

He stays in his room

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