International Children's Day

Several weeks ago, the deputy head of our practice school came to ask if I would do something for International Children's Day. As other volunteers were thinking of story telling I suggested I could tell a story. 'In khmer?' he asked and I confidently agreed!!

Sokha prepared a translation of The Very Hungry Caterpillar which I wrote in Roman script and practised but as the time drew near I began to have doubts about a story being suitable for such an exciting occasion. I tried to back out saying I'd do ball games instead but the school was already looking forward to the story.

Wednesday 1^st June, the celebrations were due to start at 8.00. The staffroom was busy with teachers sorting out prizes and final rehearsals for the girls making speeches. Children waited patiently around a wooden platform that had been erected for the occasion. It had big holes in it, a huge health and safety hazard, but it somehow made the day seem special.

At 8.30 we filed out and I found that I was on the top table with the Headmaster and Head Girl. The Headmaster made a speech about the history of International Children's Day and what it means then introduced me to make mine. I had expected this and had prepared a few words in khmer but it didn't seem enough so I continued in English and Sokha translated. People were bemused at first to hear the English but then responded with cheers and applause so all was good. Prizes were given to those children who have performed well and to the needy students, it was one way of ensuring they have exercise books and pencils for the next term. I felt honoured to be asked to present them.

Then the games began. First was musical chairs. I was impressed by the way the majority of children were sat watching and cheering as a small group participated. My story was next and I was handed a microphone. It started well, children listened and could obviously understand as they joined in with the counting and called out the fruit names. Then over excitement kicked in as I was giving children pictures of the fruits to hold and they all wanted one – I was mobbed and had to call on Sokha for crowd control!

Crowd listening to story

Creeping closer

                

Sokha - Help! (notice that he took the photo first!! )

All was peaceful again and I finished with an activity sorting the children with food pictures into groups, healthy foods and those that are not healthy. This worked really well with the whole crowd joining in yelling 'laor' (good) or 'ot' (not) for each item in the Hungry Caterpillar's diet.

Is too much of this bad for you?

The morning continued like a game show. Groups of children competing whilst the rest looked on, the atmosphere was amazing, full of fun and laughter. I've labelled the photos to let you know about the other games. Once they were over, I took the children for some team races while the staff cleared away the stage, not even one child having fallen down a hole!

Pairs of children burst balloons by squeezing them between their bodies.

This was hilarious. Blindfold, children had to peel a banana and feed it to their partner.

Younger children blew the flour away to get at a hidden sweet.

First to get the sweet was the winner but all got a sweet.

More balloon bursting, this time by blowing it up too much. Ouch!

This is a bit like conkers. An egg in a bag is tied round each child's waist with string. The idea is to swing the bag and hit your opponents egg. first one to break the egg is the winner.

Finally there was dancing. A young girl proudly placed an arrangement of paper flowers on a log in the middle of the 'dance floor'. She turned to me and said – in English – 'My class make this'. I was very surprised, she told me she goes for private lessons.

To finish the morning I was invited for lunch with the staff. Sokha had already gone, it is a national holiday, so the Head said he would take me to the café. I was wearing a skirt so had to go side saddle, like the khmer girls. My helmet again gained a lot of attention for being so big. Few khmers wear a helmet at all, let alone a full face one. Everyone was so friendly that I'm really beginning to feel part of the community.

Starting Work

I arrived at the college to a sight very familiar from my time in Tanzania. Student teachers were in uniform, lined up in front of the national flag. Socha, my translator, arrived and we went to meet the Director only to be told that she was at a workshop – as were all the tutors. No classes for students today or tomorrow. Ot panya ha (hakuna matata, no problem!) I had an office to sort out. It was filthy so we set about cleaning it – actually Socha did most of the work, he was brilliant.

We took a look round and visited the adjoining practice school where it was playtime. All spare paper was transformed into origami boxes or paper aeroplanes, some to a complex design my Dad used to make. Children were all very friendly and fascinated by my nose!

College hours are 7.00 – 11.00 then 2.00 – 5.00. A long lunch break but it was too hot to do anything more than buy a few things at the market and rest at home. My house is only a few minutes walk from my workplace.

Greeting me in the afternoon was another familiar sight – students with brooms sweeping the college. A couple of young men were sent to fetch the VSO computer for my office where Socha enjoyed setting it up. At first it did not work, the multi socket broken and the UPS too. After a trip to the stationery shop I was ready for action.



 I have spent the past couple of weeks seeing how things work at the college. Nearing the end of the academic year is not a good time for me to be doing any meaningful work but it gives me time to get to know people, assess the situation and make plans. The college itself is a nice building but neglected. Classrooms are generally light and airy with birds passing through but there are no fans so it can get very hot. There is a library with a fair selection of education and children's books and I have a small adjoining office. The computer room has only 6 computers, students were disappointed today as their lesson was cancelled – no electricity. A music room full of electronic pianos is a source of pride. Outside my office is a pile of 18 more keyboards donated for use in schools. I don't know how long they have been there but the problem is that schools have no electricity in their classrooms. An example of donors not doing their homework!

At the moment, first year students are out on Teaching Practice in four local schools. Visiting them I got a taste of the problems facing teachers here. Some classrooms are wooden, others brick but all are hot, dark and dusty. I was pleasantly surprised to see that class sizes are around 40, some much less, but am told that they are higher in rural areas. Head teachers were keen to point out the flood marks on classroom walls and relate tales of fishermen casting their nets in the flooded playground during last years devastating rains. Teaching resources are few and far between although one school has a lovely library.

Cambodia has many bank holidays so I haven't done a full week yet, It's still hard to imagine how I will make an impact with limited language skills and a part time translator but I'm looking forward to finding out how it works.






Library on stilts



Inside the library