Teacher Training

Life for me is not all travelling, I do work too.
One of the big problems in Cambodian schools is lack of teaching resources. Another is knowing how to use them. A Belgian NGO produced a reading scheme in khmer and asked VSO to assist in the training of teachers. Grade 1 and 2 teachers from the schools used by the college for Teaching Practice, were invited to a workshop. My colleagues already have experience of the materials and delivered very lively sessions. The school teachers were enthusiastic and loved the books.  I particularly enjoyed the session when the teachers were asked to illustrate a scene from a story.  Many of these teachers grew up during or just after Khmer Rouge and so had no experience of fun in their own education. The laughter as they worked together was very encouraging.

Flooding has made the beginning of term difficult with some schools being closed so I have been unable to follow this up and give support in the classrooms. I am looking forward to working with the children.

The Rains Came Down...

 For the Pchum Ben holiday, I took the opportunity to visit Mondulkiri Province in the East of Cambodia. It was beautiful - jungle and waterfalls. All the rain we've been having meant the falls were spectacular and powerful. It also made the roads very muddy and difficult to negotiate!

Bou Sraa Waterfall

Sen Mororom Waterfall

Children in traditional Pnong dress

Elephant belonging to Pnong tribesmen

 

...and the floods came up.

The trouble with all this rain in the highlands is that it flows to the lowlands to add to the rain that's already falling there. Right now many parts of Cambodia are suffering serious floods that have resulted in over 140 deaths and disastrous damage to rice crops. From the bus I saw houses sitting in the water, abandoned by families who set up tents by the roadside. The new school year should be starting this week but for over 900 schools this will not be possible as they are flooded.

My college is right by the river and although I have watched the water level rise steadily, we have not suffered any flooding.  Work begins again on Monday and I'm looking forward to working with teachers and trainees on Khmer Literacy and Maths teaching.