Teaching here’s been a lesson in itself
Oops… sorry, I’m way behind with my blog so will try to catch up this week, but it’s difficult when you only have (intermittent) internet access when I leave the school and at weekends.
Got into a good routine at the school now. I’m teaching in three classes a day the Crèche (1pm – 2pm) ages 2 to 10 years, Little Angels (2pm – 3pm) ages 5 to 12 and the Ravens (4.30pm – 5.30pm) who are aged 14 – 19.
The classes are fun, to say the least, the children speak very little English which makes it very hard work. We only have one interpreter/handyman who flits between four classes!
We are pretty much left to their own devices when it comes to teaching so there isn’t any real format to lessons. No surprise then that the children’s English isn’t progressing as it should be. One of the main aims of the Hope Agency is to teach children English. Learning English is so important to the children and their families livelihoods because many well paid jobs in Cambodia require at least a basic knowledge of the English language.
So it really is important that we all try to give these children the best education we possibly can, that’s why with some of your donations I’ve bought a full set of curriculum books including teacher guides, student books and tapes so that the children can start to get some sort of continuity and structure in their lessons.
Hopefully now there will be a teaching plan in place that can be continued and followed even though volunteers do come and go. I am also buying cassette players as teaching aids for the classrooms.
