“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” –Nelson Mandela
I’m bombarded with hugs, fist pumps, high fives, and the sound of “Teacher! Teacher!” as I walk into the door. The room is smaller and much warmer than I’m used to. There’s fewer books and supplies. I’m not familiar with the routine or language. But it feels like home. The joy and potential in the room feels the same. The rows of desks and the layout of the class is similar. The job is the same: take what I know about these students and find a fun way to teach them the skills that they need.
This month, my team is helping teach English at Good News International School here in Cambodia. This is a private, church-ran school that serves to provide a good education to the students while also providing a safe place for them to be while their parents work. Our team is split- Kimmy, Bryce, and Allie teach in the mornings and then Jonathan, Matthew, and I go and teach in the afternoons. My group was assigned the Kindergarten classes- we each have our own class of little ones to teach English to.
Depending on the day, my class has 10-15 little ones. They greet me with excitement and often run and grab me to lead me to their room. They are rambunctious and eager to learn. They know their alphabet, numbers, and colors- which threw off my first lesson and we had to go straight to plan b (as teaching so often does…:P). They love to learn new songs and to color. They have challenged me to come up with new and fun ways to get them moving and engaged in the lesson. Each day is a new adventure and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
After my hour with my kindergarteners, I teach in a preschool room for 20-30 minutes. This is a time for me to spend a very short amount of time on the basics (a number or letter a day) and to get the students excited and interested and learning. It’s not been the easiest thing, but has been such fun opportunity that is also helping me grow as a teacher. Plus, I get to love on the itty-bitties which is my favorite!
Due to events that we have to travel to and the Khmer New Year occurring in the middle of our time here, our time with our students is very short. We only see them for 7-8 days. Our focus will be on building simple vocabulary, practicing the English they do know, and most importantly, loving on them.
This month will be great for our team. Teaching is out of some of the team’s comfort zones and many have never had to teach a group of kids before, but they are doing great! It is so fun for me to watch them all jump right in and to learn as they go. They have really invested and ask me great questions about how to better teach. They look at me as the “expert” but are teaching me new ways to think about and/or explain teaching. They bring so much enthusiasm and good knowledge to their rooms and are learning valuable lessons themselves.
Leaving my classroom back home was hard and I am so thankful that Papa blessed me with a chance to teach on the race. Teaching in a foreign country with students and teachers that don’t speak the same language is definitely a challenge and has made me have to think about and execute my plans differently. It’s provided many lessons for me. God has provided so much joy and love through the kids and my heart is full. He has also provided the opportunity for me to organize a packet of thoughts/ideas/tips for the teachers. Many of them do not come from an educational background and are eager to hear about my teaching experience in the States and to hear ideas on how to better engage their students and teach effectively. This will be something new but is such a great opportunity that allows me to use and combine passion for kids, teaching, and helping others grow.
Please join me in praying for the teachers and students at this school!
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