Belgium beware!

Today, 7 May 2011, is D-day…

Two of Elien's Cambodian biology and earth science students, Mr. Sopheak and Ms. Sreynoch, are flying to Belgium as we write this. Elien prepared them as good as she could. Still, luckily, they are not on their own. Up in the air, you also find two biology teachers. And last but not least, our friend and VVOB colleague: Bunna!

We wish we could join them all to Belgium; to see their faces, to share their first impressions, to take them to our homes and favorite places, to guide them around… Alas, that’s not possible. So then of course, we really felt like jumping into a tuktuk this morning to go and say goodbye at the airport!

“Bye, bye! Zwaai, zwaai! Have a safe flight! See you all next Sunday!”.

English For Jobs

In Battambang zaten we, gedurende onze week zorgstage, op hotel. Het Seng Hout Hotel. Met de twee sympathieke nachtreceptionisten maakten we al vlug kennis!

“Knyom nak krou.”. “Nak krou?”. “Nak krou.”. “Nak krou!”.

Nang en Madi Nech zijn overdag student en daarenboven leerkracht Engels. Zij geven les in een klasje bij een huis, zoals je die wel vaker tegenkomt hier in Cambodja. We kregen de kans om te gaan observeren en werden uitgenodigd om zelf les te geven. Zo geschiedde! Een aangename, nieuwe en verrijkende ervaring. English conversations to improve the pronunciation of English words.

Dat niet alleen, wij werden ook betrokken bij hun filmproject. Engelse dialogen worden gefilmd, op VCD gebrand en vervolgens gebruikt als lesmateriaal. En wij zijn door de casting geraakt! Knap hoe zij hun materiaal zelf ontwikkelen, er kruipt veel energie in. Maar wij dragen uiteraard graag ons steentje bij (hoe warm ook) aan de ontwikkeling van het onderwijs en het stimuleren van leerkrachten.

In het klasje aan het huis werd plots een televisietoestel te voorschijn getoverd, met ons hoofd op dan ook nog! Daar was dan het voorlopige resultaat... Spannend!

Sa art!

The mirrors of the soul

Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 April 2011: our first ever RTTC duo teaching of biology!

An excellent preparation of the lesson about the eye, including a dissection, is of course followed by an excellent performance of the lesson… Also thanks to our VVOB translator, Virak!

On Wednesday we could teach the biology student teachers of the second year. On Thursday we did it all over again for the biology student teachers of the first year. Each group contained about 30 students, which is quite a lot. But nevertheless, everything, even the demonstrations and group work of the dissection of the eye of a cow, went very smooth. Except for the rising temperatures in the classroom. Power cut means no fans, means no wind, means no refreshment.

The students were very interested and asked all kinds of deepening questions, partly due to the performance of the dissection. Performing a dissection creates a better inside in the structure and function of an eye.

After scalpels, scissors and gloves we continued with some fun experiments. Where can we find our blind spot? How do you determine your own dominant eye? There’s a hole in my hand!...

A round of applause ended the workshop of the eye J

Next: the respiratory system. Hold your breath; the dissection of pig’s lungs is included!