As mentioned in previous entries, the new academic year recently started at Cambodian state school. Today I had a chance to visit the state school that most children from Riverkids attend to see how the students are doing in their first few days.
Some Riverkids students have already been attending state school for a year or more, and they seemed quite comfortable in class (although maybe a little disappointed to be back). There were also a number of former kindergarten students who are beginning school for the first time. I was honestly a little worried about some of these kids because they’re so young and Riverkids kindergarten was their first experience being in a classroom and having to interact socially with large groups of their peers. Happily, the former kindergarten students seemed to be fitting in well in first grade. Several barely even noticed the foreigners standing in the doorway of their classroom because they were so focused on the lesson.
As someone who’s used to the Western style of education, I had mixed fillings about the conditions in state school. Most of the classes have about thirty students, which is a lot but not totally unmanageable for an experienced teacher. The classrooms were clean and had some posters and artwork up, and the teachers all seemed to be dedicated to their work and concerned with the well-being of the students. However, it was still clear that the state schools in Cambodia are not well funded and it can be a struggle to teach students with the resources available. Several teachers told us that they don’t have access to even basic teaching materials, including scrap paper students can use to practice writing and drawing. Certainly, the state schools do provide some education to the students, but seeing how few resources teachers at state schools have made me realize how lucky students at Riverkids are to have access to games, puzzles, arts and crafts supplies and other educational materials.
For the next week, Riverkids staff members will accompany the kids to and from class. The staff wants to ensure that the new students don’t get lost and that all the students get into the habit of attending school everyday. Certainly, the kids are a lot more comfortable at school when they get to see a familiar face everyday.
Some Riverkids students have already been attending state school for a year or more, and they seemed quite comfortable in class (although maybe a little disappointed to be back). There were also a number of former kindergarten students who are beginning school for the first time. I was honestly a little worried about some of these kids because they’re so young and Riverkids kindergarten was their first experience being in a classroom and having to interact socially with large groups of their peers. Happily, the former kindergarten students seemed to be fitting in well in first grade. Several barely even noticed the foreigners standing in the doorway of their classroom because they were so focused on the lesson.
As someone who’s used to the Western style of education, I had mixed fillings about the conditions in state school. Most of the classes have about thirty students, which is a lot but not totally unmanageable for an experienced teacher. The classrooms were clean and had some posters and artwork up, and the teachers all seemed to be dedicated to their work and concerned with the well-being of the students. However, it was still clear that the state schools in Cambodia are not well funded and it can be a struggle to teach students with the resources available. Several teachers told us that they don’t have access to even basic teaching materials, including scrap paper students can use to practice writing and drawing. Certainly, the state schools do provide some education to the students, but seeing how few resources teachers at state schools have made me realize how lucky students at Riverkids are to have access to games, puzzles, arts and crafts supplies and other educational materials.
For the next week, Riverkids staff members will accompany the kids to and from class. The staff wants to ensure that the new students don’t get lost and that all the students get into the habit of attending school everyday. Certainly, the kids are a lot more comfortable at school when they get to see a familiar face everyday.
-Jane Boyle
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