What ? me ? a teacher ?
One day, the staff asked me if I want to teach the time of my stay. I told them that teaching english would be difficult because it’s only a second langage and french would be also difficult because I am not a teacher...they laugh and asked me which day I can start !
I decided to try ! With a co-teacher from Cambodia, we choosed a class of young kids (7-13 years old) for the french lessons and I choose to teach english only for teenagers in a youth club in Kandieng.
For the french lessons, I have been researching about how to teach french for foreigners and printed a 20 pages plenty of vocabulary followed by pictures. It was easier with tem to learn thanks to songs, games and pictures. I knew that they will not speak french at the end of the 4 months but they were sensitized to a knew langage. In high school they can choose the option of french if they want. I thought that learning this langage was not a priority but I changed my mind. Indeed, every time I went to a pharmacy I saw that all medecines were written in french (I still don’t understand why), so all healph professionals should speak french. Then, a lot of NGOs acting in Cambodia are from France. So that’s a plus to speak this langage to get a job in Cambodia ! Finally, when you walk, a lot of old people are still saying “bonjour” because of the colonization by France between 1863 and 1953. All the “white people” are ca lled “BARENG”, which means in khmer : “french” and not “foreigner”. So today, even americans are called “french” !
What I appreciated with the students of this french class is their interesst for the lessons. In my country, I always heard that being a teacher is difficult because of the non-respect from the students. Here, they are almost too much respectful. The objective for all of them was to be the best, the first to answer or to give you a present ! They want to be noticed by you...and maybe wait to be sponsored by you ! Every “bareng” met is a little chance to get an exit from the poverty. You are considered like a Santa Claus, with a potential gift in your pockets. Before all the lessons and when you enter in the class-room, they are wainting for you standing up and singing all together : “Bonjour Professeur, comment ca-va ?” You need to tell them that they can seat otherwise they stay stand up !!! I hope that other volunteers didn’t abuse of this easy autority.
For the english lessons, I went every Tuesday and Friday afternoon to a village at 20 kilometers from Pursat. It was for me a good way to make some sport but also to give some english lessons to teenagers far from the city. They were all member of the youth club of their high school, betwen 14 and 18 years old. I introduced myself by presenting my country on the word map...it was a good way to speak about geography. They don’t know a lot about the other countries.They put Cambodia in the middle of the map because their maps present Cambodia in the middle...but on mine, it was Africa !!!
Their level of english is not bad, they prefer having conversations than writting. And it’s better for me also !
With my backgroung of sociology, it was a good opportunity for me to ask them a lot of questions about them and how their lives of teenager in Cambodia.
They definitely like speaking english (which was a surprise for me because during the dictature 30 years ago, their parents were not allowed to pronoune ONE foreign word) but they don’t think about travelling or living somewhere else. They want to speak english to get a better job. They seem to be proud of their country and want to stay here in order to develop it. For the majority, they are from the villages around and all their parents are farmers. They think about weddings, children and good jobs at 15 years old...far from my own 30 years old ! They also told me that they prefer living on the countryside than on the city. But, they never anwered that they want to become farmers...but doctor, teacher or businessman !
I noticed a lack of imagination and creativity
To train the teenagers to a writting contest organized by Peace Corp in Phom Pehn, I imaginated the creation of a “CV of the life”. They needed to write about their past, present and futur by following some questions. The 3 parts were : “When I was a child”, “Today I am”, “Tomorrow I will”. They were all motivated because I was typing their notes on the computer and printed for each, as a kind of certificate. But I discovered that they had all the same answers...they copy a lot each other. One of the peace corp member, teacher since 2 years in Pursat, told me that this is his biggest problem. Apparently, even the teachers let them copying. What is the objective to do this ? As we did when we were teenager...to get a better mark ! The teachers want to give them more chances to succeed at school by copying the best students...Sometimes, they even move in exam to go to check the answer with a student at the opposite of the classroom ! The girls hide the answers on their knees or the boys directly write all the lesson on the hands ! So, it doesn’t help them to be creative or original.
One day I asked the group of students to draw something they know that they are doing well, the kind of draw you do on your paper at the same time you are listening the teacher or when you are on the phone...the one which you did so many times that you even don’t need to think when you are doing it. It could be a kind of private-symbole. I have mine : A “M” in a circle and waves around...don’t know why. Anyway, nobody understood the rules of the game.
When I saw the drawings...I asked them if they were from their minds, imagination or heart...”Yes Lokrue !” ... Oh la la, they all drew a flag or a map of Cambodia. So academic !!! They are looking for a sponsor and are ready to do every thing perfectly to be choosed among the class. Desperate about the lack of imagination, risk-taking, creativity...I decided to involve them in a cartoon contest.