TOEFL clock-work

Mondays I introduce the new vocabulary (15 words from the TOEFL book Natalie gave me). 

Tuesdays I review the words and work on computer skills. 

Wednesdays we learn synonyms for the week's words as well as review the previous week's words.

Thursdays we review the words again and then we go over what's been read in The Joy Luck Club.

A couple of them had forgotten their books and so they didn't want to talk about the reading (go figure); we reviewed our TOEFL words and went over some of the words that those who HAD read didn't know and wrote down. 

Fridays I have them do one more exercise with the week's words and a writing project or another activity.

Music. It works

To: Aria
Ohmigosh! Working with group 2 is almost like a nightmare for me! These kids are incredibly hard to control and whenever they don't want to do something they just act like they don't understand! Incredibly frustrating! I know that group 2 is good and that they're trying to pay attention (at least some of them). 

I tried to keep them focused by doing team activities. The first one was fine, everyone had their heads together and they worked on getting the task done; the second one was disastrous! 

You should know how it is, what kind of things did you do with them in order to maintain order?

To:  Corbin

Honestly?  I sang.  Like all the time.  And they liked hearing me sing and so when I wanted them to write or read or something, I'd sing quietly in the classroom while I gave them time to work.  It helped me gauge time as well.  They at least quieted down enough so that the kids who wanted to do the work were able to get it done.  Start class with a song.  When they lose attention play a game or sing.  They've been in school for a good part of the day, so I felt like their brains were sludge by the time I got to work with them. 

Teach them their new favorite song and help them understand the words.  They know the words, but they don't always know what they mean.  Make that a type of reward. 

To: Aria

 Hey! Thanks for the tip on using music. Today we picked some primary hymns, I wrote the words on the board and we went over them, I explained what they didn't know and then we sang. I know I can't do this every lesson but it was a lot more controlled than my past lessons with group 2.

Lots of reading....and bread

Highlights from Corbin's daily correspondence to Aria:

-Group 3 has pretty much learned the first batch of TOEFL words, they went through today's lesson for them in half the time expected so I had to find something else for them to do.

-I've been to the ABC bakery, GREAT bread. Speaking of, Botevy told me the whole time you lived off bread and sandwich meat! And some of the girls said that you had  them hula. Funny stuff. 

Group 3 is becoming a little too comfortable around me, they rejoice when my lesson requires the computers and today one of them even tried to watch tv when he finished his test!  That's what happens when you teach a small group of students close to your age.

-Started group 3 on reading The Joy Luck Club; I don't really expect them to understand it, but I want them to get used to reading from non-children's books as well as get in the habit of reading written English regularly and learn more words.  Natalie gave me the books from Kahuku high school.

TOEFL horse racing

Aaaaaand the TOEFL horses are off!

Unfortunately, TOEFL racing is a lot more boring than a real horse derby. My new dilemma is trying to make learning TOEFL words fun but still within my daily allotted time. Other than that things are going just dandy.

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All is well. I feel that group 3 will progress very nicely over the coming months.

Nothing else to report. 

Starting week

Here are some highlights of what's been happening with Corbin this past week:  


- This is a little late, but I'm alive!!! Socheat asked me how long I will be staying and when I told him only 3 months I felt sad knowing that in 3 months, someone else will be here and they will have to start over with him/her (not so much learning wise [hopefully] but relationship wise). It's going to be challenging getting these kids up to snuff, so pray for me!

-I was able to lay some groundwork down with group 3 and we'll be starting TOEFL prep next week! 

-Ohmigosh!!!!!  Taught group 2 for the first time today, they are SO different from group 3!!! They were still respectful, but so much harder for me to handle!  They don't all understand me, and when I ask they all say they do. Fortunately Vichet pretty much repeated everything I said in Khmer so that everyone was on-task.

-Today's class session was MUCH less frustrating yesterday. It's funny because yesterday we were missing about 4 kids and they were unmanageable, but today I had all 13 of them and it was just fine! I think my game yesterday helped them like me more. Anyways, it's a bit of a shame I can only meet with group 2 on weekends (because of their school schedules) but I do like them and from today's session.

Corbin OUT!

Day 1 from Corbin

Corbin sends an email every day with updates on the kids and what they're working on.  Each week we'll post some of what he has been up to.  

Well, it's not really day 1, yesterday was day 1 but all I did was shop and meet the kids. I consider today day 1 because I started teaching. I am alive and I have no digestive/stomach problems. Today I started assessing group 3's English and I should be done with my assessments after tomorrow. I am a little concerned because I know that Natalie wants me to work on the TOEFL with this group, but so far it does not seem that they are anywhere near where they should be; I definitely have my work cut out for me.

New things for a new year

Aloha!  ជំរាបសួរ (jim briabp seur)!  Hello!

We've begun a new year and a new semester with a new intern!
His name is Corbin.  He is a TESOL major and his specific focus during his internship this semester is preparing the older kids to take the TOEFL exam. The TOEFL exam measures English skill level and is required for many post-secondary institutions.   He is also working with the 12-16 year old group in getting them familiar with computer and helping them get to the point where they'll be able to be prepared when it's time for them to get ready for the TOEFL. 

I see the hope of progress.

It's difficult going because the kids all have different government school schedules.  But he is getting to know all the kids and they're learning how to work with him.  We look forward to really great things in Cambodia this semester. 












We also have some exciting things coming for the 'home base' of ICHope.  We have published our facebook page and look forward to documenting our happenings through that medium as well.   ICHope has been selected as one of the projects that the Brigham Young University- Hawaii chapter of Enactus (SIFE) will be presenting on in their regional and national competitions.