Teaching Adventures in Cambodia

In May 2010, I had the opportunity to teach overseas in Cambodia with the McMaster School for Advancing Humanity within Defiance College. While I was there I conducted two teacher training sessions on the direct instruction teaching method.

What an adventure it was! I grew leaps and bounds professionally, personally and spiritually. As bad as we teachers here in America think we have it, one trip to a classroom in a third-world country will make us thank our lucky stars for all that we are blessed with. Take, for example, air conditioning. I know I take it for granted, how about you? I have never felt heat as intense as in Cambodia. As soon as I stepped off the plane in the middle of the night I was dripping with sweat. During the day, the temperature rose to 110 degrees, and dropped a whopping 15 degrees to 95 at night. Imagine yourself teaching in an open-air classroom with 30-plus students, and you'll understand why I look so terrible in these pictures! (That, and the fact that my luggage was lost the entire three weeks I was gone!)

I love the pictures of the King, Queen, Prince, and flag above the chalk board.
The Khmer people have a strong sense of nationalism.



This was a highlight of my trip. Our organization paid each teacher in attendance to cover the wages they missed (plus a little extra) by taking a day off from their classrooms.



I {love} these kids!

This trip constantly stretched me out of my comfort zone, and hardest of all was being away from my husband and son for a month. The time that I spent with the children at the schools and women's centers encouraged me each day while strengthening my teaching skills.

I am so thankful I had the opportunity to share my skills with teachers across the globe.