I found myself with a free semester between graduating CÉGEP and beginning an undergraduate degree in Education. I decided to use the time off to volunteer for four months overseas - something I had been interested in since I was a kid. I researched my options and was accepted as a short-term English teacher at an AIDS center/orphanage in Cambodia. The center was located near Phnom Penh, the capital city.
I arrived with almost no experience teaching. I had read a few books on Teaching English as a Second Language before I left, but had no concrete idea of what to expect. Once in Cambodia, I had the weekend to adjust to the change in time zone, climate and culture, then started work on Monday. I was given the textbooks the center used and the teacher’s manual, and was allowed to observe the two Khmer teachers I was replacing teach a class. I was told which chapters I had to cover in the textbook before I returned to Canada but was given a good deal of freedom as to how and when I taught each unit.
Overall, my experience was a good one. I taught three one-hour classes: one Grade 3-level class (though my students were 8-16 years old) in the afternoon, and two teen classes in the evening. The majority of my days I spend preparing for each day’s lessons. Not once did I wish I was doing something else. I was never homesick and loved getting to know the Khmer culture and the people with whom I lived at the center. This said, my time abroad was also very challenging, and sometimes emotionally difficult. I experienced loneliness. Most of the people at the center did not speak enough English to carry on a meaningful conversation and I spoke almost no Khmer. As a result, I felt isolated from my friendly neighbours. I also felt like a failure at teaching, especially in my Grade 3 class. Class management was frequently a disaster. Many of my students weren't understanding the material. I was stressed and disorganized.
I hope to do teach overseas again. I hope to do a better job next time. I will use what I learned during my time there and what I am learning in my undergraduate at McGill as well. I will pick up as much practical knowledge as possible from other teachers or volunteers working abroad. This is the reason I created this website. I hope to provide a tool for teachers working overseas and learn from the experiences they share with me as well.
Overall, my experience was a good one. I taught three one-hour classes: one Grade 3-level class (though my students were 8-16 years old) in the afternoon, and two teen classes in the evening. The majority of my days I spend preparing for each day’s lessons. Not once did I wish I was doing something else. I was never homesick and loved getting to know the Khmer culture and the people with whom I lived at the center. This said, my time abroad was also very challenging, and sometimes emotionally difficult. I experienced loneliness. Most of the people at the center did not speak enough English to carry on a meaningful conversation and I spoke almost no Khmer. As a result, I felt isolated from my friendly neighbours. I also felt like a failure at teaching, especially in my Grade 3 class. Class management was frequently a disaster. Many of my students weren't understanding the material. I was stressed and disorganized.
I hope to do teach overseas again. I hope to do a better job next time. I will use what I learned during my time there and what I am learning in my undergraduate at McGill as well. I will pick up as much practical knowledge as possible from other teachers or volunteers working abroad. This is the reason I created this website. I hope to provide a tool for teachers working overseas and learn from the experiences they share with me as well.