My Experience at Joy Day Care

I have truly enjoyed my time at Joy Day care. Today was my last day. : ( I have been in a classroom with 16 3-5 year old. This is a hard age to work with when you can speak the same language, add on a different language and it can be quite challenging. I am proud to say that I mastered almost all of their names. I usually pride myself is being great with names, but the names here sound so different it is a real challenge.

I have been able to see how culture has such few boundaries for young children. I have seen many similarities in their general needs and interests. The gender differences are here (boys playing with cars and trains and girls playing with fake food) as well as the push to engage in adult activities (a child can make a cell phone out of any object her or she can find.) The one thing I wish I would have had an opportunity to do is meet the children's parents. It would be interesting to hear their stories and I feel like you get the real picture of a child once you understand their home life. In writing this is makes me feel like a major family systems person (that was for all the social workers out there). I guess it is true here too I really like the family aspect hence family therapy is one of my favorites.

In working in the day care I loved how appreciative each child was, this is a skills that is taught to the children on a regular basis. I was told "thank you teacher" or "Aw Kohn teacher" for everything I did for them. I know this is not a trend in all of Cambodia, but it was a welcome change. However, I do know that the general respect for adults is much higher here than it is in North America. I may have a jaded view considering my recent job, but children here are much more caring and respectful to their parents in general.

I have done general care of the children such as bathing and doing hair as well as teaching English and general supervision. I don't think I am meant to be an ESL teacher, but it has been an enjoyable experience. I am sure many of you are not surprised but I have also taught the children many songs. Their favorites are If you're Happy and You Know It, Ten Little Monkeys, Twinkle Twinkle Little Start, The Wheels on the Bus and The Itsy Bitsy Spider. Check out the videos below.

I feel like I have taken a million pictures of the children, but I picked out some of my favorites to share. I have many more you can see when I get home.

  

Many of the students were missing on the day I took the group picture. The class may look small but this was no true everyday.

I am very happy this placement was a positive experience for me. I hope my next placement is just as successful.