Hi everyone,
Well, we did it! It was an exciting first year with lots of ups and downs, but we're more than ready to take on our second year once we start up again in September after the summer break.
Student Conferences
Shally finished up student conferences and pre-registered most of the students for the 2011-12 school year on the last day of class. We had only two days for conferences, but we'll probably expand them to over a week next year so that students have more time to ask questions. On average, students met with Shally for about 8-10 minutes. However, some students need as much as 15 minutes because they wanted to discuss personal problems with him. Often, a few of these meetings end in tears because students are overwhelmed with difficulties at home or at public school. Yet, most of the meetings have students smiling because they are given encouragement and constructive feedback.
Secret Sentences
While Shally was in meetings, I had a mixed tense writing and speaking activity for the students called "Secret Sentence". Students were given three strips of paper and had to write a "secret" on each strip of paper. The students then folded up their strips of paper and had the students put them into a basket. I then gave each student three of these "secrets" from the basket. Students then had to read these secrets and then mingle with their classmates and ask questions to find the writer of the secret.
After each lesson, I collected these secrets and categorized them into groups. You can read some of these "secrets" in a short slide presentation in the "BEA Voices" section of the blog. You'll be surprised at some of these "secrets"! There's one "secret" that made me burst out laughing because I have no idea where the student learnt that expression, but Shally may have had something to do with that. Can you guess which "secret" made me laugh?
Awards Ceremonies
Before we dismissed each class for the summer break, we had a short awards ceremony. The top three students in each course received a "Grammar in Use" activity book and a notebook for prizes. It was quite difficult at times to get a group photo because I couldn't get the kids to sit still for a minute! However, I did manage to get some great photos for the website. You can view them on the home page under a new section called "The BEA Bulletin Board".
Summer Break
BEA will be closed until August 28, but the staff will be back on August 29 to get the school ready for registration on September 1. All students will be to class on September 5.
Until then, Shally will be revising the Basic and Pre-Intermediate programs while I'll be designing BEA's new Intermediate curriculum and setting up our library program. It'll be a busy "break" for both of us.
During the break, we'll keep you updated on our progress with our new projects and accreditation from the Ministry of Education.
Back to the books....
The Bayon English Academy (BEA) is an NGO school that provides underprivileged youth with quality English language education in a safe, clean environment in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Well, we did it! It was an exciting first year with lots of ups and downs, but we're more than ready to take on our second year once we start up again in September after the summer break.
Student Conferences
Shally finished up student conferences and pre-registered most of the students for the 2011-12 school year on the last day of class. We had only two days for conferences, but we'll probably expand them to over a week next year so that students have more time to ask questions. On average, students met with Shally for about 8-10 minutes. However, some students need as much as 15 minutes because they wanted to discuss personal problems with him. Often, a few of these meetings end in tears because students are overwhelmed with difficulties at home or at public school. Yet, most of the meetings have students smiling because they are given encouragement and constructive feedback.
Secret Sentences
While Shally was in meetings, I had a mixed tense writing and speaking activity for the students called "Secret Sentence". Students were given three strips of paper and had to write a "secret" on each strip of paper. The students then folded up their strips of paper and had the students put them into a basket. I then gave each student three of these "secrets" from the basket. Students then had to read these secrets and then mingle with their classmates and ask questions to find the writer of the secret.
After each lesson, I collected these secrets and categorized them into groups. You can read some of these "secrets" in a short slide presentation in the "BEA Voices" section of the blog. You'll be surprised at some of these "secrets"! There's one "secret" that made me burst out laughing because I have no idea where the student learnt that expression, but Shally may have had something to do with that. Can you guess which "secret" made me laugh?
Awards Ceremonies
Before we dismissed each class for the summer break, we had a short awards ceremony. The top three students in each course received a "Grammar in Use" activity book and a notebook for prizes. It was quite difficult at times to get a group photo because I couldn't get the kids to sit still for a minute! However, I did manage to get some great photos for the website. You can view them on the home page under a new section called "The BEA Bulletin Board".
Summer Break
BEA will be closed until August 28, but the staff will be back on August 29 to get the school ready for registration on September 1. All students will be to class on September 5.
Until then, Shally will be revising the Basic and Pre-Intermediate programs while I'll be designing BEA's new Intermediate curriculum and setting up our library program. It'll be a busy "break" for both of us.
During the break, we'll keep you updated on our progress with our new projects and accreditation from the Ministry of Education.
Back to the books....
The Bayon English Academy (BEA) is an NGO school that provides underprivileged youth with quality English language education in a safe, clean environment in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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