Teacher! Teacher!

We are now into our second week of teaching and volunteering with Isara here in Nong Khai.

Pink school

 We are working 3 days a week at a local government school, teaching students from 9 to 13 years old. The school is two doors down from our apartment and is a lovely shade of flamingo pink. On our first day, as we walked down the driveway of our apartment block we could hear children’s laughter, we glanced over and there was a group of  girls playing what appeared to be tag on the roof of the 5 storey building! Lets just say discipline at the school is quite lax.

All together now.... ch!

Saying this, the students are all very respectful and respond well to us (we have not needed the cane that was handed to us on day one). Our lack of Thai and their lack of English hasn’t been a problem and already we have seen progress from the students. Now when we walk down the street it is to a chorus of ‘Teacher, Teacher!’.

Teacher Matt in action!

Ruling with an iron fist. 

Both at the government school and during our afternoon classes at Isara we have mainly been focusing on Phonics. I have found it fun to think of activities and games to  engage the children and Matt is loving his time in the classroom, after years of hearing 'I don’t like children', Matt is a natural in the classroom, and I think it helps that the young adult class all tell him he is handsome!

We also have been enjoying our Thursday afternoon art class. I had the genius idea of making salt dough with the children, it was a great fun activity, although I didn’t count on the most humid weather I have ever encountered hindering the actual drying process, turning the artistic ducks and flowers into a beige mush!  

Not too sure about salt dough.....

clearly loves it!

Lets just hope I can fix the finished products....

If you have time, check out the Isara website, you may even spot a few pictures of us participating in manual labour!