High School teacher wants to make permanent difference to Cambodia

by **Alex** » Tue Aug 01, 2017 9:01 pm

Someone should invite him to make his case here, that would only be fair. I might even sponsor him if he does a good job (unlikely, granted).

by **Kachang** » Tue Aug 01, 2017 3:48 pm

Mèo Đen wrote:
Joon wrote: EDIT: Just visited the LRTT Cambodia page. So, of course, it is in Siem Reap... https://lrtt.org/fellowships/cambodia
Also telling that they got reviews from the Fellows who go there to coach but they don't have testimonials from the Cambodian teachers who are receiving the coaching.
They're going to coach teachers and yet there is no indication that they have the capacity to do so. The Guarian report states "A MIDDLEWICH High School teacher wants to make a ‘permanent difference in a former war-torn country". No mention that he is anything other than a teacher himself.

Joon wrote: My "grumble" is not aimed at his intentions but at the way he chose to present Cambodia in absolute words to make his summer holiday project sound more altruistic than it really is. White Savior complex is one of my most detested pet peeves.
Agreed.

Many NGOs inflate the sense of importance of what they are actually doing, and project a sense of self importance to prospective recruits that makes them think they will achieve far more than in reality is possible. In the end its nothing more than "development tourism" Play down the capacity of the target country and inflate the ego of prospective applicant. Then charge them for doing so

From LRTT site:
LRTT works with a small number of schools that are spread around the city of Siem Reap.........

The goal is to grow the capacity of teachers in the Siem Reap area so students have access to a better quality education. We deliver the LRTT course to teachers which introduces key areas of pedagogy and how to implement these in lessons. Each Fellow works with a small number of teachers, visits them in their schools, observe their lessons then give coaching on improvements to their teaching.

How does this interface with:

UNICEF supported the piloting of Child-Friendly Schools in six provinces. Integration of this approach in the
pre-service teacher training curriculum at all 18 teacher-training colleges as well as training for school directors and teachers on child-centred education has enhanced the quality of learning for children. By the 2007/2008 school year, the Child-Friendly Schools Initiative had already reached its 2010 target of 70 percent of schools in six provinces, catalysing a national expansion to cover remaining provinces, along with the School Readiness
Programme, which is a “catch-up” programme for grade 1 students who missed out on preschool. Though the expansion and improvement of Child-Friendly Schools, children are getting a better education and making optimal use of their time in class. The Cambodian Government has adopted Child-Friendly Schools as a national education policy, working to ensure that all children across the country receive quality education.

By the 2009/2010 school year, more children than ever before received a head start to their education through enrolment in 932 community preschool classes that benefited 21,258 children between the ages of three and five, more than half of them girls, and home-based programmes that benefited 8,920 children in eight provinces. Enrolment in early childhood education programmes increased from 10.8 per cent in the 2004/2005 school year to nearly 26 per cent in the 2010/2011 school year.
https://www.unicef.org/cambodia/3.Education.pdf

Somehow the 'trainers' mostly end up in Sihanoukville, Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. They must be most needed there?

An example....

When I worked / volunteered in education an international NGO was aiming for a fostering plan, having foreigners abroad (in this case: Italy) support one child in primary school throughout his or her career for a number of years. The money would be used to improve their education by supporting the schools with tools, training, toilet etc etc fitting the national 'child friendly school program'. Because we had access to local schools here in the Northeast they contacted the NGO I worked for and me and my colleagues were asked to contact schools and produce numbers about drop out, enrollment, etc etc. because getting these through the ministry can take years, and check if schools would be interested in enrolling in a foster program like that.
After this international NGO received the info from two provinces, they decided to support children in the Siem Reap area because drop out rates and the number of children repeating a grade were too high in the Northeast. They did not want to send too many 'disappointing letters' to the donors about their foster child dropping out of school, or other bad news. If I remember well this was the first time I became really cynical about NGO's and what they're saying on their websites, what they're trying to achieve and what they actually are achieving with their interventions.

by **Mèo Đen** » Tue Aug 01, 2017 3:30 pm

Joon wrote: EDIT: Just visited the LRTT Cambodia page. So, of course, it is in Siem Reap... https://lrtt.org/fellowships/cambodia
Also telling that they got reviews from the Fellows who go there to coach but they don't have testimonials from the Cambodian teachers who are receiving the coaching.

They're going to coach teachers and yet there is no indication that they have the capacity to do so. The Guarian report states "A MIDDLEWICH High School teacher wants to make a ‘permanent difference in a former war-torn country". No mention that he is anything other than a teacher himself.

Joon wrote: My "grumble" is not aimed at his intentions but at the way he chose to present Cambodia in absolute words to make his summer holiday project sound more altruistic than it really is. White Savior complex is one of my most detested pet peeves.

Agreed.

Many NGOs inflate the sense of importance of what they are actually doing, and project a sense of self importance to prospective recruits that makes them think they will achieve far more than in reality is possible. In the end its nothing more than "development tourism" Play down the capacity of the target country and inflate the ego of prospective applicant. Then charge them for doing so

From LRTT site:
LRTT works with a small number of schools that are spread around the city of Siem Reap.........

The goal is to grow the capacity of teachers in the Siem Reap area so students have access to a better quality education. We deliver the LRTT course to teachers which introduces key areas of pedagogy and how to implement these in lessons. Each Fellow works with a small number of teachers, visits them in their schools, observe their lessons then give coaching on improvements to their teaching.

How does this interface with:

UNICEF supported the piloting of Child-Friendly Schools in six provinces. Integration of this approach in the
pre-service teacher training curriculum at all 18 teacher-training colleges as well as training for school directors and teachers on child-centred education has enhanced the quality of learning for children. By the 2007/2008 school year, the Child-Friendly Schools Initiative had already reached its 2010 target of 70 percent of schools in six provinces, catalysing a national expansion to cover remaining provinces, along with the School Readiness
Programme, which is a “catch-up” programme for grade 1 students who missed out on preschool. Though the expansion and improvement of Child-Friendly Schools, children are getting a better education and making optimal use of their time in class. The Cambodian Government has adopted Child-Friendly Schools as a national education policy, working to ensure that all children across the country receive quality education.

By the 2009/2010 school year, more children than ever before received a head start to their education through enrolment in 932 community preschool classes that benefited 21,258 children between the ages of three and five, more than half of them girls, and home-based programmes that benefited 8,920 children in eight provinces. Enrolment in early childhood education programmes increased from 10.8 per cent in the 2004/2005 school year to nearly 26 per cent in the 2010/2011 school year.
https://www.unicef.org/cambodia/3.Education.pdf

by **YaTingPom** » Tue Aug 01, 2017 3:20 pm

You're overthinking it.

by **Kachang** » Tue Aug 01, 2017 2:56 pm

YaTingPom wrote:
Kachang wrote:
ផោមក្លិនស្អុយ wrote:
lordofmisrule wrote:He is well intentioned, but so are the gap year students building orphanages, it does not make what they do any more effective but hey I guess its the starfish syndrome, it may make a difference to some and that may be enough.
The difference is that he is a professional and is volunteering within his professional sphere.
Not sure many gap year students are qualified or experienced builders.
Well.... Everyone has the right to have his/ her dreams and ideals, but the chance this teacher is going to make a change in Cambodia while being here is nearly zero.

I came to Cambodia as a professional in education, I tried as hard as I could for 25 months to make a change for the good in local education, but Cambodia changed me more than I changed Cambodia.
Whoa. That's going to trample on your ego somewhat!

That's like telling someone to not bother doing something, like setting up a business or building a shed, because you tried it and failed.

I say good on this bloke.
Can't believe the bitterness sometimes.
Well actually I can as I live here amongst all the pisshead expats.

No, don't worry about my ego.

This is not about not bothering, this is about aid or support being effective. Assuming you will be effective in making a change for the good in local education in two months time in the UK holiday season (most government schools are about to close in Cambodia... Does he know?) without any experience in the country, without any experience with the education system, without speaking the language is what I consider a bit unrealistic. And I have been there for two years, so I pretend to know a little bit about it.

But give the guy a break, just let him try and make an effort.

Many tried before him. Over the last 20 years many made an effort, and billions have been spent, and we all know how government schools are performing nowadays, don't we? So you can draw your own conclusions about the effectiveness of all the support and aid in the past, and try to predict how effective he will be.

by **Playboy** » Tue Aug 01, 2017 2:51 pm

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by **Joon** » Tue Aug 01, 2017 2:48 pm

ផោមក្លិនស្អុយ wrote:I think that's a tad unfair Joon.
Where does it say that he has his flight accommodation and food paid for?
It says 'Michael has funded' - suggests to me that he has paid for it himself.
But we shouldn't let that inconvenient sentence get in the way of a good grumble.

PS I'm not Michael - nor so I know him.

Fair point. I read "Michael has funded flights, food and accommodation" as Michael has got "funded flights, food and accommodation."
And a look at LRTT website shows that the "package" costs from USD1,645 (£1,245) and this includes, according to the website:
Accommodation
3 meals a day
All transport in Cambodia
Team Leaders
Airport pickup and drop-off
LRTT conference costs
24hr support in Cambodia
Pre-departure training

My "grumble" is not aimed at his intentions but at the way he chose to present Cambodia in absolute words to make his summer holiday project sound more altruistic than it really is. White Savior complex is one of my most detested pet peeves.

by **Playboy** » Tue Aug 01, 2017 2:48 pm

scobienz wrote:
Joon wrote: a God-forsaken, backward, deserted shithole country .

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by **scobienz** » Tue Aug 01, 2017 2:45 pm

Joon wrote: a God-forsaken, backward, deserted shithole country .

by **Alexandra** » Tue Aug 01, 2017 2:20 pm

ផោមក្លិនស្អុយ wrote:But he isn't coming alone. He is coming with the organisation LRTT. They work with locally established partners - this could be the ministry of education, but more likely an educational NGO.

Seriously, did no one read the article before they started complaining?

Fair enough. I admit, I didn't read it. I first thought it said "High School student wants to make permanent difference" and thought meh.

Bless

by **ផោមក្លិនស្អុយ** » Tue Aug 01, 2017 2:18 pm

But he isn't coming alone. He is coming with the organisation LRTT. They work with locally established partners - this could be the ministry of education, but more likely an educational NGO.

Seriously, did no one read the article before they started complaining?

by **Alexandra** » Tue Aug 01, 2017 2:02 pm

Well intentioned or not, why would somebody donate to someone to start something afresh and fly here rather than donate to an established organization that is already here and has a good reputation? Donor funds are limited. There is the possibility that by hindering donor funds from going elsewhere, by directly competing with established NGOs, that he does more harm than good.

Why doesn't he just raise funds for an organization? He couldn't be personally interested in visiting the country and staying here and not having the means to do so without external funding, could he? Or are established organizations not doing as much of a permanent change that this man could alone?

Bless

by **ផោមក្លិនស្អុយ** » Tue Aug 01, 2017 1:57 pm

I think that's a tad unfair Joon.
Where does it say that he has his flight accommodation and food paid for?
It says 'Michael has funded' - suggests to me that he has paid for it himself.
But we shouldn't let that inconvenient sentence get in the way of a good grumble.

PS I'm not Michael - nor so I know him.

by **Joon** » Tue Aug 01, 2017 1:37 pm

Marmite wrote:Lovely. I'm sure he will make a huge difference and solve the teaching problems in this war-torn country, once he gets over his concerns about being so far from home.

And once you've crowd-funded him, of course.

http://www.middlewichguardian.co.uk/new ... _Cambodia/

He might mean well and he has experience as a qualified high-school teacher but making a "permanent" difference in Cambodia's education system or even at an individual level over at most 2 months during summer holidays?

That's a bit of a long, long stretch honestly.

I'd give a break on the teacher's well-meaning intentions, but he's a paid teacher and he even has got his flight, food and accommodation paid for. Now he's asking for USD700+ to travel locally and for "equipment"?

And this:

junior reporter at local newspaper wrote:The civil war in Cambodia that ended in the 1990s resulted in the killing of educated people and left the country without anyone to pass down vital skills.

Where did they pick that up from? Do White people really have to make Cambodia sound like a God-forsaken, backward, deserted shithole country to raise funds?

But to put things in perspective, the article is written by a "Junior reporter," so someone young and with little experience and for a local online newspaper/magazine, to make the teacher's little paid-for holiday volunteering project more interesting than it really is so that he can rack up USD700+ for tuk-tuk and unspecified "equipment".

EDIT: Just visited the LRTT Cambodia page. So, of course, it is in Siem Reap... https://lrtt.org/fellowships/cambodia
Also telling that they got reviews from the Fellows who go there to coach but they don't have testimonials from the Cambodian teachers who are receiving the coaching.