Village Schools 3: Srey lin

Sreylin is very nervous when we arrive at her school. Soon we laugh her nerves off. We go through her lesson plan, then meet some members of her family. Her school is at the heart the Preh Dak village where she and Phalla are from. It is  built on the land of her house and is the village school closest to the Pagoda. Preh Dak is an ordered and beautiful village houses (huts) with rows of Cambodian houses on stilts.

Sreylin apologises for the dunk smell, which I had not really noticed until that point. The school is next to the open stable where her two buffalos rest. One of them is badly injured so she has to collect grass for him every morning from the fields to feed him. I can see that his injury upsets her very much. There are not many vets here so she hopes that the buffalo gets better and can walk again. But she fears that this might not happen.

As the village school is easily accessible the class is very busy, despite the earlier rain and muddy roads. Sreylin is one of the most methodical teachers. She is very nervous but actually her English is a lot better when she teaches rather when she is taught. She comfortably steps up to the challenge of teaching. Some people are simply tuned to be teachers and she seems to be one. I am so proud to watch her as she incorporates a spelling game in the lesson, homework check and a couple of songs. She also seems to have taken on board lesson planning, teaching tips and much of what we have learned and practiced. Towards the end of the lesson things get tougher for Sreylin as her whole family and some villagers have gathered around the class to watch her. It must be unnerving and we are all getting tired.

My day ends with some time with Srey lin and her family. Phalla plays translator but in reality not many words are spoken. Like the aspara dancers we perform this scene of interaction with gentle body movements and meaningful glances so that nothing gets lost.  I watch Sreylin’s mother quietly admiring her daughter. And that just that fills me with joy.

This grass roots community project is growing its own teachers. It is giving its own young people the opportunity to develop skills through practice, training and our small contributions, assistance, training. An opportunity that some of them might not have otherwise had. The project also gives the community the opportunity to marvel at its own strength and potential. I came here persuaded but as time goes by I grow more and more convinced that this is the way that skills should grow, from the roots like nature intended.