A Travel to Teach Newsletter about Teaching.
Travel to Teach has, as the name suggests, been teaching from the beginning of our existance.
Throughout the years we have predominantly been teaching English and Computer skills in government schools and colleges. The main function of our volunteers has been to assist the Thai English teachers in difficult areas such as pronunciation.
Although we intend to carry on working with Thai schools we have also taken steps to broaden our range of teaching. The first of these steps came in the form of the computer centre in Phon Phisai. With a syllabus that covers basic Microsoft Office applications through to such advanced applications as Photoshop we have been able to give vital computer skills to over 100 students.
The success of this has led us to start a similar scheme in Nongkhai. From April we will open a learning centre in Nongkhai that will teach the same computer syllabus as Phon Phisai and a new English syllabus. The English syllabus will focus on improving student's conversational abilities and preparing them to pass the all important TEFOL or IELTS exams, essential for studying abroad or securing work.
Teaching in Phnom Phen - T2T Cambodia
In February we started a new program in the lively and exciting capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh.
Our volunteers are helping to teach the Khmer children at Seametrey, a Cambodian run Montessori school. Montessori education is unique in that instead of focusing on a purely academic curriculum it helps children develop creativity, problem solving, and social skills through the development of a child's own initiative and natural abilities. Currently, the students range from 3 to 6 years of age, and is in the process of expanding the school to add new classrooms for older students as well as classrooms for computer lessons.
TESOL and CELTA
In the past years we have noticed that lots of our volunteers have decided to embark upon a long term teaching career.
We have therefore decided to offer TESOL and CELTA training for those people who are interested in pursuing an international teaching career or simply improving their teaching methods prior to their volunteer placement. For more information click here
Michai Camps restarted - T2T Thailand
Thai summer time is here again which can mean only one thing… camps. This year has got off to a fantastic start with a Meechai restoration project and an English camp.
Christopher and Ariane from the United States joined us for two weeks especially to start the restoration project. With continued support from a bevy of volunteers and some technical college students they managed to transform a dusty old store room into a fresh new art room.
The English camp was hosted by a former volunteer, Dave. Dave secured the position of Assistant Director at the Sri Chiang Mai school after staying in Nongkhai last Autumn.
As always a lot of fun was had by children and volunteers alike. A typical day at camp starts with two hours of teaching. Each volunteer is given a schedule of lessons and themes to focus their lessons on. This week's themes have included colours, numbers, body parts, directions, occupations and family.
Afternoons are generally a time for the children to enjoy themselves. Volunteers prepare games and activities such as football, Frisbee, swimming, painting and karaoke to build students confidence as well as enabling them to practice their newly acquired English skills.
Work to prevent Child Abuse - T2T Vietnam
Kimmy Le, our coordinator in Nha Trang, has been actively fighting the child sex trade industry in Vietnam for years.
Kimmy runs a school behind her restaurant/bar dedicated to helping Vietnamese street children by teaching them vocational skills such as English, IT, and tourism. Sex tourism in Southeast Asia has been in the news quite a bit lately with the recent arrest of musician Gary Glitter. Kimmy was interviewed recently by Sky News about this plight in Vietnam and what she is doing to help end the abuse.
Watch Kimmy on Sky News