The familiar noise of good chaos filled Xavier Jesuit School in Cambodia as the new academic year commenced. More than 500 students, including the new Year 7 students and the kindergarteners, came on the first day of school on October 19 with much excitement and anticipation.
The students have many reasons to be excited: new teachers and old ones returning from further studies; new Irish and Korean volunteers teaching English and Computer Studies, and new housing for scholars.
The first phase of the high school building consisting of four classrooms, three science laboratories and one computer laboratory had also just been completed and are ready for use by Year 7 to 9 students. Eight more classrooms for the high school building are underway, which will allow the science laboratories to be utilised for science lessons and not as classrooms.
The first phase of the new high school building has been completed
The high school students finally moved out of the primary school building and into their own block of classrooms, while the primary school students now have more space for learning and playing. The scholarship girls have a new home in the hostel.
The new school year is also an exciting time for teachers, fresh from the summer holiday, when they were able to rejuvenate and enrich their knowledge. During the break, Xavier Jesuit School led various workshops and trainings for them, as well as teachers from other schools in the province and the prefecture.
Following last year’s success, the Visual Art Workshop was held twice this year for the teachers of the Battambang Prefecture and for the government school teachers in the Banteay Meanchey Province. Over 70 attended the workshops focussed on practical methods of teaching 20 different lessons using various techniques.
The teachers underwent trainings and workshops during the school break
Trainings in teaching Khmer and mathematics were held in September. The teachers’ commitment to improving was evident in their enthusiasm and dedication to learn more.
High school teachers also gathered for a two-week workshop on how to adopt the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm (IPP) into their lesson plans. After three years of trainings on the IPP, things are starting to take shape as the teachers realise the importance of a holistic approach to teaching and learning.
