We arrived and within the first 10 minutes we were playing football with the children. Before I knew it I had 3 of them climbing on me and hanging off my back and legs. I tried putting them back on the ground but they were having none of it, as more started to arrive the crowd around me grew and trying to understand and learn names was an almost impossible task! After a while they had to line up to clean their teeth, the teacher helped me find their cups labeled with their names, I then squeezed the tooth paste on their tooth brush which they then took off me and joined the rest in cleaning their teeth. At one point a girl, who was previously hanging off me, turned to me with a mouth filled with water and tooth paste threatening to spit but luckily listened when I said no and spat the other way while I breathed a sigh of relief.
When Alex, the English teacher who has been here for a month and is on her last week, arrived they finished brushing teeth and went inside to start lessons. They took the register before handing over to Alex to start her lesson. They started with writing the date and then carried on with words, sounds and numbers. I sat behind Titi trying to get him to join in, the boy sitting in front of him got something stuck up his nose and had to be taken to hospital. Titi took this as an opportunity to use the chair in front of him as a foot rest. Finishing with reading Ted's Shed to them, Alex left and it was time for the children's play time. They got out books and dressed up in glittery dresses and clown wigs that has been given to the nursery. A few of the girls found the teddies I'd given them and seemed to like them which was amazing to see.
Mum had been next door in the class for slightly older children, with the oldest being 9 years old. She then came into the nursery to help one of the teachers make boxes for the register. Many if the children wanted to join in stapling and sticking the boxes and we started a system with me and the teacher scoring the card while mum and the children stuck them together.
Another of the teachers asked me to help him prepare the children's snacks, he got a bag filled with mangos and bananas still attached to part the branch. I cut up banana while he cut the mango so each child had a small bowl of banana and mango, one of the boys watched us and when we had finished helped by putting a fork in each bowl.
The final lesson was meditation and singing where they say with their eyes closed for a few seconds before starting singing. Every one of them joined in singing as loud as they could. They started with Cambodian songs including the national anthem, which seemed to be a favourite, they then moved on to English songs. Passionately singing wheels on the bus, incy wincy spider and sizzling sausages changed to fried bananas, the children were then given the chance to sing in front of their class repeating more nursery rhymes and songs. We have been asked to teach them more songs so if there are any ideas please let us know!
At the end of the lesson the day was finished and they lined up to go home. Malin was chosen to lead the routine of "put your hands in the air" "put your hands on your shoulders" "put your hands on your hips, and circle; 1,2,3,2,5, the other way: 1,2,3,4,5" and so on. They repeated this about three times throughout the day. When finished Malin let the three lines out one at a time and the children ran out, some jumping on bikes and others running home. We got on our tuk tuk and waved goodbye until tomorrow.