TukTalk 79: 2nd workshop, new blue shirts, visit from GDG
June 20, 2024
TukTalk 81: 3rd workshop, school visits, teachers share resources
August 12, 2024TukTalk · Issue 80 · July 2024
2nd follow-up visits, 10th Tukbook, JICA award
Second follow-up visits to 15 schools, the 10th Tukbook Family Tree, Mayu's JICA Entrepreneurship Award and three months of CLIP3 results.
Milly, the assistant storyteller, makes her debut! 🙋🏻
As the cool rains usher in Cambodia's rainy season, Mayu's parents visited Pursat for Milly's birthday. This special visit brought an exciting opportunity to share the joy of storytelling with children.
Milly's grandmother, Yuri-baa (meaning "Grandma Yuri" in Japanese), is a former preschool teacher and professional storyteller. Yuri-baa's visit allowed us to organize storytime sessions at Milly's school and two CLIP3 schools. Despite the language barrier, the children were captivated by Yuri-baa's storytelling magic. Their initial nervousness melted away, replaced by sparkling eyes and eager participation.
Milly blossomed as Yuri-baa's assistant during the sessions. She bravely sang Japanese songs, and then translated them into Khmer. Milly even assisted with the apron theater, showcasing her developing language skills and confidence.
These sessions were a source of inspiration for the Cambodian teachers. They witnessed new and engaging methods for conducting storytime, sparking ideas for their own classrooms.
To ensure this inspiration reaches even further, we recorded many of Yuri-baa's storytelling techniques on video. We plan to share these recordings with other preschool teachers who couldn't attend the sessions, empowering them to bring these captivating stories to their own students.
Warm regards,
Adrian & Mayu & Milly 🦘👘🧒
The second follow-up visits ✍
After completing the workshop in May, we visited 15 schools and observed 26 classes at the beginning of June.
Pre-visit surveys revealed that many teachers use computers 4 to 6 times a week to create lesson plans and browse the Rermork Digital Library. Even teachers who are less confident with computers are making significant efforts, such as attending computer classes on their own initiative or switching from handwritten lesson plans to typing them to practice their skills. 💪
During our classroom visits, we noticed many classes using TukTuk worksheets. We also saw some classes utilizing Kamishibai, songs, and activity games. It was insightful to see how our materials are being used in practice.
For more detailed survey results, please refer to this report.
The 10th TukBook was completed!! 👪
We're thrilled to announce the release of TukTuk's 10th book, making this a momentous occasion! The first TukBook of 2024 is here, and it's all about the importance of family. 😌
Titled "Family Tree," this storybook takes children on a heartwarming journey of exploring their family's roots. It encourages them to learn about the people who surround them and make up their unique family history.
To complement the book, we've created a fun and engaging "resource package" brimming with family-themed activities. This package includes a variety of activity games, board games, and worksheets – perfect for creating lasting memories with your loved ones.
Milly's favorite is the Cake Decorating worksheet! 🎂 The clear and easy-to-follow illustrations make it perfect for children of all ages to unleash their creativity. We encourage everyone to grab a copy of "Family Tree" and explore the accompanying resource package. It's a fantastic way to spend quality time together and learn more about what makes your family special! 😊
Khmer of the month
Khmer Word: Mitt Peak
Did you know? Every year on July 30th, the world celebrates International Friendship Day, designated by the United Nations! It's a day to celebrate the power of friendship across borders and cultures. 😄
Even with language barriers, friendships can blossom thanks to the universal language of emotions. A simple smile can go a long way in building connections, as Cambodians beautifully demonstrate with their warm culture of friendly greetings, even among strangers. This spirit of "Mitt Peak" (friend) transcends words, making Cambodia a wonderful place to forge lasting friendships. 💕
Khmer Food: Chien Trei Chhlong (Spiny eel fry) 👇
Award by JICA 🏅
The beginning of TukTuk can be traced back to when Mayu was dispatched to Pursat as a JICA Volunteer in 2014.
Since last year, JICA has been hosting the "Returned Volunteers Social Contribution Award" for former volunteers. This year, in its second iteration, 49 people applied, and Mayu's activities with TukTuk were honored with the Entrepreneurship Award as one of the six recipients! 🎉
The award ceremony was held on June 7, and although Mayu participated online from Cambodia, listening to the excellent presentations of the other five recipients made her feel incredibly proud to be part of TukTuk. She felt immense gratitude toward everyone who has supported this endeavor. Although she did not win the grand prize, one of the judges commented during the announcement that "from the perspective of achievements and sustainability, my top picks were the grand prize winner and Mayu's activities." This was a great honor! ✨ We are delighted that TukTuk's activities have been recognized in this way.
If you are interested, you can view the presentation from the day here (Mayu's presentation starts at 05'10"). Using this award as motivation, we will continue to strive together!!
Three months outcomes (Apr. - Jun 2024) 👏
We're excited to share our progress over the past three months, since Khmer New Year in April! Here's a look at some of our key achievements🎉:
- May 2024: 2nd Workshop
- June 2024: 2nd Follow-Up Visit
- TukTuk's Social Media Status (still growing! 🙌):
- Facebook: 6,042 followers
- Teacher's Facebook Group: 4,374 members
- Telegram Channel: 2,965 followers
- YouTube: 7,602 subscribers
- The number of visitors to the Rermork Digital Library: 27,692 people
Our reach continues to expand thanks to our active presence on Facebook, Telegram, YouTube, and the website. Don't forget to check out our English Facebook and Instagram for activity photos – they offer a different perspective from the Khmer Facebook page!
Looking ahead, the current semester is expected to end in October, with the new term starting in December (though these dates are subject to change). We're gearing up for a busy next three months with two more workshops and school visits planned. But after that, we'll be due for a well-deserved break! 🏃
You can view the detailed activity report for these three months here, so please take a look when you have time. 🌱
Voluntuker spotlight | A third-grade helper
This month's spotlight shines on the adorable face you might recognize from our activity game videos! She is Leakhena's (TukTuk staff) daughter and a regular visitor to our office. This bright third-grader brings sunshine wherever she goes. ✨
What do you like?: Drawing (She has the talent! 👏), Traveling, and going to big shopping malls in Phnom Penh.
What are you working hard on at school right now?: Reading Khmer and listening to teachers. Khmer is my favorite subject. What do you look forward to when you come to the TukTuk office?: Playing with toys in the office and playing with Milly! 😊
What do you want to be?: Astronaut!!
Her kindness and caring nature extend beyond her own family. This wonderful big sister is loved by everyone around her, including Milly who often asks, "Is she coming today?" when she's not around. The feeling is mutual – She can't wait for Milly to return from Australia!
We are currently looking for volunteers with the following skill sets to help TukTuk bring educational resources to Cambodia;
- Google Ads
- Fundraising
If you want to get involved or know someone with skills that could help us spread positive education in Cambodia, hit that link below and say hi (we're friendly, we promise). 😉
Tuktography highlights 📸
