All Play and no work makes Jack ????

This is the resource centre where the only stocked science labs in Mondulkiri are and it is situated in the grounds of the secondary high school in Sen Monorom. Below are some of the school classes.

This is one of the labs with a lot of unopened equipment that I inherited. So I have now just organised one of the labs and it is looking clean and shiny and ready to go. My first workshop is this coming Saturday.

This is Mr Vibol  deputy director of the resource centre

This is moi at my little desk which I share with my immediate Cambodian line manager, Mr Pol Setha, who as you can see below and that  in the third photo is a sociable chap

This is the shiny , organised (somewhat) lab that moi sorted

This is my volunteer assistance Thouen Chanto, who also works as a lower secondary school teacher ($ 50 a month). He is a really nice bloke but not entirely reliable time wise. He is my translater but his english is only so so and learning scientific terms is proving a slow business. Fortuneately Google Translate had recently added Kymer so we might get it somewhat together. But I will have no idea how accurately or other wise he is doing the job. Should be exciting ...if x is the unknown.so maybe is y and z....haha

Labels (english and kymer) for presses in lab that took us ages to do.

Einstein , not on the beach...haha

 Exquisitely labelled presses in A4 and cellotape

So now I going to try and do 4 workshops in 5 weeks which is very ambitious , but so it goes.

To do workshops for VSO you have to write a concept note and claim the money that you will pay the attendees (encourages them to come)

This is what I wrote

Concept Note

Science Workshops at Resource Centre, Sen Monorom

OBJECTIVES      

To understand why we teach practical science

To observe various experimental events

To record the observations and ask WHY (what happened)

To use simple measurement instruments

To record data and plot graphs (to see trends)

To recognize the errors in accuracy of measurement

Schedule

Date	Duration	Clients	Proposed Number
Sat    May 18	Morning	All science teachers in SM	18
Sat    May 25	Full day	All science teachers in SM	18
Sat   Jun 8	Morning	Chemistry	8
Sat   Jun 15	Full day	Physics	10

The first 2 sessions are introductory concentrating on simple but question provoking experimental demonstrations. Then the teachers will carry out a series of simple measurement experiment, recording/graphing their results and discussing them.

The first 2 sessions will involve teachers from lower and high secondary school and it is expected that the range of knowledge and skill will be varied.

The 3^rd and 4^th workshops will focus on more difficult experimental work in physics and chemistry. The chemists are getting a shorter session due to the lack of chemical materials available.

Expected Outcomes

Teachers will demonstrate

An understanding of why experimental work is important

To observe, record and comment various experimental events

To use simple measurement instruments

To record data and plot graphs (to see trends)

To recognize the errors in accuracy of measurement

To gain confidence in doing practical work and to begin using them in their teaching practice

Costing of workshops

WORKSHOPS 1 and 3 (morning only…no per diem)

Number (18 + 8=26) x $0.75 = $ 19.50 ……..travel at R3000 per attendee

26 x $1.50 for snacks = $ 39

TOTAL = $ 58.50

WORKSHOPS 2 and 4  (full day)

Number (18 + 10=28) x $0.75 = $ 21 ……..travel at R3000 per attendee

28x $1.50 for snacks = $ 42

28 x $ 4 = $ 112 ( per diem)

TOTAL = $ 175

PRINTED MATERIALS (photocopying, graph paper, copies, motivational items) = $ 10 (estimate)

ESTIMATED COST TO VSO FOR THESE 4 WORKSHOPS

$ 58.50 + $ 175 + $ 10 = $ 243.50

I request that this amount of money be placed in my business account No 30000133485014 at ACLEDA Bank , Sen Monorom prior to the start of these workshops.

All the necessary documents such as receipts and attendance sheets will be submitted after the last workshop.

So much and all as I am now enjoying being in Cambodia at the moment it is not all fun and games.  

My real bosses in Cambodia

The big men who have kept Cambodia going (whichever way for the past decades) and with elections coming up in July they are dead certs to be back at the helm of this little kingdom