The dramatic progress we’re seeing for education in Cambodia

Teachers in Angkor Thom demonstrate dramatic improvement in their teaching skills

In 2014, the teachers in the Angkor Thom district SeeBeyondBorders started working with, received a score of zero on their baseline evaluation tests that look at their teaching capabilities. Zero.

In three years, 100% of the teachers who completed the program improved to a minimum score of two (out of a possible four) across all skill sets. Let us explain why these numbers matter and the drastic changes that have occurred in three years, and how it was done!

A score of zero means a teacher could not yet:

1. Break down the concept of addition and identify the essential understanding a student must have
2. State the intended purpose of a lesson
3. Plan a lesson using a basic lesson plan
4. Use a teaching resource book to find learning objectives and activities to teach
5. Model activities and set clear guidelines for student behavior

Imagine teaching mathematics to a classroom of 40 students without being able to break down the concept of addition. It’s easy to quickly understand that in order to improve Cambodia in a systematic way, the quality of teaching must be improved

Here’s how how we’re doing it:

• Teacher workshops accompanied by a comprehensive manual and resource packs for targeted professional development
• One-to-one mentor support to consistently reinforce learnings

Now, with a score of two, the teachers can:

1. Break down the concepts of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, and identify the current understanding of the concept, plus address misunderstanding by selecting appropriate activities to build students’ knowledge
2. State the intended purpose of each lesson and how the activities help achieve that purpose, plus select teaching strategies to achieve that purpose
3. Plan a lesson using a basic outline, and also include questions to ask the students and identify ways in which the students can reflect on their learning
4. Use (with minimal assistance) the teacher resource book appropriately
5. Observe and listen to students to understand their level of understanding, and otherwise manage a classroom appropriately
6. Work productively with their mentor

There are 50 teachers in Angkor Thom who completed this program. Each of their classes has an average of 40 students, meaning each year these teachers could now improve the education of about 2,000 students. And that’s just in one year! Over the course of 10 years, this one program could affect approximately 20,000 students’ futures,  those students children’s futures and children’s children’s futures, for generations to come!

Angkor Thom isn’t the only district we work in, and we see similar, amazing results in all of our districts. We’re excited to report on more results as we get them.

The only thing standing in the way of a greater impact is money. Consider making a donation today: https://www.seebeyondborders.org/get_involved/donate/