Teachers Take Sleepy Hollow Education to Cambodia

Two months off is typically a much-welcomed perk for teachers, but two of Sleepy Hollow High School's social studies instructors took their skills abroad this past summer.

Lisa Graham and Claire Heskestad left behind the newly-renovated high school to help rejuvenate the school system in Cambodia through the non-profit organization Teachers Without Borders.

The colleagues took on the challenge of spending two-and-a-half weeks in Cambodia, a nation whose people, buildings and education system were demolished during the genocide and rule of the Khmer Rouge during the 1970s.

"This country is still suffering," said Graham. "They threw away all of the talent—lawyers, architects, engineers, teachers."

Graham heard about the opportunity to volunteer in Cambodia through a list serve and jumped at the opportunity, inviting Heskestad, a friend and co-worker, to join.

After months of paperwork and administrative procedures, the duo fronted their own funds to pay for the trip and left on June 30 to teach at a workshop created for Cambodia's educators, who generally make around $40 a month.

Heskestad and Graham designed their own curriculum and provided materials for the program designed to teach Cambodian teachers new techniques and lesson ideas.

The two taught teachers, who ranged in education from middle school to college graduates, in a Cambodian school, while enduring 100-plus degree weather with 100 percent humidity. The school did not have electricity, which is typical for the struggling nation.

"They mostly just [have students] copy off of the board," said Graham. "We modeled interactive methods in terms of what students could do together. That's really new to the teachers."

Graham added having the teachers move desks around into groups was "sort of a big deal," as was raising their hands and coming up to the front of the classroom.

"We realized the teachers needed to make supplies for their classrooms," said Heskestad. "We had them make their own world maps they could take home and use."

Both Graham and Heskestad said the language barrier proved to be a challenge, but they compensated with their experience working with ESL students. Graham, who is fluent in Spanish and Heskestad who is a native of France, used two translators and minimal writing to make the lessons as clear as possible.

"Having a second language helped in terms of being careful with language," said Graham. "It's hard when you have a translator, but they were so sweet and really patient."

Graham said the teachers especially enjoyed the use of a jeopardy game to relay important facts in the social sciences, a universally-understood and effective teaching method.

By the end of the workshop, Heskestad and Graham felt they had provided the teachers with the necessary tools to become better educators in their own classrooms, as well as the leadership skills to help other Cambodian teachers adopt new methods in the future.

The 20 teachers in their class made traditional Cambodian skirts for Graham and Heskestad as a thank you.

"They were really thrilled," said Heskestad. "They were all very receptive and did enjoy themselves."

Upon returning, but not before spending a few additional weeks in Vietnam, the two shared their experience with the Tarrytown Teacher's Association, hoping to garner additional interest in the program.

"We're thinking of going back next year and bringing some other teachers," said Heskestad. "A lot of the time teachers don't realize the need for their expertise."