Roteang
Preschoolers playing a card maching game
Preschool
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June, 2004
New Roteang Pre-school Opens
The wonderful news at Roteang Orphanage is that our new preschool building, out in the front right side of the orphanage compound, was finished on January 20. The “older” preschool children proudly helped move toys and equipment from the big sleeping room in the Orphanage where the preschool had been held since Robin and Alison Jean [Concord, Mass.] originated the Montessori program last May. The new facility is bright and sunny, with windows on three sides, and lots of room for every possible activity, including easel painting and water play on the wide front veranda. Chun Dy Hok, our phenomenal Architect, did a perfect job designing this building as a mini copy of our main Orphanage building, which he had created for us five years ago. The building has a bathroom attached, and a sink for water for projects in the room.
We actually see this building as a multipurpose building, to be used for dance or music or computer classes as maturation of our children dictates. It is about 50 feet removed from the main buildings, so the atmosphere is quiet; already the nanny English class meets there daily. The building will be attached to the Orphanage by a raised concrete walkway before the rainy season begins.
The
preschool children absolutely love their classes. Ten 21/2 to 3 1/2 year old tots
attend from 8 to 9:30 each morning, followed by ten 3 1/2 to 5 years olds from
9:30 to 11 am. They greet their teachers at the door, then have circle time with
stories and singing, and then proceed to individual projects varying from doll
washing to working with play dough, to sorting blocks or cylinders by color, shape
or sound, painting, and so on. Each child has learned to be very responsible about
getting out a specific project, working on it alone or with friends, often at
one of the low tables Robin designed and TSF had made in Cambodia, and then placing
finished materials carefully back on the shelves before moving on to the next
activity. Sit a morning in the corner and watch and you would be convinced that
you are visiting a happy, busy, American preschool!
The
language is Khmer [though they are also learning colors and counting in English],
but the mood is universal- joyful childhood. We are thrilled with this addition,
and tremendously grateful to the family of Priscilla Southwick, a Roteang Grandmother,
in whose memory the program got started, the furniture was bought, and the teachers
continue to be supported.
The
building itself has been pledged, and we will hope to announce this in the next
newsletter.