The Service and Leadership Training (SALT) programme stems from NIE’s goal to provide its student teachers with a unique opportunity for both personal development and international exposure in interdisciplinary training through overseas immersion experiences. Participants get to explore different facets of leadership by learning to conceptualise, plan and execute community projects, and to work independently and in teams to create meaningful learning experiences.
For the first time, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, was the chosen destination for this annual experiential programme. Ten student teachers across NIE’s Bachelor Degree, Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PDGE) and Diploma programmes took part in the trip led by Associate Professor Chow Jia Yi, Associate Dean for Programme & Student Development, with support from Assistant Professor Leong Wei Shin, Assistant Dean for Degree and Student Life. The trip was organised in collaboration with NIE’s overseas community service partner, Sangkhoem Khmer (SKK), a non-profit organisation devoted to improving living standards among poor communities in Cambodia through the building of human capital. | Read More |
The trip’s co-student leaders, Ms Ding Soo Juan, BA (Ed) Year 2, and Ms Eunice Leong, BSc (Ed) Year 2, led their teammates in the project planning and pre-trip coordination, which included preparing lesson plans, organising donation drives and procuring teaching materials. For the first time, participants were also tasked to design a Mobile Trail learning activity that would expose them to Cambodia’s rich culture and heritage even before the trip. The planning and design of the mobile platform would equip student teachers with experience in the use of such technologies and pedagogical approaches in designing learning for their own students in the future.
At the SKK learning centre, the student teachers conducted classroom lessons and interacted with the children through basketball, frisbee and other games. English lessons, taught through a mix of teaching aids, song & dance, and art & craft, were a hit with the children. The older youths were inspired to achieve bigger dreams through one-on-one engagement with our student teachers.
Mr Ler Jun Yi, PDGE (Physical Education) Year 1, felt the experience has better prepared him as a teacher. “Seeing how teaching further enforces values made me more confident about giving my all to this noble profession,” he said. Daily reflections facilitated by Associate Professor Chow helped the participants to think about what they’ve learned. Ms Eunice Leong commented, “The sessions helped me consolidate my thoughts and learning points for the day.”
The next edition of SALT Cambodia will be in January 2019 and there is even the possibility of a new SALT project in Siem Reap!