My Liger Learning

June 2, 2019

Khmer Literature and Culture Festival

Liger is all about project-based learning, so is our Khmer class. After publishing a Khmer poem book we decided to do something a little bit bigger to further promote the Khmer literature and culture. We put our though together and came up with an event that is going to be fun and will promote as many aspects of the Khmer literature and culture as possible. With 50 young-organizers planings and organizing, the event started to become real.

After months of preparation and planning, we’re finally ready for the big event. On the 25th of May 2019, the Khmer literature and culture at Liger prosper. Everybody dress up stunningly beautiful in the Khmer traditional clothes and filled with energy to rock the day with knowledge and fun. As the leader of the Khmer slang booth(គ្រាមភាសា), I was rocking a Khmer traditional pant (ខោចែវ – khao-chev), and a white long-sleeve t-shirt with Angkor Wat image across the chest.

It was 9:00 am and the event has started. Students from many public schools, private school, and organization rush into every booth to see what do we have to offer. I was more than excited to have fun and teach about my topic. To attract the audience I’ve prepared something very special. I displayed a very appetizing snack on the table as the price for playing and learning about Khmer slang (គ្រាមភាសា). People gathering around my booth and very interested in learning and having fun with my topic. Loud laughs, huge smiles, and kind regards are what I receive from the crowd. I couldn’t be more proud. I am very grateful to take part in the great event and very honor in making the Khmer literature and culture prosper once again.

December 14, 2018January 17, 2019

Correlation – Statistic

Correlation in a statistic is a factor used to describe the relationship between one variable and the other variable. In a graph, there are two axes: X-axis (explanatory variable) and Y-axis (responses variable). For example, If we would use height to predict weight then the height would be the explanatory variable and the weight would be the response variable. Then we would use the data of the height and the weight to calculate for the correlation coefficient (r).

The correlation coefficient(r), rage from -1 to 1. When the r-value equal to -1, it shows that the two variables have a negative relationship/correlation; in this case, it means that as the height increase, the predicted weight will decrease. On the other hand, if the r-value would to equal to 1, the two variables will have a positive relationship/correlation which means that as the height increase the weight will also increase. Yet, if the r-value equal to 0, the two variables don’t have any relationship at all. However, a perfect r-value of -1, 0, or 1 is not a value that we’ll get calculating real datasets because real datasets won’t have such an exact relationship between real datasets.

The equation for r is r =1/n-1∑(xi-x/xs)(yi-y/ys), however, it would take forever to plug in and solve this equation; so we use the Ti3 calculator instead. In our case of using height to predict weight, we receive an r-value of .76. This value shows a high correlation between the two variables, therefore, it’s positive to use the height to predict the weight.

Watch me solving for the r and r-square value!

December 9, 2018

Lewis Dot Structure and VSEPR Model

This round in chemistry essential, I have learned so many new concepts that manoeuvre me deeper into the world of chemistry. For instance, we were learning about the Lewis Dot Structure and Vsepr Model. These two concepts were very interesting to me because it gives me a better sense of how chemical bond together at the atom level.

Lewis dot structure is a diagram that shows how atoms are bonding together and how many lone pairs of electrons are there in the molecule. For example, if we have an element of Phosphorus trifluoride (PF3), we would start off by looking for the valence electrons. In this case, the valence electrons for Phosphorus and the three Fluorine is 5 and 21 respectively. Then, we would draw P (symbol for Phosphorus) in the middle of the diagram since it’s less electronegative with five dots (representing the valence electrons) around it. However, the dots can’t just be laying everywhere around the P: It needs to be placed on the four sides of the P (top, right, bottom, and left.) Then we need to define the bonding between P and the three Fluorine (F3). Since Phosphorus has three valence electrons, it only needs 3 more to get to the stable stage. Therefore, it can share its three individuals electrons with the other three individuals electrons from the three fluorine. So we can draw three lines from P to the three fluorine with a free pair of electrons on the top of P and 6 free pairs of electrons around each F.

Afterwards, we can also turn this structure into a 3D model using the VSEPR model. Since this diagram got three bonds with a free pair of electrons on the centre atom, it falls under the category of Trigonal Pyramidal.

September 17, 2018December 12, 2018

The Book of Khmer Poem

There are so many aspects that make Liger different from the public school one of those is the curriculum. At Liger, most of the class were conducted in English, yet we still spend 5 hours a week learning our native language: Khmer. Unlike the classes in public school, our Khmer class also have small projects like research papers and poems. At the end of last year, we started to write poems about any topic we like. Then now, at the beginning of this year, we decided to turn those poems into a book along with some research about the different type of poem and their history. After the book is finished, we have a showcase at the Khmer Literature Festival in Battambang province. Surprisingly, we got a lot of support: we sold out all of our printed books. After the showcase, we found out that there are some parts of the book that needs to be further edited before another showcase in Phnom Penh Book Fare in December.

December 15, 2017January 15, 2018

Future Food

Name that one thing that all human needed to survive, of course, food! Where are food come from? Well, agriculture is where most of our food came from. We grow a variety of food using soil and water. But as the population growing rapidly, we don’t have enough of those resources to do this old farming method. So what can we do? Well, we can instead of using soil, use a system called Hydroponic. Hydroponic is an agricultural system using sponge/perlite as growing median and water as the nutrition source. Unlike the traditional agriculture where we need a large space of land to farm, hydroponic is a system where we can install it in such a small space such as wall etc.

So basically we mix the water in our reservoir with nutrition solution, and as the water flows through the system, the plant will observe the nutrition and water to grow itself. Once the water flows through the whole raising bed, it flows back straight to the reservoir and ready to reuse again in the system. By growing produce in hydroponics, we can save both land and water which are really essential for our growing population.

So in an exploration called Future Food, we’re working on getting one of this new technique running so that we can supply the product to the main kitchen and for the senior cohort. In a group of eight students, I am working as a 3D designer for the project. So for any project, we need a clear plan on how things going look and how things going with each so I designed a 3D model of the whole system using a software called Inventor. One of the biggest challenges I face during this process is finding the exact measurement for all the parts in the system. The thing is that I started working on this project without any actual parts to measure, so I have to look through all over the internet for those measurements which take so much time. This challenge gave me a good practice in my researching skill, which is a really good opportunity to improve.

December 11, 2017December 19, 2017

Fishermen (Poem)

The views of the ocean (Taken from the Vagabond Temple).

អ្នកនេសាទ

មើលនាយសមុទ្រសែនវែងអន្លាយ មើលទៅសែនឆ្ងាយដាច់កន្ទុយភ្នែក

នឹកឃើញពេលណាឲ្យខ្ញុំសង្វេក ចិត្តចង់តែស្រែកឲ្យ្មេឃបានដឹង

អស់ឱសមុទ្រអើយសមុត្រខ្មែរ អរគុណអ្នកដែលកំពុងខំប្រឹង

អ្នកមិននៅស្ងាមអង្គុយសញ្ចឹង តែអ្នកខំប្រឹងទាញភ្ញៀវទេសចរ

អ្នកខ្លះមិនឃើញគុណតម្លៃនេះ បែរជាត្រិះរិះធ្វើអ្វីមិនល្អ

គេបានបំផ្លាញសមុទ្របវរ វើវាបន្តរដើម្បីកំរៃ

គ្មានអ្នកណាក្រៅពីអ្នកនេសាទ ខំប្រឹងសង្វាតជារាងរាល់ថ្ងៃ

អូសអួនហើយឆក់ធ្វើយ៉ាងព្រៃផ្សៃ ទោះយ៉ាងណាក្ដីត្រីមួយកញ្ជើ

មិនមែនកំហុសគេទាំស្រុងទេ នេះក៏ព្រោះតែឥការងារធ្វើ

ជារាងរាល់ថ្ងៃរាល់គ្រប់អំពើរ គ្រាន់តែទ្វើដើម្បីក្រពះ

ជាចុងក្រោយកវីសង្ឃឹមថា រាដ្ធាភិបាលនឹងប្រឹងជំនះ

បង្កើតការងារមុនថ្ងៃថ្មីរះ ជួយដល់ក្រពះអ្នកនេសាទ

Translation

Fishermen

Look at the ocean is so wide

It looks so long out of my view

When I think about it make me feel sick

I just want to yell so the sky can hear

Oh ocean, Cambodian ocean

Thank you for your hard working

You do not sit still

But you work hard to attract the tourist.

But some people didn’t see this benefit

And they intend to do bad thing

They destroy the beautiful ocean

Do it more and more for money

There are no other than the fishermen

Trying hard every day

Electric Trawling brutally

However just a bucket of fish

But it’s not totally their fault

It is because lack of job

And every day, every action

They just do it for their stomach

At last the author hopes

The government will help

Makes more jobs before the new sunrise

Help the fishermen’s stomachs.

October 20, 2017

Coming of Age – Personal Narrative

As a literacy assignment, our teacher asked us to write a two pages essay about our personal experience of “Coming of Age”. So I decided to write an essay about an aspect that made me felt like an adult; which is independence.

Independent

Independence is the beacon to maturity. It took me about twelve years to gain my independence my family and the world. For twelve years, I was just a kid that only wanted to have fun. For twelve years, I lacked independence, bravery, and maturity. Ten years in a small world just home and school disrupts me from seeing the immense universe full of creative steps and dazzling path. Until one day I found an amazing place that helps me to have my position today.

I was born on December 10, 2002, in a village of Chumposka-eka. As the big brother in the family, I didn’t get as much attention as my brothers. I grew up in a family that valued education and encouraged me. At age five, my mom decided that it was time for me to start school. however, my first school was full of corruption and wasn’t a place I would go by choice. Time passed and I adapted. In fourth grade, everything changed. In 2012, my mom gave me a huge opportunity to take a test for a scholarship at Liger Learning Center. I was hopeless about passing the test because I had not been very successful in school. I remember back then in a class of forty students, I would be the thirty-third student. Nevertheless, the test for Liger was not the same material from school and I actually did pretty well on the test and received the scholarship.

Within the first two years at Liger, my mindset completely changed. I used to be this kid who’s doesn’t like school, doesn’t have many friends, and have really bad scores in class; Within the first two years at Liger, my mindset completely changed. Being independent is a massive challenge for me at first. Due to the lack of independent before Liger, I was really inept at utilizing my independence, but as I got older and worked harder, I became more adept. Project-based learning really helped me use my time more wisely.

When I was thirteen, it was the first time ever in my life, where I felt so much of the freedom from my parent. It was back in summer of 2016. In the middle of the break, I got phone calls from my Phnom Penh-Liger-friends inviting me to attend a small party with them. Those phone calls make me really happy since I had never been invited to any party by myself. However, during this happy moment, I had a feeling that my parent won’t ever let me out there by my own. Follow this thought makes me afraid to ask for my mom’s permission. Nevertheless, the energy of the party, the energy of wanted freedom, and the energy of friendship is much stronger than this small though. So I dispatch the fear and walk bravely toward my mom asking for her permission. For this first attempt, I was so happy since my proposal got accepted. Disputed the happiness and hide emotions was my idea, but I guess the stupid smile still leak out. Her permission is like a ticket for roller coaster ride through amazing adventures.

Finally, the party came. I was so excited for the day despite all the rule that was given by my mom, about what I should and shouldn’t do, that postpone all the fun thought that I had. The closer I get to the party the more I get pumped up. With eight people at the party, it was the best party yet I ever attend. After the party end, we decided to go to another place to relax with wifi and air conditioner in town. While walking through the town, I felt no longer as a kid. The level of independence I got at that moment is enough to change me. Then we arrived at the destination and having fun. Due to all the fun I had during the trip, I just realized how powerful is independence.

Independence is a key to unlock all of the characteristics leading to adulthood. Additionally there no need for the insanely huge amount of independence to become an adult. For example, within just a single trip that my mom allowed me to go by myself, was enough to unlock the characteristics of an adulthood. So I believe that independence is all we need to be an adulthood.

October 20, 2017

To Spray or Not To Spray?

To Spray or Not To Spray, is the first exploration of the academic year that I’ve involved in. In this exploration we focus on a topic of pesticide. We work tirelessly in order to make a magazine for our final product; to spread the awareness of what is going on here with all pest control at Liger . We knew close to nothing about this topic, so we search all through the internet and trips to gather all the information we needed for our articles. As the result of hard working, we created a magazine with 11 articles. Out of the 11 articles, I wrote an article about all category of pesticides which called Insect Assassins. Writing this article is pretty challenging for me since I needed to google every single aspect of the article. At the same time, I learned so much from my article which makes me really happy about my work and hopefully it will teach other students about all the thing I learned from it.

This is the link to the

https://www.lucidpress.com/documents/edit/21b9160d-68f3-4d87-b558-2aefefa7a134

October 10, 2017October 30, 2017

Trip To Snoul

In the process of writing the article for the Dispers magazine, the To Spray or Not To Spray team took a three day trip to Snoul, Kratie province. On the way there the team stopped at a bunch of agrochemical shops to see what type of pesticide did they selling in their shops and asked for information that we needed. Once we arrived our destination, we just get some rest and be ready for the next day. The next day came and we all excited for it. So we jump on our bus and settle off to the organic farm where all the activities are happening. At the farm we start off by walking all around seeing all the crop they grew there. Then we help the worker there to plant some carrots which were very fun. After that our team started to interview Ramon (farming director) for what we need for our magazine especially about the organic pesticide. The conversation had with Ramon gone amazing, questions were asked and answers were given. After the long conversation we had, it’s time for some more action. So we headed to the carrot farm again to harvest the one that is ready. It is everybody’s first time so we got a lot of fun with it. As much as we have fun, we learn a lot from this trip. One takeaway that I got is to experience new technique of farming using only organic by all of those hands-on activities we’ve done on the farm. At the end of the trip, we gather about 55% of the information needed for our articles which pumped us all up to do some more writing.

August 8, 2017October 30, 2017

Khan Academy

One thing that I like about Liger is independent learning. So we do not just learn in the class with our facilitator there to guide us, in fact, we got opportunities where we’re practice by our self to develop our skill in and outside of the class. For example, math is such a hard subject and a struggle for me and the only way to get better at it is to practice as much as possible. So our teacher introduces a really powerful website to us called Khan Academy. In this website, we can learn new contents with video and practice what we had learned in class with many problems. By using Khan Academy it’s really helping me to improve my understanding of math with the tool that they provided. So now math is no longer a huge struggle for me.