Time to share some observations, thoughts and … questions in an interview with Nadiya on Zhytomyr.Travel. About Nadiya Pavlik, Researcher of Non-formal Education, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Social Technology of the University of Zhytomyr Ivan Franko

«I have lived in libraries since childhood. Many times I became the best reader of the year. The pages to my library form were constantly glued in. It was always nice. I still think that books create a special atmosphere around a person»

«In my teens, books saved me. I could read from morning till night without looking up. When I was an adult, when I was reading psychology, I realized that a book is a way to meet the need for communication, to open new worlds. Read is to live in another dimension»

«I’m still a fan of fairy tales. I collect children’s books «A-ba-ba-ha-la-ma-ha». The translations of this publishing house, in particular, The Snow Queen, have in fact changed my attitude towards the Ukrainian language. I am from a Russian-speaking family. Born in Arkhangelsk Oblast»

«My mother is a librarian. Therefore, drawing in books, turning the page, leaving the book unfolded is forbidden (laughs). A book is like bread and milk, the basics to cherish. At home, it is also always a great library. I believe in God. Believe in Man. I believe that God is one. I have tremendous experience. In Kazan, visited a large Muslim temple. On its walls are written 100 names of God in Arabic. After the excursion I wondered: how can there be a hundred names in God? … I believe that there is a God, a Word, a Man – and they are interconnected. My picture of the world is about the universe and man»

«I recently attended a very interesting seminar on the work of John Tolkien. I remember his words, I will try to tell: a man through a fairy tale Creates for himself the world in which he lives. For me, life is a fairy tale that I create for myself. For my fairy tale, I come up with actors, difficulties that need to be overcome, a reward in the end, or more precisely, this moment of reward, for example, for honesty. This is my life. But I understand that everyone has a different story, each author himself. Therefore, there is no universal definition of what life is like. First, dreams, goals always come true. It’s just that we humans often confuse the desires that come from the heart, that is, the real ones, with those that are acquired from the outside. Wishes from the outside they may not come true. And those dreams that are of utmost importance to us are spiritual ones, those are sure to come true. Second law: people find what they are looking for. A fabulous law that works. He who seeks betrayal will find betrayal. He who seeks love finds love. The third law is known to many «The Law of the Boomerang.» And another very important law. In no fairy tale the hero wins himself, he needs support. The fourth law is perhaps the most important: fabulous creatures do not become heroes because of their own goals, ambitions and aspirations. But through trying to help others»

«It is important to write all your wishes. And then imagine what you would feel when they came true. In our desires we will feel harmonious when they are fulfilled. It is worth crossing out all those which do not bring us this harmony, joy. Sometimes we build the wrong logical chains, which is the cause and the consequence. It seems to us that if we get this thing N, then we will become happy, free, in love. But you can do the opposite: first, become happy, free, in love and then get a thing; it comes very easily by itself»

«Or vice versa. You have hopes for the «bottom of the soul», but you think that many things are against it, and a miracle is coming. I had a dream to study abroad. I wrote a lot of applications and I was denied. I have already stopped believing it … After 2-3 months, I received several confirmations of training in research centers abroad. It was a miracle for me. Because I no longer had the confidence that «I can», «I am strong», «I am smart» … Instead, I began to study English. And at this point I received an invitation»

«Yes, people are constantly amazing me. Differently surprised. Sometimes I do not expect such a surprise. Recently I have been directing the practice of 1st year students. And our job was to work with people with disabilities. I know that such cooperation is very difficult. Not all adult professionals are ready for this … What was my surprise when I noticed that young, stylish, beautiful people freely entered this communication, they found a common language, without barriers so easy that my fears disappeared»

«I love people who are passionate about something. I understand that sometimes it’s hard to find the spark that actually ignites. And to find it, it takes 10 years of student life, 5 years of student life, about which many say that education is not needed. Education is needed to find where it hurts and where it burns. I always admire the people who find this Starting Point around which they build their lives. Such people can learn. I am also inspired by people who believe in Fairy Tale, Miracle and People»

«Not all knowledge is applied directly. The fact that we differentiate a noun from an adjective or know how to calculate the determinant of an equation, it is clear that we often do not use it. But the level of our thinking is different, qualitatively different. Through knowledge, people grow: emotionally, intellectually, and communicatively. And this is a very big growth and important»

«I first graduated from the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics. And thanks to this education, logical and abstract thinking works for me in a plus, for example, in a research paper, helps to generalize, search for the missing X and so on. As for me, any type of thinking that a person acquires in the process of learning, then inevitably works in life»

«I really like the analogy of people-combs. Previously, people with one education were needed. For example, graduating from an institute, becoming an agronomist or educator – and knowing that for the rest of your life you will be working in a particular profession. Then came the generation of «P-people», for example, an agronomist who knows English. It’s cool not just to be a teacher, but a creative educator. Today, man is like a comb. The more basics you have, the more opportunities for realization. Non-formal education provides the team with whom you can achieve something, to go through life. Even if you attended 10 seminars, but met one such person, the «gray wolf», with whom you can go on to this significant achievement. Non-formal education in life, helps to meet friends in adulthood»

«In any activity, before which we have not set goals, we run the risk of feeling exhausted, experiencing «emotional burnout»

«The main root of evil in a pedagogical environment is emotional burnout. In pedagogy, many experts come enough inspired, and in a few years they give up. If there is still passion, it hurts, you start to close. As a shoemaker without boots, and a teacher without communication, a psychologist without understanding … I see a way out in honest communications, talking, but the pedagogical teams are not ready for this, because often participants of these groups also wear masks. So much easier: it is easier to survive and to defend yourself in the conditions when your profession is impaired, when you work as if you are «under sight», financially unprotected»

«Everyone feels that it is impossible to live like this. But people are scared to be injured and are silent about it. When you try to talk about it, it means trying to change something»

«Yes, yes, non-formal education can help withhold and retain your right to dignity, because you respect yourself when you are developing. Because you have an area in which you can realize yourself, to be what you really are, beyond the documents»

«Another factor that frightens me is the stratification in Ukrainian society. Inhabitants of big cities earn enough and are able to provide their children with quality education – access to information, educational trips, training from professionals … What about in remote, small villages where people are financially unsupported or territorially excluded ?! Such people, therefore, have minimal or no access to any educational services … Therefore, I am afraid that in 20 years our society will be extremely stratified precisely because of such restrictions. This does not mean that people without sufficient capacity are not able to break the situation. Able. But more effort is needed, ten steps more. While the middle-class cries out that no one needs education, high statuses teach their children»

«Leadership and education are not very related to me. In order to be a leader, it is enough to make such a decision and be responsible for the consequences. Understanding and feeling these responsibilities will encourage you to learn to gain such knowledge or experience. In my opinion, leadership is not inherent in Ukrainian society today. The leader needs the team. And in the society of individualists the request for a leader does not arise, because everyone assumes a limited «piece» of responsibility. A formal leader and leader cannot be «confused». A leader is the one they follow, who is able to «charge». A formal supervisor is the one who demands it. If he is not able to organize a team, he undertakes to do everything. On the contrary, the work «throws» on the team»

«I think that the main role in the reform of education belongs to education managers who are able to build a strategy for the development of their institution, who are able to see in the future. Then they will be able to establish communication without masks»

«Google in and read the real-world PISA results. I did it. The headlines of many Ukrainian media resources were such that 36% of students do not reach the basic level of knowledge in mathematics. In fact, if you look at the statistics, the results in mathematics are the highest for us. That is, we have a problem not with mathematics, but with reading. When you work with real data, I see that other countries are lagging behind or outperforming by a few percent. This is an average. It is also important to take into account the economic development of the states»

«I wanted to go into graduate school in mathematical specialty. I did not have the opportunity to study in Kiev. At that moment, I decided that it was not mine and that we needed to meet the achievable opportunities. But do you remember the miracle? Six months later, I forgot about this story, and then the head of the postgraduate department called me and asked, «Where do you go? You have been enrolled in graduate school in pedagogy!»(Laughs). I still thought, «What am I going to do there?» And went … to refuse. I asked to support and with a friend to a with the manager, who was going to announce the refusal. Instead, the friend introduced me to the manager as a new graduate student. After these words, I was ashamed to say my refusal. So yours may come in a different field. If you were refused study in North America but were offered an internship in the South, why not?»

«I once took part in a training from the public association Another Education and the Association of Specialists of Social Sphere. And this is the moment in my life when I first heard the concept of «non-formal education». After that I went to internship in Israel, where non-formal education really works. For example, they study the history of the Holocaust through all spheres of knowledge. For ten paintings by a famous Jewish artist, you can see and relive his life just by looking at his canvases. You feel that the person has been drawing before the persecution, in the concentration camp and after being released. And such a comparison of several paintings from each stage of the artist already tells you about a person’s life path. This is non-formal education – use as many tools as possible. I was inspired and wanted to have a similar training in Ukraine. But even in Ukrainian society there is no such request yet»

«My scientific journey is seen on a cruise ship that arrives in different countries, ports, realities. But wherever you are, you always come back for another. Thank you to all of my loved ones, family, friends and colleagues who continue to be with me on this journey and aboard this liner»

«I’m not sure people are changing. We need reflection in order to understand who I am. But for many people this is not a need»

«Evolution is also happening in teaching. Our parents learned from books. We were already studying for photocopies and sitting in reading rooms. Parents’ books are no longer relevant, we’ve read and copied magazine articles. Today, children learn from phones, and it is strange for them to have a photocopier. After probably five or ten years, there will be no need to read the texts – they will learn to think»

«The modern scientist constantly has to search for a balance between the depth of «immersion» in the process of cognition and the possibilities of presentation of their achievements. Many such contradictions are emerging now. But if we start discussing and solving them, modern Ukrainian science will be able to take a step forward»

«Scientists in social networks eventually turn into a teaching staff. Instead of supporting one another, we begin to criticize, blame. Unfortunately, Ukrainian scientists do not want to grow together … and this is demotivating»

«Science can also stratify. Science of the big city and the smaller»

«Everywhere, both in Ukraine and in the world, an important figure in science is people who are really interested in science and who do research not for ratings and bonuses. They are «digging» into the facts, trying to systematize them precisely because it is infinitely interesting to them. How to make people famous or leaders … The Eternal Dilemma: between public people and scholars who love to write in silence»

«Traveling inspires me.And also change of social statuses. Not to be a teacher all my life, but to be a student, a friend somewhere … Yoga, drawing, writing at the Anonymous Authors Club help me too»

«I have not yet received my PhD status. Still as I go through the stage of disappointment … Expectations from others are probably rising, but it has not changed, the same as it was six months ago or a year … in the right place, with the right people, to feel happy. Happiness is the main indicator of being yourself for me. In order to be yourself, it takes little really. However, there is a need to be yourself. In most of us, it is leveled. Often we want to be SOMEONE as we are «is to strike a balance between»

«The real challenge for me is education, work and leisure. Between tolerance, honesty, love for others, and maintaining one’s integrity. Balance: How to be neither an aggressor nor a victim? How to travel and love the country, the city, the district where you live …»

«Last time I came back to Ukraine, I was very upset. Noticeably dirty, especially in the sleeping quarters. Dirt is like a metaphor for our psychological being. The worst part is that over time people don’t notice the dirt. It becomes commonplace, so scary. People expect that someone else, ZhEK, 0SBB or volunteers, will change that. But nothing will change unless the majority changes»

«In Zhytomyr I love Hydropark. I love the church of St. Michael. I discovered a pedestrian walk along the Kamianka River …»

«It was recently at Malikova str.St. Nicholas came to the godchild (smiling). I was wondering what kind of park was built there, sports grounds, places for recreation, online library. It turns out that you can participate in the life of the neighborhood and have the pleasure that you live here»

«I have not always loved Zhytomyr. For a while, it seemed to me to be a provincial city where nothing changes. Then, as I studied and went to steam every day across the Boulevard, I fell in love with the city. Then Zhytomyr seemed very beautiful to me. Today, there are some initiatives and beautiful places in Zhytomyr that you want to visit. Once their number will be such as will cover the whole city»

We are grateful to the staff of the Regional Library for Children (Zhytomyr, Pushkinska, 36) for their understanding and book cooperation in the process of preparing this material!