Charismatic and creative educational admirer has never dreamt about being a teacher. Conscious choice has led her to step on the path of agents of change who prove that our future is on new-style schools. She implements a big number of educational projects for this aim.
“I’m sure that Zhytomyr has a great educational potential which is needed to be warmed a little. Look, even today. Seven months ago I held the first educational meeting from “Zhytomyr, zroby holosnishe!” There were 13 people. Two previous had almost 20. Today 37 people came here! The audience room has hardly placed them all. It’s not only because of Paul Low – foreign speaker, or because of forcing somebody to come here, but because of people has started to wake up. I have maaaaany plans. These are monthly educational meetings, pin-point target work with schools, but the most important – common project with Civic Organisation “Osvitoria” and Zhytomyr town-hall based on rebooting education in the town. The aim of the project is kick start to change everything, give a chance to people to implement their ideas and to prepare for educational reforms which start in September 2018. Currently we’re receiving and process surveys of volunteers to join our group.”
“I’ve never dreamt about being a teacher. Do you know such people? (Laughs) I’ve been dreaming to be a journalist and actress. Everything worked really well with journalism, acting profession has left to be my childhood dream. On the second course I started working as a teacher but not at school, on adult courses. Then I realized that teaching perfectly combines these two spheres! If you don’t have acting skills, so you’re not a good enough teacher. Since then I felt the real thrill and figured out that it’s my bag”
“I don’t like to talk about it very much but who enters Ivan Franko State University nowadays? Those who haven’t applied to any faculty, theoretically speaking “high-profile”: I was kicked off from economical uni – I’ll go to Department of physics and Mathematics, failed with applying to jurisdictional – I’ll go to pedagogical on History and Statutory Right. It is what it is. I’m truly scared who’ll be teaching, let’s say, Physics in 5-10 years. It’s quite good with humanitarian side, but it’s terrible with technical specialties. Let’s talk about positive things.”
“There are no formulas to describe perfect teacher. Everybody is different, that is the biggest value. I’m against the fact for children to be with the same teacher from 1st to 4th form (she’s such a brood-hen). I say “she” because male teachers at the starting point are desperate extinct species. All these phrases like “how’s that possible? Children will be stressed!”, “oh, she/he got used to Tamara Petrivna!”, etc. are not fully proved except mom or dad’s fears for their kid and the feeling of guarding them against hardships. Not everything in the garden is rosy. In Novopechersk’s school we mix all forms: we change teachers and children annually because every teacher has good and bad sides as well. Someone becomes the best for children, because she or he has a high empathy level, other is a crazy inventor and creative thinker and other ones can listen and hear you.”
“Firstly, you mustn’t depress creative displays in your children. Creativity can be shown in not very pleasant ways: through disobedience, lack of perseverance, contradictious spirit. You should simply know how to work with it. European and American colleges’ teachers study this. Kidding aside, but in our schools teachers don’t even know who kinesthetic learner is and what is differentiate studying. We have to teach kids to doubt and ask questions. We should avoid using a phrase ‘teacher is always right’”.
“It is prohibited to allow children to communicate with unstable mental health. Being stress resistant is one of the most qualities of a teacher. As flashy as it sounds, person who doesn’t like children cannot become a teacher. It’s a fact!”
“There is a common stereotype that teacher is some king of “Maria Ivanovna” without personal life, with a lock on her head, wearing tweed suit. But the teacher wearing jeans and sneakers – what a wonder is this! Isn’t it “anti-teacher”? I truly hope that this approach will change.”
“Nostalgia for soviet times really prevents all changes to be implemented, I always hear: “They will destroy everything old without leading new up.” Unfortunately, there are not enough agents of changes. It is connected to all reforms and not only educational one.”
“There haven’t been any changes in educational sphere for 60 years. People have managed to fly to space so far, discover tons of ways to communicate with each other in a quicker way and open an access to inapproachable and sacral pieces of knowledge. Artificial intelligence, both objective and stolid, is becoming a member of teams, after 10 years robots-autopilots wouldn’t be an attraction in Google office, but usual thing. Building would be lead up for couple of days, because of people having printed details on 3D printer in advance. But children in Ukrainian schools nowadays look at somebody’s back, learn from-out-of-space formulas and learn multiplicative stages of Paramecium caudatum.”
“The school I’ve been studying in taught me incredible things and provided me unforgettable atmosphere. My best friends are all from school and everybody is extremely successful in various spheres: medicine, catering business, marketing, engineering and administration. Whom I consider to be the best teacher? I always remember my form master in secondary school, Natalia Yakivna Levchenko. She is an embodiment of wisdom and kindness.”
“What is a definition of a successful person? Everybody has their own viewpoint. Someone is successful because of raising kids at home. The main thing here is to enjoy what you do. Others are successful because of directing big industries. Success is a very relative category. Every person has to define success with his own formula.”
“Of course, sometimes there is a need to be strong. Sometimes it’s better to be weak. The best thing is to be flexible and adaptive, but I can’t do that, I’m only learning.”
“It’s very important to be motivated by someone. It’s cool when a 50-years-old person suddenly realizes that he or she has lived the life inappropriately. The understanding has come only now, that there is a desire to become a gardener, because it props up. The rest of the life this person plants crocuses and cuts rose bushes. Person feels happy. Person makes nobody guilty. Person doesn’t have to deal with somebody. Just has fun.”
“Children are not taught to be happy here and nowhere. There is no need to explain them everything what is needed, they’ll feel it themselves.”
“I remember how my mom has been coming home late from work, has woken me up and asked to show me done homework. If something was wrong, the sheet was torn out and rewrote everything once more time. Sometimes I cheated. Herefrom firmness and a skill to manage a situation have appeared. However, I don’t follow this example towards my own daughter.”
“We all live approximately in the same way: we wake up in the morning, go to work or stay at home. We have some duties, some choice: what to have for breakfast, where to go in the evening. It’s possible to cook for all the week and then complain: “I do everything for you but you don’t appreciate it!” There is also other option: order a pizza and watch a film together. You make a choice yourself, how to deal with all things. If you choose cooking for all the week, so don’t whimper each and everyone that you do it. Your “I do it for you” is needless.”
“Am I scared of something? Of course! Only dead people are afraid of nothing. I’m scared. I’m afraid of losing close people, no reciprocity, lightning… It’s my biggest phobia.”
“I don’t know exactly which mission do I carry out. Currently I’m living with my own principles. For example, enjoy every minute for the full, because I don’t know when it will end. Drinking this cup of ginger-mint tea is a joy. Looking for positive vibes in minor details is my main slogan, as well as sharing it with those I love.”
