Thomas Eliot
The most important task in life is to make the most of this time. Match the sentences and the word combinations. Give your explanations.
Example: Take time to study: it is the price of success.
Take time to study: the music of the soul.
Take time to think: the source of the power.
Take time to play: the joy of life.
Take time to read: it is the secret of perpetual youth.
Take time to love: the price of success.
Take time to laugh: the fountain of wisdom.
Sometimes we are robbed of our time, for example, by telephone calls.
a) Discuss with your friend who or what is robbing us of time. What are the most common time thieves?
b) Using the words and phrases below design a questionnaire which could help people to check their own situation.
TIME THIEVES
1. Telephone / constantly / to interrupt / conversations / longer than / necessary.
2. You / to try / to do too many tasks at once. You / to lack priorities in planning.
3. You / to spend / too much time on trivial matters / cannot / on the most important task / concentrate.
4. You / not to have / any personal objectives.
5. You / to lack / the necessary discipline / to carry out / what / you / to have resolved to do.
6. It is difficult / to say no / when / others / to ask you / to do something / when / you / should / be going / your own work.
7. You / not to make plans in writing.
8. You / not to make a checklist / of tasks and activities / to be done/ to deadlines.
9. You / not to estimate the time / your task / will take.
a) almost always
b) frequently
c) sometimes
d) almost never
c) While asking each other questions count the ticks. Ticks in the first column are equal to 0, in the second to 1 point, in the third to 2, in the fourth to 3 points. Count the score and read the results:
Results
0 – 17 points: You do not plan your time and you allow your schedule to be determined by others. You are not able to manage yourself, let alone others. Time management will mark the start of a new and successful life for you.
18 – 24 points: You try to organise your time, but you are not persistent enough to be successful.
25 – 30 points: Your time management is good – but it could be better.
31 – 36 points: Congratulations (if you have been honest in your answers)! You are a model for anyone who would like to learn how best to manage his or her time. Let others benefit from your experience and pass the ABCs of time management on to others.
Do you agree or disagree with the conclusions?
DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING
- Which traits of character, in your opinion, are most valuable and why you admire them in people;
- Which traits of character disappoint you and why you hate them in people.
b) Say what qualities you think are worth developing in oneself and why.
PROGECT WORK
Steps in decision – making process.
МЕТОДИЧНІ РЕКОМЕНДАЦІЇ ПО ТЕМІ
«WHAT MAKES THE TEACHER»
I. STUDY THE WORDS AND WORD COMBINATIONS
To appreciate - оцінювати
career - професія
to challenge - робити виклик
choice - вибір
to educate - навчати
genuinely - іскренно
job - робота
profession - професія
reliable - надійний
respect - повага
responsibility - відповідальність
responsible - відповідальний
vital - життєвий, насущний
vocation - канікули
work - робота
to make / take / a choice - зробити вибір
to have no choice - не мати вибору
to be interested in… - цікавитись чимось
to leave /finish/ school - закінчити школу
to consider teaching as a career - вважати вчителювання кар’єрою
to be in / out one’s line - бути на чиїйсь стороні
rewarding /stimulating work - почесна / стимулююча робота
to be devoted to smth or smb. – бути комусь присвяченим
to be responsible for smth - відповідати за когось
to take / accept / responsibility - брати відповідальність
to go in for teaching - займатись вчителюванням
to have /need/ a sense of responsibility - мати велике почуття відповідальності
to be in teaching - вчителювати
to cope with… - справлятись
to love for smth or smb. – любити когось, щось
to earn / enjoy / gratitude and respect - завоювати вдячність і повагу
to have no respect for smb. or smth. – не мати поваги до когось / чогось
to grant children sufficient freedom - надавати дітям
to encourage smb to do smth - заохочувати когось щось робити
to punish - наказувати
to nag at smb - чіплятися, бурчати на когось
to moralise on / about smth - повчати когось
to reward = to pay off child’s behaviour - нагороджувати (покарати) за поведінку
to discipline - дисциплінувати
to criticise for smth - критикувати когось
to humiliate smb - принижувати, ображати когось
to tell smb off for doing smth/to scold - сварити, карати, бурчати на когось
to bribe a child - підкуповувати дитину
to smack = to spank шльопати долонею
to take privileges away - забрати привілеї
to put a child in the time-out spot - дати дитині час перепочити
to spoil a child - зіпсувати дитину
to threaten smb with smth - погрожувати комусь
to find fault with smb - помилятися, звинувачувати, чіплятися
to moan and groan - скаржитися, бурчати
to rebel against smb / smth - протестувати проти когось / чогось
to sulk over / about smth - сердитись на когось
to apologise to smb for doing smth - вибачити комусь за щось
to take offence at smb - ображатись на когось
to throw a tantrum - показати спалах роздратування
to answer back - дати відповідь
to obey immediately - послухатись негайно
to behave properly/perfectly/badly/poorly - поводитись відповідно / гарно/погано/недобре
to misbehave - поводитись невірно
to ignore regulations - ігнорувати правила
to neglect one’s duties - нехтувати обов’язками
to act up – діяти
to break the rules - порушувати правила
to act (ir) responsibly - діяти відповідально
READ AND TRANSLATE THE FOLLOWING TEXTS
MY FUTURE PROFESSION
… Many young people consider teaching as a career because after your parents your teachers may be the most important person in your life. Most of teachers are devoted to their work they serve humanity to do the most vital job. They spend many days at schools and the teachers know that this job is rewarding and noble. Teaching is a constant stream of decisions and it is always a challenge to your character, abilities and talent.
All the children are different, every boy and girl is a unique individual to be a good teacher you must be interested in your work.
A good teachers must know all and must always learn more and more.
An ignorant teacher, teaches ignorance, a fearful teacher teaches fear, a Boredteacher teacher boredom. But a good teacher catalyses in his pupils the burning desire to know and love for the truth and beauty.
John Steinbeck said “A good teacher is a great artist … Teaching might be the greatest of all arts since its medium is human mind and the human spirit. Teachers are the guardians of human spirit and human mind, that’s why humanity has the deepest respect for teachers.
The successful solution of the complex tasks of the instruction and upbringing of young people depends on the teacher, on his professional skill, erudition and cultural background.
A Teacher is a sculptor of the young personality. People entrust them their children, their hope and their future. Teaching is the noblest and the most difficult profession.
This profession demands great generosity of spirit, love for children and boundless devotion to his cause.
TEACHING PROFESSION
School! Lesson, games, clubs, homework. A bell rings. You go to a classroom. A bell rings. You have lunch. A bell rings. You go home.
But one day you go to school for the last time. What to do after that? You realize that the time to choose one job out of the hundreds has come. It’s going to be a hart choice and nobody can make it for you.
Before you can choose, you ask yourself quite a lot of questions. What do you know you are good at? What do you enjoy doing? Perhaps you enjoy working with your hands. Or you may prefer using your head – your brains. Are you interested in machines? or do you like meeting people? It’s difficult to know all the answers to these questions until you have left school and actually begun work.
Many young people consider teaching as a career. It’s not surprising: after your parents your teacher may be the most important person in your life. With all the teachers you meet, you think there isn’t anything you don’t know about the work. That’s where you are wrong, since only those who are in it can appreciate it. Have you ever asked yourself why most teachers are so devoted to their work and privately think, though they may not like to admit it openly, that they serve humanity doing the most vital job of all? Those of us who spend our days in schools know how rewarding the job is. At the same time it is not easy and real challenge to your character, abilities and talent, as teaching is a constant stream of decisions.
Children in your classroom aren’t just boys and girls. Every one is a unique individual who has never been before and will never again exist. If you like people, you will love teaching. To be a good teacher you must be genuinely interested in what you are doing.
The most important things in the world are awareness and learning – wanting to know every day of your life more and more and more. Because every time you learn something new you become something new. An ignorant teacher teaches ignorance, a fearful teacher teaches fear, a bored teacher teaches boredom. But a good teacher catalyzes in his pupil the burning desire to know and love for the truth and beauty.
John Steinbeck, writing about his school days said, “I’ve come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and you know how few great artists there are in the world. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since its medium is the human mind and the human spirit.” What an incredible responsibility to be the guardians of the human spirit and the human mind! I think, that is the reason why humanity has the deepest respect for teachers.
I would never stop teaching and I’m sure that you, having chosen it for your career, feel the same way. If you don’t feel that way then, please, for all our sakes, get out! The human mind and the human spirit are too wondrous to destroy. But if you are prepared to accept the responsibility, I wish you all the luck in the world.
I AM TEACHER
I am a teacher.
I was born the first moment that a question leaped from the mouth of a child.
I have been many people in many places.
I am Socrates exciting the youth of Athens to discover new ideas through the use of questions.
I am Anne Sullivan tapping out the secrets of the universe into the outstretched hand of Helen Keller.
I am Aesop and Hans Christian Andersen revealing truth through countless stories.
I am Marva Collins fighting for every child’s right to an education.
I am Mary McCloud Bethune building a great college for my people, using orange crates for desks.
And I am Bel Kaufman struggling to go Up the Down Staircase.
The names of those who have practiced my profession rings like a hall of fame for humanity… Booker T.Washington, Buddha, John Dewey, Leo Buscaglia, Moses and Jesus.
I am also those whose names and faces have long been forgotten but whose lessons and character will always be remembered in the accomplishments of their students.
I have wept for joy at the weddings of former students, laughed with glee at the birth of their children, and stood with head bowed in grief and confusion by graves dug too soon for bodies far too young.
Throughout the course of a day, I have been called upon to be an actor, friend, nurse and doctor, coach, finder of lost articles, money-lender, taxi driver, psychologist, substitute parent, salesman, politician, and a keeper of the faith.
Despite the maps, charts, formulas, verbs, stories and books, I have really had nothing to teach, for my students really have only themselves to learn, and I know it takes the whole world to tell you who you are.
I am a paradox. I speak loudest when I listen the most. My greatest gifts are in what I am willing to appreciatively receive from my students.
Material wealth is not one of my goals, but I am a full-time treasure seeker in my quest for new opportunities for my students to use their talents and in my constant search for those talents that sometimes lie buried in self-defeat.
I am the most fortunate of all who labor.
A doctor is allowed to usher life into the world in one magic moment. I am allowed to see that life is reborn each day with new questions, ideas and friendships.
An architect knows that if he builds with care, his structure may stand for centuries. A teacher knows that if he builds with love and truth, what he builds will last forever.
I am a warrior, daily doing battle against peer pressure, negativity, fear, conformity, prejudice, ignorance and apathy. But I have great allies: intelligence, curiosity, parental support, individuals, creativity, faith, love and laughter all rust to my banner with indomitable support.
And who do I have to thank for this wonderful life I am so fortunate to experience, but you the public, the parents. For you have done me the great honor to entrust me with your greatest contribution to eternity, your children.
And so I have a past that is rich in memories. I have a present that is challenging, adventurous and fun because I am allowed to spend my days with the future.
I am a teacher … and I think God for it every day.
BEING AN ENGLISH TEACHER IS …
English is the kingdom of Sleeping Beauty. You must awaken Her in yourself and the whole kingdom will come to life and be yours.
It’s nearly thirty years as I’ve stepped on this challenging yet noble path of teaching English at a secondary school – and I still enjoy it!
Nothing else in the world can be so rewarding and inspiring twenty pairs of inquisitive eyes waiting for the miracle to be performed.
So, what is a teacher? Why is s/he so special in the life of every child? On whose blessing am I given this precious right to touch the hearts and souls of the younger pupils and let them touch and play the strings of my inner world? Has this gift been passed down to me genetically from my parents, both teachers (my Mum’s an Excellent Teacher and my Dad’s a Merited Teacher of Ukraine)? So, what am I?
I am a MAGICIAN – my students make me believe and feel it. I can do anything and everything in the world on my students’ wish.
During the First bell Ceremony, on September 1, I can’ but keep looking at the place where the first graders are standing. I watch their worried eyes and a warm feeling of anticipation overwhelms me – I already love and adore them, for the next 12 years we will live a happy, full of unforgettable moments life together.
I am an ACTRESS and a SPECTATOR - put on the “magic” hat of Mary Poppins which takes us around the world in an eye-wink. We dramatised the best world’s tales, made masks and puppets ourselves, taught them to talk and perform.
I am a DOCTOR and a PATIENT- “What’s that? A tear in the eyes?” – my healing hand strokes a head or a hurt knee…
And my headache instantly relieves at the sight of happy smiles, bright sunny eyes or a sudden unexpected quick kiss on my cheek…
I am a WRITER and a READER – I write stories and plays, poems and songs for my students to study with enjoyment. How many tales I’ve read with my students and for my students!
Being an English teacher means being an INSPIRER.
As all my students run their own journals or diaries, I’m an avid reader of their creations: poems and fairy tales, fantasies and even novels. I’m trusted to read their top secrets and I’m urged to answer very personal questions or to give a piece of wise advice…
Being an English teacher of teenagers is fantastic!
It means being a TRAVELLER and a DISCOVERER: we save the Earth from eco - catastrophe or organise a search party to find Loch-Ness Monster in the deepest lakes of Scotland and elsewhere. We fly to far-off planets and galaxies to contact other civilisations, meet weird creatures and star-kids, and build castles in the air. We dream of a Magic School for every pupil to be happy in with lessons of Telepathy, Fantasy and Space Travels.
Together with my students I celebrated all the main holidays of the English-speaking countries observing their customs and traditions, making costumes, singing traditional songs and playing games.
Being and English teacher is being a SCIENTIST and an INVENTOR, a RESEARCHER and an EXPLORER, a … (an unfinished list of occupations), for only English has no boundaries in expanding prospects for everyone.
And at last there comes the final year with its special atmosphere of friendship and partnership.
Being an English teacher with the seniors has a unique aroma of confidence. It means being a FRIEND and a COUNTERPART, and a PARTNER. Why, they are grown-ups, just like yourself.
We debate and role-play life situations, make projects and presentations – this is the life of a mini – society with its obstacles, challenges and problems. We seek the solutions in hot discussions. And we find them!
This elevates us to the skies in triumph and teaches life lessons.
Being and English TEACHER is being a STUDENT too: lots of confident compositions make me sit up late at night plunging into the ocean of thoughts, ideas and revelations. I learn from my students a new truth, they make me see the things I previously haven’t noticed or paid no attention to. They made me a bookworm: I look through piles of books and magazines while preparing for the classes.
Being an English teacher means being a very RICH PERSON: for the main treasure of the teacher is his/her students, devoted friends who live practically in every corner of the world; every my student has a little piece of my heart, though my heart hasn’t diminished, it has become even bigger filled with my students’ love. The wonderful success stories of my former pupils about their accomplishments have become my success too: I’m privy to almost all professions of the world due to my pupils. Owing to them I penetrate deeply into the knowledge of the universe.
I feel proud of them.
Thank you, my dear students, that you are like that!
Thank you, my dear students, you have made me the one I am!
Thank you, my dear students, sometimes you make me feel the happiest person in the world!
IT WILL LAST FOREVER …
I am a counselor psychologist to a problem-filled child,
I am a police officer that controls a child gone wild.
I a travel agent scheduling our trips for the year,
I am a confidante that wipes a crying child’s tear.
I am a banker collecting money for a ton of different things,
I am a librarian showing adventures that a story book brings.
I am a custodian that has to clean certain little messes,
I am a psychic that learns to know all that everybody only guesses.
I am a photographer keeping pictures of a child’s yearly growth,
When mother and father are gone fore the day, I become both.
I am a doctor that detects when a child is falling sick,
I am a politician that must know the laws and recognise a trick.
I am a party planner for holidays to celebrate with all,
I am a decorator of a room, filling each wall.
I am a news reporter updating on our nation’s current events,
I am a detective solving small mysteries and ending all suspense.
I am a clown and comedian that makes the children laugh.
When we seen to stray from value, I become a preacher,
But I’m proud to have to be these people because …
I am proud to say “I AM A TEACHER”.
By Stacy Bonino
I am a teacher of English at school № 13 in Dnipropetrovs’k. I’ve already been teaching for 4 years. I like working with children and for them. Of course, it’s not a big period of time but still this experience has given me a lot. There is a Latin proverb that states: ”He who teaches learns”. Firstly, I understand the key point of teaching better. Secondly, I am aware of a lot of methods and techniques to be flexible and creative in my work. In this respect the first goal for me should be constant self-education to be aware of the language development and new methodology trends.
I think I have always wanted to be a teacher. My grand-father made a blackboard for me and I could write there. We read, learnt English words, wrote dictations and translated easy texts. In spite of the fact that my grandparents had studied German at school they did all my English tasks. They learnt some English words and phrases after my lessons.
As a child I was inspired by a wonderful teacher named Larysa Stepanivna Shamenko. She is a teacher of English at school № 73 in Dnipropetrovs’k. Larysa Stepanivna taught me that no star was too far out of reach, if I put my mind to accomplishing my goal I could make it.
The secret in the art of teaching is that there is an audience waiting for you to perform. And the students are the appreciative audience. Good teaching is guiding students to discover the connections between what they have already known, and what we are learning, so that it will become their knowledge. I try to create the situation and atmosphere that can help them make the first step to learning English.
I always choose a proper kind of work for every student. It’s very important to make each student understand that s/he is making progress.
I widely use interactive activities like filling in charts, quizzes, warmers, mind-maps. It’s necessary to organise different phonetic, vocabulary and grammar exercises. I use signal cards, cassettes and illustrations.
A teacher of English has one great advantage – s/he can speak to his/her students about different things on various topics. I teach students to communicate in different situations, to express their thoughts about business, politics, sports; to speak about their personal interests. But it needs great patience, skills and professionalism.
All that makes studying English enjoyable both for the teacher and the student. In conclusion I want to say: “A teacher knows that if s/he builds with LOVE and TRUTH, what s/he builds will last forever”.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Dear colleagues,
On behalf of the English team I would like to congratulate you on our professional holiday – Teacher’s Day. Among all our holidays it’s the most touching and the richest in flowers, words, hugs, and happy tears. It’s the holiday when we remember all the teachers who on one way or another have influenced our career and sometimes our way of life and thinking. Teachers are sacred people and to be a teacher is to be a friend, encourager, counsellor, mentor, expert in everything, facilitator, cultural bearer, as well as a master of our own subject.
Faced with sometimes overcrowded classrooms, very tighten budget and great expectations you nevertheless have great desire and keep on working magic with your students. You not only instruct and teach them but also often help obtain confidence in life, inspire them with your enthusiasm and example of your own devotion you conduct your lessons in creative and dynamic way to catch the attention of the whole class or sometimes tailor your teaching to individual students with a lot of different learning secrets and miracles. You have chosen the most challenging and the most rewarding profession. It doesn’t give you much money, but it gives you more – the light and love in your pupils’ eyes, the smile on the face when something is at last understood and grasped, the joy and pride watching your students at their graduation, a lot of thanks from grateful parents and finally your internal satisfaction that it is you who has made the difference and done something important.
I would like to close up with great words said by Haim Ginott “I’ve come to a frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher I possess a tremendous power to make a person’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humour, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a person humanized or de-humanized.” Opening the door of our classroom let’s always keep these words in mind.
TO BE A TEACHER IS …
Two years ago I graduated from the University and after that I started working at school. I must admit that being a teacher isn’t easy. Besides I think that teaching is a real challenge to your character, abilities and talent. I suppose you must have a real vocation. Because it is very hard not to get out of patience, to be gentle and friendly, to work every day persistently so that you can give all your knowledge to children. To be a good teacher you must be genuinely interested in what you are doing.
Teaching is a constant stream of decisions. It means where the children are there is also something new, unknown and unexpected and interesting that always evokes different decisions.
I might as well add that this sort of work demands great patience. As for me it is very difficult to get up at a very early hour and to go to bed at least at 11:30 pm with no rest in between. Besides the teacher has to be able to withstand being confident in an air tight classroom for six hours with twenty-one “monsters” and to correct 103 term papers. And some other examples that demand great patience:
- patience when a pupil asks to repeat the directions the teacher has just repeated for someone else;
- patience when the kids forget their lunch money for the fourth day in a row;
- patience when one third of the class fails the test;
- patience when the text books haven’t arrived and the semester starts tomorrow and many others.
But … after your parents your teacher may be the most important person in your life. Moreover I can say the teacher is like the second mother. As it is she who brings up in children such qualities as responsibility, respect, industry, persistence and enthusiasm; she teaches them to be attentive to other people, to appreciate love, kindness, honesty, charity. In my opinion, she can even mould their character. And besides she may also sacrifice for the sake of children.
After parents a teacher may be the most important person in a kid’s life. Moreover I can say the teacher is the second mother as it is she who brings up in children such qualities as responsibility, persistence and enthusiasm; she teaches them to be attentive to other people, to appreciate love, kindness, honesty, charity. In my opinion, she can even mould her pupil’s characters.
And what about our pupils? What do they think about us, their teachers? It seemed to me appropriate to ask them: What makes a good teacher of English? Despite the diversity of pupils the responses were as follows:
- thorough knowledge of the subject; as one pupil said: “It doesn’t matter how nice a teacher is if she doesn’t know what she’s talking about”;
- how the teacher goes about imparting that knowledge, in other words, methodology; what the pupils requested most often was a variety of activities within a lesson:
“If we just do drills, I fall asleep.”
“It’s nice when you have a little grammar, and then a dictation, and then some reading or a discussion.”
“Discussions and debates are my favourite way of learning.”
- a sense of humour and teacher’s ability to take the tension out of the process of learning English:
“If she can laugh once in a while, you don’t get so nervous about making mistakes”.
“ When the teacher is smiling at you, you want to make another try.”
- how well the teacher is prepared for the lesson;
- a conscientious attitude toward pupils’ papers;
- discipline (although mentioned specifically by only a few, was hinted at by many);
- over half of the pupils had something to say about the pupil-teacher relationship. Most often, they expressed a desire for a sympathetic teacher who “remembers what is was like to be a pupil”. They felt that the teacher should “know each pupil as an individual” and there was a frequent demand for justice: “She only talks to the best pupils. Doesn’t she know I’m trying?”
A significant number of pupils expressed a fear of being embarrassed by teacher’s caustic wit: “They ought to be polite to us. We are people, too”;
- almost half of the pupils had something to say about the character of the teacher. A majority of the responses praised a teacher who is confident and who obviously enjoys his/her profession.
- a teacher’s voice was also mentioned:
“It shouldn’t be monotonous, too.”
“You have to hear him/her in the back row.”
- a teacher’s appearance: “She’s always neatly dressed. It makes things business-like”.
But as one understanding pupil wrote: “A good teacher is someone who tries to do everything I have listed above. But I understand that teachers are only people like me”.
I reckon that it is very important to know what they think about us and we, teachers, have to take into consideration their opinions. Why? Because when we know what they want it helps us to become a perfect teacher.
TEACHING IS BASED ON LOVE
“Let’s start at the very beginning …”
From “The Sound of Music”
32 years has flown by in a flash… I started my teaching career last century! It was in 1975 when I timidly stepped over the threshold of a small village school and found myself in the world of teacherhood. Since that time I have been living in this thrilling, endlessly absorbing, fascinating and delightful world. It is my life. Teaching is not my profession. It is the state on my soul: I feel born to teach. I need to give away what I’ve gathered: knowledge, experience, talents …
I was a light-hearted optimistic student of the Pedagogical Institute. Energy overflowed my nature and I intuitively felt that I had to use that power in the best way. My insides demanded daring deeds. Could I suspect then that I was driven by God to discover the truth of my life? Could I expect that the way from childhood to teacherhood would be so short?
The first step was taken at the gates of the orphanage where I saw a little fair-haired girl in a threadbare dress watching the passers-by. Our eyes met. How much adult sorrow was in that gaze! Reproach? Entreaty? Or loneliness? Being only an eighteen-year-old I couldn’t entirely comprehend the complexity of the feelings hidden in the girl’s heart. I merely felt with every fibre of my being that she had chosen me to care. And I did. Each weekend I ran to the orphanage to my children with candies and white and rosy marshmallow.
Have you watched the film “The Sound of Music”? it seemed to me that I was like Maria, the main heroine of my favourite musical. Time flew swiftly when I taught children all songs from the film. By the way, it was very popular at that time and we went to watch the film where Maria sang among beautiful foothills of the Tyrolean Alps. She had music in her heart. When Maria became a governess, her love for music and nature was transferred to the children just like my love for life was transferred to the orphans.
Each weekend I hurried to them and it was not my duty, it was necessity to be a person who cares, teaches… and loves! Teaching is based on LOVE, it’s as simple as that.
That girl in a threadbare dress turned out to be a gifted individual. She drew, sang and danced in an exceptional manner. I was touched when she said to me one day, “You inspired me to compose a song”. At that time the word ‘inspire’ was generally associated with the communist party of the Soviet Union, but by no means with pedagogy. I could hardly suppress my tears listening to her amazing singing. That girl, Anna by name, dreamt to play the piano. She saw this instrument on TV, the only one technical aid they had in the orphanage. So I took her by the hand and we went to the Musical college, where the director listened to Anna and found her singing impressive. In 2 years the girl was accepted to that college, and after graduating from it with a first-class honours degree, she became a teacher of music. Anna has three children who know the songs from “The Sound of Music” by heart …
It was my first victory in guiding children in developing their talents and abilities.
I have a variety of interests including classical music, singing, reading, travelling, biking… my friends often say that I am a born actress. Others say that I am a born singer, and while I can’t deny that I enjoy both singing and acting, teaching is the only profession that allows me to incorporate all my talents with leading students in raising their abilities, with my natural aspiration to care and share. “We grow through sharing ourselves.”
I always find the truth in these words written by Herbert Otto. No profession encompasses such a huge range of skills as teaching. During 45 minutes a teacher is a tutor, a psychologist, a painter, an actor, a counselor, a speaker, a singer, a director, a critic, a leader, a supporter, a contemplator.
I am driven by a need to fill students again and again. And I need to be filled as well. Students and teachers test each other constantly. The partnership between teacher and student nourishes a unique collaboration. I am proud to be mutual friends with my students. As the fates decree, my former students live, study and work in different corners of the world and each time when they write or call me my heart rejoices in their victories and success in English as well as in their life, work and studies.
I remember how many efforts I put into educating one (among the hundreds!) of my students and involving her in all sorts of competitions. The girl had a great potential but she didn’t aspire to reach it. Natasha had a constant fear of failing. By that moment I had won a lot of competitions and knew that each victory is gained by hard work. I said, “Don’t be discouraged by a failure, it can be a positive experience. If you don’t begin, you will never win. Try.” And Natasha tried. She failed the City Olympiad in the English language. Her first failure made the girl ambitious and decisive. We worked the whole school year reading and discussing original literature, doing grammar tests, writing compositions. The next year Natalia won. The young woman is successfully studying abroad now. She often rings me up and we speak only English. Once she said, “Hello, AD (students call me so)! Your dream has come true. The only language I speak here is English.”
The fact is that all my students know that my favourite and frequently used phrase in the classroom is “In English, please”. I do believe that the best way to learn to speak English is to speak it. I try to encourage my students to be confident. If they have this confidence, they have an ability to succeed.
A teacher’s happiness lies in the seeds s/he sows. How excited I am to recollect all my dear students who won City, Oblast, All-Ukrainian and International competitions in the English language. One of them, Andriy Rusnak, gave me a signed painting at his graduation party, and written on it was, “To the most important person in my life”. I hope all my students know that they are important to me too.
Being a teacher is one of the greatest ways to contribute to society. I am proud that many of my students followed my example and they are respected teachers now. Among my students there are teachers of English, actors, bankers, theatre directors, ambassadors, journalists, doctors, managers, musicians, programmers.
Victor Hugo wrote, “He who opens a school door, closes a prison”.
Before the gymnasia I worked at a secondary school where many boys and girls were from s0-called difficult families. Some of them were registered at the militia. I had no free days at the time. What sorts of activities did I not invent to switch difficult teenagers to positive thoughts and actions! Hikes to the forest, museums, theatres, music – everything was done for the sake of saving children. All teachers can share the successful stories. I am not an exception. One windy day I took a taxi to get home quicker. A taxi driver asked me if I remembered him. Sasha! He was a difficult child whose parents were alcoholics. "I “ill never forget those Indian dolls you put on the school lawn and told about each of them. you opened beauty to my heart and I decided that I would never repeat my parent’s mistakes.”
One more, probably, the most miraculous story from my experience. Iryna obtained a full store of bad habits. She smoked, drank alcohol, ran away from home. The girl got into trouble and found herself in the mental hospital. I don’t know what induced me to take a record with rock opera “Junona and Avos” devoted to the touching love story of the Earl NikolaI Rezanov and Conchita, and bring it to the hospital. I asked Iryna to listen to the opera. It was crucial moment in the girl’s life. Just one piece of music changed her life in an instant. Or maybe, the reason was not in music… Iryna married after school, and when her son grew up, she came to me, saying “I was silly not to learn English. Please, teach my son”. Isn’t this story incredible?
Perhaps, I may sound immodest writing all these stories but I do hope that my experience will be useful for young teachers. Dear colleagues, don’t care about sleepless nights! Don’t be afraid to get tired of succession of ideas! Remember, teaching is sacrifice. There is nothing quite like the feeling you get when you encourage a child to feel good about her/himself – everyone gets a warm glow! Even the little kindnesses and courtesies are so important.
I feel that working with young people, helping them to prepare for the challenges of the future has made my life rewarding.
I am delighted when I see my former students bring their children to my class to study English. I help children to grow up and they help me to stay young. The uniqueness of my profession is in its constant refreshment. I get older in May and in September I am young again. It’s fantastic, isn’t it? And I start at the very beginning.
32 years has flow by in a flash… but I don’t regret it and I am still full of energy and enthusiasm. Sorry, I have to go. Children are waiting for me to rehearse an extract from “The Sound of Music”, the soundtrack of my life.
So, children: “Let’s start at the very beginning
A very good place to start
When you read you begin with A-B-C
When sing you begin with do-re-mi…”
A teacher is a passionate learner in the constant search of truth. I have found this truth.
P.S. All stories are real. Even names are not changed.
Luckily, I wasn’t able to cram my teaching experience into 3 pages.
MY WAY OF LIFE
My teaching experience is 17 years. I’ve achieved a lot but still I’m eager to learn, study and teach because it’s my calling. Rain or shine, healthy or not, I remember that there are children who are waiting for me and trust me. I know that I’ll feel better as soon as I enter the classroom and see happy faces of my kids. I touch their souls and they respond with their cheery smiles and friendly looks. It’s a great deed – to give children something good and sacred – the joy of studying. I not only teach kids but I also teach my colleagues since I‘ve been the head of the school English teachers’ methodological association for 9 years. My responsibility is to give our teachers practical tips on conducting interactive lessons and to acquaint them with innovative teaching techniques.
My great desire is to share my experience with British teachers and grasp new strategies of teaching English with pleasure. I’d like to know more about such notions as “tolerance” and “cultural diversity”, how to manage the class, how to establish democratic relationships in the classroom. I’m eager to communicate, interact and make new friends. Only aspiring teachers strive for new goals, thus achieving wonderful results.
Now I can say with a firm believe that being a teacher is an inborn diagnosis which can’t be cured by any doctors, it’s in you blood, in your mind, in each cell of your body. Being a teacher is your way of life and state of your soul. Only great teachers can inspire, facilitate and mould genuine citizens of the society.
Teacher … what can be compared?
Artist, sculptor or an actor?
Poet, inventor or creator?
Someone who will not surrender
If they difficulties meet.
Being a teacher is terrific,
Gorgeous, marvelous, indeed;
Being a teacher is devotion
And enormous love for kids!
I’m a teacher, this is splendid,
To betray it I’ve never dreamt.
It’s my job to touch the souls,
It’s my job to mould them,
I’m proud to be called “a teacher”
It will never be another way!
I SUPPOSE I’LL NEVER DIE
I am in my profession… Brrr! It sounds inappropriate for me! Paraphrasing a famous phrase about theatre said by the main heroine in the movie “The Elder Sister”, I could ask you: “Do you love school as I do? Could you go there, live there and die there?” For some teachers the phrase “I am in my profession” sounds more natural; however, speaking personally, I’d change it for “My profession inside me.” Perhaps, I am not a teacher of an egocentric type because I dislike showing off. It means I have an aversion to demonstration lessons which are prepared by a teacher with the help of month rehearsals. I experience the same emotions hearing the titles of contests such as “Teacher of the Year.” Thus, joining your contest was a challenge for me. The American principle “I am the best, I am the brightest teacher” is not my cup of tea. I know that my attitude is a contrasting one but it also has a right for existence.
How to evaluate my past successes in teaching? How to make a good teacher? Maybe, my students’ knowledge, their life choices will be an answer to these questions. If they choose to follow your career, to my mind, it speaks louder than words. For the last several years, 9 of my students entered the department of foreign languages. Some of them have become good teachers or they show their good command of English in other spheres of life.
I’d like to stress the fact that I don’t know any special secrets in teaching. Maybe, I’m not so strong in methodology and I would call myself an intuitive teaching educator. I’m not a guru in English but everything I do comes from my heart. Every day I teach starts for me as the first one in my life. Every day I experience very hard moments: “Is it the very profession I have chosen?” but while being in hesitation I live, I teach, I get results because I am supported by the phrase “To teach kids is to touch the future”. So I suppose I’ll never die. I’ll simply set off to the future.
