There is an old Tibetan proverb that says, “A child without education is like a bird without wings.” In honor of World Teacher’s Day, we wanted to celebrate teachers like you who give students their wings.
Today we’re highlighting Russian educator, Vasilisa Vyatkina. Vasilisa is an informatics educator at IThub college in Moscow, Russia. We interviewed Vasilisa to find out what it’s like to be an educator in Russia and how she stays inspired in her classroom.
Certiport: Happy World Teacher’s Day, Vasilisa!
Vasilisa: Thanks so much. It’s an honor to celebrate educators.
Certiport: Our team thinks so highly of you, so thank you for agreeing to share a little bit about yourself with us.
Vasilisa: Of course! I feel proud to be able to represent amazing teachers around the world.
Certiport: Tell us a little bit about what you teach and the students you work with.
Vasilisa: Absolutely. I currently teach informatics at IThub college in Moscow. My students are about 16 to 19 years old, typically in their first or second year of study. I get to teach and prepare students for the Microsoft Office Specialist certification, along with the IC3 Digital Literacy certification. I’ve been teaching for almost four years and I’m still inspired by my students.
Certiport: What made you decide to choose teaching as a career?
Vasilisa: Honestly, I love the idea that you really can have an impact on someone’s life and career. It’s such a privilege to light a spark in my students’ eyes!
Certiport: Is that still your favorite part of teaching?
Vasilisa: The spark? Of course, you can’t beat that. When the student finally gets it, it’s an amazing moment of inspiration. Teaching technology is exceptionally fulfilling, because it’s almost as if magic becomes real with the help of technology. I love being the person that shares this with my students.
Certiport: I love that! Technology and teaching come together like magic. But we know there must be some difficult parts of teaching as well.
Vasilisa: Certainly. My days are full of lessons and projects. Each day I work to make difficult things sound and look simple. Teaching through the pandemic has also made things tougher. I, and other teachers I know as well, must make a concerted effort to stay emotionally fulfilled even if the situation is critical. It can be difficult to find and support a healthy work-life balance, because this kind of work is inseparable from who I am as a person.
Another difficult part of teaching is collaborating with other colleagues and government representatives to keep our classrooms engaging and interesting. I believe that education really can be captivating and inspiring, and we should do our best to make our students think so too. When I say “we” I mean all participants of educational process: teachers, students, parents, employers, and government representatives. It takes a village to create a healthy and bright educational system.
Certiport: We agree completely! You can’t do it all on your own. What message would you share with fellow educators who need inspiration?
Vasilisa: Keep calm and keep moving forward. We are changing the world for the better!
Certiport: Simple and powerful. Would you like to share a message with your students?
Vasilisa: I never pass up the chance to connect with students. I want all students to know that they are a precious part of the world. Don’t hesitate to explore, to ask questions. Try to save and develop your curiosity – it’s one of the most important human characteristics you can have.
Certiport: Vasilisa, we can’t thank you enough. Your attitude is an inspiration to teachers around the world. I hope you get to enjoy some cheesecake to celebrate your special day.
Vasilisa: You know I will!
Interested in connecting with educators to help you stay inspired? Join the CERTIFIED Educator Community here.