Two of Marina's students gave us a tour of the building where we had the chance to meet a few other students and several teachers. Everybody was kind and welcoming; I truly felt "at home". Like the school we visited in Kyiv, Gymnasium #9 educates students from Form 1 through Form 11 and focuses on teaching languages - especially English. The students' command of English was impressive, which means their teachers must be outstanding. I can't wait to learn from them and only hope that my teaching experience will be of some benefit.
Along with our student-led tour, we were honored by a presentation of the school's museum by Lyudmila Katsura who teaches English and American literature. In fact, her students just read Catcher in the Rye, a favorite of mine. Lyudmila has been teaching since 1969, which means she's been engaging students for about 43 years - and doesn't seem as though she is ready to take a break anytime soon! I was humbled by her dedication, but also by her loyalty and love of the former students and teachers she introduced us to via the museum's photographs and posters. One panel was dedicated to those students who lost their lives during World War 2. Lyudmila shared the story of local resistance heroine Zoya Ruhadze, who at 16, had been caught and brutally tortured.
Zoya Ruhadze
Lyudmila Katsura with a bust of Zoya Ruhadze
No comments:
Post a Comment