LITMIR.BIZ

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The answer is simple. Originally, I come from a small town in the Moscow region. That’s where I taught English at school. I’m very sociable. I had a lot of friends there, I sang in a choir. Soon people started asking me about doing a course at MSU and whether I would move to Moscow. They made attempts to get me move, but they failed. These people had connections, but they didn’t help.

      I ran an unofficial course with my friends and acquaintances, about 30 people, and I realised that there were no other opportunities in a small town to run something like this on a regular basis and for professional development. There are more opportunities in Moscow.

      *

      Varvara Tyurina (VT)

      Setting the scene: We meet on a Saturday after a long morning of teaching TKT for me and teaching intensive classes for her. These classes can last for four hours or more. I’m still recovering from my chest infection but Varvara is very lively, much like her answers, as we sit in a teacher’s room crammed with books but deserted by teachers. It’s quiet and somewhat dark, but this means I can focus clearly on everything she has to say.

      VT: I studied in an English school where half of the lessons were in English. That took 11 years. Then I went to Moscow City Teacher Training University where I got a Bachelor’s Degree in Translation and Linguistic studies. I went on to do a Masters in Linguistics and Cross Cultural Communication, and then I got my CELTA in Edinburgh in 2016.

      RFDG: That’s a very logical progression though languages, but why did you choose to go into teaching?

      VT: I tried alternatives. I was a translator and an interpreter at different events. There was a grand opening of a museum in Moscow and I worked there, but I didn’t enjoy it much. It didn’t really match my personality because in translation you just need to make sure that communication comes through and that’s it. You need to cover your personality as much as possible. That goes strongly against my own behaviour. I’m very emotional and expressive. I think that’s why it wasn’t for me. I can’t sit down and work with paper at home. I want to communicate with people and share my knowledge with them.

      RFDG: You still stuck with languages. Was there a purpose behind doing all this work with languages beforehand?

      VT: Absolutely, yes. The overall tendency is that most Russians don’t speak English very well. I’d even say the majority don’t speak English at all. So, even if you want to teach languages it’s wise to learn it first. I know from my experience and that of the people around me that translation teaches you more about the language than teaching does. My friends who graduated with teaching degrees knew a lot about how to teach English, but their level was very low which doesn’t make sense to me. I thought it would be reasonable to learn as much as I could first and then move to teaching it.

      RFDG: Surely this choice wasn’t at the school level. Was it your parents’ decision to send you to such a school?

      VT: Yes. It was my mum’s decision. It was back in the 90s when everything was changing. Not many people thought about English at that time, but my mum thought English would become a very important skill so it was important to invest in it. She put every effort into helping me get into that school. There was an exam I had to sit when I was five. It was my first exam, actually.

      RFDG: That must have been quite pressuring.

      VT: Yes it was, but I remember being very passionate about learning. I actually wanted to study before I went. It was difficult to pass the exam but I was eager to do it.

      RFDG: Do you think your mum was right?

      VT: I absolutely think so, because English has opened so many doors for me. That’s why I teach it, I want more people to have these opportunities.

      RFDG: Why Moscow?

      VT: Well, I’m still thinking of teaching in China. I would love to teach in Europe, but due to visa regulations the chances are very low, unfortunately. I’d be very happy to go but I just don’t see a way to do this so far. Every single job I come across says, “We are looking for candidates with European citizenship and we are not offering any work visas.” At the same time, I’m pretty happy with working in Moscow. There are so many places where you can work as a teacher or a trainer and I don’t know of any other cities which can offer that much which are within my reach.

      *

      Andy S (AS)

      Setting the scene: Gorky Park is lovely at any time of year, but it’s at its best in the spring. I meet Andrew for our interview at the giant gates which mark the entrance to this place of myth and legend, spies and conspiracies. Today, it’s a place for coffee and interviewing. He wears a tracksuit for his run through the park, a popular place for people to keep fit in Moscow. He’s slightly shorter than me, but definitely fitter and stronger. That’s not the only thing which is stronger. His Scottish accent is broader than mine, but he remains clear and comprehensible throughout.

      AS: My first job was with the Police in the UK which I did for two years and then I joined the custody service. After that I was in the Navy for four years and then I found my way into English teaching in Russia.

      RFDG: What prompted you to make the change to teaching?

      AS: I was responsible for teaching new recruits in the Navy and showing them the basics of living on a ship. It was something I enjoyed, so I decided to do something that would let me travel and teach at the same time which was what I always wanted to do.

      RFDG: You could have gone anywhere, why Moscow?

      AS: I thought it was interesting given the Soviet past and history. I always wanted to live in a big city and they don’t come much bigger than Moscow. It’s also close enough to home not be too alien, but far enough to be somewhat different to what I was used to.

      RFDG: If not Moscow, where do you think you’d have gone?

      AS: I’d have gone to Korea. I did have a break there for a year but I didn’t like it.

      RFDG: Why not?

      AS: I think because there were too many cultural differences that meant I couldn’t live there comfortably. Moscow is a happy medium.

      *

      Vika K (VK)

      Setting the scene: I have sat in this long teacher training room many times for interviews and training sessions. This time it is different, though, as I’m with a colleague who wishes to remain totally anonymous. As a result I can’t describe anything more than the passion she speaks with, marked by the occasional levity.

      VK: I did my BA in English Literature and moved to Moscow and did General Linguistics. Then, right after that, my CELTA and I joined BKC IH. I’ve been there ever since, going through all these extra certificates like YL* course, CAM** and now I’m doing my DELTA.

      *Note: Young Learners are usually students between 7—16 years old.

      **Note: Certificate in Advanced Methodology. An International House training course for experienced teachers.

      RFDG: Why did you want to get into teaching?

      VK: When I was in college, we had this internship where we were sent to state schools. We were divided among the teachers and got a chance to teach there and I just loved the feeling. Before that I’d been working as a translator/interpreter/personal assistant for an international

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