MY JOURNEY

When I was growing up in Ukraine, I had a very good teacher, Larisa Semenovna. She taught Russian language and literature in our middle school. She was inspiring and fun. She loved what she was doing, and she sparked our creativity.  She gave us one memorable writing assignment; it was to write about something adventurous. She said to feel free to use our imaginations, and so I did. I think it may have been my first creative writing ever. After I wrote my assignment, she read it aloud to all the kids in the class. She was proud of me, and I was glowing with happiness. Unfortunately, she was the only good teacher that I remember from my childhood. Many of the teachers I had at that time seemed uninspired themselves and were not very motivational to me and my fellow classmates. Because of my experiences, I remember thinking that I did not want to be a teacher.

​

After graduating from high school, I studied and got my first degree in Food Industry Management. I enjoyed learning about food, providing hospitality, and managing people in the kitchen (which was my favorite part). 

​

I emigrated to United States shortly after getting my first degree, and I quickly found out that my food management degree was not as honorable in the U.S. I worked really hard in a cafeteria, but found there was no future in it; then I worked very hard in a bakery, but I constantly felt overworked, disrespected and unappreciated.

​

Corey, my newly wed husband encouraged me to study English at a local community college. To my surprise, I did really well, and decided to pursue an associate’s degree. Shortly after getting the degree, I transferred to another school, where I completed a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design. At Bridgewater State I found a new passion for fine art, as my design courses had lots of art prerequisites. Stained glass, painting course and 3D media were most memorable for me. I did well in my coursework, was on the Dean’s list twice, and finished my degree with honors. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed my teachers in college, and I loved learning.

​

After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree, I interned at National Public Radio in Washington, D.C., where I worked in graphics department for NPR. Later, I found a job in a nonprofit organization where I had to learn a new skill - web design. I enjoyed learning web design, though it was so difficult to self-train. I think I succeeded because of the supportive environment of that organization. After my contract ended, I was searching for graphic design jobs in Boston, but could not find any.

​

It was hard for me to make a decision to become a teacher. I have switched careers three times so far, and felt discouraged not to be able to have a job that I could just enjoy and get paid for. After several years, I received an offer of becoming a teaching intern in Chadwick International school in South Korea. My husband was a music teacher, and both of us were hired by this school. We moved to Korea and started in August 2011. This has been wonderful several years of working with amazing teachers and great students, seeing a very different perspective on education, and being very inspired. I have enjoyed working with Kindergarteners and first graders, seeing how they grow in their knowledge, how they absorb information and learn, how their brains work, and trying to adjust my teaching to reach every student. My friends at Chadwick asked me whether I planned on becoming a teacher, and for a while I was still doubting. But this school and children have won my heart and I have decided to become an elementary teacher. I set a goal of becoming trained and certified as a teacher in an international school. In 2015, I graduated from George Mason University, where I studied for three summers. In 2013, I was offered a position in Art as a part-time teacher. It was difficult to work as an intern, Art teacher, as well as being a grad school student. But I thoroughly enjoyed it. In my final year in Korea, I had a position of a part time Art teacher, PreK Art.

I love to use my various talents that I have acquired over my life-time experience. In spring of 2016, I ran a cake decorating club, and a basic programming coding club for kids, and taught a computer club for summer school. I also co-taught a fine art club for Kinder through Grade2. Over the span of several years, I taught various extracurricular activities such as swimming, Maker space, and even Bellydancing. I really enjoyed my life in S.Korea, it has been an extra ordinary five years.

In January of 2016, Corey was offered an administrative job at Singapore American school (SAS). We moved there, it was a beginning of a new adventure in Asia. As the school year began, I substituted there, while looking for a permanent position. I decided to put myself through training in MYP Art, and took a workshop in Singapore. Doing this training turned out to be a  pivotal point for my career.

In January 2017, I was hired to teach MYP/ IGCSE Design Technology at GEMS, Singapore. I became familiar with MYP Design and also we combined IGCSE into the delivery of the subject. It was an enriching experience for me, as I learned to teach a new subject and gained experience teaching middle school children. However, my job there was temporary (I was a full time substitute), and I searched for a new opportunity.

In 2017-2019 I worked at Overseas Family school, where I lead the Art department, and taught Art in Grades 1 through 5. I was an art department team leader, planned art curriculum (IPC) and prepared documentation, organized two Art exhibitions of student’s work per year, taught Art full time, created portfolios and had over 400 students in my care.

In summer of 2019, I went to Ukraine to work on adoption of a child. Unfortunately for our family, they did not have suitable children available.

In 2020-21, I was teaching MYP Design in Baku, Azerbaijan. In Azerbajan, I arrived to help build the program up for MYP accreditation visit. Being the only Design teacher, I wrote all of the units for the year for all MYP grades. I also helped to write parts of curriculum for their Russian subject. It was a precious experience in Azerbajan. As I arrived, the country was at war, and all YouTube and most websites were blocked, students were on distance education due to the threat of terroristic acts and COVID. It was extremely difficult to tech and go around wifi limitations and government blocking most websites. Students were quite distressed, as some of their fathers have gone to the war, there was military curfew, and later a 3 hr. limit on being outdoors. In the middle of it all, school prepared for an accreditation visit by MYP. As I was writing curriculum, I had to take into consideration, whether we might return to live interaction at school, or stay on distance education. The school did pass the accreditation visit, and received MYP accreditation. I wish I could stay in Baku longer, however I needed to get back to Ukraine and later, back to Singapore and my family.

​

In 2022, Corey and I moved back to US. We are starting a new chapter in our lives. We hope for peace, hope for Ukraine, and balance in our life.

Corey is now working at Wake Forest University, as a director of theatre. 

I am working part-time at Salem Academy, as an Art teacher.