BEING A TEACHER MEANS YOU SHOULD ALWAYS LEARN

– Elena Genrikhovna, the history of teacher education in the region is directly connected with the history of our university. SSU has been training teachers for more than a century. What key events, in your opinion, have created everything that university pedagogy is rightfully proud of today?

– Teacher training in our region began at the university back in the 1920s. Later, when several universities spun off from SSU, the pedagogical institute also became independent. And in 1998, by a decree of the Government of the Russian Federation, the Saratov Pedagogical Institute, together with Balashovsky and two other colleges, again joined the Saratov University. This process was not easy. It was necessary to understand what to do with duplicate administrative structures, and partly with faculties. After all, despite the fact that an authoritative, high-quality pedagogical institute operated in Saratov for many years, the university also did not abandon the training of teaching staff for a single day. Many faculties continued to train teachers. Graduates of both the pedagogical institute and the university worked in schools in Saratov, the region, and throughout Russia. Often, teachers of Russian language and literature who were graduates of different universities gathered in one teacher's room. And, despite the fact that the methodological basis for teacher training existed differently, the quality of their training has always been quite high.

At first, having joined the university, the pedagogical Institute remained an autonomous unit. But the integration process was gradually going on, everyone was interested so that pedagogical education would not dissolve into the classical one.

In 2011, the leadership of SSU was tasked to complete the integration of the pedagogical institute, while pedagogical education was to be transformed into the work of the entire university. Two faculties of the pedagogical Institute were merged, today it is the Faculty of Psychological, Pedagogical and Special Education – one of the powerful and very promising educational structures of SSU. The Institute of Arts was created from the Music Faculty, which significantly expanded its capabilities – for example, there were programs on art criticism. The Faculty of Physical Culture became the Institute of Physical Culture and Sports. The SSU sports club also joined this structure. Now the institute is engaged not only in educational activities, but also in sports and mass work throughout the university. The successes of our athletes are well known not only in the Saratov region.

The remaining faculties of the Pedagogical Institute, which were proficiently connected with the corresponding faculties of the university, merged into single structural units. For example, the Faculty of Russian Literature found itself in the structure of the current Institute of Philology and Journalism. Accordingly, physicists came to physicists, chemists to chemists, and so on. All participants in the process were well aware of their responsibility to experienced personnel, who should have felt that they were working not worse, but better and even more interesting.

That's how two time-tested educational models ended up inside a common structure. It was important to create conditions that would allow us to preserve the best for the collective experience. It was necessary to get to know each other better, exchange methodological developments, ideas, and at the same time engage in the search for new, common, modern forms.

For this purpose, the University Scientific and Methodological Council for Pedagogical Education was established, headed by Professor O.I. Dmitrieva, who worked for many years as Dean of the Faculty of Russian Literature of the Pedagogical Institute. The development of a new model of pedagogical practices interested everyone and, one might say, reconciled. The Pedagogical Institute, for example, at one time noticeably succeeded in methodological developments. It was there that the "Step into the Profession" competition was born, which we cherish and develop, now it has acquired a much larger scale and public resonance. Much of what originated in the depths of the former pedagogical Institute, we have preserved and are now trying to give this experience a new impetus.

_{Teachers-to-be deliver open lessons, conduct planning sessions, and answer jury’s questions at the Step into the Profession contest}

 

– How is it possible to coordinate pedagogical specialties with classical university education?

– Contrary to the forecasts of a few sceptics, we managed to ensure that pedagogical education in Saratov was not only not interrupted, but also entered a new stage of development. Today, almost all school schedules are represented by university educational programs, the university trains subject teachers in all specialties, except for teachers of fine arts.

As time passed, school principals were convinced that not a single pedagogical direction was affected, moreover, their list expanded due to the magistracy. We have created dozens of master's programs for heads of educational organizations, principals and head teachers of schools, kindergarten teachers, and elementary schools. All types of education workers "fit" into our system – and this is a reason for well-deserved pride!

We have achieved that about 80 percent of working teachers come to the master's program today. It is for them that we hold classes in the afternoon or even in the evening, so that they can keep up with them after work. New distance learning tools are also involved. Now school employees from different districts of the region can study in the master's program. For example, this year I am graduating a master's student who works at the Orthodox Gymnasium in Khvalynsk.

I think that the process of integration and adaptation of the two universities has already been completed. Our professors: Rail Munirovich Shamionov, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Natalia Gerasimovna Nedogreeva – say that when they became university teachers, they felt a different scale of work, and now they have completely grown into the university environment. Many employees of the Pedagogical Institute defended their dissertations under the guidance of university professors.

It is very important that people see the prospects of their business. To this end, the idea of our "Weeks of Pedagogical Education" was born, which became the hallmark of SSU. This year the "Week" was held for the ninth time, every year we change the content and content of the program of this event, but the format remains the same. This is a unique platform where working teachers, students – future teachers and university teachers who train future teachers gather. The format of 15-20-minute blitz lectures was invented, and discussion platforms were the grain of these weeks. Moderators – a teacher of SSU and a school teacher – consider a common problem from a variety of angles. We want students to see the "pulsation" of thought. During the "Week" we hold a traditional competition "Step into the profession" in various formats, and a pedagogical Olympiad for students. There is a plan to hold a similar Olympiad for teachers next year.

We have very good relations with the Minister of Education of the Saratov region Mikhail Igorevich Orlov, by the way, also a graduate of SSU. He supports all our ideas and projects. When we started working in our teaching class, he himself asked to arrange a meeting with the children.

 

– Even ten years ago, such an innovative project as the Virtual Pedagogical Classroom would have been impossible. What are its advantages today, what will it give in the future to modern teaching practice?

– The pandemic forced us to create a virtual teaching class. The effect was unexpected: it turned out that schoolchildren from the region really need us. And the victory in the competitive program "Priority 2030" helped both financially and organizationally to support the long–standing dream of SSU - to gather high school students interested in pedagogical education from all over the region. They have the opportunity, without leaving their neighborhood, to realize whether this profession is suitable for them. To do this, it was enough to enroll in a Virtual pedagogical class of the university. From 100 to 150 people gathered for our distance classes.

According to the results of the first year of study, 108 participants of our project received certificates, and the best ones received recommendations for registration of targeted training in pedagogical specialties. This year, many of them will come to us for the second year of study under a completely new program.

The first release of this unique project took place on May 14, about 90 people came to us from all over the region. After the final lecture, a meeting was held with the rector, vice-rectors, deans of faculties and directors of institutes where pedagogical education programs are implemented. Where else would the guys be able to communicate so directly with the deans? Then everyone became participants in a large pedagogical game with quiz elements, with theatrical performances. Eight teams led by tutors from student teachers competed. Then the students of the specialty "socio-cultural service and tourism" conducted the guests around the university campus and buildings. The tour was developed under the guidance of university teachers.

Half of all graduates are eleventh graders. We were interested to find out how firm they are in their intention to become teachers. We conducted a survey that showed that almost everyone will enroll in SSU. The priorities are as follows: primary school teachers are in the first place, philologists, historians, biologists are about equally. There are also those who have chosen physics, computer science.

_{Graduation ceremony of the Virtual Pedagogical Classroom}

 

– According to the Ministry of Education of Russia, the average age of teachers in Russian schools is 45-47 years. What, in your opinion, can increase the interest of young people in the teaching profession? What programs of support and development of teacher education are in place at the university? What can surprise our students and young teachers today?

– All our projects are aimed at motivating young people to the teaching profession and to support them at the beginning of their work. Of course, not everyone who comes to study in this specialty associates their future with practical teaching. And now our task is to ensure that they not only get a decent education, but also really come to work in schools. It's no secret that the status of a teacher in the public consciousness has changed a lot. It is not easy to break the established stereotypes. Although a lot of things in the teaching profession have changed for the better – eight years ago the ceiling in payment was 15 thousand, and now it is at least 30. There is an opportunity to earn extra–curricular activities - additional education at school is also well paid for teachers.

We have created a federal innovation platform – the Consilium Centre for Young Teachers Support. On the basis of Gymnasium No. 7 in Saratov, we hold monthly classes, which are attended by up to 100 teachers from the region. There are a lot of applicants. The format of these meetings involves lectures by university professors and master classes by young, most successful teachers.

_{Regional Minister of Education Mikhail Orlov at the opening of the Centre for Young Teachers Support}

From August 1, for the first time, we plan to hold a week-long summer school for young teachers with no more than three years of experience. This is a very interesting contingent. They have not lost touch with the university yet (mostly our graduates), they understand the value of the university, they still need support, and they gratefully accept it. This is how young teachers become our agents of influence at school.

Another important area is classes, clubs, and sections in our support schools, with which the university has established long–standing partnerships. At the origins of this practice is the Lyceum of Mathematics and Computer Science in the Kirovsky district. We were the first in the country to open four basic departments in Saratov schools.

Our main facility today is Boarding School 64. At the site of the Pre-University, we have a new form of cooperation, which we will continue to work out. For the first time, we invited our young university scientists who supervise programming classes in four parallels. They took the 10th grade, divided it into four groups of five people, and throughout the second half of the year they prepared scientific projects with the guys.

On May 13, we defended these projects, which was extremely interesting. One team made a computer game based on information technology based on the "Little Prince" of Saint-Exupery. The participants of the other team reprogrammed the computer game "Minecraft" and showed their 64th lyceum in the guise they dream of (no more, no less, the lyceum is surrounded by a river where you can arrange jet ski races). They programmed lessons and even teachers under their own names. Judging by how the children, teachers, and the headmaster laughed, it was very witty. The other two projects were devoted to the medicine of the future. The students took a real computer database and programmed applications that can be used to study the causes of overweight and underweight in humans or the precursors of an epilepsy attack based on the behavior of experimental rats. It was necessary to see the faces of the children during the defense of these projects – they showed real insight, pleasure from their own discoveries!

 

– Of the five main strategic projects that were defended by the university within the framework of the Priority 2030 support program for Russian universities, one was devoted to teacher education. In your opinion, what is the success of the project that won the competition?

– We have included the pedagogical direction, support for young teachers of the region in the university development program "Priority 2030". Five strategic innovative projects developed by a team of university experts are the main thing around which we unite all university forces. Three projects have come out of our scientific schools, and large groups of scientists are engaged in them. Another one is dedicated to the digitalization of the university. So we thought: what if we make one project a teacher's project?.. I will not hide that this idea caused a lot of doubts – for example, will we be able to compete on an equal footing with those who raise the topic of using artificial intelligence in their projects?

The project was defended in the presence of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation. After the rector's report, the discussion participants had the most questions about our project. It became obvious that he aroused keen interest. We talked about the social order, about personnel problems with school teachers, that we need to start work with pre-university profile training, that we have already joined this process and would like to continue it. The project is funded by the federal budget.

 

– As far as I know, you yourself learned pedagogical science after graduating from university not only in theory. What impressions did you have from working at the school, and what experience was useful later?

– I am still friends with my former students, I am happy that they exist. I worked as a teacher of Russian language and literature at secondary school No. 42 for six years. There I met with the teacher Natalia Aleksandrovna Kvashnina, who taught me a lot both in pedagogy and as a teacher of Russian language and literature. I still remember and use her lessons. We were friends with her until her last day…

And it all started in the 5th year, when I came to this school for a big two-month internship. The teacher I was studying with invited the head teacher, Natalia Alexandrovna, to my lesson. It seemed to me that I had an outstanding and brilliant lesson in the 9th grade. The head teacher suggested to me – let's meet at the restaurant at the next break, that is, in the school cafeteria. She ordered buns with tea with a broad gesture. And she gave me a verdict: "The lesson was a nightmare, we will not disassemble it, because there is nothing to disassemble, but I would like to get to know you better and leave you to work at our school. There are no vacancies, I can offer to work on teacher replacements for a year."

As a result, I stayed at school for a year, there was so much work. And when she graduated from university, she called me and offered me a position as a pioneer leader, and asked: are you not interested in this? I answered: interesting. She asked another question when I came to get a job: do my parents know? She worked as a pioneer leader for a whole year, replacing teachers. Later, when one of the teachers retired, she remained working as a teacher of Russian language and literature. And this experience with me is for life.

Text by Tamara Korneva,

photos by Victoria Victorova