Hanna Kulinich

Hannah Kulinich, my teacher

Ancient Greeks said that a hero was half a God and half a man. But as for me, a hero is a person I can respect. So, today I'll interview a very kind person and an excellent English teacher, Hanna Kulinich. She is my heroine.

I would like to have at least a little similarity with her because Hanna Kulinich is a wonderful teacher and a well-educated person. She doesn't only teach English. Hanna Kulinich teaches her students how to live. She is said to be a strict teacher. It's because the teacher wants her students to work hard and to become qualified specialists. As for me a teacher must be exacting for students' knowledge and friendly for their inspirations. Besides that I admire Hanna Kulinich's kindness, nobleness and aspiration for perfection. For this reason she is my heroine.

Interview

I asked Hanna Kulinich these questions:

1. When did You understand You want to become a teacher?
It was not easy for me to decide what profession to choose. But teacher's role was great in my life. So, my English teacher Georgiy Verba influenced me greatly, and he advised me to become an English teacher.
2. Were You interested in English during Your school years?
To tell you the truth I was interested in all subjects. I have been interested in English since the 5th form. And I think English has no equals.
3. Where did You study?
I studied at Kyiv State Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages (nowadays Kyiv State Linguistic University). I graduated it in 1967.
4. Were Your students' years the happiest in Your life?
Yes, my students' years were the happiest in my life. I didn't only get high education at the institute, I have found a lot of friends. And now we visit, ring up each other and send greetings on holidays.
5. Could You tell us one of the most funny stories from Your students' or school life?
One day my class-mate Anatoliy was given the task to translate a sentence into English. But Anatoliy's knowledge of English was poor. And instead of translating the sentence into English (Go to the river.), he said in Ukrainian: "Go to the river but don't drown oneself".
6. What does teaching mean for You?
Teachers do not only teach their subjects. They develop their pupils' intellect, form their views and characters, their attitudes to life and to other people. It's a great responsibility and the teacher must be a model of competence himself. It's not as easy as it may seems at first. I am happy to have chosen this profession. I love teaching very much.
7. What features of character must have every teacher?
Teacher's profession takes much patience and efforts. A teacher has to know how to teach, how to make difficult things easier, how to get students interested in the subject. And of course a teacher ought to have perfect knowledge of his subject. I think the ideal teacher is the one who can combine all these features.
8. Is teaching a profession or a way of life for You?
It is known that teaching is a very specific and difficult job. It shouldn't be taken easily. Most jobs can be done within the usual office hours 8 a.m. till 5 p.m., but teacher's work is never done and evenings are usually spent in marking exercise-books and preparing for the next lesson. A teacher is a person who is learning as well as teaching all his life. I love my job, because I love my students. So, teaching isn't only a profession for me, but it is a way of life.

It was very interesting to communicate with Hanna Kulinich. I wish her to remain such a teacher and person as she is now. And I want to present her my poem:

***

My dear teacher, if I ask you,
You'll answer and understand,
My dear teacher, if I become successful,
You'll become very glad.
Through snowstorms and winds
I'll see Your smile and the light of Your eyes.
And now it's necessary to review
That I'm very thankful,
I'm thankful to You...