Interview 15. Providing moral support. Ivanna Perunova
Considering children and their needs is one of the essential changes in Ukrainian education during the war. Nowadays, Ukrainian schools have the opportunity to study the children scattered around the world by the war, those who witnessed military hostilities with their own eyes. The approach to such children should be gentle and, simultaneously, inclusive — so that the student feels comfortable and part of the team. Ivanna Perunova, a mathematics and computer science teacher from the village of Volytsa in Ternopil Region, who works at the Rohachyn School of the Narayiv village council, is convinced of these facts. Ivanna has experienced such delicate dialogues with her children, which can and should be shared not only in Ukraine, but also abroad.
Candles of hope
The first week of the war was very difficult. My brain could not accept that this was happening. My hand was constantly reaching for the phone – for news that could bring us some hope. I was confused; I didn’t know what to do. My parents and husband brought me to my senses. Also, I am constantly supported by the understanding that I am a mother and must be strong for my children. I have to present information in a way that is reliable, but I must not put them under too much stress. My family has become my bulwark.
What also keeps me going is that I am a teacher; I must provide support for my students so that they can feel safe and calm. When I watched the EdCamp broadcasts and saw my Kharkiv colleagues who were in charge, I told myself that if they can do it from such an active war zone, then so can I.
In those last days of February, I often remembered my grandmother, born in 1912, who told me a lot about the war. She was able to survive those difficult times by praying. Prayer has become our psychological support and given us faith in a bright and happy future.
I am religious. On Candlemas (Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ), February 15, we light candles that protect us against evil. In times of trouble, we let them burn, which helps us to collect our thoughts and pull ourselves together. In the first weeks of the war, our community prayed a lot and lit candles. When our soldiers were evacuated from Mariupol, I was afraid for them and also lit this candle. It is a big candle, and it’s almost burned out.
Defeating a great enemy
One soldier compared Ukrainians and current events to bees. This is a very apt comparison. We know bees are peaceful, hardworking insects, and each has its own function. But, if someone attacks them, these insects group together and, although small, repel giant enemies.
The same applies to Ukrainians – from time immemorial, we have been a very hardworking nation. Each Ukrainian works for the common good. Now that we are in trouble, no matter where we worked before, we are quick to rally against the enemy who wants to dominate our land. No matter how peaceful we are, we love our land, our family, and the country as a whole, so we will never allow anyone to take anything away from us. Because it is our land that gives us the energy for life.
The country as one whole
Since the beginning of the war, I have had a strong need to do something for our victory. In doing so, it is easier to live through these events. Our family started helping the military and the internally displaced persons. My family includes three pensioners; seven people live in one house. We have long decided that whatever one of us does must be approved by everyone; then, we can all do it quickly and properly. Together, we help IDPs and military personnel. One story became a ray of light for our family in these sad times. Today, some people need to help, and others need to receive help – the time has come when we need each other. I feel that our country is both big and small, because we are one whole.
I am proud that there are no traitors among the people I trust and cherish. It would be an excruciating problem for me.
Controlling oneself
I live in a rural community. People who live in villages are careful; they are constantly cooking, preserving foods, harvesting and planting. We felt the danger even before the russian invasion, which took place on a Thursday. At school, we started the day with prayer and the national anthem of Ukraine and then talked with the children, so they were ready and not at all scared. On Wednesday, we started collecting preserves and food for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In our village, as in most neighboring ones, locals organized collection points, began weaving camouflage nets, baking gingerbread for dry rations; many people helped the Armed Forces financially, etc. In addition, our people now have a completely different attitude than in 2014 – they have become more patriotic and more persistent in their struggle.
Some fellow villagers had questions about whether they should leave or stay. Those who stayed reassured the others and shared their faith in our victory. It is necessary to reassure people; this is an important mission for those who can control themselves.
The security situation was tense. There were various rumors about missile markers; strangers appeared in our community and our village was far from the checkpoint. Therefore, our local men stood at the entrance to the village and patrolled around the clock. It was good that our area was calm, but at the same time, they were putting themselves in danger.
We support IDPs; we looked for housing for those who needed it. Now, we have many internally displaced persons; we gather their children at the school and hold workshops and other events.
Educational Front
Ternopil regional schools have become a refuge for many people who were forced to flee the front zones. According to the administration of the State Service for Quality Education in Ternopil Region, the region has welcomed over 75,000 people since the beginning of the full-scale russian invasion of Ukraine. Almost a third of them found shelter in 114 educational institutions that were set up in Ternopil Region. Local teachers resumed teaching in schools, but did not stop volunteering.
In order to help Ukrainian educators to continue teaching children during the war, the EdCamp Ukraine community launched a crowdfunding campaign — collecting funds for computer equipment and Internet access for teachers who lost their pedagogical equipment in the war. The funds will be used for psychological support for teachers and to organize conferences where they can share their pedagogical experiences during the war. Both foreign colleagues – on the GoFundMe platform and Ukrainians – on the EdCamp Ukraine page can join the campaign by adding the comment My War. Lessons to the payment.
Feeling proud of each and every one of us
I am proud to be Ukrainian. It is very important to me that all my relatives are working towards our victory, and the EdCamp team has shown itself to be highly moral, patriotic and active. I am proud that there are no traitors among the people I trust and cherish. It would be an excruciating problem for me.
I am proud of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and how our president and diplomats behave. I am proud of our volunteers and teachers who, despite their emotional state, continue to conduct lessons; I am proud of our doctors, especially those who save people’s lives on the front lines and under fire. I am proud of every Ukrainian man and every Ukrainian woman, all the people abroad taking small steps to jointly defeat such great evil.
The main lesson
Looking at the behavior of russian soldiers, I understand that people must undergo some sort of spiritual training. Therefore, moral and spiritual education should be at the highest level. I also understand that patriotic education is a guarantee of state security.
Language matters; it saves lives now. People sitting in the basement said that when they heard russian, they were afraid to go out. And when they heard our soldiers speaking Ukrainian, they were no longer afraid and came out of hiding.
Teaching is a vital link in the structure of the state. In the occupied territories of Ukraine, the russian occupiers destroy schools, kindergartens, as well as textbooks on the history of Ukraine and the Ukrainian language. We need to think more about the importance of education.
Establishing a good rhythm
We teach remotely because IDPs from Donetsk live on our school premises. The situation here seems safe, but there are still many air raid alerts. Therefore, our community initiated online classes so as not to expose our children to danger. All the children and teachers are connected to G Suite for Education; our Internet is stable. The school has adapted; teaching methods introduced during the pandemic are quite suitable for wartime.
But, we have problems related to martial law. Many students and teachers went abroad to safer places, because each person has their own threshold of peace and security. There are students who arrived and stayed in our community. Some students live in the occupied territories, but study in our school. At first, there were questions about Ukrainian legislation: how teachers living abroad should work, and how children should learn. It was a stressful situation for everyone involved in the educational process. But, everything has settled down and is moving at a good rhythm. In the beginning, when we gathered after two weeks of vacation, the children had different attitudes toward learning: some immediately got into the rhythm; others lived by following the news, and it was not easy for them to study. But, the pace of learning and the obligation to study had a good effect on students. Our children were distracted by different gadgets and TV, so now they can work more productively. Attending classes and doing homework mostly depends on how conscientious the student is. Nevertheless, we do not see such drastic changes in behavior that we saw at the beginning of the war.
Not everyone knows how to accept help; not everyone understands that they need it, and some people do not want to be helped. In this case, children are no different from adults.
Lessons are needed
Children in the occupied territories, those who have left the country, and even those who live here sometimes do not have access to high-quality Internet. For example, our neighbor, my daughter’s classmate, comes to our home, because we have a better internet connection. I try to distribute the material in class so that the children can study it later if they do not have the opportunity to connect. For example, these are additional ready-made video lessons from our Ministry of Education or videos I record myself. I use an online whiteboard and post screenshots in our Viber group or download them to Google Classroom. Thus, the children can watch and listen to the material at a convenient time.
At the same time, children who have recently joined should be in class, because they need live communication, and those who are silent want to listen. Each case is different.
Providing gentle assistance
One of the important topics that can be shared with foreign colleagues is the moral support of all those who participate in the educational process. Students, parents and teachers also need help. Every one of us has an emotional and psychological limit, but we must strive to do our work well.
We have already learned to communicate with students who have experienced war. It is necessary to speak correctly to such children so that they do not feel that they are not like other children. Not everyone knows how to accept help; not everyone understands that they need it, and some people do not want to be helped. In this case, children are no different from adults. Therefore, communication is a very delicate matter and must be done carefully. Children who have gone abroad sometimes ask when the war will end. They really want to hear a concrete answer and come home. Of course, you must think carefully about your answer, what kind of hope to give them.
Children see and understand everything. Teachers need to answer their questions, and in such a way as to not mislead them nor traumatize them, give them hope and faith in the future. Whatever worries I may have, I have to go to class with a positive attitude and show that the current situation is temporary and everything will be fine.
Text — Halyna Kovalchuk.
The interview series My War. The Lessons was prepared with financial support from the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation – a project of the German Marshall Fund of the United States.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of EdCamp Ukraine and the Foundation.
