Interview 8. Being Together is Priceless. Valentyna Fedoriaka
Teachers from the rear regions of Ukraine are fighting on two fronts simultaneously. They bring our victory closer and conduct lessons for the children. Valentyna Fedoriaka, a mathematics teacher at the gymnasium in the village of Trudoliub, Myrhorod District, Poltava Region, tells us about this, as well as about ways to deal with stress, tension, and agitation due to the war. Valentyna shares resilience and gratitude practices she uses in her classes and in life, and her methods for finding the strength and energy for her students and for herself to move on.
The main lessons
The main lesson is that with the new stage of the war, we are again rethinking our values. Life, love, and care come first. Hugging, protecting, and helping become extremely valuable.
The second lesson is that one can’t be half something. One can’t be half in Ukraine and half in russia. One can’t live in a free state and refer to the “russian world”. One can’t enjoy the benefits of civilization and democracy and approve a dictatorship. One can’t be a patriot and blame everything on politics, pretending that we didn’t vote for these politicians. One can’t be a Ukrainian and continue to attend a russian church. One can’t live in Ukraine for 30 years and never try to speak Ukrainian.
Another very important lesson was given to me by my husband, Petro Fedoriaka, who was killed in 2014 in this very same war in Shakhtarsk. Like other servicemen, he said that until the war entered every home, we would not win. For not only does love lead to victory, but so does hatred. He would often repeat that everything had a price, and sometimes, unfortunately, it must be paid in blood. And it is easier to do everything together; it is also easier to win together.
Maybe I don’t associate the war with the apocalypse because I live in the rear. This is an extremely painful cleansing, after which we become more confident and dignified. This is sunshine after a rainstorm, in the rays of which everything becomes brighter. This is rain that washes away dirt from all surfaces. This is a stream that becomes stronger, a breath of fresh air that saves a child born to be free. This is heaven-sent moisture that will help rye grow in the fields. This is the kalyna (red viburnum) that we will raise thanks to our will to be free.
Fearless Ukrainians
I am one of those Ukrainians for whom the war started in 2014 and has always been very close by. The war has left its mark on our family, with the enemy boot and tank.
And therefore, with the new phase of the war, I knew who would be ready to take up arms, who would volunteer, and what the blacksmiths, my family, and my teacher friends would do. I am particularly proud of people who do not whine, do not hide during the war, but do all they can for our victory, do their job, and keep doing the right things every day. I am happy to have such friends.
On February 24 of this year, I began to keep a diary, describing every day of the war, my family life, and the important things we do every day. Special attention is devoted to people whom I’ve met or rediscovered for myself.
For instance, Vladyslav, 27, is a graduate of our school. He had a good job abroad, but having learned about the war, he returned home and went to the recruitment office. He was killed defending us from the russian horde…
Another graduate, Ivan, who just turned 18, joined the military, signed a contract, and is currently in one of the hottest spots on the front. We support him. He also calls his favorite teacher every day.
Our other graduate of 2017, Yevhen, was not afraid to go to Kharkiv in the first days of the war. He delivered humanitarian aid and then helped evacuate people from the city. He is a volunteer soldier today.
Our teachers Oleksandr and Viacheslav are at war, too, although they had good reasons and every right to refuse.
I knew that Oksana was a friendly saleswoman from Myrhorod, but only recently did I find out that she is a dedicated volunteer. Together with her husband and friends from a neighboring village they make cereal stews, can foods in huge amounts, and send them in boxes to the front. They’ve been doing this since 2014. And if you tell Oksana in the evening that we have servicemen passing through, then by morning there will be bags with food, medicines, and everything else that they may need.
Each and every settlement here weaves camouflage nets. I’m always amazed by the head teacher from the Myrhorod school Olena, the wife of a serviceman, for she has organized this work so systematically.
I also met Dasha, daughter of a military chaplain, and wife of an officer who is currently at war. She could have gone to western Ukraine or abroad, but she stayed here. Instead, she started working as a volunteer nurse in our military hospital because she has certain skills in medical care. After additional training, she took an old car and drove to see her husband 300 km away, delivered some equipment, and then she was drafted into the army.
Fortunately, many people in Ukraine perform worthy deeds every day and give us faith in our victory.
Before going to bed, I picture meeting my four grandchildren. Three of them spent five days leaving Kharkiv (Pivnichna Saltivka) until they reached Ivano-Frankivsk.
Leadership test
Just like any other place in Ukraine, our village and nearby villages see unprecedented activity. People fight, cook, bake, knit, and sow…Blacksmiths, as always, fight and forge brackets, knives, hedgehogs, and axes. Two Warriors from our villages were killed. We attended their funerals to honor them; it unites the community and shows us what is important and valuable. People also help set up checkpoints and regularly bring cakes, sweets, and coffee to the soldiers.
More than 5,000 IDPs arrived in our community, mostly from Kharkiv, Kyiv, Donetsk, and Luhansk Regions. We help people who were forced to move to our village because of the war. It is disappointing, though, when men from IDP families do not register at the recruitment office. Maybe they are afraid.
Currently, particularly irritating is the ambiguous perception of the war. Hearing that we must negotiate and be friends with Putin irritates me and others, because everyone today has heightened emotions. Therefore, I am sure that we now need to make up our minds and be more demanding. It is very upsetting when a husband and son from one family are at war, while in another family people stand around and drink beer loudly at the local store. I understand people who defend Ukraine, but I don’t understand those who start every conversation with “if only” while sitting in a cafe or lying on the couch.
The war immediately reveals leadership skills: it shows us whether the head of the community is able to work and organize his people. Such difficult periods reveal everything instantly. I guess many communities in the rear face similar issues.
Educational front
Poltava Region has been under attack by the invaders since the beginning of the war. According to the Poltava Military Administration, about 50 missiles have been launched against the region during the full-scale conflict; Kremenchuk and Myrhorod were particularly affected. 5,500 people were forced to flee their homes in Myrhorod. They are hosted by our residents, schools, and other educational institutions.
To help teachers in Ukraine continue their work during the war, the EdCamp Ukraine community launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for computer equipment and Internet access for teachers who lost their pedagogical equipment in the war. Also, the funds will be allocated for psychological support for teachers and the organization of conferences where they will share their pedagogical experience 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.
May I hug you?
Every day, I make a list of 20-30 items that I must do in one day; I never plan anything for tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, only for today. I get the energy for this by hugging people. To me, the words “May I hug you?” mean the same as “Good evening, we’re from Ukraine!” I hug people around me a hundred times a day. On the streets, I hug schoolchildren that I miss. I hug all the friends and patriotic strangers I meet.
Before going to bed, I picture meeting my four grandchildren. Three of them spent five days leaving Kharkiv (Pivnichna Saltivka) until they reached Ivano-Frankivsk. Another grandson of mine and my daughter spent six hours leaving Kyiv (Obolon).
I get my morning strength from my physalis. We sowed this plant before the war, and it so happened that it was on February 24 that the seeds began to sprout. But, I had other things to do then. My pysalis stood alone on the windowsill, drying out. It was the second or the third day that I saw it stretching upwards, wanting to grow, so I watered it. I keep doing it every day, especially in the morning. And I look forward to planting these resilient plants and then sharing the fruits with particular people. Right after I wake up, I run to my physalis. Before, I wasn’t really into planting or flowers, but now my physalis is one of my sources of strength.
Our students live in the village; they have to help their parents with household work and observe blackouts. Therefore, we try to organize everything so that they have no homework in the evening.
Understanding feelings
We were among the first in Poltava Region to switch to the G-Suite for Education platform and to establish the educational process from the first days of the Covid-19 pandemic. So it was easy for our children to connect. Our lessons last 25 minutes each, and some of our colleagues substitute for the teachers who are currently at the front. After classes, teachers do other volunteer work, and the possibilities are endless here.
Changes in the learning process are perceptible because there are students who have left for other countries, including those from grades 9 and 11. Our children attend lessons at our school or at local educational institutions. These children need to be supported because it is stressful for them to be away from home. We also have children from IDP families. There are not so many of them, but they were added to our Google Classrooms from the very first day. There are children whose parents serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Territorial Defence Force, and these children need special support.
Although we live in the rear, the children tend to feel anxiety, stress, and restlessness. For instance, here’s a question from my student Artem, “Why do people with billions of dollars and unlimited power start wars?” Therefore, in every lesson, my colleagues and I try to make sure that the children understand their own feelings; we do not judge them; we talk about mood changes, and underline that we support each other. We have to open up, and not hide behind black boxes, because being together is priceless. I noticed that the children want and need to feel my calm and stability. So, even if I feel anxious, I do not show this to the children. We use resilience and gratitude practices recommended by psychologist Svitlana Roiz. A year or two ago, when I said: “Let’s thank our Servicemen”, it was something strange and distant for the children. But now, virtually every family is somehow touched by the events at the front.
I do not burden the children with complex topics or homework. Our students live in the village, so they have to help their parents with household work and observe blackouts. Therefore, we try to organize everything so that they have no homework in the evening. I am a 10th grade homeroom teacher. The children are subscribed to the psychological channel Bez paniky (No Panic). I share such tools so that they do not read the news too much, but can get away from it all through easy energy exercises.
The kids may lag behind in math a bit, but there are more important things to do right now. Primary school children are especially proud of being Ukrainians. The middle school children are constantly asking what they can do, how they can help, and whether they can serve at the checkpoint or in the Territorial Defence Force. The students, who left the village, are extremely productive in their studies; they show good results in mathematics and arts. For example, Czech teachers admire our creative children; the kids learn Czech very quickly. I believe this is not an isolated example, but an indicator of our education as a whole. However, the shortcomings of our educational system have also become more noticeable.
Re-evaluating education
One of our students sometimes skips classes because he found a job in Myrhorod. Of course, we haven’t expelled him. Hopefully, he will be able to work and study online and individually. But, he is less likely to get a high score in the External Independent Evaluation and enter a university. On the other hand, a young person who finds a skilled job would waste five years studying at a university.
The children see that the world is fragile and they can’t understand why it should be destroyed by wars; they are confused, especially the 11th graders. This is understandable because we don’t know how the admission campaign will work out and what will happen next. I suppose that the necessity for higher education will be re-thought because there will be more opportunities for skilled jobs. Therefore, not enrolling in an institution with online learning is not such a bad idea.
I suppose that now the necessity for higher education will be re-thought because there will be more opportunities for skilled jobs.
Places of power
Travelling is one of my hobbies. I have been to many countries, and I’ve also dreamed of seeing all the regional centers of Ukraine. But, I have never been to Chernihiv and Mykolaiv. Now, these cities are of special significance; they are particularly associated with pain. But, I firmly believe in their recovery and rebirth. Mini EdCamps are a unique way to travel around the country and see cities and villages that you might never have visited. I believe that this will be the case.
Discovering the world
The insight I would like to share with my foreign colleagues is that the world is a global and interconnected village. One can’t live inside a happy or pink bubble, a natural one or an artificially created one, as we can see in the cases of russia and Germany. Global connections are inevitable in the modern world. Therefore, rapprochement between countries, as well as industries, is vital; for instance, school partnerships. In Europe, everything is OK with patriotism, and I am grateful that there are many true patriots in the European countries. But, it is also important to learn more about Ukraine, the country that stands against the invaders. I think this needs to be explained to schoolchildren; they should be prepared for the fact that the world is a global village, and be aware of the importance of global peace.
Our case is unique because the whole world sees Ukraine and our courage. Foreign colleagues follow the news in our country. We receive messages from Finns and Americans, Poles and Danes: they support us and we are sincerely grateful.
But, I must say our deepest gratitude goes to our Servicemen: we thank them for our life and our peaceful homes. I am happy that I can live in my own house, plant my garden, and see my school and my children every day. I firmly believe in our victory, because we work hard every day and do the best we can.
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.
