To be a teacher following the impulse of the heart

To be a teacher following the impulse of the heart.

(An article about Marina V. Kuropatkina, a teacher of history, a teacher-researcher at Ybyray Altynsarin Glubokoe Secondary School of Glubokoe district of Education Administration of East Kazakhstan region)

 

“Where was born, there and handy!” – this proverb perfectly describes Marina Viktorovna, a teacher whose entire life and work are intertwined with her beloved settlement and her native school.

Marina V. Kuropatkina is a teacher-researcher at Ybyray Altynsarin Glubokoe Secondary School of Glubokoe district who has been working in one place for 35 years, choosing the profession of a teacher following the impulse of her heart. As a child, little Marina loved playing school, lining up her dolls and enthusiastically sharing everything she had learned from her mother or at kindergarten. When she entered first grade, her young heart was touched by the kindness of her first teacher Natalia Alexandrovna, setting the course for her further profession. At school, she was the leader of her grade council, the first to join the Komsomol, nurturing the leadership qualities that would serve her well later in life. In 1983, having excelled in her exams, she entered the Ust-Kamenogorsk Pedagogical Institute pursuing a degree in history. University life captivated her. Student spring is a showcase of talents, saw her actively participate from the very first year. She demonstrated her skills in dancing, singing, solving organizational tasks – all this was so fascinating that participation in the annual review competition became an integral part of her student life. On the other hand, taking her study seriously, with hours spent in the institute library and a scrupulous study of historical monographs, instilled in her the qualities essential for teaching – responsibility for assigned task, skills in any subject, and the search for something new, non-standard.

After graduating in 1988, she returned to her native school as a senior pioneer leader. A large school, a huge school enrolment and a young teacher who has just turned twenty-two years old… As a student, her experience working in summer pioneer camps proved invaluable in guiding A. Matrosov pioneer group. On the one hand, it was easier, because even the walls help at home, and you feel more comfortable and more confident. On the other hand, she had to work side by side with those teachers who had once taught her, earning their respect through dedication and hard work.

Marina Viktorovna was always at the forefront of all events: school teacher's concerts, labor and recreation camps, significant holidays or professional competitions and Olympiads. In 1999, she participated in the district competition “Teacher of the Year”, winning first place. In 1999, she received an Honorary Diploma of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan for her creative approach to teaching.

She initiated the creation of a school history museum, assembling a team of enthusiastic colleagues and children who collected the necessary material, created an exposition and organized a lecture group. When the school celebrated its 80th anniversary, guests of the district could witness the fruits of the painstaking research work of the teacher and students.

Her active lifestyle led to her election to the school’s trade union committee, where she served for 10 years. Over the years, she gained a deeper understanding of her colleagues, their strengths and the challenges they faced.

Over the years, she had to go through a lot of innovations, starting with textbooks being constantly rewritten, ending with new teaching methods being introduced. Her constant analysis of history textbooks at the district level contributed to the fact that in 2019 she participated in a regional seminar on reviewing textbooks for grades 10-11 as a moderator of the group. 2019 was the most fruitful year for her to participate in various events at the regional level. She participated in the International Forum “Leading school – school supporting the updating of educational content” and the seminar “Implementation of the updated educational content and the model of criterion-based assessment in school practice”, conducted by the Ust-Kamenogorsk city branch of Teaching Excellence Centre of Nazarbayev Intellectual School.

Marina Viktorovna is one of those teachers who blend a vast teaching experience, a huge amount of knowledge and a truly creative passion for the learning process. They say about such people that they bring a spark to everything they do, dedicating themselves wholeheartedly to their work. Therefore, her students are happy to participate in various regional and republican Olympiads and intellectual competitions, consistently winning prizes: “Tarikh ata”, “Tulpar”, “Oz zherindi tanyp bil”, “Tugan zher. Tugan el. Tugan global”, “Menin Otanym – Kazakhstan”.

She is always open to innovations, unafraid to put into practice what she learns in courses or in the process of self-education. As the transition to the updated education system began, she was one of the first to complete Level 3 courses. Her participation in the coaching courses and the Teacher Leadership in the Educational Community courses equipped her to train most of her colleges in new teaching strategies, enhancing the quality of teaching academic subjects.

Marina Viktorovna's classes are always dynamic, with each stage clearly planned and verified. She creates a situation of success in her classroom, empowering children to believe in themselves, and learn to assess their own work objectively. She fosters an atmosphere of goodwill, comfort, maintaining children’s engagement through various types of activities, offering pedagogical support to everyone.

Life doesn't always go according to the plan and Marina Viktorovna embraces this reality: “Failure for me is not a reason for panic, it is another step on the path to success, – this is how Marina Viktorovna explains all her successes in teaching – Never give up, keep trying, but with awareness, correcting your mistakes along the way.”

Marina Viktorovna constantly shares new teaching methods with teachers at her school, within the district, and across the region, passing on her knowledge and skills to young teachers.  

An experienced teacher, a true professional, a wise, talented teacher, a teacher calling to serve, she is deeply dedicated to her work. She is distinguished by excellent such qualities: love for her profession, honesty, integrity, and willingness to always help others.

“My happiness lies in being surrounded by loved ones, in being appreciated and respected at work, and in seeing my students succeed.” She found her personal happiness within the school, sharing 32 years of marriage with her husband, and raising a daughter – their pride and joy. Social media allows her to connect with people all over the world. On Teacher's Day, she is pleased to receive such words from former her graduates like: “My classroom teacher. Intelligent, strict, and an excellent organizer. Wishing you good health and a long life. Thank you for your hard work.”

The pedagogical skills of a teacher cannot be measured by ranks of categories and qualifications. Such teachers are simply called Teachers with a capital T, a perfect teacher.