English taught through empathy and role-playing, in a village. “Ma'am, if it wasn't for you, I would have dropped out of school”

Andreea Ursache starts her lessons with hugs and by asking her students how they are feeling. Through her English classes, she wants to motivate the little ones to come to school and discover their passions.

Andreea Ursache, English teacher at “Lascăr Rosetti” High School in Răducăneni, Iași County, is one of the finalists of the Teacher of the Year Gala in the Rural Environment in 2023, in the “Development of socio-emotional skills” category, for her out-of-the-box teaching methods and the results obtained with the students.

Andreea graduated from the “Mihai Eminescu” National College in Botoșani, then attended the Faculty of Letters in Iași, specializing in English-Spanish, and also has a master's degree in American studies. She has been at the department for 12 years and confessed to “Weekend Adevărul” that she wanted to become a teacher when she was little.

“I got my love for English and foreign languages ​​in general from my secondary school teachers. I have a natural inclination towards such things, as well as a passion for working with students, from toddlers to high school teenagers”, Andreea tells.

She is the kind of teacher who always thinks about how the student feels in her English classes. The attachment-based teaching style defines it, by the way.

“I always focus on the basic psychological needs of children. This is also because many students come from vulnerable backgrounds, with parents who have gone abroad. when i come to school children feel the need to be valued, to be seenloved and appreciated”, the teacher explains her teaching style.

She starts her classes by hugging the students and asking them how they are feeling. And the children, in turn, learned the lesson, and if the teacher doesn't come to class smiling, they immediately ask her what happened. Over the years, the results have also appeared: her students come to school for love and learn English with pleasure.

Autonomy, connection, competence

Andreea Ursache teaches English using three principles: autonomy, connection and competence, with which she develops students' self-confidence, encourages them to be independent and realize that they are capable of excelling in a field they are passionate about.

He works with each of them so that the children feel seen and appreciated and thus creates a deep connection with his students. “I don't want to be perceived as a simple source of information, who opens the manual, transmits some content and leaves. I want the student to see that the teacher really cares about him”says Andreea.

Equally important is the steady progress of each child. He gets the greatest satisfaction when a student goes from a grade of 4 to a grade of 5. He remembers a student from last year who had remained repetitive because of his behavior; she was doing a lot of stupid things and missing school, and eventually ended up in her class.

There he came across a group of quiet, united and friendly children, with whom he quickly realized that he did not really have a connection. Andreea invested a lot of time in his preparation, and in a few months, the boy changed radically. He took a remedial course in mathematics and finished the 7th grade with an overall average of 8. “He said to me: “Madame, if it weren't for you, I would have dropped out of school””the teacher confesses with emotion in her voice.

Learning through valorization

Andreea Ursache often puts herself in the shoes of the student from the bank, to somehow look at herself in a mirror in order to correct or improve the teaching based on the child's needs.

“Rural children always need a hug and a kind word”, says Andreea.

For many of them, graduating from secondary school is a small miracle, considering the disadvantaged background they come from. Another secret to his success in the classroom is valuing each student.

“I explain to them that maybe they're not good at math, but they excel at sports or they're good as friends. They always bring to light a quality that they have and thus increase their self-confidence”,
reveals the teacher.

This is how he managed to convince many students to continue their studies and even attend a vocational school. “Maybe they won't remember the rules of English grammar, but they'll definitely remember how I made them feel.” says Andreea with emotion.

She also uses online games and educational platforms, such as Kahoot or Wordwall, for students to learn English vocabulary easily.

Like family

He does not limit himself to textbook lessons, but uses various activities and traditional English-speaking holidays, such as Thanksgiving, celebrated by Americans and Canadians, in his lessons.

It also develops their general culture, but it is also a way to get closer to each student. “They like us to join the banks and make it like a family table, where we can say the reasons we have to be grateful”, Andreea tells with emotion.

One of the most anticipated moments by students are role-playing games. Each child takes on the role of a character and imagines themselves at the doctor, at the bus station and at the airport, with the idea that these little skits will be of use to them as adults when they encounter them in everyday life.

“You always have to surprise them with something, let it be something that catches their attention. I went to the forest with them, where we had a picnic. We prepared a fruit salad and discussed the importance of healthy eating. They are simple things, but they like them, and through them you convey the information you want them to remember”, say this

Students thus learn to collaborate with each other, to be empathetic, resilient and to communicate better.

Competition without rivalry

The teacher encourages them to compete with each other, but without rivalry between them. Andreea creates a safe environment for her students at school, where they feel at ease and can express themselves freely.

The best help the weakest, and the teacher makes them realize that life is sometimes unfair, and they have to find solutions to the problems that arise and move on, if possible with a smile in the corner of their mouth.

Results are seen relatively quickly. Although many of her students are tried-and-tested children, they stand out from the rest by being social, friendly, and don't hesitate to offer their help.

PHOTO GALLERY ANDREAE URSACHE

Some of her former students, who have gone to work around the country, constantly come to Răducăneni to meet the teacher and thank her for convincing them not to give up school at a time when they did not see the meaning in what they were doing .

“Such gestures give me confidence that I'm doing what I'm doing well and that it's important to also think about the children's emotions. Today's generations no longer learn only from the fear of the teacher, and in addition, they are also emotionally sensitive. That's exactly why I think
we, the teachers, also have the duty to enter a little into the child's soul“, concludes Andreea Ursache.