Page 12 - ES MAG 2019

Efie Demosthenous

How many years have you been teaching at the school and
what are the biggest changes you have seen in that time?
The 31 years I have been teaching at The English School I am almost
ashamed to confess, for various reasons but also because they
provide an indication of my age. It is de nitely very di cult for
anyone to calculate my age, especially if one adds the 6 years of
experience I had, when I was rst appointed at the school.
On a more serious note, I remember that adjusting to my new
job was more di cult than it is for newly appointed teachers now,
because it was unusual at the time for students to be taught by
young people. The majority of my colleagues were 30 years older
than me and I was considered to be inexperienced – I was young
once – and the students’ attitude towards me was one of disregard.
I had to put a lot of e ort into making them realise that I was
reliable, competent and caring. Nowadays, this is common practice.
Nonetheless, back then, when the teachers’ community was mitted and pursued perfection more persistently. On the other
much more limited, the family atmosphere was more obvious. hand, it is strange for me to feel that I am now one of the older
members of sta , as I never had the luxury of leisure to realise
Another change that causes me grief is the fact that humanities the time that has elapsed since I was young and many of my
are not as esteemed as they should be and young talented people colleagues were older than myself.
who are apt for them are not encouraged to study them. With
regards to the Greek Department’s status in the school, I miss Do you think it’s true that students have changed in the
the days when Greek was taught throughout the school at a very last 2 or 3 decades?
demanding level and the culture and values related to it were Kids will always be kids and the challenge they set for us at the
promoted. beginning of each new academic year is what keeps us on our
toes. However, although I cherish all my students, I must admit
How do you feel you have changed as a teacher throughout that I am especially fond of my Classical Greek GCE students, to
your career? whom I had been committed for the past 21 years and who had
Over the years I have become more compassionate and, as my been totally devoted to the study of the subject and still consider
teaching duties grew more demanding, I also became more com- me their friend today.

10 Maria Vaki

How many years have you been teaching at the school and I think that I have changed most as a person, working at The
what are the biggest changes you have seen in that time? English School. I have met many respectable teachers who have
I have been teaching at The English School for 26 years. Back either retired from the school or are still there and made many
then The English School was basically the only private school that friends that I will never forget. I consider the Mathematics depart-
o ered a high standard of teaching. There was no competition. ment my family and I have always felt proud to be a part of it. I
Since then other private schools have been well established, but have also had the pleasure of teaching many students some of
none has ever managed to reach the high standards of teaching whom I am still in contact with. The English School is a family that I
and the results that The English School brings every year. will always be a part of, and for which I will always be proud of.
The school has grown tremendously both in terms of buildings, Do you think it is true that students have changed in the
the number of students as well as the teachers in each department. last 2 or 3 decades?
Now the Mathematics department is composed of more than 20 I don’t think the students have changed a lot in the last 2-3 decades.
teachers. The curriculum changed over the years many times in The English School standards have always been very high and
an e ort to keep up with the changes in the UK, in order to o er the students have always been performing equally well in their
students the options to enter the best UK universities in all faculties. exams and in their extra-curricular activities.
That’s why the ES students top the ranks not only in Cyprus but
internationally as well. The changes we see are a re ection of the changes we see in
society. There will always be students who behave well, and those
The A Level course has changed many times and as a department who don’t. What is admirable is how well-informed students are
we o ered options such as one A Level in Maths or one and a of the world news, how they communicate and how technolo-
half A Levels for the students who wanted to cover more syllabus gically advanced they are. They are worthy ambassadors of the
in the same time as the one A Level was being taught. Now the school on entering the big world.
students also have the option to do two A Levels in Maths.

How do you feel you have changed as a teacher throughout
your career?
I don’t think I have changed much as a teacher. In the beginning
it is always hard when you are new in a school, getting to know
how the school works, how the students behave. It was always a
challenge to try and keep up with the times, the new technology,
the changes introduced by each headmaster, etc. But I feel that I
have reached the stage where teaching has been a real enjoyment
for me instead of a job. I have learned to be patient with my students
and over the years became more honest and not afraid to be
emotional with them and get to know them outside the classroom.