Page 14 - ES MAG 2019

Loukia Efthymiou

How many years have you been teaching at the school and feel, they express opinions frankly which is all very healthy. They
what are the biggest changes you have seen in that time? want to be motivated during the lesson, they need interaction
I have been teaching at The English School for 29 years, so I and the use of digital resources to stimulate them. They are more
have seen several changes during that time. To name just a few demanding customers so it is very rewarding when we feel we
obvious ones, we used to write on blackboards with chalk, each have met their expectations. ES students are also more in touch
subject teacher used to sell the textbooks to the class during with the world around them than before as they participate in a
the rst lesson of the year and there were no computers in the vast range of activities where they have understood the impor-
classrooms. I remember that on the day of my interview, the tance of contributing to society. I often bump into my ex-students,
school premises were so quiet, no sign of students anywhere many of whom have gone on to occupy important positions or
that I thought the school was closed and I had come on the are successful in the career path they have chosen and although
wrong day. Obviously times change and the school has grown I don’t always remember their names, especially if they graduated
enormously since then. There was a French department with just before 2000, I always feel a sense of contentment and pride
one teacher and Head, Mrs Anne-Marie Constantinides. Together, because I had the privilege of teaching them.
we tried to promote language-learning and as students realized
the importance of being able to communicate in other languages,
our small department developed into MLD. We can now boast
of o ering French, Spanish and German and having 9 language
teachers.

How do you feel you have changed as a teacher throughout
your career?
I believe that embarking on a teaching career in 1985, I used to be
more anxious and strict and I thought that somehow all students
in the class should t into the same mould. Over time, I came to
understand the individuality of students, how they all have di erent
learning styles and characters. I grew more tolerant and also learnt
to enjoy the time spent with them in class much more.

Do you think it’s true that students have changed in the
last 2 or 3 decades?
I feel that students nowadays are less afraid to voice their views.
They ask if they have queries, they are honest about how they
12
Roula Stavrou

How many years have you been teaching at the school and are generally lucky at the school because overall our students
what are the biggest changes you have seen in that time? appreciate our concern and as they progress through the school
I have been at the school since 1990 and have seen many changes, they bond well with the sta .
new faces and di erent buildings. I have had the opportunity to
meet new people, colleagues who have played a signi cant role Do you think it’s true that students have changed in the
in my life as well as working with a number of di erent head- last 2 or 3 decades?
masters. During my rst years here the school was much smaller Students have changed over the years but they still have their
which is something that I have missed since everybody knew individual goals and dreams as well as their concerns. ‘Mobile’
everybody and there was a strong bond between sta and mania sometimes makes it di cult for students to concentrate
students, it was more like a family. The teachers and headmasters but parents and teachers need to work on this! It’s wonderful to
knew all the students by name! There were also many trips, charity see students becoming more involved in activities and especially
events and other activities which we all went on allowing us all in community based projects or charity events. Students have so
to bond and to have a good time together. Over the years there many opportunities nowadays which students perhaps didn’t have
have been numerous changes, some good and some bad! I believe three decades ago and I hope they will take advantage of these
that the expansion of the school has made it more complex and enabling them to become more open minded to new ideas and
it has lost the strong community feeling it once had. Whatever challenges which lie ahead.
the case, I can still remember my rst days here and it’s di cult
to comprehend that so many years have gone by.

How do you feel you have changed as a teacher throughout
your career?
As a teacher, I hope I have developed in di erent ways but I
expect we all change as we grow older and of course alongside
changes in the curriculum. I believe I have had a good relationship
with most of my students and it’s very rewarding when ex students
come up to talk to you. It’s really nice to chat with them again
and to see what they are doing now. Many of them have also
sent their children here. It also makes me happy to see many of
my students coming back as teachers. My role at the school
was as a teacher but also as a parent and this allowed me to see
things from another perspective too. My role as a form teacher
has also been challenging and I will de nitely miss my form group.
Through this constant daily contact with students I suppose I
have managed to comprehend some of their worries. I think we
Roula Stavrou (centre, back) pictured with English department colleagues