Tatiana Povalyaeva represented Ukraine at this year's Your Europe, Your Say! (YEYS) alongside her students. A teacher at a secondary school in Kharkiv, she last stood in front of her class in February 2022 and has been teaching online ever since. She describes the challenges of being an educator in a town just 40 kilometres from the Russian border, which has endured relentless strikes since the start of the war.

As an educator, as a teacher, how has the war impacted your ability to teach and the education system in general in Ukraine?

Today in Kharkiv, almost all schools have moved to online learning because we don't have enough shelters to keep our students safe during in-person classes. We have been doing that for three years now and the last time I saw my students in class was on 23 February 2022.  Many students have left the country — they had to. They are now living in many European countries and as a teacher, I feel deep sorrow. I miss my students and I know they have to struggle with many things. They sometimes have to study in both European and Ukrainian schools. That's a huge burden for them. Meanwhile, those of us still in Ukraine live in constant danger. Nobody deserves to go through this.

Teaching and supporting students during wartime is something we've never faced before. One of the biggest challenges for me is feeling powerless to help some students. My knowledge and experience are sometimes not enough to handle their health problems caused by stress and its effects. I've seen serious changes in students' personalities due to post traumatic stress disorder, where a doctor's help is more urgently needed than a teacher's. It's painful to realise you can't shield your students from these hardships. Still, we stay close to our students, ready to help and support them and care for them.

Another difficulty is staying resilient myself and being a good resource for my students, not only in my school subject area but also in other aspects of life. A strong, resilient teacher can offer more to students, but the question is: how do we maintain that strength? Teachers living and working through war need just as much support as anyone else because we are supporting the children who are our future. The more positive a teacher feels, the more support and care students receive.

Why do you think it's important to encourage your students to be interested in politics or in civic life or to participate in international events like this one?

Encouraging our students to be active doers is one of the essential tasks of teachers. Inspiring them to stay engaged in political life is even more important, as politics has a significant impact on people’s lives. It offers a valuable opportunity to come up with ideas and solutions to many of the problems we face today.

By attending international events such as Your Europe, Your Say!, students can find companions and supporters to share their ideas, work together towards the best solutions, and exchange valuable experiences. Without a doubt, meeting peers allows students to reflect on how progressive they are, what plans, goals, and perspectives they have, and what kind of personal growth they may still need.

If you could say anything to other teachers or other schools, what would you like to say as a teacher in Ukraine at the moment?

I have just three points I would like to share with my colleagues and their students. First, if you truly want to know the truth about the war, ask the people who are living through it.

Second, realise the importance of being united to help others and be ready to prevent catastrophic events. Also, understand how significant it is to be a part of a strong community with shared moral values, interests and prospects for the future.

The third and I think the most life-affirming fact is that we are alive. We live our life, we struggle and we get results. We improve ourselves; we hope for the better and we do a lot to prove that even in the hardest times, there is hope and thirst for life. We respect those who sacrifice their lives for our independent future, and we help them as much as we can. We feel gratitude to everyone who helps.

The students of Ukraine take part in many domestic and international events, competitions, and the Olympics, where they achieve great results and earn world recognition. At the same time, we are learning to survive physically, intellectually and emotionally in the hardest living conditions, forming our lived experiences in the middle of Europe.

Tatiana Povalyaeva has been teaching English at Kharkiv Lyceum 99 in Ukraine for almost 26 years. She took part in this year's Your Europe, Your Say! (YEYS) where she accompanied her students.