ITMO.EduStars Winner Olga Smirnova: Building a Culture of Error is Beyond Important For Students

It seems like a battle between tech and humanitarian students will go on forever. Even you once said on your social media that you had to choose between studying engineering and philology. Why did you end up opting for the latter?

Well, I was a typical straight-A student back in school. I had loads of interests yet I was a bit insecure – when there was actually no good reason for that. I was afraid that I wouldn’t get enough scores on my exams to study philology and decided to take a Unified State Exam in Physics, as well. I excelled in both and had to choose what I wanted to study at university. After some thought, I picked the Roman and Germanic Philology Department at Ivanovo State University.

Sometimes, when I look back, I think about how my life would’ve changed if I had become an engineer. But I still believe I made the right choice. Even though I could’ve even done well, I know I would have felt out of place there anyway.

What brought you to ITMO? 

I was engaged in philology for a long time when I realized I wanted to try something new. There’s a big difference between teaching foreign languages at tech vs. humanitarian universities. In the tech setting, we try to equip our students with the language they need for specific practical applications, for example, a job interview at an international company, whereas in a humanities setting, we focus more on how the language works and spend much more time analyzing texts rather than practicing the language. 

Did you know that you wanted to be a teacher when you were still a student?

Studying philology gives you the full creative freedom to choose what you want to be: a translator, a teacher, or a linguist. When I was a student, there were a couple of people I looked up to. They were mostly engaged in teaching, so I acquired this interest, too. 

Maybe it can also have something to do with the fact that everyone in my family works at school. My dad is a psychologist and music teacher, my mom is a PE teacher, and other relatives, too, are somehow connected with this field. This job runs in my family but I never thought that I was going to be a teacher, too. That's probably why I am working at university, not school. 

What are some great things you have learned from your colleagues?

When I studied abroad in Frankfurt (Oder), I took a Polish course for beginners because the city I lived in was right near the border with Poland. I needed a group where they would explain Polish grammar in English but I accidentally signed up for classes with teachers who taught in German instead. Although I spoke some German, it wasn’t enough for me to understand everything they said. My teacher let us know that the first couple of days we were going to speak German and then switch right to Polish. The whole time, we learned the language using various textbooks but even though we were just starting, we had exciting group tasks and a quest that we had to complete at the end of our training. The task was to go outside and ask locals a few questions in Polish. The way teachers treated us and tried to engage each and everyone influenced me most as a teacher and I started to practice these approaches, too. 

You teach the General English course to students of different majors and levels. How do you manage to keep them interested? 

It’s impossible to engage all students because English can’t be a top priority for everyone. Yet I always strive to choose topics that ignite the interests of my students, be it cultural landmarks of St. Petersburg or programming. It’s also important for teachers to create a safe environment in which students won’t be afraid to make mistakes orspeak up. Often, this fear comes from our school days. If needed, I correct their mistakes, without making them feel bad about themselves, and advise them on how they can boost their skills. Over time, I get to know how each student prefers to study: some people work better in groups, while others choose to work alone on their assignments. I try to take their learning styles into account during my classes. 

How did you feel when you won the ITMO.EduStars contest? 

I’m going to say what most people probably say but actually, I was really surprised. I’ve always assumed that great teachers are experienced teachers and I’ve been working in the field much less than the majority of other teachers at ITMO. Here’s my contest story: I recorded my class, submitted my application, and didn’t even think about it till the day I learned I won the contest. At first, it seemed like some kind of mistake because I couldn’t see clearly what made me stand out among others but then I accepted the situation and felt very happy. My win helped me overcome my imposter syndrome and boost my self-confidence. I learned that my students appreciate all my hard work and I value that. 

Do you have any hobbies?

I feel most energized when I am with my family. Though we live in different cities, we do our best to stay in touch. For over a year now, we have had a tradition to travel to different parts of Leningrad Oblast for the day together. I also enjoy baking for my friends. My specialty is cinnamon rolls but I also sometimes make cheesecake and other cakes. I’m into indoor gardening, too. One of my home plants is a monstera that my friend and I jokingly named Oleg. What I love most about it is that monsteras can grow to monstrous proportions and they are extremely easy to care for. 

When I have time, I enjoy going to museums, for instance, the State Hermitage Museum. I’m a huge fan of the art of Classical Antiquity and the Italian Renaissance, which brings back fond memories from my trip to Rome with my friends. Although I’m in no way an art historian and only took a few art courses, I can recognize the most popular themes, such as biblical stories, and point out compelling details.