Pedagogical ability: how a Donetsk man passed his education and returned to school
Valery Shapovalov. 31 years old. A Donetsk citizen, a member of the SVO, a physical education teacher, a master of sports in volleyball, a presenter on the local Oplot TV channel. To the question: "What is the most important role for you?" he answers: "Teacher". And she explains: "Because she is the most responsible." Teachers' Day is celebrated in the country on October 5, and especially for this professional holiday, Izvestia talked with Valery, found out what changes physical education teachers are happy about this year, why Donetsk school stadiums are closed for games, what tag rugby is and how to combine pedagogy and TV.
Three lessons instead of two
Donetsk gymnasium No. 6. Sports hall on the fourth floor. Noise, screams, the creak of sneakers on the parquet. There is a combined lesson of the sixth and seventh grades, the kids are playing pionerball with elements of volleyball. It is necessary to combine the parallels due to the lack of space — there is one hall, there are many students, but you can not practice outside, in the DPR there is a ban on training schoolchildren at stadiums due to the danger of attacks by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In between games, Valery says that today he also taught the first lesson on tag rugby, a non-contact discipline designed specifically for children and juniors (in Donetsk, it was decided to introduce this new sport in schools). The goal of the players is to deliver the ball to the goal zone. Special ribbons are attached to everyone's shorts. If he tore off the tape, he stopped the opponent, using crushing thrusts and grapples, as in classic rugby, is not required.
— I thought: It won't work," says Valery. — No, I really liked it! We will develop it.
This year, according to the changed standards, three compulsory physical education lessons have been introduced in each class — one more than before. The program includes gymnastics, basketball, volleyball, pionerball, athletics, and now tag rugby. Valery focuses, of course, on his favorite volleyball. By the time most of his students reach high school, they know their striking techniques and basic tactics well.
New twists
Valery became interested in volleyball in the fifth grade. I got injured in the ninth and had to leave the section. In 2013, he entered Donetsk University with a degree in psychology.
"For some reason, I decided to become a psychologist," he smiles. — That school year was a turning point. In the spring of 2014, due to the outbreak of hostilities, many students left for Ukraine. The university itself, as a Ukrainian legal entity, relocated to Vinnytsia with some of its teachers. There aren't many of us left.
Pionerball with elements of volleyball
Next was KVN, Valery goes over the milestones of student life. In my third year, I asked to join the university's volleyball team. At first, the coach rejected him in every possible way — beginners were not required. But they still managed to "knock" on the closed door. In the same year, together with the DonNU team, Valery Shapovalov won gold in the university championship. This was followed by a victory in the republic Championship. He joined the DPR national team. I went to the games in Russia. He became a master of sports.
After graduation, the question arose: where to now? A teacher I know from a school in my native Proletarian district reported that they needed a psychologist: "Come on!" Although he was not at all eager to immerse himself in teaching, it takes a lot of effort and special talents. It was really difficult. Difficult students, everyone needs their own approach.
— At the same time, he began to conduct holidays and corporate events, the Kavanaugh past affected him, — says Valery. — And this largely determined my future path. I held an event with Donetsk TV crews, and they invited the presenters to their place. Graduation was taking place at Gymnasium No. 6, and the principal, Albina Albertovna Afenchenko, invited her to her headquarters. Said: "We're having fun. It's like the holidays you lead!" He didn't go right away, he still worked at the same place for a year. And then, after another meeting and another invitation, he did not refuse. They hired an assistant head teacher for educational work.
A package from school
I've only worked for six months. In February 2022, after the general mobilization was announced in the DPR, Valery, along with two more fellow teachers, appeared at the recruiting station.
— They put me in a uniform and took me to the training ground. And they were sent to the Sumy region," Shapovalov recalls. — Our battalion consisted mainly of miners and teachers. The task was set: duty at checkpoints. They moved behind the advancing units, entrenched themselves in villages.
Then there was Kharkiv region. Dug dugouts. Roads were laid through forests. Accompanied by minesweepers. They kept to the occupied line. The first losses began there.…
For six months, the Donetsk reservists were virtually cut off from the outside world. They hardly knew what was happening, where, or how. I rarely heard from my family, although I did. One day, a package arrived from fellow teachers! With tea, sweets, warm socks, necessary trifles. They wrote that they were waiting for their return...
In November, Valery was discharged — an old ailment made itself known. After resolving all the issues, including his health, he really returned to school. Now he's a physical education teacher.
"It's probably the first time I've been completely in my place," my interlocutor muses. — There are sports, pedagogy, and psychology to some extent. Not boring, in general.
Donetsk "landing"
Gymnasium No. 6 is the most comprehensive school in Donetsk: 870 children study in its two buildings. It is also called "singing" — it has its own recording studio, every holiday (and not only) teachers prepare a music program. A year ago, the Fiesta school ensemble won a prize at the All-Russian choir competition in the Eaglet, performed "We walk with a horse across the field ...". On this Teacher's Day, children and teachers are preparing a musical based on the animated film "The Bremen Town Musicians".
Director Albina Afenchenko at the geography lesson
The energy center of the team is Albina Afenchenko, the author of various initiatives and just a bright woman. In 2024, she was recognized as the "Director of the Year" in the DPR. This year she was awarded the Pride of Donbass Award.
Among the projects that teachers are trying to diversify their educational routine is "Family Saturday", when parents, teachers and children gather for sports, go to the Botanical Garden or cook some interesting dish together, the last time it was khinkali. There is a "Break with the director", where you can, for example, play basketball with Albina Albertovna.
On March 8, female soldiers and mothers of fallen soldiers are invited to the school. For them, hairdressers, cosmetologists and makeup artists, led by teachers, arrange a local "Fashion verdict". On February 23rd, the student girls prepare a home-cooked dinner for the soldier guests.
Since 2022, for three years, the gymnasium team (including Valery Shapovalov) traveled to schools in Russia — from Volgograd to Novorossiysk and from Moscow to Kemerovo — with the Patriotic Landing project, where they talked about what was happening in their native land.
From Baikal to Kudykina Mountain
Valery has 6-7 lessons every day. He does not have morning classes twice a week — during these hours he hosts the program "Morning" live on the Donetsk TV channel, from 8:00 to 9:30. Then he goes to school.
Artists, musicians, writers, military men, and psychologists come on the air. Among the latest heroes is Egor Beroev, who presented his TV series "Marik" in Donetsk. Separately, Valery runs the information block "My Russia", where he talks about the sights of the country — from the cruiser Aurora and Lake Baikal to the birthplace of Santa Claus and Kudykina Mountain (located in the Lipetsk region), 200 issues have already been published.
However, he plans to leave the morning broadcast so as not to break up and calmly devote the first part of the day to lessons. He is going to switch to the evening news program "The Main Thing".
Three years ago, he met a girl in one of the gyms in Donetsk. Ekaterina turned out to be a basketball coach. Today they are husband and wife, raising a young son. Therefore, Valery says, Teacher's Day is already quite a family holiday for them.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
