Age: 26
Education: Philology, Oles Honchar Dnipropetrovsk National University
Profession: Ukrainian language and literature teacher
Did you know? She was added to the Global Teachers Prize Ukraine Top 50 list.
In Ukraine, one in every three children has faced bullying in school or online, according to Anna Chernyavska, a middle school teacher from a city of just over 20,000 residents.
In July 2020, Chernyavska co-founded an anti-bullying non-governmental organization called Ne Tskui (Don’t Bully) to help stop bullying and provide children with the support they require.
“We’re among the first anti-bullying organizations in Ukraine,” Chernyavska told the Kyiv Post.
Chernyavska’s decision to become a teacher came unexpectedly from a boring classroom.
“Studying in school, I always wanted to change the education system, because I had extremely boring classes which featured only a pen, a notebook and a textbook,” says Chernyavska. “I dreamed of becoming a teacher open to innovations.”
Chernyavska’s dream came true, yet the path wasn’t easy.
After graduating from Dnipropetrovsk National University, Chernyavska moved to Vilnohirsk, a city in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, to start her teaching career.
Suddenly, she faced strong opposition from colleagues who didn’t see Chernyavska’s style as well-suited for the local school. For those teachers, Chernyavska’s decision to introduce VR, Instagram and other modern platforms to make learning fun for her students was alien.
Chernyavska says that her colleagues didn’t understand how Instagram quizzes and 3D pictures can help her students with their grades. Conflicts were common.
Everything changed with the start of the COVID‑19 pandemic and Zoom classes.
Chernyavska’s modern teaching style, with her frequent use of social media and online apps, proved useful at keeping students engaged in the process of learning while staying at home.
The attitude towards her teaching methods began to change among her colleagues, who are now seeking Chernyavska’s help.
“Now, my colleagues are holding Zoom classes, online study sessions and are even more open towards Instagram,” she says.
Chernyavska’s personal experience when she began her teaching career and the widespread problem of bullying in schools and online prompted her and schoolteacher Oleksandr Cherkas, a Kyiv Post 2019 Top 30 Under 30 winner, to found Ne Tskui.
The organization allows kids to file a complaint about attacks from peers, helps children understand their strengths and provides support to those in crisis.
The organization focuses on bullies as well.
“They are also victims,” says Chernyavska, adding that they need help to overcome the problems that may have caused their aggressive behavior towards others.
The organization also supports teachers who are working in hostile environments.
“We had a situation where a teacher was bullied by children. We talked to her every day, helping her to stay in the profession,” says Chernyavska.
