Last September, Russia introduced so-called patriotic lessons in all schools and at all grade levels. The lessons cover topics that the Russian government considers important.
The opposition media call patriotic classes Kremlin propaganda classes. A 29-year-old teacher Anastasia Chaikova likes to teach a new subject in a Moscow elementary school.
You are a primary school teacher, Anastasia Chaikova. Tell me what your school day was like on the day of the interview?
Our everyday life is in full swing. Patriotic lessons were added to the curriculum last fall. We started our week with a class like this. We discussed a new children’s and youth organization founded in Russia. I presented the movement and told what kind of opportunities it offers to children and young people. For example, there is choral singing, culture clubs, science clubs and patriotic activities.
What class do you teach?
– I teach first graders. They are 6-7 years old. There are 29 students in my class. Previously, I worked for five years in a special class. At that time there were eight children in my class. All had some developmental disorder. For example, I taught children with speech difficulties, autistic children, and children with physical disabilities.
How long are the school days?
– We usually have 4–5 lessons during the day. Classes usually end at two or three-thirty. After that, the children usually participate in hobby clubs outside of school.
You have been a teacher for ten years. How has the Russian school system changed during that time?
– When I started my working career, I worked in a special school. Only children with a developmental disorder studied there.
Today, teaching is inclusive. Children with special needs are no longer confined to special schools. Russia has awakened to the fact that every child has the right to be taught in a regular school class, regardless of developmental disorder. This of course affects the class size. If there is an autistic child in the class, the class size is smaller than in a situation where there are only neurotypical children in the class.
Is the war visible in your classroom or in the students’ behavior?
– Is not visible. There are very young children in my class and I think because of their age they don’t understand all the events and situations.
Do you tell the children about the war and the situation in Ukraine?
– We do not deal with these themes in lessons. They are small, they have come to school straight from kindergarten. Many people’s thinking and study motivation are just developing. They are not yet capable of discussing difficult topics, so it is pointless to even try to talk about such topics with them.
Do the kids ask you questions about the war?
– They don’t. The most common question is this: “I don’t understand, could you please repeat”. In elementary school, children do not question authority.
The children in my class usually listen carefully to my teaching and make an effort to learn new things. Middle school students may ask more questions about topics that interest them personally.
Do you talk about social issues in patriotic lessons?
– We deal with some social topics, for example in connection with anniversaries. Recently we had the topic of the siege of Leningrad.
It was related to the commemoration of the event. I told about how much bread was earmarked for the children during the siege in 1941–1944. However, children who grew up in abundance did not understand why bread had to be rationed at all.
What other themes have you covered in patriotic lessons?
– The content of the lessons varies according to the age level. We go through themes intended for 1st to 4th graders. In elementary school, the subjects of lessons are strongly related to the life of a modern person. We have discussed, for example, healthy lifestyles, friendship, public holidays, anniversaries and the internet.
Last week, our topic was online media literacy. We talked about how to act on the internet, what kind of behavior is associated with social media and how to protect yourself from the disadvantages of the network.
Where do you get the materials for the patriotic lessons, and can you make changes to them?
– We get to use the materials prepared by the Ministry of Education. They are also highly recommended. I can make changes freely if my changes are related to the theme.
Have you ever disagreed with the arguments presented in the materials?
– I have liked the teaching materials. The videos, graphics and scripts are of very high quality, and I have not once replaced the ready-made material with my own slides. The topics are so general that it is very difficult to disagree with them.
Can you still tell school children about Ukrainians and Ukrainian culture?
– Of course. In the environmental education curriculum, we deal with different cultures, and we tell children about Belarusian and Ukrainian culture as well. Teachers are not forbidden to talk about Ukrainian culture in a positive tone.
In the Peoples of the World class, we looked at what the national costumes of different countries look like and where in the world representatives of different nationalities live.
Russia’s so-called gay propaganda laws have been tightened recently. Do you feel that you can still tell children about different groups of people objectively?
– I don’t even know how to answer this question. You probably understand that we live in Russia. Our children mostly grow up in traditional families, and the vast majority do not encounter these phenomena in their everyday life.
Do you feel that you have the freedom to tell children about the world as it is?
– As a teacher, I don’t want to create discord, but on the contrary, I try to make it clear to children that all kinds of people are equal. I talk a lot about the fact that everyone should be friends with each other and that we should strive for cooperation with all kinds of people. I wouldn’t tell students that there is a group of people you shouldn’t associate with.
What thoughts does the war evoke in you?
– I’m just an ordinary teacher. I support peace in the whole world. Today, events are developing at a very fast pace. At first I tried to follow the situation from the news. I was always worried. There is always too much information about the war, and now I have decided that I will try to avoid all excess information.
I was born in Ukraine, because my parents were on a work assignment there at the time. There are Ukrainians in my circle of friends. I still keep in touch with many. Understandably, not all acquaintances have wanted to continue contact. But some I’ve stayed in touch with, and we understand each other’s perspective.
How has the business launch been reflected in your close circle?
– My brother is studying, so he has been able to postpone his service. My father has served in the army, but he is already retired, so he probably won’t be called anymore.
Do you ever worry about your loved ones going to war?
– I have already worried about it so much that my measure has reached full, and I don’t want to think about the whole thing. Regarding the launch, it would now seem that it has been completed and the situation has calmed down. That has also contributed to the fact that I don’t worry so much anymore.
School summer vacation starts in June. Do you already have your summer plans figured out?
– I haven’t planned anything yet. How the price level develops has a lot to do with it. I’m going one day at a time. In the summer, I would like to travel to Belarus to visit my grandmother. I have visited him on summer vacation three summers in a row.
In this series of stories, we call Russians and look for answers to what is happening to representatives of various professions, civil society, journalists and activists in Russia.
Previous parts of the series:
“The situation resembles the last years of the Soviet Union” – Ksenia Kochenko, 21, tells what changed in Moscow
Anastasia Burakova heads one of the most visible anti-Putin networks, and she has a dark message for Russia’s neighbors
“I don’t spend my time on nonsense like the news” – war fatigue is weighing on, and fashion retailer Galina Jurkova no longer sells cheap brands