“I have been teaching at ‘Demostene Botez’ High School in Trușești since 2011, and before that I also taught in Trușești commune, in my native village, Ionășești.

I graduated from the Faculty of Geography in Iași and I knew for sure that I would become a teacher. But I did not know that I would teach in a rural area, and especially not in my home village. At first, I was a little disappointed. I wondered what I would do and how I would manage, but then I focused all my energy on the students from rural communities.

Later on, I took the exams for assignment and moved on to teaching high school students. After completing all my teaching degrees, I chose to focus more on extracurricular activities. I realized that students really enjoy participating in this type of activity – they come with enthusiasm.

That is why, starting in 2020, I also became an educational counselor, because I believed that through various projects, both the children and I could grow in a more beautiful way.

I began developing my first projects as an educational counselor, online, during ‘Different School Week’ in the pandemic period. For me, the online period was very beneficial, both as an educational counselor and as a geography teacher, because it allowed me to use images and a wide range of visual resources. I realized that I had started to feel like a child again, together with the students.

Perhaps this is not an impressive professional journey, but it is one in which I have put a lot of heart and a lot of love for children, especially those from rural areas.

Here in Trușești, we are not a very wealthy community, but we try to make the most of what we have. We collaborate very well with the local authorities and receive their support.

Within the school structure, we have over 1,000 students, from preschool to high school level. We have built a strong team here, all working for the benefit of children. Most of our students commute, but they have transportation provided by the local authorities, either by train or minibus, so getting to school is not a problem. We also have a dormitory with 90 places, providing meals and study hours.

There are many children from disadvantaged backgrounds, with parents working abroad, who take care of households and animals. That is why, in my role as an educational counselor, I focused on activities for children with limited financial resources. I reached them and got to know them better through a partnership with the Church, by visiting local parishes.

I knew from a young age that I wanted to become a teacher. I loved my primary school teacher and school classes so much that, from an early age, I would prepare my lessons by teaching the children on my street or by telling my dolls what I had to revise.

In fact, this is what motivates me the most. When I am with children, I feel a deep sense of fulfillment. I want to encourage them and stimulate their creativity. At our high school, we also have an artistic dance ensemble and many Erasmus projects, because we want to offer students opportunities for development beyond the classroom.

If I had unlimited resources, I would do three things:

• Ensure a hot meal for everyone
• Provide funding for all visits and activities during Green Week and Different School Week, so that all students can have diverse experiences
• Ensure regular medical check-ups for students and colleagues, which would be extremely helpful, at least from a preventive perspective

My greatest pride? My ability to work with children, to motivate them, whether for an exam or to participate in a project, to bring groups together, and to tell them that if they want to be amazing, they will succeed.

I am also proud of the very good relationship I have with their parents. I truly believe that the parents-students-teachers relationship is a partnership that must exist and must work.

I tell my colleagues that it is very important to have strong subject-specific competencies for what you teach, but it is just as important to have empathetic skills. What you say matters, but how you say it matters just as much.

That is why I believe the greatest challenge for a teacher is to be understood and listened to by students, so that they know the teacher is there for them.

From this perspective, the role of the teacher is first and foremost to educate. With all the limitations or opportunities we may have, we must educate. The teacher brings balance, builds a bridge between children and the community, and helps and encourages students to make their dreams come true. 

If a young person wanted to pursue the teaching profession, I would advise them to choose this path not based on money, but on whether it brings them inner fulfilment. This is a profession that requires vocation, soul, and empathy.