Olena chose Edmonton as her destination city. When she knew she was coming to Canada with her family, she compared provinces regarding affordability, housing, and career opportunities; and it was Alberta that stood out. Another factor, for sure, was the big Ukrainian community she could join here.
Once here, she found CCI-LEX through a social media ad looking for volunteers. Knowing this field, being an English teacher for over 10 years, Olena applied and started volunteering in the LEX program soon after.
As a volunteer, she taught different levels and got to experience one of the most memorable moments of her experience at CCI-LEX, when the High Beginner students prepared a presentation, and she got to see them presenting confidently after her support.
Her career at CCI-LEX took a turn when she applied for a paid position in the CCI Program. “I started as a substitute teacher first. I was subbing for around 2 months, and then I was offered the position […] I was really excited because I felt like my experience and expertise were acknowledged, and I could start working as a teacher in Canada.”
Her last teaching experience was as an English instructor in Qatar for the military forces, and one of the differences she found at CCI-LEX was that here she could track her students’ progress instead of stand-alone classes. “It’s really rewarding to see the progress of my students [..} I can track their development and create more personalized materials. Although we have a book, I can still adapt it because I know my students.”
It’s great to have Olena in the classroom, and we are also happy to see her participate in extracurricular activities, like the time she joined the students in the Art Gallery of Alberta, a day to remember since she had the chance to hear them using the vocabulary they learned in the classroom! And it’s not just her students who benefit from Olena’s vast teaching experience, but other instructors as well, as she has facilitated a variety of training workshops for CCI-LEX teachers.
Outside of CCI-LEX, Olena enjoys participating in the Ukrainian community events and associations, like the Ukrainian Canadian Congress of Teachers, where she helps develop English courses to help in the community. She also enjoys joining her colleagues for a cup of coffee, where they can talk about their experiences and spend a relaxing time together outside of the classroom.