Cottesmore Headmaster In A War Zone – Day 3

For those of you who did not read the previous explanatory article here, Cottesmore Head Tom Rogerson accepted an invitation to join a cross-party delegation on a mission to Ukraine. MPs from the Labour, Liberal Democrat & Conservative parties accompany him on the trip – as well as no small amount of journalists – but Humanitarian charity HopeFull is at the heart of the exercise. As Tom makes progress in his journey, he posts updates on LinkedIn – updates that School House Magazine will also be publishing. Excitingly, the third of these updates can be read below.

‘We arrived in Kyiv and checked into the hotel and were straight out again to meet with some high-level and influential people. While I am certainly interested in the mechanism, my profession isn’t politics and I was itching to head over to the school with which we are set to twin.

THE TWINNING

Finally the time came and I was able to break away from the group and make my own way to the school – Lyceum No. 53 – a central Kyiv state school which has a specialism in languages. The welcome was warm and became even warmer throughout the day. Apart from at Christmas, I’ve never been given more gifts in one sitting. I managed to get hands on in an art class and made flower sculptures, I visited several lessons and ate some borscht in the refectory with the senior teachers.

They created a gap in the timetable so that I could entertain the students briefly with a song I had written for them. When I drove to the Ukraine border three years ago with a guitar and a van full of provisions and equipment for those displaced initially, my old friend from school Johnny Carew Pole said in a group chat, ‘Haven’t they suffered enough?’ referencing my ‘enthusiastic’ singing. Very droll. I think the students enjoyed the break from lessons at least.

The highlight was being invited to extend the visit to teach an extra lesson to a 15-year-old class of delightful students who were so attentive, intelligent, calm, natural & empathetic. What an experience and what a reception. There is so much more to say when it all sinks in. The main thing now is that we are hugely grateful to HopeFull, to Maria & to Alyona from Go Global Education for organising the visit, the twinning & the day. The UK government announced the 100 year partnership a couple of days before our trip. It is wonderful & obviously a huge honour to be the first educator out here to make it happen.’

To read the previous entry, click here. To read the next entry, click here.