Berdsk teacher blends shop, cooking, dance
Ivan Egorov was born on Teacher’s Day, a coincidence that partially shaped his professional path.
At a school outside Novosibirsk, an extraordinary shop teacher is at work. He is very popular with students: he goes on hikes with them, teaches girls to hammer nails and boys to sew uniforms. And in his free time he teaches anyone interested ballroom dance. NGS (NGS.RU) spoke with the teacher about choosing a profession, school crushes, and unusual hobbies.
From medicine to teaching
The classroom displays numerous intricate paper models, showcasing students’ precision and patience.
There’s plenty to see in the classroom of Ivan Egorov, a shop teacher at Berdsk School No. 2 “Spektr” (Novosibirsk Oblast, Russia): numerous three-dimensional paper models, a lace-like chandelier made of plywood, and a similar samovar on the windowsill. Everywhere stand blanks for future projects and live flowers — as it turned out later, another passion of the teacher, who might not have become an educator at all.
Ivan Egorov is a native of Berdsk and a graduate of School No. 2, where he studied until the 9th grade before entering medical college. After that, he worked three years in a children’s hospital on the ambulance service.
«It was the late 1990s — early 2000s. With a secondary specialized education, salaries were very small, and getting into a medical university, even with work experience, was very difficult. And then I was offered a job at a school», he recalled of his career turn.
Ivan agreed to teach shop to boys. He completed the Novosibirsk Vocational Pedagogical College by correspondence, and after some time also graduated from Novosibirsk State Pedagogical University with a specialty as a computer science teacher. Since then he has been teaching; his total teaching experience is already 22 years, 9 of them at his alma mater.
Hammer a nail — and cook borscht
Egorov teaches boys and girls alike, emphasizing versatile skills across traditional shop curricula.
At School No. 2, shop classes are, of course, divided: girls have the usual cutting and sewing, boys work with wood and tools. But it’s not that simple.
«Fifth and sixth grades are an adaptation period after elementary school, when children get acquainted with different areas. With me they can saw, plane, and drill; with my colleague Olga Vladimirovna — sew, model, and study cooking. Starting from the seventh grade, students can choose which track to take: stay with me or, for example, take what used to be called home economics, — the teacher explained. — I believe manual work is very important».
Ivan Egorov is sure that every student graduating from school should be able to do everything, regardless of gender: both fasten a shelf and darn clothing. Setting a personal example is no problem: he had to substitute for his colleague for half a year — quite successfully.
«I can teach cooking and draft a godet-style skirt», the teacher smiled.
Students stitched a formal tailcoat for dances, though adults guided them through complex techniques.
It’s never quiet in shop class. The teacher doesn’t object, but there are limits.
«I’m fairly tolerant of talking during class, because I understand perfectly well that it’s very hard to work in funereal silence. But swearing is not allowed. Even if someone hits a finger, they try to hold back. Although if it’s really bad, I pretend not to notice or turn it into a joke — I come up with a euphemism», the teacher admitted.
Contrary to common school rules, phones are sometimes allowed in shop class — for example, to find a diagram or an interesting craft idea online.
«I don’t know about other teachers, but I notice that kids are bored with their phones. For them it’s become ordinary. You go and buy one — and there it is. They don’t sit on their phones: they invent games, bring soft balls, and discuss things. Someone sits and reads a book, someone reviews a lesson, someone rewrites a homework assignment neatly», he said.
It’s hard to get a failing grade from Ivan Egorov — only if you really start slacking off. He partially shares the view that some people are naturally deft while others are the opposite. But he doesn’t write such students off.
«There are students like that, but they’re excellent thinkers; they know how to work with their heads. And they can format documents superbly, build drawings — absolutely brilliantly, — the shop teacher shared his observations. — Usually I assign them to help with something: sand, paint, glue. And the child tries, does this work, and gets a positive grade for it. They worked — how could I give them a failing mark?»
«Papa Vanya»
Students built a torch-bearing hand for a city contest honoring Victory Day commemorations.
Ivan Egorov also has a homeroom class, so students are constantly spending time in the shop: to drop off or pick up their indoor shoes, to retrieve something, to rehearse something, or to have a cry. Even during the interview, someone knocked, cracked the door open, and a few curious faces peeked in.
«Kids are always running here to fix backpacks and glue shoes. Some girls glue on nails, — Ivan Egorov smiled. — And when we went on a trip with the upper grades, they asked me: “Can we not call you Ivan Aleksandrovich?” I said: “So what should you call me?” — “Can we just call you ‘Papa Vanya’?” Well, go ahead».
At the end of the last school year he graduated a ninth-grade class, and this year he took on fifth-graders, though he says he had sworn he wouldn’t.
«They’re good kids, noisy — always in the mood for fun. They fidget, they’re late, they run in with a hunk of bread or a bun. Someone has run into a wall, someone has had a scuffle», the teacher says of his class.
By Teacher’s Day (Russia) they have already learned a song, and by Mother’s Day (Russia) they are preparing a dance. And the students think up surprises for Ivan for Teacher’s Day: he was born on that very day, 5 October. He jokes that since he began working at school, the number of gifts has increased. But the main gift — however banal it may sound — is attention.
«It’s nice when they care, ask: “How are you, how’s your health, why are you so serious today?” Some students run up for a hug — I don’t mind», Ivan said.
Ivan had someone to look up to in the profession: his mother devoted most of her life to school.
«She came to the school when I was probably at the end of primary school. First she was an extracurricular education teacher, then she taught visual arts and drafting. And now she runs the school’s museum. She has a club called ‘History in Faces’, where she and the kids put on theatrical performances, and sometimes we hold certain events together, — the teacher said. — The last time, for example, we staged works by Chekhov, and my high schoolers danced for her. Imagine how interesting that is and how inspiring: it’s one thing to suggest dancing to little ones, another — to high schoolers».
Not just a hobby
Egorov has organized and danced at historical balls since 1996.
The topic of dance came up for a reason. Ivan Egorov is a many-sided person, and for almost 30 years his great passion has been historical dance.
«We probably began developing all this in 1996. “We” is me and Anna Zavorotinskaya, head of the school of historical dance “Otrazhenie” (Reflection) (NGS wrote about the school last year). And our friendship continues to this day — as do the balls», he shared.
Ivan Egorov has been dancing since childhood, from about age seven, and he is grateful to his mother for that. Some of his students also catch fire for historical dance, learn it, and go to balls. For children, it helps overcome shyness, develop attentiveness, and even improve coordination.
«Even a student with disabilities joined us in ninth grade — OVZ (special educational needs). He tried attending the group in fifth grade but then left. And now, even if not everything works right away, he tries. Who knows — bit by bit he might become a great dancer. Why not?» the teacher reflects.
On 1 September, NGS told the story of rural teacher spouses Natalia and Sergey Bakhteyev — they have been working together for almost 20 years.
