Viktoriia Simakova is a lifelong educator holding a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from High Tech High Graduate School of Education, San Diego, USA. Her improvement science research focuses on closing equity gaps for English language learners. Viktoriia also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Philology from Kyiv National Linguistic University. She is an honorary recipient of Grant Award from Victor Pinchuk Foundation and World Wide Studies Program.
Viktoriia is a founder and a former CEO of The English Studio language school and International Leadership Camp ESSC in Bila Tserkva, Ukraine. Both of the projects are centered around a holistic approach in education and creating deeper learning opportunities for students. Over the past twelve years the projects served thousands of students from Ukraine and other countries from around the world. In 2018, the school received an award for providing the best educational services and becoming the best employer in education in the region from Bila Tserkva City Council.
In 2022, Viktoriia became a co-founder of a non profit organization “Help Ukraine Now” working to ensure the needs of Ukrainians suffering from russian aggression. The organization registered in California, USA is collecting and delivering humanitarian aid to Ukraine as well as raising awareness about the issue around the United States.
“Ever since I remember myself being a student at school, I have a memory of a shy girl who never speaks up, struggles to fit in, lacks confidence and lost interest in learning at around 5th grade. At high school, I started wondering why 95 per cent of the time children are given a passive role of listeners and teachers are those constant explainers pouring the knowledge from the abundant jar into the empty heads of students. In the post-soviet schools like the ones I studied at, teachers are considered to be great knowledge sources while the children are regarded as unable, not-smart-enough beings that come to school to be fixed. In oppressive institutions like this children have no voice or choice regarding what to learn or how to learn. My motivation to become an educator is the result of educational oppression and my desire to create conditions for deeper learning in a humanized learning environment.
My philosophy in education is centered around the individual. I believe that personalization and trust create lasting relationships that serve as a foundation for experience exchange between humans despite their role in the educational setting. These relationships provide the opportunity to explore ourselves and the world around us. I believe that true and deeper learning is only possible in a safe and supporting space that must be intentionally built together with people.
When I think of leadership, I believe in empowering people and lifting them up to new horizons. I define a leader as someone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes and who has the courage to develop that potential. ”
“I am astonished daily by the power of trust.”
Fernando Gimenez Zapiola
