Erkam Yaman is a volunteer teacher from Istanbul who joined us in the spring of 2022 when the full-scale war had just started. Now, his students are more confident in their English and even help Canadian volunteers communicate with local people in Kharkiv. Erkam told us how to become a friend to a child and not only a teacher and how to boost children’s confidence. Also, Erkam has started his new course in our project, «Coding in English,» and told us how he shares his «coding passion» with children who want to learn more about technology.
Why did you decide to make connections with our country and teach Ukrainian children? What do you like in Ukraine the most?
I was in Ukraine before the war started and had a great time teaching English. I lived in Kyiv for about six weeks, and it was the best time of my life. I really liked the people. I volunteered there, and this was my first time abroad. I was a bit nervous and excited. You know, it is another country and another culture. I used to tell myself, «It is going to be great. I’m going to teach English and have fun.»
At the same time, I was a bit nervous because I thought I’d be alone and it would be hard to make friends. But it turned out that I didn’t feel alone. I was with my students all the time. People were so friendly. They don’t judge you. You just do your thing. And it was great to teach.
It was also my first time teaching, and I enjoyed it because I wanted to have fun and learn another culture. My experience with my students was great. We called each other the «Baklava Club.» I used to give them baklava, and they loved it. It was great to be part of their learning journey. And they supported me a lot as well.
I remember once we were in a restaurant. We had dinner after the lesson, and we were to pay. They didn’t let me pay. And for me, it was something special. They saw what I was doing and appreciated it. In my country, no one really cares if you’re a teacher. Sadly, it’s not really a respectable job anymore.
But in Ukraine, when you say, «I’m a teacher,» people look at you differently. They support and respect you. It was the best time of my life. For the first time, I felt like I was not judged. I was supported, understood, and was having fun. I had a great time and fell in love with the people and culture. Basically, my connection with Ukraine started with my journey in 2021.
And how did you connect to «Smart Osvita»?
After the war started, I wanted to help. All I was doing was just messaging my students and my friends on Instagram, sharing or posting something — that simple stuff that I sometimes do. But it wasn’t enough. I wasn’t satisfied with what I did because I knew I could do something else to help people. I wanted to help because I love Ukrainian people and I love the culture. I just want to help, simply because they need help.
I was trying to find a way and joined protests in Istanbul. I became a speaker. Sometimes I still go there. But I just wanted to do something actively. My friends told me about the «Ukraine Speaks English» project. I filled out the form and signed the papers. So then we started having lessons.
The first three classes were not easy for me. I had my first lesson, switched on my Canva presentation, and introduced myself in front of 60 children. I was like: «Oh my god, what am I going to do?» I remember I had one slide with these questions:
- What are your hobbies?
- How are you?
- Where are you from in Ukraine?
- Why are you learning English?
I asked every single one of them these questions for 60 minutes. It was a bit intense for me, but I enjoyed it. They spoke English and enjoyed themselves, and I enjoyed listening to them.
It’s been around two years now, and it’s a long path. And if you look back, what has changed from your perspective? How do you see your contribution, and what do you see in the children’s feedback?
Children have always enjoyed my lessons. I suppose the reason is that I don’t have a strict structure. I just go there, like: «Hello, let’s just have fun. Let’s just speak English».
I try to make my lessons as interactive and fun as possible. I focus on conversation and practical usage of English rather than just grammar rules. When preparing for lessons, I think about activities that will get the kids talking and expressing themselves. I don’t have a strict routine, but I always start with something light to warm up and make everyone comfortable.
Along the way, we can learn something new, but we don’t have to. We can just enjoy our time and practice English. I would say some kids who didn’t have good English levels improved them. Some of the students are now participating in voluntary events. Some of them live in other countries and do some different activities. But it was a start. It wasn’t just me; it was other teachers as well. I was just a tiny part of this process and organization, where I still am, and I’m happy about it.
When we first started, they didn’t have much confidence in themselves. They grew and built confidence and improved themselves, which is wonderful.
You named the lack of confidence the main obstacle; maybe others had appeared?
Well, some of the kids couldn’t attend the lessons because of electricity. Also, I had a student from Kherson. At that time, the part of Kherson that he lived in, was occupied, and he couldn’t join the lessons. Once, I remember, he was on his bike trying to find the internet in Kherson to join a lesson. That was a big obstacle.
The whole situation is an obstacle. From my side, it wasn’t easy controlling all those kids at once; you don’t have much time. Sometimes, russian bots came and sabotaged the class.
Children became my friends. We are called Lobsters; it’s about their claws. They open and close them without thinking and hesitating. I told that to the kids: same as lobsters’ claws, open your mouth and speak. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; be brave, like Ukraine.
Have you learned something from children?
I learned lots of things. They taught me some Ukrainian phrases like «До побачення телебачення» [«Goodbye TV» — ironically]. They also tell me about things they learned in school, for example, about physics.
What I learned from kids is that they take everything at face value, especially youngsters like those between 6 and 8 years old. When you tell them something, they will take it seriously.
Once, I was teaching idioms, and one of the idioms was killing two birds with one stone. And the child was like: «Oh my god, teacher, we shouldn’t kill birds. Why are we killing birds?» I was like, «No, it’s an idiom. We’re not going to kill any bird.» And that’s what they do. Sometimes, adults take everything at face value, which we shouldn’t. People say something while they mean something else.
Another thing I learned from kids is that we just have to be brave and make mistakes. I see that all the time. Some kids are so nervous to speak English because they will make mistakes. But other kids don’t care about making mistakes because they don’t care about staying away from mistakes, and that’s the way to learn English.
I also learned to be patient and listen to people constantly. When you’re talking to kids, especially when you’re teaching them something, you just have to be like: «Don’t be irritated; they will get it sometime.»
I also learned something about myself from kids. You never stop learning, anyway. I realized that I didn’t want to be a boring adult. I don’t want to forget about my child side. I just want to enjoy my life and make people laugh. I don’t want to be like one of those mortgage adults.
You have some warm-up activities, then the central part of the lesson, and some close-up activities after that. So, can you describe your typical lesson, what it consists of, and what games you play?
Actually, it’s changed over time. When I first started, my method was to make a presentation in Canva. So the first part is greetings, «How are you doing?» After that is the main topic, followed by playing a game and saying bye. The game can be physical, although it’s Zoom. For example, a list or a treasure hunt. They need to pick up something, for example, to find a «mouse» in their house and come back or hug their mom.
But I don’t do presentations these days because children want to speak more and more. I just come in and say: «Hello, how are you.» And then they say something about their life, and I listen to them, and others want to say about something. I just focus on them individually. Maybe it’s not the best method, but it’s great for some students because they are my friends. I am not just a teacher. It takes a while for them to build confidence, and then they want to tell you about their life, and they want to know about yours.
You can’t just continue teaching grammar or some specific topic. Sometimes, you should remember that you’re a human, and they’re just children. Be part of their life. And that’s what I do these days.
I had two methods: go to the lesson, talk to them, enjoy the time, or just have a presentation and some games. That’s basically how we do things now, but we also have programming lessons. At least five students have been joining the class for two years already, which is a significant number for me.
And what do they appreciate the most?
They love what I’m doing and that I help Ukraine. I’m happy about that, but the main thing they enjoy is that I give them a different kind of lesson. My lessons are not like typical classic school English lessons. They’re different.
I just take English somewhere else where English is not like a language to study. It’s like a language to speak, a language to enjoy. It’s not a subject in school. I think that’s what they enjoy most, and the second thing is just the fun in the lesson. There’s no pressure. You’re just going to join the lesson, and there will be some bald guy from Turkey, and he will just teach you some stuff. He will talk to you and make you laugh.
My main value in the project is to provide support and encouragement. I feel a strong connection with the children and care deeply about their progress. It’s important for me to create a safe space where they can be themselves and enjoy learning.
Do you have some homework? What do you assign them?
We had, but not anymore. We will have homework for «Coding in English». Basically, we didn’t really have typical homework, but we had routines.
If you want to improve your English, you need to follow routines like thinking in English every day, reading a book in English, watching something in English with English subtitles, and talking to yourself in English.
I used to give them grammar, but it’s not me. It’s just boring. I wouldn’t do it myself. You know, my teachers give me homework and I don’t care. And they don’t really care as well because it’s boring, and it doesn’t help you with anything. Go and watch some videos that you like or listen to some music that you like is helpful.
My lessons are unique because I tailor them to the kids’ interests. If someone likes music, we might write song lyrics together. The emphasis is always on speaking and expressing themselves without fear. I believe in an individual approach and focus on what excites them to learn.
I emphasize that you should do what you love but in English. If you like reading, fantastic, go and read Harry Potter. I remember we had one book reading month. The first student who finished the first Harry Potter book had a lesson with me, one-on-one, for free.
Lots of students have finished the first Harry Potter book, and they loved it. You don’t have to go and read the Cambridge English books; just read Harry Potter if you like Harry Potter. I still ask them, “What are you interested in? What do you like?” Just combine it with English. I think that’s my way when it comes to giving homework — a bit lazy but effective.
Can you share some stories of your students’ improvement? What are they grateful for the most?
One student, Polina Borysenko from Kharkiv, told me that when we first started, she couldn’t speak English, but now he speaks and understands foreigners, and she is even volunteering for Canadian volunteers in Kharkiv. That’s such a good example. She’s brilliant.
She joined my classes two years ago. When she first joined, her English wasn’t really good. She didn’t understand me, but she was like: «I want to speak. I want to ask Kam questions. I want to ask him about what he eats, what he does». She wanted to speak.
I always asked the class: «How are you today? Are you interested in this subject we’re going to learn?» She was like: «No, I’m not interested in this subject. I just want to talk to you and ask you questions.» And she never ever cared about when making a mistake. She was always brave.
I call them lobsters. Open and close your mouth and speak. Just don’t be afraid. She was like a proper lobster. She developed, and now is speaking well. She still has a lot to improve, but she’s doing a good job.
She told me that now she is volunteering as a translator for Canadians to talk to the native locals in Kharkiv. It’s amazing for her English and her country.
I always tell students that learning English is a way to help Ukraine as well. Improving yourself and representing your country when you grow up. That’s your way. You’re learning English for yourself and Ukraine.
Tell a bit more about your course «Coding in English.» Do you have feedback on what’s hard for children, what they gain from these lessons, and what they want to receive?
The «Coding in English» course is something new I started. I am a programmer and I love coding, these are my two passions. I noticed many kids are interested in technology and thought it would be cool to combine coding with English learning. The goal is to teach them basic coding skills while improving their English. I decided to start it because I believe it can open up new opportunities for them in the future.
I love doing something that I love, and I love coding and teaching it to children. I’ve been teaching English for a long time, as a teacher as well outside «Smart Osvita,» and I’m a bit tired of it. I just want to find some different other motivations. English and coding are my passions. I work as a developer now, and I watch coding videos all the time on the Internet, like Indian and Pakistani guys. I understand that I want to do the same. I want to teach programming and share my passion with the kids who want to do the same. There were lots of kids, 60 or 50 of them were there in that last lesson. They joined the lesson, and for the first three weeks, we just talked about HTML, CSS, and JavaScript: every week, one of them. We had a simple example: HTML is like a skeleton, CSS is your skin, and JavaScript is the functionality. We were talking, doing little examples, and they loved it.
They’re like: «Oh, that’s cool. We’re learning something about how to talk to the machines.» It’s not easy for them to talk to machines for now. When we code, we tell the machine, «Well, hello, you should do this. Can you do that?» The machine says, «Well, I’ll try.» Sometimes, it doesn’t do it.
They’re learning that now, but the main thing is that they see how something works. And then they have questions, and we still talk about their lives. For the first 10 minutes, I asked some questions about their lives: «How are you doing? How’s everything?» And for the last 10 minutes, I asked the question and got some feedback, and I had a nice piece of feedback. Like, «I enjoyed your lesson. I didn’t know any programming, but it’s a good opportunity because I’m trying to decide my career.»
Children can come here and see coding. They can understand what’s going on, and they can just try later on. They can understand if it’s for them or not because lots of people choose programming, and they don’t really like it. Children can learn some coding and don’t necessarily have to be programmers.
Programming is just another skill they can have in their lives, giving them a different perspective. And if they really love programming, they can become programmers or IT people in different areas, such as network security.
People ask me: «Is this a professional course?» The main goal of this course is to show students how programming works and how they can use their English to do something, not just learn It.
Do children do some programming practicals during the lessons on their computers, or just listen?
Some of them who had experience tried stuff, but I told them it is not obligatory. You don’t need to do it; just sit back and enjoy what we’re going to do and what these technologies are rather than how they work. We just see what they are, and they enjoy that.
The following week, we’re starting HTML, the first little piece, and we’ll learn it in detail. I will give students small tasks, and they will have a chance to try them during the lesson. I will prepare some material for them and send the children some videos about coding from Indian guys.
Children of what age predominantly join these lessons?
Anyone can join. If they want to stay, they stay. My lessons are not tailored for a specific age group because I don’t believe in it. I’m not doing it like a professional; I’m just doing it as a lover. I love teaching, I love kids, and I love helping. Everyone should come to the lesson if he or she likes it. If there is something for them in it, they will stay. If not, they can just go.
But now I think we have 10–17 years old. I have one student who is nearly six years old. His dad is a programmer. And sometimes I do some stuff on Google, you know, like delete Google’s logo. And then I tell, «You see, I’m a hacker.» And he’s like, «No, you’re not a hacker. You’re a programmist.» He doesn’t know the word programmer. He calls me a programmist, and I feel like a scientist.
Will you continue this speaking club you had before or, «Coding in English» is like a substitution?
We will see. Now, we have a schedule with programming. I might do both. In the future, I’m planning to reduce my paid classes with other students [out of «Smart Osvita»].
So, in the future, I would like to take both — one English class and one programming class. I’m also planning to go to Ukraine, teach in person as I did before, and spend some time with «Smart Osvita» offline.
You stated your plans to start with different subjects for your lessons. Maybe you have some areas or vectors you’re thinking about.
My plans are to continue expanding the «Coding in English» course and maybe introduce other subjects that interest the kids. In general, I want to keep supporting them and helping them grow, both in English and other areas.
I want to continue programming classes and explore teaching and programming. I’m particularly interested in teaching people directly in a way they can understand. It really depends on how you teach, but it also depends on whom you teach, so I want to explore how to deliver my lessons in a way that everyone can understand.
Now I just want to continue with programming, and maybe public speaking in English, but I would like to do that when I improve my public speaking skills.
We are proud and grateful to every volunteer who supports Ukrainian children and believes in us. The project «Ukraine Speaks English» is implemented by the NGO «Smart Osvita» in partnership with «Classrooms Without Walls»/Teachers for Ukraine.