PaedDr. Jana Kamenická, PhD.

TEACHERS HAVE GREAT POWER IN THEIR HANDS

When Peter Parker became Spider-man, his uncle gave him life advice: “With great power comes great responsibility.” How many people did Spider-man save and protect? And, how many human lives have been placed under the protection of teachers’ hands? How many teachers have received such life advice from their uncles, teachers, and educators? We call Spider-man a hero, because in our eyes he is… We call teachers with different names – each with the name they deserve in our eyes…

The teacher has enormous power in their hands – the power to open and close the door to the future possibilities of his/her learners. The teacher is a gardener who has the power to sow and care for the harvest in his/her garden. At the same time, however, he/she also has the power to harm and destroy… And although I had been very close to teaching all my life, I only realised this truth when I became a teacher myself…

Already during my studies at the Milan Hodža Bilingual Grammar School (BGMH) in Sučany, I had the honour of meeting several teacher-heroes. It was already clear to me then that professional knowledge and the art of teaching were two different things. The expert masters the subject matter – however, the teacher not only masters it, but also knows how to teach it. The good news is that the art of teaching can be learned.

WHEN I WENT OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

I have always been fascinated by travelling and distant lands… The fact that I spent 5 years in a small village under Mala Fatra mountain range in the English-speaking environment of a bilingual grammar school opened up opportunities for me so much that I took the chance to work as an interpreter and translator for several companies with an international distribution network – before reaching the age of 18. The longer I was in such an environment, the more the foreign lands called to me. My journey around the world began with an exchange language programme at the SOL School in Barnstaple, United Kingdom. Shortly after, I got an offer to interpret in Hong Kong at the HKTDC Hong Kong International Lighting Fair. After successfully completing my studies at BGMH in Sučany and with a school-leaving certificate in English at the C1 level, I knew that at university I wanted to study English and my other passion – music. At that time, I received an offer to become an English teacher at the Private Bilingual Grammar School in Dolný Kubín, which was not easy for a first-year university student – especially because my students were only 2 years younger than I was. Nevertheless, it was a life lesson for me – when I learned that being an expert and being a teacher are two different things.

Shortly afterwards, my desire to explore the world took me to Ireland – where a 20-year-old interpreter-translator and a bilingual grammar school teacher received a job offer in Dublin that simply could not be rejected – I became a member of frozen yogurt bar staff of the prestigious Dublin brand “Mooch Frozen Yogurt”. That’s when I found out that both ice cream and frozen yogurt can be eaten every day – regardless of the weather and language proficiency level. 🙂

And although it may sound unbelievable, after a few months of my Irish adventure and after much deliberation and the offer of a managerial position, I finally decided to return to interpreting, translating and… to school… At that time I was 21 years old…

EXCELLENT STUDENT AND DETERMINATION TO BECOME AN EXCELLENT TEACHER

I did not regret returning to Slovakia and the university, as I never really left in the English-speaking environment. An added bonus for me was playing the piano, guitar, 3 types of recorder (flute) and singing, which I was passionate about both during my studies and in my free time. The icing on the cake for me was a red diploma and the deans prize, with which I successfully completed my bachelors degree. Thanks to two very inspiring university teachers, Mgr. Jela Kehoe, PhD. and PaedDr. Katarína Tišťanová, PhD., I already knew very well at that time that the career of a university teacher would be the right path for me, too.

That is why I decided for a master’s and doctoral study at the Department of Language Pedagogy and Intercultural Studies at the Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra. Of all the universities in Slovakia, this department paid the most attention to the methodology of English language teaching (ELT methodology). In fact, I fell in love with methodology of teaching during my bachelor studies and I knew it would be a lifelong love for me.

It is in ELT methodology classes that a future English teacher learns the art of teaching. Thanks to the teaching experience in grammar schools that I gained during my studies at university, I knew that it is the ELT methodology that the future English teacher needs for his/her practice most. At that time, in addition to studying, I worked as an English teacher at St. Joseph Calasanz Piarist Grammar School in Nitra and in my free time continued translating and interpreting, for example at the international conference on cryptocurrencies in Klagenfurt. The time sure did fly and my master’s studies were over. Maybe it was because I really enjoyed those times to the fullest in the company of wonderful classmates and teachers. To add, thanks to the emphasis on ELT methodology, I knew that the time spent studying at Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra was not wasted, but meaningfully spent.

I remember saying goodbye to my classmates on the day of graduation – holding a red diploma in one hand and a deans prize in the other one – determined that as a teacher I wanted to be a role model to my future students in this regard. (I would not dare to stand in a classroom full of students teaching them a subject I had passed with a barely satisfactory final mark. 🙂 ) On that day, I already knew where my journey would continue – towards the PhD degree and the career of a university teacher.

LIFELONG MISSION

Doctoral studies under the amazing and very professional guidance of prof. PaedDr. Zdena Kráľová, PhD. had a hitherto unknown flavour for me. I became a scientist and I took my love for teaching art to a higher level – I started to deal with neuroscientific and psychological views on education. Research into the impact of emotions on the learning process led me to my Japanese colleagues – who inspired me to create my own “Apple Tree Model of Emotion-Involved Processing”: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352493105_Apple_Tree_Model_of_Emotion-Involved_Processing_Videos_for_Emotions_and_Foreign_Language_Learning.

Unfortunately, a week before my departure, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible for me to do a 3-month internship under their leadership in Osaka, Japan. However, I believe that when the situation improves, I will finally get to meet my colleagues in Osaka and Kyoto (safe and sound) in person.*

Time flies when you are having fun and so did my studies at Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra. In June 2021, I was awarded a doctoral degree (PhD.)** and soon after, in October 2021, the rector’s prize, too. Today I realise that my passion for ELT methodology and science is more than just a passion… It is a mission… I prepare future teachers for their future profession… My job is not only to be an expert, but also a teacher. My job is not only to teach, but also to ignite the passion for teaching in my students. However, I am not saying it is an easy mission.

Today, more than ever before, I realise how much responsibility comes with the role of a teacher, and even more so with the role of a university teacher. Today, more than ever, I realise that every learner needs a teacher-hero: https://www.ted.com/talks/rita_pierson_every_kid_needs_a_champion

*EDIT (04/05/2023): The meeting with Japanese colleagues took place in Osaka as a part of Erasmus+ mobility in 04/2023.
**EDIT (31/08/2023): J. Kamenická successfully defended her PaedDr. thesis and was awarded the title “PaedDr.”.