By Joani Gillam
News Editor
English teacher Zamira Skalkottas will leave at the end of the 2011-12 school year to teach in Tarsus, a city located in the south coast of Turkey.
The opportunity to teach abroad arose when Skalkottas attended a Search Associates job fair in San Francisco.
“I’ve always wanted to teach internationally,” Skalkottas said. “I thought of this dream when I was staying in Europe, but I had to get my credentials and classroom experience before I could continue with my plan.”
In Turkey, Skalkottas will continue teaching high school English, but will take Turkish language lessons to help her adapt to the culture.
“I have Ms. Skalkottas this year, and she always talks about other cultures,” sophomore Maddy Vogel said. “I think this will be a great opportunity for her, especially because it involves teaching in a different country.”
In addition to adapting to the Turkish culture, Skalkottas believes that the lenient discipline policy in Turkish high schools may be a challenge.
“One thing I am worried about is the discipline policy in Turkey,” Skalkottas said. “There is no such thing as detention, and the only way to keep a class under control is by being a good person and a role model.”
Skalkottas believes that her Greek heritage will help her get the most out of her experience teaching abroad.
“Because Turkish and Greek heritage are so intermixed, I hope to learn more about history and myself through my travels,” Skalkottas said. “I also heard that the country is beautiful.”
As of now, there is no full-time replacement for Skalkottas.
“We will hire a replacement, but that person will be temporary for the first year,” Principal Ben Dale said. “Ms. Skalkottas will be missed. Her students love her.”
Skalkottas plans to teach for one year in Turkey before deciding whether or not to return to the United States.
“I am very happy that I finally get to fulfill my goal, which is teaching internationally,” Skalkottas said.
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