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Fellow Biographies - University of Nebraska—Lincoln

Cohort 2 - Fall 2007

Sara Ekmekchyan, English Teacher
School N18
Vanadzor, Armenia
U.S. Host University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Ms. Ekmekchyan earned a diploma from the Department of English at the Teachers’ Training Institute in Vanadzor in 2003. During the past five years in which Ms. Ekmekchyan has taught at School N18 she has attended many seminars and professional development conferences in Armenia. She has also participated in the American Red Cross Beneficiary Selection process in Vanadzor, as well as the English Teachers’ Methodology conference organized by the US Peace Corps TEFL volunteers. Ms. Ekmekchyan hopes to learn innovative teaching methods by getting acquainted with other experienced American and Eurasian teachers.

Emma Nikolyan, English Teacher
Ashtarak School #1
Ashtarak, Armenia
U.S. Host University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Ms. Nikolyan studied at the Institute of Foreign Languages After V. Brusov, earning a diploma in English Language in 1980. She has taught English at the Ashtarak School for 26 years. Ms. Nikolyan has also successfully participated in British council Education for Sustainable Development Foundation courses and seminars in teacher training for regional teachers, as well as in seminars organized by Project Harmony. She is also an organizer of regional Olympiads. While on the TEA program, Ms. Nikolyan hopes to learn more about the United States and its political system, history, and cultural life.

 

Rafik Pluzyan, English Teacher
School #5
Vanadzor, Armenia
U.S. Host University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Mr. Pluzyan graduated from the Armenia State Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages in 1977 and he has been teaching for a total of 29 years. For the past 25 years he has taught English at School #5, as well as serving as Chair of the English Department there. Mr. Pluzyan has also been a supervisor at the Teachers’ Training Institute and a trainer for TOEFL teachers. He would like to supplement his knowledge and experience with more diverse, modern teaching methodologies.

Tarana Aliyeva, English Teacher
School #20
Baku, Azerbaijan
U.S. Host University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Ms. Aliyeva graduated from the Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages in 1988.  She has been a teacher and a teacher trainer since 1993. She also serves as an Executive Board Member for AzETA. Ms. Aliyeva would like to improve her teacher motivation and leadership skills for her role as a teacher and teacher trainer.

Tahir Asadov, English Teacher
Nizami Maktabi No. 1
Bilesuvar, Azerbaijan
U.S. Host University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Mr. Asadov has a teaching certificate from the English Faculty at the University of Foreign Languages in Baku, which he received in June 1979. Throughout his many years of teaching experience, Mr. Asadov has also helped his students compete in English Olympiads held by the Azerbaijani government, organized a community conversational club for interested adults, and has taught English to the customs officials of Bilesuvar. Mr. Asadov hopes this program will give him an opportunity to meet other teachers from different countries and gain techniques for making lessons exciting without needing a lot of material resources.

Farida Huseynova, English Teacher
Secondary School No. 290
Baku, Azerbaijan
U.S. Host University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Ms. Huseynova graduated from the Azerbaijan Foreign Language University’s Department of English in May 1987. She has taught at the secondary school in Baku for 12 years. Ms. Huseynova also works for the Azerbaijan English Teachers Association and the British Council as an English teacher trainer. She hopes to learn more about developing a free choice of curriculum and how to improve the opportunities for disabled students to study.

Rasmiyya Mehdiyeva, English Teacher
Baku Secondary School No. 35
Baku, Azerbaijan
U.S. Host University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Ms. Mehdiyeva graduated from the Azerbaijan State University of Languages in May 1983 and has been teaching English for 23 years. She is also an active member of the Azerbaijan English Teachers’ Association, where she participates in work-shops, seminars, debates, and forums. Ms. Mehdiyeva also teaches American Studies. She is looking forward to applying new types of teaching strategies and progressive education in her own school when she returns from the TEA program.

Muzzafar Nasrullayev, English Teacher
Sheki, Bash Zeyzid Secondary School
Bash Zeyzid Village, Azerbaijan
U.S. Host University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Mr. Nasrullayev earned a bachelor’s degree from the Ganja State University in Ganja in June 2002. He has participated in the Peace Corps’ language and cultural facilitator training program and Project Development Management workshop. He has taught at the secondary school in Bash Zeyzid for 4 years. Mr. Nasrullayev teaches 7th form to 11th form there. He has also spent time preparing students for English university examinations, and teaching Azerbaijani language and culture to Peace Corps trainees.

Tsisana Andghuladze, English Teacher
Ozurgeti V. Bakhvi Bakhvi Secondary School
Ozurgeti V. Bakhvi, Georgia
U.S. Host University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Ms. Andghuladze received her diploma in 1978 from the Department of English Languages at Tbilisi State Pedagogical Institute. She has taught for 25 years and she now serves as Director of her school. She is a member of the Young Teacher’s Association and the head of the teacher’s association of nearby secondary schools. This association meets monthly to share methodology. Ms. Andghuladze is currently collaborating with an American volunteer; together they are creating interesting and productive classes.

Ketevan Gvania, English Teacher
Public School No. 3
Poti, Georgia
U.S. Host University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Ms. Ghvania graduated with a diploma in the Department of Western European Languages from Poti Independent University in May 1998. Ms. Ghvania was the first “Counterpart Teacher” to a Peace Corps volunteer in Poti. Together with the Peace Corps volunteer, she planned lessons and team-taught daily using new teaching methodologies and planning summer camps for her school and the larger community. She has taught at the Public School No. 3 for 9 years. Before coming to teach there, she worked as an interpreter for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Nata Kevkhishvili, English Teacher
Tbilisi Public School #166
Tbilisi, Georgia
U.S. Host University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Ms. Kevkhishvili has been teaching for 22 years. She currently teaches EFL at the Tbilisi Public School No. 166. She graduated from the Tbilisi-Georgian State University and has since been active in many educational conferences and professional development events. For example, Ms. Kevkhisvhili has attended the conference “Sharing Across Borders,” with participants from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, the first Caucasus English language teaching conference, as well as the “Project Harmony—Armenia Networking Event-Sharing and Development Connecting Caucasus EFL Teachers.” During the TEA professional seminar she intends to improve her teaching strategies by fostering the language native speakers use, and sharpen her own awareness of aspects of English grammar, phonology and lexes.

Shorena Marakvelidze, English Teacher
Public School No. 5
Zestofoni, Georgia
U.S. Host University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Ms. Marakvelidze received a diploma from the Department of English language at Kutaisi Pedagogical Institute, Georgia, in July 1997. She has been teaching for 12 years. In addition to teaching, Ms. Marakvelidze founded the foreign language library, “Linguistica,” along with two Peace Corps volunteers. She hopes that the TEA program will be a wonderful resource on American culture and traditions, as well as an opportunity to share resources regarding assessment, writing tests, and classroom management.

Ulugbek Abdurazakov, English Teacher
Yusuf Saremi No 1
Sayram, Kazakhstan
U.S. Host University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Mr. Abdurazakov earned a diploma from the South Kazakhstan State University in 1999 and he now teaches intermediate and advanced English language at the Yusuf Saremi Gymnasium, where he has taught for 7 years. Mr. Abdurazakov is also the counterpart to a Peace Corps volunteer at his school, and together they arrange many English instructional workshops. During the TEA program, he would like to observe students choosing their own classes and schedules, and hopes also to focus on improving his own management skills.

Irina Astafyeva, English Teacher
Gymnasium No 6
Stepnogorsk, Kazakhstan
U.S. Host University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Ms. Astafyeva attended the State Pedagogical Institute in Astana from 1976 until 1981 in the Department of Foreign Languages. She earned her diploma in 1981. In addition, Ms. Astafyeva holds certificates from the English Departments of the Norilsk Center on Development of Creative Skills at Primary School, the Kokchetav Teachers Training Institute, and the Karaganda Teachers Training Institute. She also participates in a women’s society called “The Light,” which addresses such issues as family problems, questions of bringing up children, and protecting women’s rights. In the future she hopes to further develop “critical thinking” methods and to introduce them in the lessons of English, as well as to develop a special course on “Computer Slang” for advanced students.

Natalya Bogapova, English Teacher
Humanitarian Technical High School
Kokshetau, Kazakhstan
U.S. Host University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Ms. Bogapova holds a diploma from the Teachers’ Training Institute named after Ch. Valikhanov, Kokshetau, which she received in June 1995. She was a coach of the school debate team for two years and is now an active member and Vice President of Kokshetau English Teachers’ Association.  She has taught grades 8-11 for four years. Ms. Bogapova knows that each learner is an individual with distinct needs and so she is looking forward to becoming familiar with a much wider range of materials and methodologies, since a single one cannot be the most appropriate for all students.

Kanziba Bulekbayeva, English Teacher
Mukur Kazakh Secondary School
Mukur, Kzylkoga District, Kazakhstan
U.S. Host University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Ms. Bulekbayeva graduated with a diploma from the Kazakh University of International Relations and World Languages in Almaaty in 1981. She has taught 6th to 10th grades for 25 years. Ms. Bulekbayeva has also done research on methods of teaching English and presented that research at several pedagogical seminars, competitions, and forums at oblast and national levels. She also conducts trainings on how to use new generations of English textbooks that are being introduced into secondary schools by the Ministry of Education. She hopes to improve her leadership skills now that she has been promoted to the Deputy Principle on Academic Affairs.

Klara Iglikova, History Teacher
School No 29
Aktobe, Kazakhstan
U.S. Host University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Ms. Iglikova studied History and Social Studies at the Kazakh State University in Almaaty and received a diploma in 1991. She also has a diploma from the English Faculty at the Pedagogical Institute in Aktobe, which she received in 1981. Among other professional development accomplishments, Ms. Iglikova attended the International Summer University Center for Conflict Management in Almaaty in 2002. In addition to teaching English and History, Ms. Iglikova has also taught American studies, wherein she has analyzed the American experience of the theory of the melting pot, cultural pluralism, and problems and achievements, in the lessons. She is looking forward to benefiting her students by observing real life situations from contemporary America.

Raushan Kudaibergenova, English Teacher
Grammar School No 7
Taraz, Kazakhstan
U.S. Host University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Ms. Kudaibergenova studied English Language at the Almaaty Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages and received a diploma in 1993. She has taught at Grammar School No 7 since September 2002. She teaches English to grades 8-11, as well as area studies and civic education. Ms. Kudaibergenova is also responsible for providing teacher training in modern teaching methodologies. In 2004, she participated in the “Village” Project, providing trainings to teachers in the villages. She tries to be a personal example of hard work in learning for her students.

Yelena Mirgorodskaya, English Teacher
School Gymnasium No 10
Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan
U.S. Host University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Ms. Mirgorodskaya earned a diploma from the Pedagogical Institute in Ust-Kamenogorsk in June 1990. Since then she has attended and taken part in many seminars and courses for professional development. Ms. Mirgorodskaya is also the principal of the English centre where she teaches adults. Before teaching, she used to work in a trade union organization, defending labor rights.

Yelena Nagornaya, English Teacher
Lyceum 8 for Gifted Students
Pavlodar, Kazakhstan
U.S. Host University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Ms. Nagornaya received a diploma from the Department of Foreign Languages of the State Pedagogical Institute in Pavlodar in 1978. She has taught at the Lyceum No 8 for 7 years, where she teaches grades 7 and 9.  She is a trainer of the debate team, “Curious,” at her school, as well as a consultant for the Students’ Scientific Association. Ms. Nagornaya has traveled to Great Britain but is excited to be learning more about American English in context.

Larissa Ostroverkhova, English Teacher
Lycee No 7
Semey, Kazakhstan
U.S. Host University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Ms. Ostroverkhova graduated from the Barnaul State Pedagogical Institute’s Department of Foreign Languages in 1987. She has taught grades 8-11 at her current school for 3 months; previously, she was the senior teacher of the Department of Theory and Methodology of Teaching Foreign Languages at the Semey State Pedagogical Institute. Before that she spent 8 years as the senior teacher of the Department of English Language at the Semey State University after Shakarim. 

Gulnaz Zhukenova, English Teacher
Regional Specialized Boarding School for Gifted Children, “Murager”
Karaganda, Kazakhstan
U.S. Host University: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Ms. Zhukenova attended the Department of Business and Law at Karaganda Economical University of KazPotrebSoyuz from 2004 until 2006. She had previously received a first diploma in 1996 from the Department of Foreign Languages at Karaganda State University.  While teaching English at the Regional Specialized Boarding School for Gifted Children, she also serves as the head of the school methodological union of English teachers. She also participated in the International Competition-Seminar “Education without Borders” for Secondary School Teachers in the Crimea and Ukraine.

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