Meet Altynai – English Teacher from Kyrgyzstan

In this article, we’ve had the pleasure to chat with Altynai Karimova, a passionate English teacher from the breathtaking country of Kyrgyzstan. She’s shared with us her best insights into the Kyrgyzstan ESL market, as well as how to build a healthy work-life balance as a teacher.

With a growing global demand for English language education, teachers around the world nowadays possess many opportunities to pursue a teaching career abroad and experience new cultures. While this is the goal for many teachers, embarking on a career overseas often involves a journey that first starts close to home before branching out to exciting opportunities abroad.

Altynai Karimova is one of the teachers that dreams of one day taking the leap to launch a teaching career abroad. With her passion for languages, children, and her belief in the transformative power of education, she’s ready to take the next step and explore the world of teaching overseas.

Join us as we explore her career, future aspirations, and the unique insights she brings to the English teaching profession.

Altynai’s interview:

💬 How long have you been teaching English, and how did you start?

“I have been teaching English for almost three years with some gaps in between. How did I start? It is a long journey so fasten your seat belts. When I was a schoolgirl, I was very interested in communication, and the cultures and traditions of other countries.

However, after graduating from university, I felt uncertain whether if I could provide my students with new knowledge or experiences, so I took a long break. I just didn’t feel like I would be able to make a difference with them sitting at their desks and me standing in front of them teaching. However, a little over two years ago, finally I gathered my courage and took my first step towards teaching English in a language school.”

💬 What made you decide to pursue an English teaching career?

“First and foremost, it was my interest in languages, secondly it was my love for children. I believe that with English, you open doors not just for yourself but for the next generation too.”

💬 Where do you currently teach and how did you find the job?

“I teach teenage and adult students in my home country Kyrgyzstan, in a small city called Osh. Nowadays, we are able to witness new openings of small local businesses related to education like Ucreate, Kupuev Academy, Kalpak English Academy, etc. which is very exciting.

Kalpak is the name for the traditional head wear that Kyrgyz men use which is made from felt, and that is also the name of the Academy where I work. I found their job post while browsing Instagram, so I decided to take a chance which resulted in me getting the job.

💬 What is the job like?

I think it is very similar to other language school. We have own curriculum and students enroll to enhance their knowledge about the English language.”

💬 What made you decide on teaching teenagers and adult learners?

“In general, I can build rapport with all types of students: adults, teenagers and kids. But the main audience in my courses are adults and teenagers hopefully one day I will change smoothly my audience to kids. I give a great importance to the opportunity to speak with adults and teenagers and to exchange opinions.”

💬 What do you like best about working as an English teacher?

“The best part of our job is to meet a lot of unknown people and to know how human being is rich and diverse. Also, when I see how my students develop themselves, I don’t want to stuck and try to do the same. Their energy and positivity make difference within me. (That shared energy and positivity always inspires me for difference).“

💬 What is it like working as an English teacher in Kyrgyzstan?

“If most countries provide good condition to work for teachers and doctors, here we have completely opposite situation. That is why most of our teachers prefer to work abroad and change their occupation. The education needs improvement. This is my personal opinion and can be wrong but less and less teachers who can conduct lessons on science (physics, chemistry, biology and so on) and show laboratory research.”

💬 What is the current English teaching market in Kyrgyzstan like?

“As we have public schools, we have private ones too. And parents want their children have education in English and private schools hire near native, native or locals with international degree or rich experience.”

💬 What kind of teaching qualifications do you possess?

“I have bachelor’s degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, as well as some certificates on communicative approaches and the importance of high technology in language learning. In addition to these, I also have my 120-hour TESOL/TEFL teaching certificate from World TESOL Academy, and some certificates related to the Korean language.“

💬 What is something from your teacher training course that you’ve found really useful when working as an English teacher?

“One area that I often struggled with was managing my class when there were a lot of students, especially young learners (I had a brief taste of working with them). Before my teacher training course, I always started my lessons without introducing classroom rules, which I now know was a mistake from my side. I also learned that I should pay more attention to encouraging good behavior, and how the students’ seating arrangment in a class can influence their learning.“

💬 How do you maintain your personal development?

“I use different kinds of social media and follow pages that I find useful. When there are open seminars, lectures, or training opportunities, I try to participate as often as I can. It does not have to be about English just various useful topics.“

💬 Would you recommend others pursue English teaching certifications like TESOL/TEFL?

“Yes, for sure. You will be able to refresh your understanding how to teach English effectively, find up-to-date teaching approaches, and learn how to see yourself from your student’s perspective when it comes to obtaining new knowledge.“

💬 How do you maintain a good work-life balance as an English teacher?

“I may not be the best advisor for this question, as I often devote all of myself to teaching which sometimes leads to me burning out. When this happens, I usually need to take a break or try other jobs which will give me some time for myself.

However, what I’ve learned from this is that as you become busier with work, you need to prioritize and manage your time effectively to be able to work and live a healthy life. One way I do this is to try and limit my time on social media and the internet. Doing so helps me keep a balanced life. “

💬 Do you have any special memories from your teaching career that helps you stay motivated?

“When I first started teaching English to kids, there was one moment when one really nice kid with big bright eyes approached me with a cake. He could have eaten the cake himself or even given it to his friends, but he said that it was specifically for me and then he hugged me.

I was like really shocked because I hadn’t experienced such feelings for a long time due to not having any little brothers or sisters. These pure little angels always wanted to try to get your attention, hug and surprise you (though of course they could also be completely out of control 😊).

Another thing that sometimes happened was that I could have a word on the tip of my tongue and these clever students would help me out. I was once struggling to remember the word “Mint tea” and said “You know orbit gum with grass”, but they helped me out and we got it right together.

Lastly, I have a special memory from one time when I was teaching middle and high school students at a boarding school. A lot of parents in Kyrgyzstan go abroad for work and leave their children with relatives. During the weekdays, the children will often live and study in boarding schools, and then on the weekends, they will go home. It was very interesting to see how the way they spoke, behaved, looked could change so much whenever they went back home. At that moment I could understand the problems that migration can cause, where the children are left all by themselves.“

💬 Could you give us a glimpse of what a typical week would look like for you?

“My teaching hours can differ a lot, as it depends on how many groups of students I have. Right now, I’m working part time which means that I have more time for myself. I like to watch series and read novels in my spare time.

Nowadays, I also spend a lot of time with my parents because for the past 11 years, I used to live in the capital city of Bishkek where I was able to enjoy my free time during my youth. I was more active back then. I would sometimes go hiking with groups, attend Korean courses, and meet up with my friends to walk around one of the crowded streets called ‘Magistral’ until nighttime, just to experience and embrace the present moment.“

💬 What’s next in store for you?

“We make a plan and God helps us accomplish it. I hope that one day, I will be able to use my TESOL knowledge and teach English in the countryside in Thailand. I want to see all the elephants, tea and rice plantations, and live a simple life in a wooden house. If I ever become a mother, I think I would like to deeply study child development and similar things that can help make a difference.“

Conclusion

Just like Altynai, many teachers begin their careers by teaching in their home countries before embarking on exciting adventures overseas. Altynai’s dedication to personal development and her passion for fostering her students’ growth has enabled her to establish a solid foundation that will prove invaluable as she takes the next steps in her teaching journey.

By obtaining the necessary teaching qualifications and gaining experience, you too can lay a strong foundation that opens doors to opportunities abroad.

Our conversation with Altynai serves as a valuable reminder of the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Teaching is not a sprint; it’s a marathon. To build a fulfilling and sustainable English teaching career, it’s crucial to recognize your limits and prioritize self-care to prevent burnout.

As Altynai looks ahead to the future, we extend our best wishes for her continued success in her teaching endeavors and her aspirations to launch a career abroad.