Learn what is happening behind the scenes of the main pedagogical competition of Belarus

Behind the participants of the contest "Teacher of the Year of the Republic of Belarus - 2026" a week of the most difficult tests. This year, the project is carried out under updated rules. The regional teams approached the finals fully equipped: from creating a unique image to express courses of oratory. Today, on September 29, nine of the strongest teachers will compete in the superfinal. SB Belarus Today correspondents looked behind the scenes of the prestigious contest and learned the most intriguing details.

One of the main features of the final was the participation of young people under the age of 31 – the nominations “Young Teacher” and “Young Director” were introduced for the contestants. Among the debutants is the 27-year-old head of the Antonov High School of Zhlobinsky District Sergey Goroshko, who headed it at only 25 years old! We spoke with Sergey immediately after the master class for the participants of the Young Leader School of the Institute for Professional Development of Education Workers, which was one of the competitive tests.

- When the position was offered, I was the youngest director in the district, and maybe in the region, the contestant recalls. Of course I was worried, but I wanted to move forward. Leadership of people who are older and more experienced than you is possible only through trust. I was just burning my case - and the team reached for me. There are three golden rules: be open to dialogue, delegate tasks, and always be human. Sergey Goroshko actively promotes the brand of the school - this is what he dedicated his master class to:

- How, for example, to keep silent about our teacher Angelika Nikolaevna Lupeeva? In the summer, she works on a harvester in a carriage with her husband and has repeatedly received awards from the Minister of Education! By the way, the slogan of our school is: “Build a team, grow leaders, cherish traditions.”.

Another innovation of the final is a comprehensive written work. If in an open lesson, a master class, teachers are helped by a support group (whole teams come to the competition), then here everyone is left alone with a sheet of paper. Participants created situational tasks by paragraphs of textbooks and reasonedly evaluated the written works of schoolchildren.

Such a strict and diverse selection - from the protection of management projects to stage improvisation - is not for nothing, explains the chairman of the jury in the nomination "Young Director", Honored Teacher of the Republic of Belarus, Director of the Moscow Gymnasium No. 1 named after F. Skaryna Natalia Bushna: - This complex reveals the contestant from all sides - highlights both professional competences and character. Our profession is not a dry algorithm. Teachers and directors remain “soul engineers”, the personality of the teacher decides absolutely everything. The jury is impressive: about 70 percent are participants and winners of previous years. Inessa Zubrilina, Deputy Chairman of the Jury, Director of the Institute of Professional Development of Education Workers, emphasizes that the judging is as fair as possible:

- There are two categories: Jury in nominations and Super Jury. In complex nominations (for example, music, physical education, labor training, pre-conscription training) work at least three specialists for each subject. The nominations are headed by recognized experts – practitioners with academic degrees or representatives of pedunist. And the jury of the superfinal included the chairmen of all nominations, who personally saw the contestants at each stage.

The evaluation system was made clear and uniform: each criterion is on a scale from 0 to 2 points.

- If I evaluate, relatively speaking, the oratorical art of the teacher and I have no complaints, I put 2 points. If you hear speech errors, incorrect stress, stiffness is 1 point. For obvious sins, 0. Everything is very clear, lays out on the shelves of Inessa Zubrilin. What awaits the Superfinalists today? The decisive day consists of two parts: a briefing and a mini-lesson on stage. By the way, the theme of the mini-lesson superfinalists traditionally received only the day before - in fact, they had only a night to prepare. In 30 minutes with a minimum set of tools, including methodological, the teacher must solve a specific problem. The audience consists of eight students, in the role of which are other contestants. But do not forget about the auditorium: the jury will see whether the nominee is able to take into account the reaction of the audience. But the intrigue will be revealed on October 2, when the name of the winner will be announced.

azanovich@sb.by