Hi everyone, my name is Jenne and I’m one of the Senior Teachers for Satellite Schools. BKC is a big company with lots of schools all around Moscow, and I work with four schools in the southern part of the city. A big part of my job is supporting other teachers, though I do quite a lot of teaching myself. One of the advantages of working for a big school is that teachers can get experience in anything they want to. So far at BKC I’ve taught General English to adults and kids, Business English (both in our schools and in clients’ offices), and Exam Classes. My students have ranged from 3-year-olds on up to grandmothers who just want to learn something new during their free time. If you want to specialize in one type of teaching or if you just want to become a well-rounded teacher, BKC can accommodate you.

BKC has a lot going for it, but what I like most is the community of teachers and staff. While the material resources are great, I get my best ideas, inspiration, and the courage to try new things from other teachers. Work notwithstanding, there are always people to go out and explore Moscow with. Staff parties (some official but mostly unofficial) are the preferred way to unwind after a hard week, and the weekly training workshops and monthly seminars give you a chance to catch up with people that you don’t see very often. With teachers from all over the world, BKC is an endlessly educational and entertaining place to work. The teachers’ rooms are the sites of daily arguments over the correct pronunciation of “pasta” and what “flip-flops”, “French fries”, and “chips” are should really be called. Your English will be corrupted somehow, I guarantee! My Deep South American has been pitifully Anglicized, it’s sad but true!

Another thing that I am really proud of is our Teacher Training department. We run all kinds of courses here, including CELTA, DELTA, IHCYL, a weekly grammar course for newly qualified teachers, a post-CELTA reading group to keep up-to-date on the TEFL issues of the day, and we have monthly seminars covering all kinds of topics known to TEFL-mankind. I did my CELTA here and now I’m doing the IHCYL (International House Certificate in Teaching English to Young Learners) course, which has helped me with my kids classes immensely, and it’s only halfway through!

Finally, living in Moscow certainly deserves a few words. This is a gigantic place, and you definitely get to see a lot of it working here, but it’s a point of pride, being able to navigate the Metro, eyes-closed-one-hand-behind-your-back-uphill-both-ways-through-the-snow. I’ve got some stories now that could put my Grandpa’s to shame! Though this can seem a gruff and impersonal place out on the street, that’s only Moscow’s tough façade. As soon as you get to know the local people, including your students, they’ll astonish you with their friendliness, generosity, and willingness to help with any little problem you may have. The winter is long, but then again, that means so is the ice-skating season! The summer is blissfully green and it’ll make you appreciate sunshine, blue skies, and campfires more than you ever have before. The Kremlin view from the main office isn’t too shabby, either! This is a city of endless entertainments and adventures, and I can confidently say that you’ll never get bored here. Come and see it for yourself!

Jenne Pross