Twin passions: From forest to classroom

The grandmother who inspired a path

In a small Eastern European village, Andrea’s grandmother wasn’t just any teacher. She embraced Montessori methods decades before they became fashionable, showing a young Andrea that learning happens best through experience, not memorisation.

“As a child, I loved pretending to teach my toys,” Andrea recalls, a childhood game that eventually solidified into a career as a language teacher and learning coordinator for English speakers. Her grandmother’s influence went beyond methodology – Andrea witnessed how the older woman’s progressive teaching style earned her unusual respect in the community, planting the seed for Andrea’s own path.

Where dinosaurs and learning pathways meet

Weekends find Andrea at ROOTS, the nature centre she co-founded near the river. Here, children aged four to seven build wooden forts, track animals, and develop a relationship with the natural world. The enterprise grew organically from Andrea’s desire to share nature with her three-year-old son, a dinosaur enthusiast whose curiosity mirrors what she sees in her language students.

The centre operates Saturday and Sunday mornings, with a city-provided indoor space for rainy days. While professional kindergarten teachers lead most activities, the philosophy behind ROOTS – learning through discovery rather than instruction – directly informs how Andrea approaches her role coordinating language lessons.

Breaking through the beginner barrier

As a learning coordinator for English-speaking students, Andrea knows the vulnerable feeling of starting from zero with a new language. She’s made it her mission to create safe spaces where new language learners can relax into learning.

“That first stage is probably the hardest,” she explains. Rather than drilling grammar, Andrea encourages teachers to begin with cultural insights or linguistic curiosities, establishing connection before correction. She promotes an environment where students speak imperfectly from day one, creating an atmosphere where attempts matter more than accuracy.

Between work and passion

When not working, Andrea’s family travels to the coast several times yearly, staying at their seaside place. Closer to home, she embraces her city’s summer transformation, when open-air festivals and wine celebrations showcase the distinctive flavours of the region.

“Our region has wonderful specialties you must try when visiting,” she insists, talking about local cuisine with genuine enthusiasm. At home, cooking duties fall happily to her husband while Andrea and their son explore picture books about dinosaurs – one more way learning weaves through her family life.

When virtual learning bears fruit

For Andrea, the most powerful teaching moments come when she sees her online students progress. After months of virtual lessons, watching them confidently communicate in their target language – whether in video conferences or through recordings of their conversations – validates everything she believes about language education.

Unlike teachers who require external motivation, Andrea finds satisfaction in her students’ progress and her ability to balance professional fulfillment with personal passion projects. From virtual classroom to forest, her philosophy remains consistent: true learning happens through curiosity, practical engagement, and the freedom to discover at your own pace.