WorldView is a Gateway to the Future: A Conversation with Mentor Teacher Roza Suchyan

“I believe the future is in the hands of school teachers. If each of us realizes this, we’ll have a better generation than we can imagine.”

Originally an economist, Roza Suchyan began her school career as a purchasing coordinator. She then realized that the school environment was where she belonged and wanted to teach. She became a history teacher at Karmirgyugh Secondary School No. 2 in the Gegharkunik region. She never doubted her choice for a moment, stating, “History has always been a means of understanding the world for me.”

Ms. Suchyan always sought ways to make historical dates interesting until one day in October 2022 by chance she heard about WorldView on television, when it was in its pilot period. “It immediately caught my attention. I approached the TV and saw how they zoomed in and out on the map, something we always dreamed of. I was intrigued, registered on the platform right away, and with great difficulty, we acquired a projector for the school to conduct lessons. This is how my journey with WorldView began.”

The vivid colors and possibilities of WorldView captivated Ms. Suchyan. Even after two years of exploring and teaching with this innovative educational platform, she continues to discover new aspects of it as the program’s technology is updated. Each experience is as impressive as the first: “A vibrant world filled with bright colors and endless information. You realize history isn’t just a subject; it becomes alive before your eyes.”

Ms. Suchyan participated twice in VA’s three-month weekly teacher training program and was among the first nationwide to complete the Teacher Mentorship Skills Development Scholarship Program with WorldView. She is now one of the first 20 WorldView mentor teachers.

“Initially, we enriched ourselves with methods. For example, I’ve successfully adopted and apply the 5E model for lesson planning. At the beginning of the lesson, I use an Engage strategy or we look at images related to the lesson’s main topic before exploring it, analyzing them, and so on. Now, I know, and I am confident that even impromptu, I can measure the classroom’s mood and deliver a lesson that even you yourself find surprising. This program has greatly boosted my confidence. A teacher feels fulfilled when recognized within the teaching community and stimulated by their work. In this case, you genuinely enjoy your work, succeeding in the classroom and within the teaching community.”

After four months of training, Ms. Suchyan is now mentoring her fellow teachers, assisting them in registering on the WorldView platform, becoming proficient with the tools, effectively utilizing the content, and planning and implementing lessons using the available resources. She wants them to be equipped with the latest methods and knowledge, learn to use the WorldView educational platform and conduct their lessons as effectively as she does.

According to her, WorldView is the innovation schools need: “It’s a gateway to the future and the past. We can’t teach new things with old methods and this platform is pure innovation. It’s a tool for teachers to not only impart knowledge but also prepare students for life. In today’s world, simply possessing passive knowledge is no longer competitive in the job market. We need students to develop skills such as critical thinking and the ability to interpret to reach their potential. WorldView can help us reach these goals.”

The change is already visible. At every lesson, Roza sees students becoming active participants and co-creators. They enter the classroom excited and leave with a smile, eagerly waiting for the next lesson. The colorful and interactive maps of WorldView inspire them; they’re in the classroom before the bell rings and don’t rush to leave. “You know your lesson is successful when you see students leaving with a smile, when all their senses are engaged in acquiring knowledge. They’re not only listening but also seeing and feeling. They’re not learning just for grades but becoming researchers, analyzing on their own. That’s what has changed in my lessons. Even the student sitting in the back rows gets involved. The enthusiasm is palpable. Compared to other subjects, History’s popularity has risen in school. Although other subjects are now integrating similar approaches, it all started with history,” Ms. Suchyan says, feeling proud as a history specialist.

And it is thanks to renewed History lessons that she and her students earned an interactive smart board for the school by participating in the “Smart Boards for WorldView Schools” competition. Roza Suchyan noted that the smart board’s introduction to the school became a contagious example, prompting everyone to contribute something new to the school: “You feel that you’re not just doing a job but contributing to a public good. Each of us has a role to play, and these contributions accumulate to create great value. I believe the future is in the hands of school teachers. If each of us realizes this, we’ll have a much better generation than we can imagine. It’s gratifying to be part of the changes embraced by the Visual Armenia Development Foundation, leading to the country’s advancement.”