Yurii Aidarov

Born in Perm. Graduated from the Faculty of Mathematics and Mechanics of Perm State National Research University, Department of Mathematical Software and Computing Systems. The headmaster of Physics and Mathematics School № 146, teacher.

Quotes

• My job is to save the world every day.
• Self-determination is an endless process, you need to learn throughout life.
• One can write a book about every day of a school headmaster, but there is no time for it.

My story

I, like my whole family, like my children, was born in Perm and never wanted to leave it. My relatives were military or doctors, parents worked all their lives in the ambulance. From an early age, I saw the hard work of doctors and realized in time that this was not for me. My interest in mathematics and programming led me to graduate from the faculty of mathematics and mechanics and work where there are mathematics, physics, and computer science.

I was one of the first eighth-graders who entered school № 146: I took part in an individual selection, made the cut and found that there are many guys here who are interested in the same things as me. The school gave an excellent mathematical base, so I entered the faculty of mechanics and mathematics of the classical university without any problems.

I did Olympiads on programming from 2001 to 2018: first I participated, then I coached. Programming is a highly demanded industry, during this time the number of participants has increased 15 times. It is necessary to understand: this is a challenge for teachers, a challenge for Perm IT companies. In 2003, I switched to playing coach status and somehow combined my professional activities in an IT company, teaching at the university, and working with teams. We got a result that did not happen before: in 2004, a team of the Classical university won gold medals at the World Programming Championship. This significantly increased the interest in the study of programming in the region, many began to seek to enroll in the mathematical faculty.

I worked as a mathematician at the Novomet factory, in the IVS group as a software engineer, and was engaged in programming contests at the university, at school, and at the Muraveinik Center. In Muraveinik — in the institution that organizes the regional stage of the All-Russian Olympiads — I worked as a director, and besides the Olympiads, we were engaged in tourism, local history studies, and scientific and technical creativity. For the proper organization of the process, so that everything moves and works without obstacles, you need to have a broad outlook, so my change-over to my home school № 146 in 2013 was quite simple.

By this time I had been working there for several years as an informatics teacher; however, I never went too far away from school, so it was just a change of status. I remember myself as a pupil at school, so I know the capabilities and needs of the children from the inside. My job is to make it so that everyone works as efficiently as possible, to provide conditions in which children and teachers can develop and achieve incredible results.

I dare to hope that school № 146 today is the same as the last 25 years: the community of the best teachers and the best pupils. Academically gifted children set ambitious goals and come here. The task of teachers is to lead them to these goals. I am sure our teachers are ready to accept the challenge of schoolchildren.

I ask everyone at the start: why do you want to study here? This question is decisive, we need to understand that admission is the child's choice. The same question was also asked to me in due time. I said that I want to pass this selection as a matter of principle. To the question «what kind of principle?» I did not answer. As Porthos used to say: «I'm fighting because I'm fighting» — but no one would call Porthos an unmotivated person.

The first quarter in the 146th school for any child is adaptation and stress: after he was a «star» and received grades A, suddenly the first F's appeared in his diary. But you should not lower the bar. We organize meetings with graduates whom one can always ask how they experienced this period. You need to try, change and not to spare yourself.

This year we took part in the city project «Zolotoi Reserv» (The Golden Reserve — ed.): this is an information system for recording students' individual achievements. Each Perm schoolchild can write their goals for the year, for the entire time of school, for future professional activities. This gives an understanding of how to organize work with the student. There are many competitions, contests, online courses that can help a young person to achieve his dream. A teacher can help in this movement.

All our teachers have something to tell. Here, every study subject is essential, there is no secondary one. For me, it is a wakeup call if a student receives an F grade: why are his abilities not being realized? We try to create an atmosphere where you can be successful in any direction. Besides, serious mathematics begins in the 10-11th grade, and at the seventh-grade level, it is impossible to understand whether you like mathematics or not. Therefore, all subjects are at the highest pitch so that the student has a choice. Fundamental education makes it possible to switch between areas of activity, to solve any tasks, and such people are necessary for everyone and always.

The work of the school headmaster is not easy, if not to say difficult. But it really charges me that I studied at this school. The Physicomathematical Union and its preservation is a crucial task. So that those who want something more could achieve it. We have a unique atmosphere here, and it's not about the composition of the air, but about magic. And this magic must be preserved.