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Our Trainers
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 My name's Irina and I've worked for the Teacher Training Department since 2005. I've been with BKC for almost 10 years working as an ADOS Lingua.ru and then as an ADOS Satellite Schools. After being trained as a teacher trainer I started running CELTA courses, and I also run the 'ATEEL Refresher Course' and the 'Language and Methodology Course' for Russian teachers. As for in-house teacher training, I arrange monthly seminars and run the 'IH WO Language Awareness Course' which is very popular among BKC teachers. One of the advantages of working for the Teacher Training Department is the opportunity to travel. As part of the ATEEL program I do assessments and run teacher training sessions in different ATEEL schools within the former Soviet Union. So I've been to Cheliabinsk, Rostov-on-Don, Kemerovo, Uhta, Ekaterinburgh and Sorov, which I've never been to before although I'm Russian. Working on my own professional development, I did an MA in TESOL at Wollongong University in 2010 and after running over 20 intensive CELTA courses, I became a CELTA assessor. Teacher Training is constantly increasing the variety of its programmes and you have to read a lot of methodology literature to be up to date with the latest ideas in TEFL. My present interests include using technology in the lesson and developing learner autonomy.
Outside work I am a keen diver and hold an Advanced PADI Certificate with over 200 dives. My personal record is a 60 metre deep dive in the Red Sea and cold water (+4C) diving in dry suit in the Barentsovo Sea last summer.
Grekova Irina
 My name’s Jo and I work in the Teacher Training Department at BKC, and my responsibilities include running a variety of courses (CELTA, DELTA, IHFTBE, IH CAM, ATEEL Refresher etc) for both in-school teachers and out-school.. I’ve been with BKC since 2000 and held a variety of jobs within the school. Before BKC I worked in Asia and then after five years of that, decided I missed the snow and thought that Russia would be the place to come and work. The winter is certainly long and cold, but the heat of the summer makes up for it. I'm always interested in developing further as a teacher and a trainer and attend as many conferences (online and face to face) as I can and recently completed my MA in Applied Linguistics and TESOL. My particular interests in teaching include Business English, developing learner autonomy and genre.
Joanna Graham
My name’s Olga Goncharova. I’ve been working for BKC for more than eleven years. I started as a regular teacher, and then I held an ADoS position for four years. After having gained some experience in running teacher training seminars and workshops and completing the DELTA course, I decided to expand the range of my expertise in EFL. Being always interested in helping teachers develop in their profession, I found working with future teachers the most attractive prospects in my career. That was my motivation to become a CELTA tutor. For about six years of my CELTA training experience I've run courses in Moscow, China, Slovenia and Rostov-on-Don. Currently I am a full-time teacher trainer in BKC-IH Moscow, who is involved in various in-house teacher development programmes along with CELTA.
I've never stopped teaching English, which I personally find highly inspirational and rewarding. The variety I get by combining teaching and training challenges me, on the one hand. On the other hand, it helps me use my professional skills in different spheres.
Among my personal interests I can’t mention anything extraordinary. I like reading and sightseeing, so every holiday I try to visit a new place.
Olga Goncharova
 I'm Sue Collins, a senior trainer with BKC. I've been teaching CELTA, DELTA and IHC courses at BKC-IH Teacher Training Centre in Moscow, full time and part time, since 1998. In a long career (over 20 years) of teaching and training, I've worked in many different countries - including Spain, Italy, Japan, the UK and Australia. But it's Moscow which lures me back every summer. I love the school and the atmosphere here, the Russian staff are great - wonderfully supportive and helpful. It's a great place to make friends. The school promotes high standards, and the teaching staff are encouraged to develop their skills and gain further qualifications. The in-service training and ongoing seminar programmes make this a great place for new teachers. And there's so much to do in Moscow, particularly if you enjoy music and ballet. This is surely one of the loveliest, liveliest and most romantic cities in Europe.
Sue Collins
I'm Simon, I'm from Cardiff in South Wales and have taught in Madrid and London, and have been here in Moscow since 2004. Working as part of the Teacher Training team is very rewarding as we have a wide variety of courses both in-house and outside, and great colleagues. As in any big city, life in Moscow can be diffcult at times, but this is more than compensated by what it has too offer. Apart from my work I like to travel and regularly go back home and to other places in Europe.
Simon Brooks
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