Single dad teaching Ukrainian kids says Father's Day a tough subject
An Estonian teacher in Pärnu says his experience as a single father helps him better understand Ukrainian students separated from their fathers by the war.
Tarmo Tõnismann, a second grade teacher at Pärnu Tammsaare School, has 13 pupils in his class, most of them from Ukraine.
He describes himself as a demanding teacher who wants to encourage their curiosity and nurture their love of learning, but the kids have dubbed him their superhero.
"They're incredibly sweet and good kids," Tõnismann said, describing his close-knit class.
Most of his students live in Estonia with their mothers and, in some cases, grandmothers, while their fathers are still in Ukraine or elsewhere.
With many missing their dads, Father's Day can be a difficult subject in the classroom — both for the kids and for Tõnismann.
"We'll be observing it too, somehow," he said, acknowledging that celebrating can be tricky when the subject stirs up sadness in so many of his students.
Tõnismann said his own experience as a single father has helped him better understand what some of his pupils are going through, adding that kids immediately feel the absence of a parent.
"The class's assistant teacher is a woman, and the kids already joke that she's their second mom and I'm their second dad," he said. "I'm trying to be a good role model for them."
Around the world in 672 magnets
As many of the kids continue learning Estonian and adapting to the local culture, one of the things that brings Tõnismann's second grade class together is a fast-growing collection of nearly 700 travel magnets.
The idea took off after one pupil brought back a magnet from a trip. Now, whenever anyone else brings back new magnets from their travels, Tõnismann researches the places they're from and shares what he learns with the class. The kids also get to talk about places they have visited.
Tõnismann became a teacher almost by accident. He initially agreed to fill in for a single day despite having no formal teacher training or qualifications. The school principal later got in touch with him again, asking him to return.
"So I went in, and ended up staying on at the school," he recalled. "And now it's been 14 years."
Outside the classroom, Tõnismann also works for the Estonian Football Association (EJL), stays active in sports and runs a small sports club. But nothing takes the place of his job teaching second graders at Pärnu Tammsaare School.
"I'm sure there are jobs that pay better, but how many people can say they go to work happily each day and do something they genuinely love?" he said.
--
Editor: Annika Remmel, Aili Vahtla
