The Teacher of the Year from Nizhny Novgorod shared how to connect with children.

      March 26, 2026 12:13 Society The winner of the city stage of the "Teacher of the Year 2026" competition in Nizhny Novgorod, chemistry and biology teacher at school No. 118 in the Moscow district, Roman Smirnov, told NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" how modern students are changing and what approaches to them are most effective. According to him, the main difference in today's schoolchildren is the change in information perception. The educator noted that some formats of lessons that were effective a few years ago work less well for children now. In his opinion, this is related to a change in the type of thinking. "It is currently fashionable to talk about clip thinking. It really prevails," said Smirnov, adding that under these conditions, teachers need to select new forms of work and adapt to specific classes. At the same time, the educator emphasized that modern children have not become worse. They remain capable, motivated, and attentive, and the differences are more related to the characteristics of the time. Speaking about teaching approaches, Smirnov noted that students better perceive information in short fragments. In this regard, he believes that constant changes in types of activities become the most effective. "It is difficult for them to read a text for 20 minutes and then analyze it," noted the NIA interlocutor. As an alternative, the educator mentioned the use of interactive formats and information and communication technologies, including presentations with videos and tasks that do not require lengthy execution. Special attention, according to the teacher, should be paid to visual aids. "A picture seems to carry more meaning and information for them than even a small text fragment," added Smirnov. You can read the full interview with Teacher of the Year Roman Smirnov at the link. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has a Telegram channel. Subscribe to stay updated on the main events, exclusive materials, and timely information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod". When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+