School plays a considerable role in the up-bringing of the growing generation, in shaping of full-fledged and self-sufficient personalities. This determining mission, in turn, lies on the frail shoulders of teachers, who with their efforts and love spread basic knowledge about the culture, customs and traditions of their people among the schoolchildren. How the young teacher of the Lycee of art under the name of Akso Koliev Maria Kokoeva has informed IA "Res" the traditional culture of Ossetia, to her mind, is a paramount school discipline.
- Maria, you are teaching pupils the traditions of Ossetian people. What do you think of the importance of this subject in the educational system and in the up-bringing of youth, in general?
- A subject "Traditional culture of the ossetians", to my mind is, is a paramount school discipline. A man, who does not know his culture, his own traditions, can not manage to know the other cultures, in the scale sense of this word. This subject includes all that knowledge, which absolutely each person must have. Besides, this is not simply, the child must learn at school, this is what must have roots in him so, as to change his lifestyle, the image of his thoughts.
- Tell us, please, if teaching the given discipline influence positively upon the world outlook of pupils.
- "Traditional culture of the ossetians" solves many problems of up-bringing, at least only therefore that gives the notion, the idea about , what is the Ossetian meaning of "аghdau». This subject has to be studied not therefore it includes much useful information, but to bring up a normal, adequate person of his country. Certainly, one has not to forget about that all begin with the skills, which are taking roots in a child at home. After all exactly the notion what is well and what is bad is given a child at home.
What about the discipline I have been teaching, I think that it, certainly, brings some improvement. Understanding the contents of the subject, a child begins knowing his culture, and, thereby, begins loving it. Aside from "Traditional culture of the ossetians" I teach the world artistic culture, which is studied solely by the pupils of our schools. By means of the given discipline children study the traditions and culture of all countries of the world. The Subject is very useful for general development, increases their outlook.
- What, in your opinion, is necessary to do to return, to attach our youth to our traditions?
- First of all, as minimum, it needs the governmental program, in which will take part the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth Policy and the Ministry of Culture of our Republic, who jointly will work on spreading the traditions among the growing generation. It would be well to set up the national choreographic school, which would be helpful for the propaganda, for making fashionable the Ossetian culture for young girls.
I think, the problems of youth, certainly, are in parents, who, in turn, must give a child a good example. They also must honour and know their own traditions to pass them to the children.
- We know that profession of a teacher is not your main activity. You are also an artist, aren’t you?
- Yes, really. I have already been working at school for three years. I was graduated from the North-Ossetian state university at the department of the graphic art of the faculty of arts, at the workshop of Ahsar Esenov. I exposed my pictures, basically, in the course of my studies. But I have not had yet a personal exhibition. I hope, I shall have such a possibility in the near future. In general, I say I could not imagine myself outside the creative activity. I think, the formation of any state begins with the spiritual nature exactly. I am always assured of it. And if the thoughts, the spirit of a person are high, his life will be light and great.
