Even as a child, Vladimir Tzvetkov knew that his life would revolve around science and the advancement of knowledge. His grandmother’s basement served as his first laboratory, where he and his friends embarked on their first experiments. At Sofia’s National High School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Vladimir focused on chemistry, later continuing his studies at Sofia University. However, when he began considering his future career, he realized that he was less drawn to lab work and more to the idea of discovering alongside other curious young minds.

At that time, Vladimir was helping students from his former high school prepare for national and international Olympiads, an experience that sparked his interest in teaching. This led him to enroll in the university’s Chemistry Teacher module, where a required internship brought him back into the classroom. There, he found his true calling.

Over the next twelve years, Vladimir wore many hats: teacher, teacher trainer, co-founder of a nonprofit focused on educational innovation, vice principal, principal, and mentor to Olympic teams in chemistry and experimental sciences. (Under his mentorship, Bulgaria’s team won a gold medal at the European Olympiad in Experimental Sciences in 2022 and two silver medals in 2024.) His diverse experiences have reinforced his belief that education should be practical and prepare students for real life.

We spoke with Vladimir about his passion for education and the challenges the field faces amid rapid technological advancements. He also highlighted the critical need for practical learning experiences, the power of teamwork in scientific discovery, and the importance of fostering a supportive and inclusive school culture.

America for Bulgaria Foundation: Your teaching journey began in a small village, but your work attracted national attention. Could you tell us about your first steps in the profession?

Vladimir Tzvetkov: At university, I still wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I had plans to volunteer in Africa, but then the opportunity to teach through the Teach for Bulgaria program came up. I applied, with only one condition—that I wouldn’t be placed as a teacher in Sofia. They found me a position in a village in the Stara Planina mountains, in the village of Mirkovo, where I taught chemistry, physics, biology, “Man and Nature,” and even art. I was 23 years old.

Back in university, my professors instilled in me the importance of practical learning. In Mirkovo, we had a laboratory with very outdated chemicals, but I made use of everything we had. It turned out to be a wonderful, hands-on experience. You could see how, by giving children the opportunity to create, they came up with incredible things.

One of my biggest initiatives in Mirkovo was a science festival that attracted the entire village. The students created a bat cave out of a sauerkraut barrel. They also made a papier-mâché tooth and used straws and strawberry compote to demonstrate how blood circulates through it. The festival was even covered on national television, which was an enormous source of motivation for the kids. I learned at university and through Teach for Bulgaria just how critical it is for education to be practical and connected to real life. But it was only then that I truly understood how impactful this experience is for students and how motivating it can be for them to showcase their work beyond the familiar circle of people they interact with daily.

ABF: You emphasize the importance of practical application in education and the value of self-expression. Have your ideas about education evolved since your early experiences in Mirkovo?

V.T.: I wouldn’t say they’ve changed dramatically, but I’ve gained a clearer understanding of how things can work more effectively in practice and on a larger scale. Over time, I’ve realized that many educators around the world face the same challenges when it comes to motivating students to pursue science.

Even back then, I knew that in many countries, they don’t separate subjects like chemistry, physics, and biology—they simply teach “science.” For example, you might study water from the perspective of physics, chemistry, biology, and geography, as well as how it affects people’s lives. In Bulgaria, these topics are fragmented. We study water in one way in fifth grade, then from a different angle later in the same year, and again in sixth grade. With projects like the science festival in Mirkovo, I tried to tackle more comprehensive topics, and I involved teachers from different subjects to take a more interdisciplinary approach. Over time, working with colleagues in Teach for Bulgaria and later with the Tempo Foundation, we looked for ways to optimize educational processes in Bulgaria.

ABF: The Tempo Foundation adapts and implements global best practices into the Bulgarian education system. Can you share some of these practices and how they benefit Bulgarian schools?

V.T.: From the very beginning, my colleagues at Tempo and I have focused on helping schools build their own culture, vision, and values. Schools—and any organization—need to know who they are and why they do what they do. It’s not enough to just be a place where there are teachers of geography and chemistry. For teachers from different subjects to collaborate effectively, they need to feel part of a community, to share a common vision for the students, and to understand where they want to lead them. For example, when we design an interdisciplinary lesson in mathematics and geography, it’s not just for the sake of doing two subjects at once. The goal is to help students not only learn both subjects better but also develop essential skills that we as a school or society deem important.

It’s also crucial for students to have the freedom to direct their learning, rather than being confined to pre-structured tasks or following a recipe in the chemistry lab. That doesn’t teach them much. What’s more valuable is giving them the opportunity to explore the world, pose questions, and test hypotheses. Too often, when we ask students what it means to research something, they’ll just say, “Google it” or “Ask ChatGPT.” But there are many other ways to research—by creating, designing, and experimenting.

When I first started teaching, these ideas were relatively new, but now they’ve become more of a norm. It’s clear that a teacher shouldn’t be just someone who talks for 40 minutes and explains a lesson well.

I should also mention our “big questions” project at Tempo. It’s a model that helps structure and facilitate collaborative work between teachers of different subjects. Together, they create an environment for students to explore open-ended questions that don’t have a single correct answer. For example, “If all humans disappeared from the Earth, when would the last ice cream melt?” It sounds silly, but to answer it, students would need to understand electricity, energy, human geography, and more. The question can lead to a wealth of learning. But if we just ask the question without context, they might turn to ChatGPT for a quick answer and accept it as truth. So, we create a narrative and environment around the question, where students can explore it from multiple angles—art, physics, math, languages, chemistry, and more.

ABF: How do technologies, like artificial intelligence, fit into this process? Is AI an ally or a challenge?

V.T.: It’s up to us to make AI an ally. In Mirkovo, we had one broken microscope. Today, students have access to an incredible range of research tools. Their phones have 10, 15, even 30 different sensors that can measure all kinds of things. And that’s not to mention the smartphone attachments and apps—microscopes, telescopes, and so on—that they can use to investigate the world.

We can’t keep up with programs designed to detect if a student used ChatGPT to do their homework. That’s a losing game. Instead, we need to rethink whether homework is necessary and, if so, what kind of homework will be meaningful. We can’t afford to waste students’ time, or ours, when we all know AI can generate answers.

ABF: Are you excited or worried about these changes?

V.T.: I’m excited. It’s fascinating to be part of such a transformative period. Expecting the world to stay the same as it was when we were teenagers is unrealistic, at the very least.

ABF: How do Bulgarian students adapt to global models? Do they handle them well?

V.T.: Students adapt very easily. They change at the same pace as their peers in other countries. It’s the system that’s lagging behind. When ChatGPT came out, students in many places were the ones teaching their teachers how to use it.

Bulgarian students respond very positively to opportunities for hands-on exploration. They enjoy proposing hypotheses and learning by doing.

ABF: You’re a mentor for Bulgaria’s national teams in chemistry and experimental sciences. What skills do you focus on developing with these students?

V.T.: The European Union’s Olympiad in Experimental Sciences is a fantastic competition. We select students from the chemistry, physics, and biology Olympiads and form teams that must solve complex, practical problems together. The real challenge isn’t just mastering the science—it’s about teamwork and being able to complete tasks under pressure.

Our students are usually among the best prepared in terms of theory, but where they struggle is with time management. Every year they say, “We could have done better, but we ran out of time.” So, we work on organizing tasks, understanding what’s required, and delegating within the team—that’s what holds them back. They are well prepared theoretically.

Communication between students is crucial because these tasks are done as a team, not something you can research on your own. They need to be able to set goals and plan how to achieve them. It also takes a bit of creativity—you can’t just follow instructions. And that creativity comes from giving them the freedom and opportunity to experiment with different approaches.

ABF: Aren’t these qualities essential for success in all fields today?

V.T.: The idea of preparing people for specific professions—like we do with specialized classes and schools where you might train to become a chef—exists. But mainstream schools in Bulgaria don’t prepare you for any one profession, leaving you with many options for what to do afterward. Beyond teaching you to study, gain general knowledge, and become literate, school’s purpose is to prepare you for life. And life today requires flexibility, communication, time management, goal-setting, and the ability to give and receive feedback—skills that are not well integrated into the curriculum here, unlike in other countries, where they are introduced as early as first grade.

ABF: What qualities do you think a great teacher needs?

V.T.: I believe teachers should be authentic in front of their students because that creates a stronger connection. On the one hand, there are technical and professional skills that are absolutely essential, and they’ve changed significantly from 10 or 20 years ago. You need to master the basics: managing the classroom effectively, organizing it, starting lessons in an engaging way. You have to know the curriculum and prepare your lessons well. And, of course, you need to be tech-savvy.

Another important area is communication skills—being able to set goals, assess whether those goals are challenging but achievable, and ensure they’re clear for students. You also need to engage them, manage teams, give students responsibilities, and communicate with them in a way that helps you understand their needs so you can adapt to each individual.

Finally, I’d highlight the ability to see the bigger picture. You’re not just teaching your chemistry class—you’re part of a larger system. These students have other subjects and are preparing for university. What does success mean for them? What are the state and ministry requirements? What’s truly important for the students? You need to be able to evaluate textbooks to see if they meet standards and work collaboratively with colleagues. To do that effectively, you have to understand more than just what’s happening in your own classroom.

ABF: What support do Bulgarian teachers need to succeed?

V.T.: I’m a strong believer in support, but Bulgarian teachers don’t receive much of it. I’ve been a teacher for over 10 years, and in all that time, no one outside of my school has ever observed one of my classes. Even within the school, principals might occasionally stop by, but they’re often too busy to give much time. In most schools, there simply aren’t people who can come in, provide feedback, and offer constructive guidance to help you improve.

Sometimes, young teachers receive mentorship, and I was lucky to have that kind of support through the Teach for Bulgaria program. That’s one of the program’s key strengths; plus, it offers a clear plan with goals that you work toward developing. There are some schools where this kind of support happens, but it’s mostly in private schools. In state schools, the administrative capacity is often too limited to provide it.

ABF: What are you most proud of in your career?

V.T.: I believe I’m good at listening to students and understanding where they need support. I’ve worked in different schools, and I’ve made it a point to listen to my colleagues too, to collaborate effectively, actively help them grow, and seek feedback from them as well. In Mirkovo, even though I was much younger—an outsider by at least 20 years—I was welcomed by the team and quickly found my place in the school. We worked well together and accomplished great things.

I’m always open to learning from others, and I think I’ve demonstrated that to both my students and colleagues.

ABF: What has been the most challenging part of your career?

V.T.: I’ve faced many challenges. For instance, while it’s great to work in a team and listen to others, it doesn’t always go as smoothly as it sounds. Some people aren’t as open to feedback, and that makes it difficult to offer constructive input.

I’m still learning how to give feedback in situations where I believe something needs to change, especially when I strongly disagree with how things are being handled. In our society and in schools, it’s common to label students or teachers and treat them differently based on where they come from, how they look, or how they dress. I’m still figuring out the best way to challenge that, to tell someone, “I don’t agree. This is wrong,” without causing them to shut down and reject the conversation. Striking that balance—between standing firm in your position while still encouraging others to reflect and consider change—isn’t easy.

ABF: What does the ideal Bulgarian school look like to you?

V.T.: I’m not sure if schools as we know them will still exist in 20 years, or if there will even be a need for them. The world is changing so quickly, and there may be better ways for us to come together and learn. I’m not saying there won’t be teachers, but the traditional model of being in school from 9 to 5, Monday through Friday, might not be the best fit 20 years from now.

In an ideal school, all students would meet the standards and priorities we’ve set as a country. But these standards wouldn’t just focus on what students have learned in individual subjects; they would also emphasize what students can do, what skills they’ve acquired, and how they’ve developed as individuals. School should be a place where neither students nor teachers feel their time is wasted. We should be there with purpose and meaning.

When students graduate, they should be able to ask themselves important questions and reflect critically. For example, when they become politicians, they should be able to consider: “Do we really need 12 years of education in this format, or is it just to keep kids occupied while their parents work?” I hope schools will produce people who don’t just follow the status quo but challenge it, seek different paths, and ask those questions—not only for society but for themselves.

ABF: Where do you see yourself in the future?

V.T.: I’ll most likely stay connected to education. I want to continue developing myself and contributing to the progress happening in Bulgaria. I strongly believe Bulgaria has tremendous potential; it’s a great country that is evolving and changing rapidly. Maybe it’s because we need to catch up, or maybe it’s because we’re a smaller society, but change can happen very quickly here, and it’s exciting to be a part of that.

I believe Bulgaria can set a positive example—not by comparing ourselves to which countries are at the top of the PISA rankings, but by showing how things can work effectively. This is a place where change can be implemented quickly. When I studied abroad in Milan, I attended a presentation by a large bank consortium. They gave an example of how Bulgaria is where they get the fastest ideas to market—it takes only three months from concept to implementation because the market is small and technologically advanced. In larger European countries, the same process takes 18 months. That’s why many innovations are piloted here in Bulgaria.

ABF: You participated in the Leadership Education in America Program (LEAP) at Babson College through the America for Bulgaria Foundation. What lessons did you take away from the program?

V.T.: I came back with a notebook full of notes and lessons—I’ve probably read through it 20 times since I returned. I didn’t just jot down what the professors said, but also my own thoughts as I listened to them and to the other participants in the program. The program connected me with incredible people from all over Bulgaria, each doing great work in their own fields. The biggest takeaway for me was how crucial it is to work together, to form coalitions, so that we can have a bigger impact on our society. I left feeling really inspired, and I think I’m a bit braver after the experience.

America for Bulgaria Foundation developed the Leadership Education in America Program (LEAP) in partnership with Babson College in the USA to support the work of professionals from the civil, public and private sectors in support of Bulgarian society. Armed with new knowledge, ideas and like-minded people from all over Bulgaria and the world, the graduates of the program change Bulgaria by improving their communities. Whether they are empowering families, preventing food waste, or imparting skills that will serve our children in the professions of the future, what they all have in common is working for the benefit of society as a whole.