Maria Makarchenko

I am a new student to Ukrainian and to italki. From the very first «Привіт!», with her beaming smile, Maria had me hooked! Марія teaches and listens with enthusiasm, patience, and a lot of understanding. Her lessons and conversations are diverse, interesting, engaging, and we always smile and laugh along the way! 😄 With my extremely demanding schedule, our learning sessions have become a veritable oasis! We just completed another session and I already can’t wait for our next lesson (I feel that way after each lesson)! Щиро дякую, Маріє! Я так багато вивчаю кожен урок! Ти чудова вчителька! Дуже дуже дякую! 🙏

One of the best decisions I made this year was taking Ukrainian lessons with Maria. While I have little talent for learning languages, she has tons and gladly passes her experience and enthusiasm on to her students. In a relaxed and friendly environment, you will learn and practice your language skills, learn about Ukrainian culture, and be inspired to keep going. The hour will go by far too quickly, and you will be noticeably better by its end.

I have had Maria as a teacher for at least six lessons and she is excellent. She quickly assessed my level of skill in Russian, where I was strongest and what needed work on. Then she set up me up with the opportunity to do assignments (if I wished). Maria is also a great conversationalist and to my surprise had an incredibly detailed knowledge of my humble little state of South Dakota. The hour I spend with her each week just flies by. She motivates me to be better and I feel myself improving as a student -- at least my confidence is! : ) I was not a great language student back in school, but this is fun. It doesn’t feel like work at all. Notice how busy her schedule is. There is a reason: she’s good.

How is it that each lesson with Maria can be better than the last, when the last was already so phenomenal?! It’s because she espouses an approach to teaching and learning which is in its very nature infinite in its scope! Each word I learn, each idea we explore, each concept we cover, are all not only fascinating, but also highly applicable in real world conversations and situations. If you want to get right to the depth and meaning of what it is to discover so many layers and levels to learning a valuable language, lessons with Maria are the unequivocal choice! На Всі Сто! 💯

At the end of each lesson with Maria, I am still so engaged in learning and inspired by whatever topics and subject matter we cover, I find myself immediately locating podcasts, videos, and articles about them! The lessons with her are so enriching, my brain and sense of wonder so lit up, I am continually motivated to search out any and all avenues I can to further my understanding in preparation for the next lesson!! And the next! Time with Maria is sincerely some of the most valuable time you will ever spend! Дивовижно! 🤩✏️📚

Maria continuously improves her ability to instruct and inspire others to learn this beautiful language with every lesson. Simply stated, she is without equal.