Founder of Slay School
Anastasiia Sokur: from a village school to her own
An English teacher from a village in central Ukraine who started with 50-hryvnia lessons and built a language school in Odesa with a team of 7 teachers. Her story is about getting there step by step.
How a village teacher built a language school in Odesa
I believe languages open up more opportunities than we can imagine. That’s why I created Slay School — a place where learning becomes part of your life.
- 15+years of teaching
- 1000+students
- 7teachers on the team
- ₴50her first lesson cost
From a village in central Ukraine to the classroom
Anastasiia Sokur comes from Viknyna, a village in the Kirovohrad region of Ukraine. “I’m a girl from a village, and today I’m the founder of my own school,” she says. “And no, this isn’t a story about everything just falling into place.” She had no school of her own and no ready-made plan: she built her path as an English teacher step by step — and today she is proud of where she started.
She began as a teacher at a village school. Later she moved to Velykodolynske, kept teaching at a school and started taking students for extra lessons. Her first private lesson cost 50 hryvnias. Back then it was just lessons after her main job — she didn’t know yet where this path would take her. But that is how it all began.
Odesa and her first own students
After moving to Odesa, Anastasiia kept working at a school while also taking students for extra lessons. Every year there were more of them: people recommended her, came back again and brought their friends.
That is when she realised it was time to open her own school. It wasn’t an impulsive decision but a logical step — the result of years of experience, love for her work and her students’ trust. First there were students who trusted her and kept coming back. When there were more of them, Anastasiia found premises, and then she started looking for teachers to build the Slay School team.
Why the school is called SLAY
About three years ago the word slay became very popular. In English slang it means to shine, to impress, to be at your best. But then Anastasiia realised that for her the name has a much deeper and more personal meaning: SLAY stands for Sokur Loves All of You.
SLAY is about love for every student, their individuality and their small and big wins. Anastasiia wants everyone at the school to feel supported, believe in themselves and not be afraid of making mistakes. “SLAY is more than a name. It’s what we believe in.”
Slay School is more than one person
As the number of students kept growing, Anastasiia realised it was time to build a team. She looked for teachers who share her values — support, an individual approach, a modern and engaging way of learning, and love for their work. It mattered to her that the school was not just lessons but an atmosphere where learning is comfortable, mistakes aren’t scary and you want to keep moving forward.
Today Slay School is a team of 7 teachers united by one goal: helping people learn languages with confidence and joy. They share the same values, love for their work and the wish to grow together.
Slay School today
A modern language school in Odesa, Ukraine, where children and adults learn English and French for real life (and German online).
- One-to-one and group lessons — for children and adults.
- Online and in class — learning in the format that suits you, in Odesa or from anywhere in the world.
- English and French — from the very first steps to confident communication.
- Real results — more than grades: self-confidence.
Language for real life
Slay School creates an atmosphere where it’s comfortable to learn, ask questions, not fear mistakes and see your progress. Students don’t just study rules: they understand, speak and use the language in real life — at school, while travelling, at work and every day.
The school’s goal is not just to teach a language but to help everyone feel confident in any situation. Anastasiia is also the author of the school’s free resources: the English grammar guide, level tests, practice tools and blog posts.
What Anastasiia believes in
These beliefs became the foundation of Slay School — a place where learning becomes part of your life.
- The best results are born from support — when there’s a teacher by your side who believes in you.
- Languages are about people: new opportunities, friendships, travel, work, confidence and the freedom to be yourself.
- Learning should happen in real life: that’s why the school teaches not only the rules but how to use the language here and now.
You are capable of more
Today Anastasiia does what she truly loves, and this is her advice to every student:
- Dream. Even if it seems unrealistic now — big results start with small dreams.
- Grow. Every new step, piece of knowledge and experience makes you stronger and opens up new opportunities.
- Do what you love. When you work with inspiration, it brings not only results but happiness.
- Surround yourself with support. There will always be people who believe in you, inspire you and help you grow.
- You are capable of more than you think. The main thing is not to stop.
Meet us at a free trial lesson
Your first lesson at Slay School is free: we’ll find your level and choose a programme — English or French, for a child or an adult, in Odesa or online.
FAQ
Didn’t find your answer? Send us a request — we’ll tell you everything.
Who founded Slay School?
Anastasiia Sokur, an English teacher with over 15 years of teaching experience. She started at a village school in the Kirovohrad region, then taught at a school in Odesa and gave one-to-one lessons, and when she had many students she opened her own language school.
What does the name SLAY mean?
In English slang, slay means to shine, to impress, to be at your best. It is also an acronym: Sokur Loves All of You — a school about love and support for every student.
How many teachers does Slay School have?
Today the Slay School team has 7 teachers of English and French. You can meet them on the “Our teachers” page.
Which languages can I learn at Slay School?
English and French — for children and adults, one-to-one or in groups, in Odesa and online. German is online. The first trial lesson is free.