How Zeynab Shakhverdiyeva Went from Office Management to Classroom Management
Zeynab Shakhverdiyeva graduated with a degree in foreign languages, knowing that it could open doors to careers in a variety of fields. For a time, she worked as a document controller for a construction company. Then she was an office manager.
She never planned to be a teacher.
“But then somehow, unexpectedly, I found myself in [a] school,” she recalled, “and teaching the first year was really challenging for me because I had no experience, and then when I got to know the students better, I understood that I’m on the right path.”
That was 10 years ago.
Fast forward to 2025 and Shakhverdiyeva found herself completing Moreland University’s TEACH-NOW Teacher Preparation Certificate Program and earning her U.S. teaching license after a colleague recommended the program to her. It’s a credential that will help her career, but beyond that, it represents new opportunities for Shakhverdiyeva, her family, and her daughter.
Building Skills for a Certified Teaching Career
After her unexpected career shift turned into a calling, Shakhverdiyeva now teaches at an international school in Baku, Azerbaijan, where she primarily works with English language learners in elementary grades.
“To see their improvement — how they first come with zero English and you need to help them to gain the skills to [learn the] English language and then by the end of the year when you see how they speak independently, clearly, [and] fluently, and they can do all the work without help — that is the best part,” Shakhverdiyeva shared.
While she may have never envisioned herself as an educator, her passion for the profession is obvious. It’s what led her to pursue her teaching certification, and why she fully embraced her TEACH-NOW experience and the program design that allows candidates to complete their coursework in as little as 9 months.
“[I was] like, ‘I have 8 modules to finish,’ and that was really overwhelming for me, but then I did my best,” Shakhverdiyeva reflected. “I tried [hard].”
During the hands-on clinical portion of the program, Shakhverdiyeva recorded videos of herself teaching and submitted them for review. She also wrote lesson reflections and created and delivered various presentations — a “challenging” process that she managed by dedicating 2-3 hours per day after work to finishing tasks.
Knowing that she would complete the practical experience in just 12 weeks provided Shakhverdiyeva with a degree of comfort, as did her work reviewing recorded lessons with her dedicated faculty mentor.
“My mentor gave me feedback. I got to see my weak parts or strong skills like, ‘How can I change my teaching methods or what can I add to my teaching methods?’” she said. “That was huge experience for me.”
The Flexibility of Online Learning
Balancing full-time work, certification preparation coursework, and family life presented challenges of its own, but Shakhverdiyeva credits TEACH-NOW’s online format for making it easier to work on assignments at her own pace and on her own schedule. It’s a learning and working environment that she — and many others — got used to during the early 2020s.
“During COVID, we all got used to working online,” she said. “I taught lessons online.”
As a mother, Shakhverdiyeva also appreciated being able to manage her studies and her responsibilities at home simultaneously.
“I’m married [and] I have a daughter, so I have a lot of other things to do, and [an online format] is the best way to get an education,” she noted.
A Dream for Her Family and for Other Teachers
While Shakhverdiyeva cares deeply about her students and the work she does in Azerbaijan, one of her major goals is to take her teaching career to new countries — a dream that would let her daughter experience new cultures and see the world from different perspectives.
Reflecting on the twists and turns that brought her to this point in her journey, Shakhverdiyeva’s advice to others who are considering becoming teachers is simple and practical: if you are patient and helpful, it’s worth trying, because the outcomes are both affirming and life-changing.
“At the end of it, I love to see the result, like how students give you what you have taught them and they can show you that they listened to you,” Shakhverdiyeva explained. “Right now…you help them in every area, like during teaching time, but at the end of the year or at the end of the unit, when you see how successful they are? That is [because of] teachers.”
Ready to bring your teaching dreams to life? Moreland is ready to support you with our 100% online 9-month TEACH-NOW Teacher Certificate Preparation Program or one of our 12-month master’s degree programs. You can complete your free application today in less than 15 minutes!
