السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ
It’s Wednesday 18th November 2020.
Let’s talk about ‘Teachers’ today.
This particular subject is very close to my heart. In one way or another, all adults are teachers. They teach a variety of things to the young ones. However, those who are officially appointed as teachers, and teach children as a profession, have an extra duty to ensure they are well equipped with the skills and qualities of teaching.
Back in 1984, upon leaving Dārul Uloom Bury after becoming Ḥāfiẓ, I was immediately employed by my local Madrasah to come and teach children. My first class was 6 year olds, who were in their second year in Madrasah.
What teaching qualifications did I have? None.
What experience did I have? None.
What training was I provided with? None.
So there I was with 30 brilliant children for 2 hours 30 minutes daily, five days a week. Thirty six years on to that first day, I can recount so many mistakes I made. Not understanding that all children come from different situations at home, etc., hand on heart, I feel a sense of regret today. The most I can do today is apologise to those children, who will, most likely, be parents now.
However, what baffles me is that some of those practices are still prevalent in many teachers today, in schools as well, but more so in Madrasahs.
It is the duty of each and every adult who wants to teach to undergo proper teacher training programmes, not just tick box exercises. Understand child psychology, and become a teacher to whom children run to, not from. Give them the love of parents, some of whom may not have that love at home due to various reasons.
I want all of you to watch this emotional clip which will require only 4 minutes of your time. One of my colleagues from Albania sent it to me, kindly translated with English subtitles by his wife.
I will continue with part 2 of this topic in my next message, اِنْ شَاءَ الَّلهُ.
A number of other messages on my website address parents and adults :
Almighty Allāh give us all the correct understanding, Āmeen.
جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا
Request for Du’ās
وَالسَّلَامُ Hanif Dudhwala
Supplementary Resources
The Legacy of the Madrasah – Hadrat Mawlānā Muḥammad Saleem Dhorāt hafizahullāh
The Way Ahead – Being a Maktab Teacher – Maulana Irfan Sidyot
Ustādh kā Talabah ke Sāth Husne Sulūk (URDU) – Hadrat Mawlānā Muḥammad Saleem Dhorāt hafizahullāh
Etiquettes For Teachers – Moulana Siddiq Ahmed Bandwi رَحْمَةُ الله عليه