An Interview With an Intellectual Teacher

This Interview is dedicated to all the teachers worldwide.

Interviewer: Mr. Salman Noorallah and Miss Salima Moosa Sewani

Teaching is not a profession of last resort. It’s a profession of dedication.
Teachers are the leaders of every nation. They are the role models of their students. Their responsibilities towards teaching are increasing day by day, as students are highly concerned about what is taught to them by their teachers. Teachers are the only one, who moulds the future of their students by imparting quality education with intellectual openness.
There are many teachers, who might have impressed you by their communication or by their teaching style. But there’re only few teachers in this world, who are bestowed with both intellect and talents. They are the one, who makes us feel as if they are our real parents.
Below given interview was taken by me from one of the rising teacher of our Nation.
He is of one of the most attractive and one of the most famous and eminent teachers of this era. Though he is young, but his 8 years of teaching experience has not only changed the lives of many students, but his personality can not be compared with any other teacher.
It was an honor for me to take an Interview of such high caliber teacher.
He is non other than, Munir Moosa Sewani. You might have heard his name on national and International websites, newspapers, and magazines. Let me give you his short bio, which has been taken by me from one reputed International Educators website.
Munir Moosa Sewani is one of the famous, prominent and creative names in the field of Education since 8 years. He is a Master Trainer In Special Education, Post Graduate, Teacher, Master Trainer, Career Counsellor, Professional Writer, and a Freelancer.
He is an author of the famous self-published storybook for children named as "THE MORAL STORIES FOR CHILDREN"; a book, which won BEST E-BOOK FOR CHILDREN AWARD by Nancy Fernandes Institute in 2006.
He has also written Biology course book for Secondary Classes. He has written almost more than 30 articles on social, health, educational and cultural issues, which are internationally recognized and published on most of the famous world wide websites, magazines and newspapers.
He is also a Social worker, private tutor, musician, lyrics writer and have countless multi- dimensional talents.
His future plan is to write dozens of informative books and articles and to work for the improvement of education.

Could you please tell us something about yourself?

My name is Munir Moosa Sewani and I am 24 years of age. I am a simple, conservative, somewhat introversive, but broad-minded person. I am a helpful and a kind person. For more, you should ask my students, or my relatives.

When did you decide to enter the field of Education?

I always had a wish to work for the improvement of the Education System of Pakistan. When I was in my school, I usually felt that the field of Medicine is best for me. But some how as time passed, I realized that I have keen interest in the field of Education. So it had not happened magically. Every thing was planned in my mind.

When did you start your teaching career?

I started off by giving tuitions after my Matriculation. That is how I started my teaching career.

Could you please tell us some of your achievements in the field of Education?

Simply, I got many awards, medals and certificate for my services. I got fifth position in my Intermediate. I got 2 awards from Governor of Sindh till date. I got more than 10 certificates from different officials till date. My first book won the best seller book title in the field of Science. My e-book has already won Best e-book title. If you would like to know more, you can search Internet. It’s all there.

We have heard that you mostly ignore good offers from great Institutions of Education. Is that true ?

I don’t want to make any political comment. Simple, It’s true that I got many offers, but I am currently studying as well. Till date, I am surviving in this long journey of education because of my dual perspective. I am earning money through my part time teaching and supporting my studies. So till I achieve and satisfy my needs of Education, I would prefer to wait for joining any institution.

Are you a Dictator?
No way! I am a humble teacher, who teaches with lots of dedication. If the student is co-operative, a teacher could work hard to polish their skills easily. Else, all the attempts might end in smoke. Sometimes my students feel as if I am showing my dictatorship; but they know that I have true and kind feelings for them. I want to make their future bright. Nothing else!

Do you think that teaching is a difficult profession?
Teaching is the specialized field of education, and it requires proper education, training and inborn adoration for children. It’s not an easy profession. Time has gone when those, who did not get good job opportunities, shifted themselves in the field of teaching, in order to earn livelihood. Today teaching is a professional liberal art field. Teaching requires skills that can be brought out by taking professionals certifications or degree courses.
Teaching involves being with children or with colleagues to design syllabus or problem solving too. For me, this field is not difficult.

What are the flaws in our education system?
There are countless flaws in our education system. Government is declaring that our literacy rate is been increasing, but I guess it’s slowing down.
Education is the key towards success for every country. It helps to boost the economy and to generate democratic society in a country. The main resource of any country is Human Resource. If we'll prepare educated human in our society in advance, by providing proper education facilities to our younger generation, then we could move towards the path of success undoubtly.
If we look towards our education system, there are many unveiled reasons behind the de-motivation and poor academic performance of students. Despite a great deal of effort since from the day of independence, academic achievement among students in Pakistan continues to lag behind. No doubt that we are moving towards the successful future, but our education system some how, is hampering the progress of our country.
The results, which we see in matriculation, intermediate and graduation are not up to mark.
The interest in students to achieve quality education is de-motivated in the recent years. The only thing student require, is Certificate/Degree with passing marks.
In the attempt to improve school results, the teacher educators and education counselor are trying their level best to find the roots of poor academic achievement of school students. Educational Psychologist has also developed many tests, to judge and improve the skills of students, but the real cause has not been founded till date, that what makes the student frustrated to back out of education so easily?
Might be it's the fault of Ministry of Education to develop lack of integrated curriculum and wrong dimensional policies or it might be the fault of a teacher, whose teaching style is not appropriate to the age level students they teach, or its the problem of Learning Disability in a child.
Some point the finger at the outrageous homework loads students given by the teachers. Students are overburdened with academic demands of questionable value and, as a result, end up indifferent to studies, exhausted, and worn out.In addition, the heavy loads of books are not worthwhile, until and unless the students are ready to go through it.
Our Curriculum Ministry is trying to develop curriculum according to their own judgments, without keeping in view the taste and level of a student.
The reason for the poor academic achievement could be any out of these .
But the question is, why the student's academic records are more successful in European and American Countries?
The answer is that, they are keen to learn and explore things. No over load of work is given to them nor books load and examination pressure is exerted on them. The books are well integrated too.
The new writers, who want to write curriculum books according to the requirement of students, are never encouraged in our country.
Teachers, even sometimes avoid researching, and teaches whatever is given in the textbook.

The main contributing factors that lead to low learning proficiency of students according to my experience as a teacher are as follows

1. Incomprehension of the Studying Purpose

The main reason why so many students don't feel interested in what they are doing at school is the incomprehension of their studying routine. A vast majority of private and government teachers are not even bothered to explain to their students what the learning outcomes are, why they need to achieve them and how they will be assessed. Mostly Teachers take out their textbooks and start making a wrong impression of rote learning on students, and then evaluate their students without seeing the capabilities of a child. Students are not encouraged to write their own answers. Despite of it, teacher wants their student to copy the same answer in the examination, which they have taught or were made to write.
Thus, the writing and analytical thinking skill gets hamper, for which we can't blame a student.
Student just accomplishes their tasks by command, which needs to be bluntly carried out. Students prepare projects; submit reports etc just to get extra marks, without knowing the purpose of their study.

2. Wrong Assessment Process
Assessment means to evaluate children capabilities, not to judge them.
Assessment in Pakistan is often wrongly intended by teachers as a punishment for students, or traps to catch them out. Grades seem to exist in order to show students' errors, mistakes and drawbacks in the study area, rather than to give students reasonable chance of demonstrating their achievements of specific learning goals. Same five years questions, wrong curriculum development by the ministry of education, changing of the course at the last moment of the end of the year are going on in secondary and higher classes. Assessment should not be based on counting the pages, which a student fills. Rather than this, evaluating system should be changed. Invigilators should be well educated to judge the learning tasks and own input, else the wrong assessment process, which is going on since a long time would create a fearful attitude in students towards assessment.
Students are learning not for acquiring knowledge but for getting a "pass." Students, who works hard gets low marks, because the teacher checks the paper according to their knowledge and often forgets student effort of contributing towards answering question.

3. Lack of integrated Curriculum
Ministry of Education is making such a curriculum, which is not up to mark and is not well integrated with full resources. Mistakes in the books and wrong statements makes student furious.
Activities are always missing in our curriculum books. The quality and the presentation of book make jack a dull boy.
Professionals make our curriculum, but the question is, why the curriculum is not made yet, according to the needs and requirement of the students? We are just trying to change our curriculum all the time on the basis of the prevailing fear of any other examination systems, coming ahead in the competition. If we are capable, why don't we move ahead rather than taking wrong decisions at the end moment?

4. Teachers Fault

With classes consisting of more than 15-20 children, many students feel deprived of the due attention on their teacher's part. Teachers are the leader and a role model for every student. Every student wants to be unique and want his or her place in teachers' heart. They are placed among the great lot of students without their personal interests, and problems with studying being taken into account. As a result, students don't feel cared about, lose their identity, become indifferent to studies and lose faith in the brighter future.
Teacher should treat their student equally and give proper attention to every student of his/her class.

5. Wrong attitude of parents

Many parents are "performance oriented," which emphasizes results such as students' grades, rather than knowing whether their child have mastered the material or not. They just want their child to be on the top of the list and that's all.
Children get frustrated, when parent keeps a lot of expectations from them. It burden zed student and de-motivated them most of the time.
There are many parents, who tells their child in advance that they have to join their fathers or forefathers business after passing school, which also makes student less motivated to perform well in examination and thus, poor performance is seen in the results, just because of the wrong impression embossed by parents on their children.

If you were not a teacher, what would you have been?
A Film Director or a Singer

Which articles have you written so far?
I have written more than thirty articles so far. They are educational, social and health based. You can find few of them on any search engine. Type Munir Moosa Sewani and search my name. Every month, you will find new pages on search engines. While for new articles, you should read newspapers and International magazines.

What are your hobbies?

I like social working, reading informative books, chatting with intellectual people, watching TV, critically commenting on burning issues, writing poetry and concepts, writing articles, playing piano, cooking, recycling, playing tennis, photography, movie making, and lots more.

Could you please tell us few Couplets, which you have written?

“May nay tujh ko chaha khud say bharr k uss say bhaar k,
May nay tujh ko yaad kiya har pal pal apna samjh k,
Mujhay kya mila dukh ansu tapkay zehr ban k.”

“May nay tou uss say muhabbat he ki thi,
Uss ki he khaatir buraaee bhe jee thee,
May nay tou dhokay ka tasawwur na laaya,
May nay tou chahat ko manzar pay paaya,
Phir us nay kee kyon baywafai,
Aisay kaisay dil ko gaali daar kiya,
Zalaalat say tu nay mujh ko maar diya,
Aisay kaisay dil pay sheehsha gaar diya,
Zalaalat say mujh pay tu nay waarkiya.”

Do you want to keep your self in the profession of teaching forever, or have you planned to change your field?
I like this question very much. Well, truly, I am a person having most of the talents related to Media. You just name it, and I have it. Singing, piano playing, lyrics writing, music composing, concept and script writing, directing, set designing, documentaries and movies concepts, etc; i don’t know why I have such talents, which are contradictory to my nature.
Although I am very much attracted towards working for media, but I guess Media is for me but I am not for Media. I am a very shy person, which most of the people don’t know. It’s almost impossible for me to adjust in any environment easily especially I don’t like to attend marriages, festivals, parties or outings. That is a part of my nature, which I can’t blame. It doesn’t mean that I am proud; no way!! I am a down to earth guy, but I like my nature very much. I am consulting my heart, and hope so soon I will make up my mind for media too. As far as other field is concerned, I don’t know about my mind. I want to taste every field. At least, I have decided to be in the field of education for two more years. Then I will decide about the future. But as time will pass, writing, teaching and media will surely go side by side in my life.
Any tips for the students!!!
· Take interest in your studies from the first day of your term.
· Take a highlighter and mark all the important points for thorough revision.
· Do not rely on five years paper. Just learn every thing from books/ notes.
· Do not just read. Make notes. In fact summarizing and condensing notes focuses your mind.
· Use short cuts for hard sentences to memorize it effectively.
· Do improve your writing speed so that you could cover your paper in the given period of time.
· Do not try to write extra than asked in the examination paper.
· Do not use Highlighter in your answer sheet. Just use black and blue marker for heading purpose.
· Do not use ink-remover in examination as it might fade off the written work after few days.
· Do not use high level of vocabulary, which your examiner could not understand.
· Always revise your work before submitting your answer sheet.
For more tips, just e-mail me at munirmoosa.yahoo.com

Any message for your fans!

Firstly, I would like to thank Al might Allah for showing me the right pathway. My parents, whose sternness has brought me closer to the real scenario of life. Then comes my student, because I wouldn’t be here without their prior support and appreciation.
Just two messages,
“ Never hurt any ones feelings, because God never sanctify those, who hurts other.”
“ Learn and give respect to your elders. Do what you think is good for you. Do not hesitate to execute your dreams. Always think critically, rather than accepting every thing. Do your best and always think positive.”