Assalamualaikum WBT.
Dear teacher and friends. Alhamdulillah. Solatan wa salaman ‘ala Rasulillah.
It is a blessing from Allah for allowing me to continue the journey with ITEP which has now embarking our third and last modul, C103K. May Allah guide us and make the path fruitfully smooth and effective.
What is teaching if it is not guided by principles?
Beforehand, perhaps we should ask, what is life if it is not guided by principles? We cannot separate our teaching from other aspects of our life. When a teacher teaches without principles, the teacher might doing it only to fulfil the bread and butter. The satisfaction relies solely on the external reward. The schooling is easily influenced by industry and other non-educational interests.
But how do we develop principles?
We develop principles from a world view which is the blue print for any system including education. The world view which shapes our belief system sets the fundamental truth to serve as the foundation where teaching, learning and school administration are working in harmony.
What principles have guided your teaching?
In Q17:70, Allah declared that He honoured the children of Adam and positioned them with definite preference over other creatures. This statement made teachers and students our major capital among the professional capitals we have. Education is human-centered, mainly the learners. The teaching and learning are both characterised with the process of developing and perfecting the full meaning of ‘insan’. Anything that dehumanise student, teachers and staffs, must be removed from all theoretical and practical levels.
Teaching also is part of my belief that the ultimate reason of me being created by Allah is for me to be His servant (‘abd) and vicegerent (khalifah). My integrity is the reflection of me being His servant, and my competency is the reflection of me being His khalifah. Therefore, I must teach according to Allah’s guidance, both from His Syariatullah (al-Quran and al-Sunnah), and Sunnatullah (the Science of teaching and learning).
What principles guide teaching in your school?
Our school (Khalifah Model School) runs as a demonstration project to showcase the full extent of the positive holistic growth children can make under an educational system completely based on the Khalifah Method. This will include a unified curriculum for the revealed knowledge and scientific knowledge delivered using the modern Islamic psychology based on the Law of Learning by which all human characteristics develop.
The Khalifah Method relies heavily on the style of interaction with and training of children according to the tradition of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The positive benefits of this warm and loving, although firm, method of relating to children will be maximised by directing all communication with children according to the Laws of Learning, given to us as a Mercy by Allah to enable us to guide ourselves and others toward all that Allah has told us is right in the Islamic way of life.
The founder of our school, the late Professor Muhammad al’Mahdi Jenkins once said:
“If you were to give to any individual or social group just two things, a positive, accurate, and motivational world view, plus a good understanding of the Laws of Learning by which all human characteristics are developed, then that individual or social group would move naturally and inevitably toward everything good and right.”
Wassalamualaikum WBT.
Hasrizal
Malaysia.
_______
Leave a Reply