My Experience with a Senior Teacher in Distance Education

As the Coordinator of the Directorate of Distance Education at the University of Kashmir, I had the privilege of working with many exceptional educators. Among them, one name stood out for his unwavering commitment to teaching and his impeccable professional ethics – Kh Ali Mohammad Bhat who was teaching history at Nadim Memorial Boys Higher Secondary School Bandipora. Ali Mohammad was a retired teacher with an illustrious career spanning nearly three decades in pedagogy of teaching history.. His expertise in the field was unparalleled, and I made it a point to include his name in the panel of resource persons every year, securing approval from the director despite occasional murmurs of dissent from some quarters. There were arm-chair critics who questioned the wisdom of engaging a retired teacher, but my faith in Mr. Ali Mohammad remained unshakeable.

What set him apart was not just his vast knowledge, but his dedication to the art of teaching. He was always punctual, arriving at the classroom well before time, equipped with painstakingly handwritten notes that he prepared fresh for each session. These notes on teaching of history , I observed, were treasured by students who often photocopied them for future reference. One incident that reinforced my respect for Kh Ali Mohammad occurred when he received a cheque for Rs. 8,000 as remuneration for the delivery of lectures in contact classes. He returned Rs. 900, explaining that he had not conducted classes for three days and the amount should be deducted from his payment. Such honesty was rare and deeply inspiring. Once, during a semester when heavy snowfall had disrupted our schedule, he voluntarily offered to conduct extra classes on weekends to ensure the syllabus was completed, refusing any additional payment for these sessions.

Another time, he noticed an error in the marking scheme of an exam he had set. Instead of brushing it aside, he brought it to the notice of Controller of Examinations immediately and insisted on re-evaluating all the answer sheets himself; working late into the night to ensure no student was unfairly graded. . He conducted sessionals examinations with utmost seriousness, treating them as crucial learning opportunities rather than mere formalities. The way he evaluated tutor-marked assignments was particularly noteworthy. Each assignment bore detailed feedback, providing students with valuable insights and guidance. I had preserved some of these evaluated assignments as exemplars, which were highly appreciated by the visiting members of the UGC Distance Education Council. He approached each task with meticulous care, personally sealing the awards and hand-delivering them to headquarters. His commitment to maintaining the integrity of the examination process was admired by all.

One day, as Prof Neelofar former Director Distance Education was engrossed in an important meeting, her orderly quietly approached. “Ma’am,” he whispered, “Kh Ali Mohammad is waiting outside.” Without hesitation, Prof Neelofar excused herself from the meeting. She rose from her chair, her colleagues watching curiously as she stepped out of the room. In the hallway, she found Kh Ali Mohammad patiently waiting. “Kh Ali Mohammad, welcome!” she greeted him warmly. “Please, come with me.” Leading him to her personal chamber, she ensured he was comfortably seated. “Please, make yourself at home. I will have some tea brought for you while I finish up my meeting.” As she returned to her colleagues, Prof Neelofar’s actions spoke volumes about the respect she held for Kh Ali Mohammad. I recall an instance when he quietly paid the examination fee for a student from an economically disadvantaged background.

He never mentioned this act of kindness; I only learned about it later from the grateful student. We needed permission for our students to start teaching practice, but we were having trouble getting it. I was worried we’d run out of time. Kh Ali Mohammad offered to go with me to the Chief Education Officer’s office. When we got there, it turned out the officer was Ali Mohammad’s former student. Because of this connection, the officer was really friendly and gave us the permission right away. It was amazing to see how much respect Ali Mohammad had earned over the years. The lesson we can draw from this experience is that we must make a concerted effort to find our senior teachers and give them visibility in our educational systems. He inspected hundreds of schools during practice of teaching on behalf of distance education and played instrumental role in enhancing its Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) without any need for acknowledgment. These educators, with their wealth of experience and deep commitment to teaching, are invaluable assets that we cannot afford to lose.

By giving visibility to senior teachers, we achieve several important goals:

1. We preserve and utilize decades of accumulated wisdom and practical knowledge that can’t be found in textbooks.
2. We provide powerful role models of dedication and integrity for younger teachers and students alike.
3. We create opportunities for intergenerational learning, where older and younger educators can learn from each other.
4. We demonstrate that lifelong learning and adaptability are essential qualities in education, as exemplified by senior teachers willing to engage with new technologies and methods.
5. We honor the contributions of those who have dedicated their lives to education, boosting morale and fostering a culture of respect within educational institutions.
6. We ensure that the ethical standards and professional integrity exemplified by many senior teachers continue to influence the educational environment.

To implement this lesson, educational institutions should:

• Actively seek out retired or senior teachers who still have the passion to contribute.
• Create mentoring programs where senior teachers can guide newer educators.
• Develop support systems to help senior teachers adapt to new technologies and teaching methods.
• Recognize and celebrate the contributions of senior teachers publicly.
• Integrate their expertise into curriculum development and policy-making processes.