INTERVIEW OF PHYSICS TEACHER, ISLAMABAD MODEL COLLEGE FOR BOYS, G-10/4, ISLAMABAD. PAKISTAN.

Q- Please give your brief introduction and your job description at the school ?

A- Presently I am an Assistant Professor and Head of the Physics Department at Islamabad Model College for Boys. I started my career from Agriculture University at Faisalabad where I was appointed as lecturer in 1973 in the Physics and Metrology Department. In 1978 I was selected for appointment abroad in Nigeria in the Universal Primary Education Programme in which we were selected by he Government of Nigeria. The assignment which we got in Nigeria was to produce teachers. We used to interview students from various schools and colleges in Nigeria with O and A levels back ground etc. and selected those fit for the training as teachers and taught them necessary skills to be good teachers.

On return from Nigeria I left the Agriculture University as was career was finished there due to my overstay in Nigeria and then I joined the Islamabad Model Institutions. I started my job at one of the pioneer Model Institutions in G-6/3 in 1983 as Lecturer where I stayed for about 10 years and then I was transferred to I-10/1 College and just now I have joined this college here in G-10/4. My assignment here is as well as Teaching and also administration of the Physics Department.

Q- Which classes are you teaching presently ?

A- In ICB I was teaching Graduation level but as here there is no graduate class so I am teaching Physics to Matric and Intermediate classes (FSc).

Q- What do thing are the major issues and obstacles in teaching with reference to Physics at your institution?

A- The major problem here with the present system is that as far as theoretical part of teaching is concerned it is OK but our practical side is very rotten and remote. There has been no change in the practical systems. We are still following the 20 years old practical systems which I studied in my matric level. So unless we have major changes in practical the results will not be good for physic students. Now a days many advancement have been made in the Computers, in Information Technology in Laboratory Equipment, there has been a major advancement in Space Technology, but are students are still having the same facilities which were introduced 20 years back and they do not have proper access to latest tools. In order to update ourselves we have to improve our practical systems and labs. Even in the theoretical field we have to take notice of advancement in various fields and make them a part of our curriculum so that when these students go abroad to other institutions of repute it will be of a great help to them.

Q- What are your views regarding the curriculum and examinations ? Are these a issue in teaching ?

A- Frankly speaking there is no proper relationship between both of them here. The curriculum people at their end design the curriculum according to their standards but when it comes to us we are unable to implement that curriculum fully. Even the changes brought in the curriculum reach very late to the students at the schools and colleges. Although most of the things are same old and even if there are some changes no refresher courses are arranged for the teachers. The teachers are not prepared for those changes and even the teachers are unaware how to deliver them, how to teach and how to implement the curriculum. So the things are lingering on. So it is highly recommended that there should be a coordination between the curriculum and examinations of such a level so that the teachers should be fully trained to implement the system. First the teachers should be formally trained and then the examination should also be based on similar standards.

Q- What do you think that are the teachers aware of the fact that what curriculum is and that what is the demand of the syllabus ?

A- Yes they are well aware of it but unfortunately the teachers seldom get a chance for proper formal training. It happens like this that one day you are employed as a teacher and the second day you start taking the classes and you will continue teaching for long without any proper training techniques. This is very unfortunate state of affairs in the education sector specially in government sector. There is no feed back on the quality of instruction being imparted by the teachers neither from the administration nor from anywhere else like academic experts etc. So unless the teachers get a proper guideline they will continue to teach the students at their will using the orthodox methods of teaching which they have learnt by experience only.

Q- How do the examinations effect the teaching methods ?

A- The examination tells us the response of our teachings, it tells us if the students have picked up what they were taught correctly or not. Then the examination is also a test of our teaching system and participation of the students and even their seriousness also. It also reflects on the efficiency of the teacher that what he has done throughout the year. If the result of a school in the examination is 100% it means that the system of education there is excellent. It also tells that the teachers are imparting education in a perfect and orderly way. If the teachers are not good then why not the other schools get 100% results. If this is said that the students themselves can have education or that they can get private tutors and that the parents can teach them and the teachers at school do not impart teaching in that case also 100 % results cannot be achieved. It is mostly through the proper education at school that 100 % results can be achieved. The school will only get 100 % results when the teachers are fully devoted and use proper techniques to teach their students. Now there is lot of competition among the students even at matric level. Even in FSc students are getting 900 marks out of 1250 then they are capable of getting admission in professional colleges like Medical, Engineering etc. The first merit now a days in Electrical Engineering. If you get marks above 900 i.e. 930 or 950 then he is going to the electrical department. After it is the Mechanical Department, Chemical and so on. Likewise if you get marks above 850 then you can be considered for a Medical College. So in this pretext to take such high marks there are very few colleges even in the big city like Islamabad, there are Model Colleges, There is Beacon House or our Sir Syed Colleges, the students of these institutions come to that level.

In other colleges like F.G College even if one student gets an admission in the professional colleges it is a big thing to boast of. So the system of good institutions counts and these good institutions have the good teachers who make the students to achieve good results. So the role of good institutions and good teachers cannot be neglected.

Q- Do you think that is there any negative effects of examinations on teaching or the students ?

A- I don’t thing that there should be any negative effect of this. Only in case if the teacher thinks that he will not teach in the class and that the student should seek private tuition from him at home, even this case is very rare. Mostly the teachers are giving full academic participation and the academic activity is day by day being rectified due to which there is a positive impact on students because of the teachers. If the teacher is well aware of his subject then he will impart that knowledge in a proper way. If he is lagging that information then how can he pass on that information to the students. So that should be the mode of transformation or information should be like that first the teacher should be made to know these are the things which are going to be opted in the near future and then the goodness of all those things must be made known to the teacher and if the teacher is satisfied about those things then he will definitely impart proper transfer to the students and students will defiantly benefit out of that.

Q- Are you satisfied with the examination system and does it properly access the students. ? Is it a correct system ?

A- There are few problems in our examination system Our examination system does not fully checks the wisdom and capabilities of the student. This is because that if a student has prepared his course in a short time and has selected few portions and by chance those portions are asked in the examination then he will be declared pass. Now that student who has done partial and selective study and that student who has studied thoroughly throughout the year their numbers are equal in examination so it is not a fair examination. This examination system tends to encourage those who can by hook or crook get good marks. But with these numbers when you sit in an competitive examination or you apply for a college where the selection is on merit then the reports we are getting is that even those students who have got very good marks in their examination their performance is not good. It means that there is something lacking some where. The examination system and the evaluation should be such that the abilities of the students should be checked nor that how much he or she has got in the form of book reading, how much syllabus he or she has ceased in the mind and then is transferring on the paper. They are studying for temporary retention keeping in mind for a short period of time and translating them on the paper in examinations. When they are translating on the paper and the examination is finished they are just blank like a slate. They don’t know anything after a short while. The system should be such that they must retain those things which they have studied for long. This is one aspect which we are observing that those students who read with concentration their retention is long but those who take the course just to pass the examination and depend on rote learning, so that’s why we are not able to achieve the desired goals and objectives of the examination system.

Q- What do you think , this is happening because of the examination system, or the syllabus or due to lack of teacher training ?

A- I think all these three things are effecting our desired goals and objectives. When our syllabus is not being upgraded or revised , and we even do not involve the teacher in this revision process and even do not give up to date information to the teacher neither we impart training on the revision in our courses to the teachers then how can we expect the desired goals. So it means the old system which is operative will continue to operate at schools and colleges. Even in the examination system the syllabus is same the students are same but the students now know the techniques how to get good marks. Some of them are applying those techniques and they are getting good marks. By techniques I do not mean that these are some unfair ways or means I mean they are going to select some portion of their studies and then they are going to depend heavily on those portions and when they are heavily concentrating on those portions, it is by chance and luck if the questions come their way from that portion, then they are definitely benefited and if questions do not appear from that area then they will be at loss. So this is a matter of chance. Well if it is an objective system of examination which is much better then in that cases it judges the ability of the student. Now some improvement is coming in our examination system through the Federal Board of Education that during the last 2 to 3 years centralized marking of the papers has been started. So they are bring a shift in which the students will not depend on rote learning. The first question in that system is " DO AS DIRECTED" this question will not be found in any text book. That is designed by the respective teacher of that subject. Here the student has to carve out the information from whatever he or she has studied throughout that year. He will apply that force to know how to get that answer. These type of questions do not have any ready made answers. This question of 14 marks cannot be attempted by students depending on rote learning and where as those students who have learned through inquiry process they are able to answer these questions perfectly. s this is a very positive shift in setting up the papers and it indicates that the Federal Board of Examination is discouraging the rote learning and encouraging the inquiry based learning. In this case the students should be able to define the things they must come out with that information. They should not entirely depend upon notes and rote learning. Efforts are being made to change the systems so that the students can compete at international level.

Q- What are the expectations of the students parents and schools administration from the teachers ?

A- Here the teacher is the focal point of all expectations either it be the parents or the school administration. The parents think that they have send their son or daughter to the school and this is their only obligation. Now here the teachers after all are also the members of the same society and they are also facing lot of problems in the society. Now they in their limited time have to keep their course in consideration with other factors and in that limited time they have to train and impart knowledge to their students covering all the important information and aspects. So one aspect which I am looking at and which is a very important aspect that is being ignored , the teacher does not have time to keep an eye on the conduct, the behavior, manners and the morality of his student and that he should check all these things from time to time and should give a serious view on lapses if any in this aspect.

Q- We were discussing the expectations of the parents and schools administration from the teacher.

A- As I have told earlier the parents desire heavy expectations from teachers and thing themselves free from all responsibilities once they have send them to school. Although it is correct that the teacher has certain responsibilities to take care of but the student stays in school for 4 to 5 hours whereas the rest of 18 to 19 hours he spends out of the school in this society . Now the teacher cannot keep an eye on him there, there the parents should take care of their children that what they are doing and where they are going. Is his society good, Is he doing his homework and school assignments daily and regularly, Is he engaged himself in such activities which are not helping him in his education. So here the parents responsibility is very heavy that they should take proper care of their children. The parents should also feel free to call on the teachers to discuss their children’s studies and they are always free and welcome to do so.

Q- By expectations I mean that does the parents or administration demands good results and it effects your teachings ? Is there any pressure on you and how that pressure effects your teaching ?

A- What we have seen is that those students whose parents keep a contact with us they get a very good response from us because those students who are if back benchers and are not taking interest in their studies we give that feed back to the parents so that that student can improve upon. But those students whose parents do not visit school and neither meet the teachers those students realize that as neither their parents are taking interest in their studies nor there will be any passing of their misdeeds so they take a casual approach. So a regular visit by parents to teachers is highly desirable so we can say there is no negative effect if any of the desire or expectations from the teachers. The teachers are also encouraged in meeting and seeing the parents and then cooperating with the parents and then with their cooperation they go on forward giving good education to the students.

Q- Which students are back benchers and how do they behave or effect the class ?

A- A back bencher is a student who does not do his class or home work, he does not take interest in his class. We keep on calling their parents to discuss his shortcomings with them but they never visit us. Now these students start thinking that now there is no contact between our parents and teacher so they feel that they are free to do anything. They will not complete their task and when they will have no work to do they will just sit at the back side and they will neither study themselves nor they will like other to study. These type of students not only effect the good environment of the class but also do mischief acts in the class like teasing the teacher etc. So the whole academic atmosphere of the class is effected by these back benchers. If parents come to school and college regularly and have regular discussions with teachers then even these back benchers can become good students. There is an example when I was in the ICB a gentleman came when few days were left in the examinations , his son was fail in few subjects in the last exams. He requested to look after his son . So what we did we put that boy in the front row and kept him asking if he understood. Now that boy passed his examination in first division . So this parent, teacher and student relationship is very important. If all three work together then there is no reason why the excellence of the student should not improve.

Q- What do you think about Rote learning and what role it has in science education ?

A- Temporarily the rote learning will help a student in getting good marks but its retention is very limited so it will only help you in your marks addition but it will not help you in your knowledge based retention. So after you have given your examination and you are asked a definition of a very small basic thing so they will not be able to answer it or know about it. It is only because of rote learning . If a student has learned through inquiry process with proper understanding so that will not only help him during his examination but he will also be able to recall it and explain it through the rest of his life in a much better way.

Q- What do you think how this rote learning obstructs the understanding of a science student ?

A- In our examination system most of the times the rote learning works. The students thinks that by rote learning he will get good marks and that it will serve his purpose. But where there is "A" level or "O" Level system of examination or the West African Examination system there the rote learning does not works nor it helps the students in getting good marks. There if a question is asked it will not be repeated for the next 10 years to come . But here we have got a prescribed syllabus, the questions have been given at the end of each lesson and the students by looking at the pattern of questions make a guess that this question has not come in the last year so it will come now and by this way by selecting few questions they use rote learning to mug up the answers and pass the examinations. So because our system of education is such that the rote learning helps the student so its encouraged but if our system of examination is like "A" or "O" level and the pattern of questions is frequently changed then students will fail to apply the knowledge of rote learning and definitely the rote learning will be discouraged.

Q- If we keep the system on one side and see the rote learning with reference to education or with reference to students understanding , is this rote learning useful or harmful?

A- Rote learning is not as much useful as thought of . I think what we have got from rote learning is that for a certain period of time or in short terms the student remembers his lessons for while but he is also retaining it and trying to logically remember it then it may be useful. But if the rote learning is for the reason that he has to just qualify the exam and then forget it then it is very harmful. So retention is very important in rote learning.

Q- What do you man by active learning?

A- By Active Learning we mean that when a student studies in the class room then he goes back home and re-learns it and prepares his lesson by seeing his text book and then he prepares his notes by coping it on his copy and brings it to the class the next day and the teacher checks it . So in this process there has been participation of the student who had listened to the lecture of the teacher , understood it, put it up in his words and brought to the class so this is a sort of active learning and active participation on part of the student.

Q- Have you ever tried this thing in your class ?

A- Yes our system of instruction is this. Its based on active learning. First of all we teach the students in the class by giving lectures, then we give those students some homework based on that lecture, so next day when the student brings it in written form in the class room , we check it and if it is not possible the next day we check the work pertaining to the last 2 to 3 days . So by this way the students remain fully alert and besides learning he remains up to date.

Q- Do the teachers gives notes or the students prepare themselves ?

A- There is no system of notes upto school level and we do not give them. But at the college level in the good institutions there the teacher gives a lecture and the students make their own notes specially those students who attain good marks and go to professional colleges they never rely on notes however what the teacher has taught them and whatever they have studied from the text book and then they make another note by themselves. So they will study this note and when they have worked so hard so definitely they will remember their lessons also.

Q- What is the method of lecture and how it is delivered to a class ?

A- For example the teacher has to give a lecture on the law of gravitation, so he is going to explain everything about this law, first he will give the statement , then he will apply that law and he will make that law knowledgeable to the students so that they should understand what is the impact on that law. Then there will be question answers, and the students can ask anything about which they are not fully satisfied they will ask from the student . By this way the lecture will also be conducted and the students would have also participated in the discussion and after that the students will bring them in written form of notes the next day. The teacher will then check it next day in the class room. In our model colleges and in our good institutions this method is adopted and in force. In this way we prepare our students. You have seen that here in our education system which is prevailing here in urban cities but I am not talking of the remote and rural areas we have divided our education system , we have some model colleges and schools, there are some English medium schools, there are some schools of our elite class, there are some foreign aided schools, some foreign funded schools, but 90 % of our population which is in rural areas or there are some schools in suburbs of the federal capital where there is neither any equipment nor any properly trained teachers, nor there is any adequate building or furniture, so this proper environment for education is also very necessary for education. This is a very painful thing in our system that there are many institutions where proper education is not reaching our students and with the exception of few selected schools where the students are getting proper education, but in remote areas it is very difficult to get proper education and only a very talented student because of his talent he will keep on moving forward then he will be shifted to other these institutions when he will come over here he will be picked up like a good student . Then his grooming will be done, he will get good facilities . So this is the aspect which is alarming to us and requires immediate attention. Let us hope that we have a uniform system of education with equal opportunities to all students weather rich or poor from urban or rural areas. Then all the students will be of one uniform level.

Q- What areas need to be improved most urgently in facilities provided and in the area of your own teaching ?

A- Most needed things are the scientific apparatus, equipment’s, and then the basic training to the teachers that is also very much important thing and then you see the most important thing which is deteriorating the academic excellence and performance of the teaching community that they are also facing lot of hardships. In pursuit of their academic excellence in a way they are not happy about their salary system, their salary structure must be revised in such a way that they should impart education with full satisfaction and then they need not to work anywhere other than teaching. They must give 100 % attention towards the teaching.

Q- What recommendations do you have for the improvement of Physics teaching ?

A- Basically in Physics teaching what we have noticed in most of our institutions we still lack the apparatus and the instruments which are required for the practical purposes. If all those apparatuses and instruments if they are provided to the students then they will also do some practical in a proper way and the most important thing is that science and physics teachers they must be given some sort of training from training colleges , we have so many excellent training centers which have been made for the science teachers . But I don’t know I have never been given that facility that I should be called or asked to go for a certain training . So similarly like that there are many teachers who have never gone like that . So, if they are given time to time the facility of that training then with that facility they should know the up to date information in the field of physics. If they know then they will definitely transfer it to the students and with this transformation our students when they will get their education at the elementary level then they will start picking those important things at that level. An when they go up to graduate level they will be in a position to abreast with the situation which is now the demand of the time . So these are the things which we need very seriously and urgently that training of the teachers and the best available syllabus where the physics is modified , modification in the subject of physics that is also needed and the practical performance of the students that also be coordinated in such a way that what ever advancement is going on that must be linked with the day to day development of the classes.

Saleem: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION IN MY THIS STUDY.