About Teaching

Posted on 25th March 2010

I am enjoying teaching the children (at the weekend school) now, Alhamdulillah. But the challenges are getting bigger. I should have known that to teach just one said subject, requires the knowledge of so many other things to come in.

So it's either you just focus on the notes and read the notes in your hand, or get the students to read one by one, preferably in random, and stopping them at random words and ask the next-not-paying-attention student to read it. This is way easier and safer.

OR you can ramble on from the knowledge you think you have. Sporadically asking them question. Listening to their answers and opinion in their own words to determine their understanding.

I have a tendency to do the latter. Firstly because I don't like the you-read-and-next-you-read style. Secondly maybe because I just err like to talk and tell stories. Thirdly by listening to their answers in their own words I can gauge what level they are in and sort of give me ideas what to concentrate next.

When covering the manners of eating may get me off tangent to the stories of shaytan are our no 1 enemy. It even made me tell the stories of how Shaytan asked Allah permission to come to the people from the front, behind, left and right. From eating to the story of shaytan? I do ramble alot..

But with the more you say, the more questions they have.

They ask question that you wouldn't think anyone would ask. You wouldn't think anyone would ask because you never thought about it yourself. It may caught you offguard. Some you may be able to answer.

Like why you should not poo or pee under the shade of a tree when you are at the outdoors?
Why you should not pee in holes outdoor?
What is a well?
Is that boy your son?

Some you find it harder.

The other day a boy asked me why we only say sallalahhu alaihi wasalam when the mention of Prophet Muhammad and not subhana wa taala when we mention Allah. Err I don't know exactly. I was telling them to say sallalahhu alaihi wasalam, all these while. In the end I don't even really know why we have to do it.

Telan air liur, tebalkan muka and tell them you say it as a respect. But taht's not really answering the question. I will have to check ya. I will come back and tell you later. Went home and made research. That was challenging.

But Alhamdulillah, I have found out and are currently in the midst of telling them. Just giving that lesson sets me off tangent merata-rata sampai cerita Taif where Prophet Muhammad sallalahhu alaihi wasalam was thrown stone at, cerita wife Abu Jahl tabur thorns on the path way of Prophet Muhammad sallalahhu alaihi wasalam, the story of Abu Jahl putting the intestines of camels on Prophet Muhammad sallalahhu alaihi wasalam when he prayed.

In many sense, to teach is actually to learn yourselves. I have only been teaching them a few classes and I feel really the knowledge is too little, sometimes I feel I am not apt to teach.

I was teaching the younger ones to do things starting with the right side. Wear your clothes on the right first. Wear your shoes on the right first. then i realised I myself put things sometimes on the left. *Alamak!*

This is terribly worrying. On a positive note, perhaps it is a good check for myself.

For the teen groups I am facilitating, I had to refuse a few talks. The other facilitators are way stricter than I am. Many things I do not dare to tell the girls yet because I am far from doing them. :(

I am worried.

I worry for dispensing wrong ilm.

I worry mostly that I would be questioned in the yaumul akhirah, the day that no one can help you, the day that you have to answer for yourself. I would be asked why am I telling people to do things while I myself don't do them.
















I am scared.

I ask Allah for wisdom and beneficial ilmu and guidance in my act.