– 67 years old;
– Veteran of Public Education of the Republic of Karakalpakstan4
– Honored Worker of Education of the Republic of Karakalpakstan;
– Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor of “Foreign Language and Literature”, Faculty of Foreign Languages, Karakalpak State University named after Berdakh;
– The motto of life: If you want to be human – serve people!
Lecture room 9. As you enter the university building, a special feeling drives you to this place. Students both prepare for the lesson and try to go in shape as real students. Although they are so excited and afraid to enter the auditorium, a strange force pulls them in. The reason is that after a while a selfless teacher will rule here, Gulaim Ametovna’s sunny face and enthusiasm for teaching will create an amazing atmosphere …
When “Nurumbetova” and “Nurumbetova’s lesson” are said, students imagine her stern demeanor. In fact, it is a sign of assertiveness, dedication to her profession. Our teacher, basically, wants everyone to be educated, well-mannered and disciplined, and she treats everyone in a strict manner. When we ask her whether education is important or discipline is more in an educational institution, she says that education and discipline should be in a balance, and where there is discipline, education is strong.
When we interviewed our teacher, we received interesting and exemplary information about her student years, the education of her time and the present, and the students in these periods.
DB: What kind of student do you think you were when you were young?
GN: I think current students don’t understand me. Because I was born in another time, I became a student in another time …
In 1971, when I entered the English department of the Faculty of Foreign Languages, I did not know a single letter of the English language. Therefore, I had to study three times or more than other students. Since I had studied French for 9 years at school, my language would never adapt from French to English. In fact, since the 6th grade, we have been teaching literature and history in French. So sometimes I would study English for 3-4 days in the evening without sleeping. There were books in the library called “Do you speak English?”, “Say it with us”, and with their records, I listened to and memorized those books from beginning to end. I was a hard worker.
Indeed, after this answer of the teacher, we can’t help but be amazed at her current level and experience. She proved it with more interesting facts and shared her student qualities.
GN: The highest score in our group was “3”, and mine did not rise above “1”. We would go to pick cotton. If the girls in the village picked a lot of it, we, the girls in the city, could not do it. Then I had an idea: “These girls have been living in the cotton fields since their first grade, they don’t have time to study, and I neither know how to pick cotton nor how to study. It’s a shame that I’m in this position … ” At that moment I decided to study more deeply. And as a result of my efforts, I passed my first session with a score of “5”. Anyway, I’m still surprised that I suddenly went from “1” to “5”.
DB: What do you think are the pros and cons of education in your time and present?
GN: Each time has its own scales, each period is wonderful with its own fruit, which means that it has no bad sides. Today’s students are able to speak fluently but have little language skills, as they do not read literary works. Even if they are interviewed, they learn their speech by heart them, and without preparation they can’t speak and stay silent.
We didn’t even have a chance to hear people from abroad. We used to practice listening exercises according to Polish doctors. We read our textbooks in Russian and English, published in Russia. We also had a rich language supply, because we read a lot of literary books. Now the students are reaching out to whichever way they want. You can learn a lot by receiving information freely and unlimitedly through the Internet.
DB: Why did you choose the teaching profession?
GN: I did not choose this profession myself. My father forced me to study at the Faculty of Foreign Languages. Because at school I was more interested in language.
Personally, at that time I dreamed of becoming a surgeon. There was no medical institute in Nukus, and my parents did not allow me to study far from home.
Even so, I am still a very happy person. Because my father knew better than me which profession was right for me. Parents are never wrong.
DB: What draws you to this establishment – university?
GN: First of all, if you are among young people, you will never feel older. Students are well prepared for my subject. Even if they are moderately or poorly prepared for lessons, I find their strengths, prioritize them, praise them and make them interested in my subject. Most importantly, I will strengthen their self-confidence. Students who are educated in this way can reach the highest peaks on the path of education. And I enjoy these results and I am in love with the university, which is the source of my pleasure.
DB: If you were given the opportunity to become an 18-year-old student, what would you have changed in your career?
GN: I love my profession very much. When I graduated, many thought that I would demand higher positions. There were many proposals for the position of dean. And I would say, “Leave me alone, I just want to go into the classroom and teach.” I also worked as the head of the department, the deputy director of the Progress Center, and the president of the Association of Foreign Language Teachers – these positions must be enough. Even now I have a beloved and proud profession in accordance with my dreams, and I never want to change this “career”!
DB: What do you think is the shortcoming of today’s students and how can you motivate them?
GN: There is nothing wrong with today’s students. The reason is that I consider each student as my student, I accept them as my future colleagues.
The student must be respected in the first place. To this world, where everyone is wise and intelligent. If the teacher shows the students these qualities of themselves, pays more attention to the positive aspects, make the positive situations, the students gain self-confidence.
In fact, Gulaim Ametovna teaches a lot from her experience, sometimes supervises students as their parents, and sometimes jokes as a peer. She tries to explain both the subject and the task in a friendly manner. However, as the saying goes, “If you hold the reed loose, it will cut off your hand”, she is strict enough as well. As a boundless respect for the teacher and a great responsibility, each group takes a creative approach to the lesson and tries to perform the task in an interactive way.
Furthermore, if you look outside the classroom, you can see that our teacher is fair, simple, kind and a person who can be a selfless and loyal friend with her high human qualities. Because she has served and is still serving people to reach that level, that is, to become a human being!
Dinora Begdullaeva
3rd year student of
“Foreign language and literature” department
Foreign languages faculty
