Nora Malaj: The only profession that does not have an "ex" is the teacher

"It is a period where a lot of care is needed to manage and guide children's lives"

This has been a week full of emotions for all the students who have returned to the school benches, for those who are sitting for the first time, but also for the teachers.

Today we decided to talk to a born teacher who has positively influenced the lives of many, many students throughout her career as a teacher.

In this conversation with Nora Malaj we will focus on the figure of the teacher, showing how his reputation has changed over the years, we will also understand the change of generations.

"For my generation, the teacher was the saint. When you passed on the street, whether you were a boy or a girl, you would take your hands out of your pockets if you saw the teacher, or the teacher who passed you by, and you would greet him with respect."

We must not forget that the only profession that does not have an ex is the teacher. No one says my former teacher, but; this or that was my teacher. And I have felt this all the time, for almost 40 years" - says Malaj.

For Aunt Nora, the way this figure is seen today has naturally changed:

"Obviously, being a teacher today, in addition to teaching, you also have to face the challenges of the time, as today's children and parents are from a different time and have different behaviors. They are a product of the time they were born and I am growing up. Today, parenting is turned into one of the biggest challenges of the time and together with it, grandfathering".

Ps: When you come out of a conversation with Aunt Nora, even though you may be in a bad mood because of traffic, parking, everyday problems, you feel calmer and understand how important communication is, the form you choose to show or even advised.

- Mrs. Malaj, how do you remember the first day of school?

Eh, a lot of time has passed since then, almost 53 years, but I remember it like it was today, with a lot of emotion and nostalgia. In our time the uniform was a black apron with a white collar. We, at that time, had ink and ink pens. One of the most beautiful subjects was calligraphy. I attended the music school, so every day I had to study as well as the lesson. I remember with longing and nostalgia my first teacher, teacher Shpresa Kruja, mother and doctor Jera Kruja, who passed away just a few months ago. The first years of schooling have marked a lot on me. Yes, teacher Jera and piano teacher Zini will remain among my most beloved figures. They taught me to love school and motivated me how beautiful and how important school and study are. For me, all the teachers and lecturers remain the most important people in my life, who have influenced my formation as a citizen, my education and my sensitivity to love this missionary profession.

- Surely you notice that many things have changed since then, or do the student's emotions remain the same?

Of course, many things have changed, as society itself has evolved. Life today is different from that time. I was born in 1964 and the education system had discipline and correctness. The family was very, very consolidated and the environment was safe and secure. We grew up, as they say at that time, "with a key around our necks" and our grandparents or parents did not come to pick us up. Everything was safe and controlled, and the neighbor was, as they say, "the first brother", to help or take care of you, in the case of families who had grandmothers or grandfathers at home. But beyond the conditions that were different and the mindset was different, the emotion remains the same. For my generation, the teacher was the saint. When you were crossing the street, whether you were a boy or a girl, you would take your hands out of your pockets if you saw the teacher passing you by and greet him or her with respect.

Respect was not only imposed, but also earned, since education began in the preschool system with the figure of the educator and then the teacher. There was no more beautiful emotion than when the teacher ran his hand through your hair to caress and appreciate you. I remember once, I was in the third grade and the teacher asked me for some children's poems that I had created to read on Tirana radio, on the children's show. That day I was the "heroine" of the school, which was proud of me for the dignified representation I had made. I will never forget how my cheeks burned that day from "shame", and the joy was so great that I couldn't sleep at night because of the emotions...

I had a wonderful childhood and youth and beyond my parents, who were blessed and educated abroad, the school has been a source of inspiration and blessing for me. She taught me to love the book and to see in the teacher, beyond his image, the empathetic person who inspires you. Such was my esteemed professor Mihallaq Luarasi, who encouraged my love for literature in high school. Blessings and gratitude to my teachers and those who are no longer alive.

- As I noticed excited students in the schoolyards today, I also saw the teachers, who, in addition to emotions, have a big job waiting for them. Do we recently have a lack of appreciation of the figure of the teacher?

Personally, but also psychological studies say that teaching is the most difficult profession and with a very high emotional load. Not everyone becomes a teacher. Whoever chooses this profession should think carefully about the weight of responsibility he has. It is not easy to cope with this extremely long transition that affects society, interpersonal relationships and that make the exercise of this profession even more difficult. I think it is now time for teachers to have a special status, so that his figure is not denigrated and prejudiced. A good teacher must possess knowledge in such a way that it is infallible and at the same time society and state institutions appreciate and promote it, turning it into a unique and well-paid figure. We must not forget that the only profession that does not have an ex is the teacher. No one says my former teacher, but this or that was my teacher. And I have felt this all the time, for almost 40 years.

- You said that a lot has changed. Teachers are faced with students, who often talk back to you with arrogance or nothing more, as well as their parents. As a person with a lot of experience, what advice would you give to students, parents, but also teachers?

Of course, to be a teacher today, in addition to teaching, you also have to face the challenges of the time, as today's children and parents are from a different time and have different behaviors. They are a product of the time they were born and growing up. Today, parenting has become one of the biggest challenges of our time, and with it, grandparenting. They are a set of relationships that often enter into a vicious circle and at this moment the role of the teacher becomes necessary for encouraging the critical thinking of children, for calming them down, in growth cycles, for their motivation and for orientation towards the future. Even more so when we talk about a society like ours which is unfortunately going through a social depression. Where models unfortunately mismodel and when society is still at a crossroads. It is a period where a lot of care is needed to manage and guide children's lives. They should be advised not arrogantly, they should be taught by inspiring them, encouraging their curiosity and desire for the challenges that await them, motivating them and supporting them. They should never, for any reason, be compared but should be evaluated. But we should not forget the Latin saying: "Everything that exceeds the measure turns into its opposite". So my advice is to eat with salt and salt in moderation. Each of us must do his work with dedication in the name of love for man.

-Perhaps it has always existed, but we are in a period when the bullying students do to each other is high, for appearance, for clothing... How should peers see each other and why should they not hurt them?

Today, more than ever, the school should be the place where the sense of collectivity, kindness, respect and not prejudice, bullying, violence, inappropriate vocabulary, which at this time has become part of communication and slang between teenagers, is cultivated. It is necessary to fight and prevent evil, to guarantee a better future for children. We must encourage entrepreneurship, competition among each other, but by cooperating in a group. It is very, very important to encourage the reading of books, to encourage valuable debate and discussion, to tell children inspiring and motivating events. To teach them how to plan the day, how to have objectives in life, how to love beauty, not what is superficial, but what is true. To teach children how important life is and to help them to philosophize about it and to create a world where dreams are one step away from reality, but it depends on who they do it with and who is next to them. If we invest heavily in the useful, the ugly, the bad and the bullying will have no place in the lives of the children. Let's NOT forget that education is the most fundamental investment we make in society. Therefore, we need missionary teachers who see education as the most important investment for the future generation. Blessed be our teachers, parents and children. The honor of the nation begins with the elderly and ends with the children.

*'Confession Room' exclusive column of Vox News.

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