Professionalism, talent of a teacher, undoubtedly depends on how much the subject is loved by students, to what extent they are willing to pick up the baton. This is confirmed by the experience of Zhanti Kushevich Taov, who has started and finished his employment history as a teacher of the Kabardian language and literature. Almost half of his pupils attained his profession, working in virtually all the Kabardian settlements. The level of attainment of his graduates was so high (and this was known by the whole republic), that the selection committee released them from entrance examinations in Kabardian language and literature. The examiners did not doubt the substantial knowledge of the native language by the school leavers, trained by Zh. Taov...
In the 30’s of the last century the schools of Kabardino-Balkaria experienced acute shortage of teachers. Therefore, the most gifted school leavers, having managed to display active leader’s qualities during the studies, were becoming teachers just after school desks. Zhanti Kushevich was one of them. In 1938, after the seven-year school in Kamlyukovo, he was appointed senior Young Pioneer Organizer, and some time later became a teacher of the primary school.
The work came just to the liking of the young teacher. He took up educating children enthusiastically. But although the knowledge gained at school was not bad, Zhanti did not have a clear idea on the methods of teaching. The lessons of senior colleagues helped him to learn the specifics of the teachers’ work. Taov was carefully analyzing his own lessons: generalizing the positive results of practical work, systematizing and using them in the classes. So he developed his own method of teaching children.
But soon the war started and interrupted his teacher's work. In September 1941 he was sent to dig trenches by stanitsa Soldatskaya. And in December Zhanti received call-up papers on recruitment into the army.
The young soldier got a serious injury and contusion shortly after and was sent to a hospital. There he got medical treatment, but being recognized disabled, was given an early discharge from military service. After returning home, he got into occupation. He was not feeling well and for several months he had to stay in bed. The Nazis must have received information that Zh. Taov was a former Red Army soldier, and so they were going to execute him (this is evidenced by the lists, found after the expulsion of the Germans). Only the arrival of the Soviet troops saved his life.
His injury and contusion haunted him for a long time. Zhanti was hardly moving, leaning against the stick. At that time there was nobody to work at the collective farm, and overcoming the pain and weariness he worked first as an accountant, and when in Kamlyukovo a school started working, he returned there as a teacher. There he had worked as a Kabardian language teacher until 1963, when he moved to Nalchik with his family. His work was marked by two diplomas of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of KBASSR, diplomas of the Ministry of Education of the republic.
By that time Zh. Taov has become widely known as an excellent professional, a teacher, engaged not only in practical but also in scientific, methodical work. Back in 1958, he published the first collection of dictations and expositions in the Kabardian language in the republic - the fruit of his many years of work and reflection. The collection was reprinted many times and still has not lost its scientific and methodological value. Knowing about the serious academic work of Zh. Taov, he was invited to work as a methodologist at boarding schools and extended-day classes in the teachers’ training institute.
- I had to check the boarding schools, attend various events and then analyze them, - Zhanti Kushevich recalls. - I was holding seminars, conducting summer courses for retraining teachers.
But the wish to return to his favorite occupation – teaching the native language and literature - did not give him rest. Unfortunately, at that time there were not so many schools in Nalchik where they were teaching Kabardian language. He was given a few hours in secondary schools № 11 and № 18. His lessons were attended with pleasure by both the Kabardian and Russian children.
- To improve the quality of the pupils’ knowledge, - Zh. Taov says, - I had to prepare thoroughly for the lessons. I was preparing the illustrative material as well - over 100 posters and tables.
In 1972, Zh. K. Taov started working on a textbook of Kabardian language for the second forms of rural schools, and later – of the town (on the order of the Ministry of Education of KBASSR). By that time he has already accumulated a lot of material, managed to publish a collection of dictations and expositions, which included not only excerpts from the works of Kabardian writers, but also texts drawn up by himself. He took account not only of the age of children, but also the realia of the time. Well knowing the method of teaching the native language, Zh. Taov has made sure that the textbook was convenient in use, presented the material in a way interesting and easy for the children's perception. The talent of the textbook’s author is evidenced by the fact that his workbooks for primary school teachers, teaching materials and textbooks were reprinted many times.
And now, despite his declining years, Zhanti Kushevich is working on the next, sixth textbook of Kabardian language on the order of the Ministry of Education and Science of KBR. Fees for the compilation of textbooks are symbolic, one should say, but Zhanti Kushevich is working on them with pleasure, as the honored teacher of Kabardino-Balkaria, High Achiever of People's Education of the Russian Federation cannot sit without the occupation, to which he devoted his life. |
FACT
