To mark the United Nations’ World Teachers’ Day, we spoke to Fakhruddin Bootwala of the Dawoodi Bohra community of Maryland about his teaching philosophy and love of learning.

In Glen Burnie, Maryland, local teacher Fakhruddin Bootwala is trying new ways to structure his classroom teaching in order to provide a more enriching student experience.  As the Arts and Humanities teacher at Glendale Elementary School, Bootwala does not use grades, tests, or quizzes in his class.  Instead, his students engage in project-based learning that allows them to express their individual creativity.

“Hallmarks of my classroom include flexible seating, games, coloring, and activities,” Fakhruddin Bootwala told us. 

Fifth graders learned about how different colors represented certain feelings and emotions. They then created personalized logos that would carry with them throughout their educational careers

“Students are encouraged to communicate their thoughts and feelings through drama and visual art.  Their work, which includes podcasts, poems, and designs, is then put on display at public centers throughout the county.”

Bootwala works hard to develop his students’ teamwork skills, and focuses on strengthening the “Four Cs”: Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Communication, and Creativity.  Through these projects, students are able to apply their classroom learning to real world situations.  Many of his students have been accepted into magnet programs for middle school, and cite his class as integral in preparing them for their interviews.

“My students are able to speak more confidently and demonstrate how to positively impact their community and their school,” he continued.  “Using the “learn, grasp, apply” method, they also teach their family members important life skills such as mindfulness.”

Learning about patterns and different geometric shapes

In 2015, Bootwala was recruited to join the new Triple E (Enhanced Elementary Excellence) program, of which Arts and Humanities is a subsection.  Because of his passion to help children, and the chance to teach the entire school, he was excited to take on this new challenge.  As every grade, from pre-Kindergarten to fifth grade, attends his class weekly, Bootwala is able to follow the progress of each of his students as they advance through elementary school.

In addition, his school is located in his own community, and he enjoys being able to interact with his students around the neighborhood.  This helps him reinforce the values and lessons that he teaches outside of school as well.  Bootwala’s teaching style allows him to form strong connections with each of his students, and also helps children that struggle with high behavior issues.  He always greets his class with a smile and leads them to find the “good, better, best” answer for practical life situations.  With his “for the love of learning” philosophy, Bootwala is striving to transform education and empower his students to become more thoughtful, creative, and productive members of society.