School isn’t over for retiring math, physics teacher

By Rob Vogt
Malik Salman has always had a passion for math and physics, before he was a teacher and now that he has retired after 25 years at Willow Creek Composite High School.
It all started with undergraduate work at the University of Lethbridge.
From there he did a masters of science in physics and a bachelor of education from the University of Western Ontario.
Salman started his first year of a Phd in physics then came back to Alberta in 1996 and began applying for teaching jobs.
He had offers in Calgary and Vancouver, but took a job in St. Paul because it was close to Edmonton near family.
Then, to escape the harsh winter, he began looking south.
In the spring of 1999 Shaun Boyle, principal of Willow Creek Composite High School, came to Edmonton to interview Salman for a position teaching physics and math.
The rest is history.
Over the years Salman has taught Physics, Calculus, Applied Math, Math-2 stream, Math-3 stream, Math 9, Science 9 and 10, Science 14 and 24, and more.
He has had many highlights over the years too.
One is keeping in touch with his former students who, over the years, have reached out to him.
Salman recalled one student, who he had taught math a number of years before, leaving him a voice mail.
The student said they appreciated Salman’s math class. Since high school, that student went back to school, finished their education and was now in a field they wanted to be in.
Another time, during the height of the pandemic when everyone was wearing masks, Salman ran into a former student. The student was from the class of 2003, recognized Salman through the masks, and wanted to reach out.
He also fondly remembers coaching the high school golf team, who won zone championships and qualified for the provincial finals several times.
Another highlight was the last Physics 30 class he taught.
“I enjoyed teaching them and teaching that course for the last time,” Salman said.
Overall, he has enjoyed his time at the high school.
“I have a passion for the subjects that I taught and the students that I taught,” he said.
Salman also made connections to the world beyond high school, taking his students on field trips to places such as the University of Lethbridge physics department.
Now, he is already looking forward, planning to go back to university and finish that doctorate.
“It was an enjoyable time in my life,” he said. “The pursuit of knowledge at the next level.”
Salman knew the time was right to move on.
“It’s good to quit while you are enjoying something and feeling good about it,” he said, adding he always had good connections with staff and administration.
‘I’m leaving with a lot of good feelings and memories,” he said.