Teaching Overview
Teaching Overview
The great physicist Richard Feynman is famously known to have said that, “if you want to learn something, teach it”. Teaching and learning are two sides of the same coin – the act of imparting knowledge ends up improving one’s own understanding. I believe that teaching is one of the most joyful and gratifying jobs one can have.
Teaching and Mentorship is an important part of my job as an academic. Currently, I am a visiting assistant professor at St. Mary's College of Maryland. Before this, I worked as a teaching assistant (TA) at UT Dallas for five years during the course of my doctoral studies. I was a TA for both undergraduate and graduate courses and was involved in classroom instruction, laboratory sessions, tutorial sessions, in-class demos, etc.
Philosophy
For me, teaching is as much a passion as a profession. I am emotionally invested in both the act of teaching as well as the students. I believe that my job is not just limited to the subject matter in the classroom. Rather, it is my responsibility to ensure an overall intellectual and emotional development of my students.
More discussion, less lecture
Teaching is not a one-person-show centred around the instructor. Student participation forms an integral part of the learning process. I do not view students' questions as a hindrance to the flow of the lecture. I even encourage them to be not limited to the subject matter, but also include general comments and discussions. I do not believe that a strict “let us not digress” attitude is helpful in the classroom. A reasonable amount of digression is always refreshing and makes the classroom an interactive and collaborative place.
Principles, not formulae
Mathematics is the language of physics. While teaching physics, although mathematical rigour is important, yet it is hardly useful unless the meaning and subtleties of the underlying physical concepts are clearly presented alongside. This is my the emphasis in the classroom. A physics course should be taught as a series of physical principles expressed through equations, and not the other way around.
Theory-application synergy
It is of utmost importance to develop in students the ability to realise and appreciate applications of theoretical concepts. This involves challenging them to think critically and creatively. At the undergraduate level, this may involve a special assignment or a small project in which students would be able to come up with methods of their own to tackle a problem. At the graduate level, this can be done by increasing familiarity with active research and open problems in the subject.
Diverse range of tools
All students are different and hence following only one methodology in class would be ineffective. I put substantial effort in recognising what triggers excitement in my students. I take feedback from them regarding their academic background. Based on this, I use a diverse set of tools in the teaching-learning process. An intelligently devised combination of the working on the board, displaying slides, demonstrations, and well-written lecture notes make the course fulfilling experience for the entire class.
Students matter before subject matter
Physics courses, especially at the undergraduate level, have standardised learning goals and outcomes. However, I like to understand both the motivations and capabilities of my students and then design the course accordingly. A personal connection to the students and understanding their background (academic and otherwise) provides a teacher with a perspective that goes beyond the immediate goal of teaching physics.
History of Physics as a Tool in Teaching
The great physicist and Nobel laureate Steven Weinberg has argued that learning the history of physics is of great use in teaching. A large number of articles and books exist in the physics education literature stating and emphasising on the same. In addition to these known benefits, historical perspectives and stories can be used to make the course and the classroom more inclusive. Emphasising on the contributions from scientists that belong to traditionally under-represented groups can make the course relatable to more diverse set of students.
Useful Links
Articles on the need and importance of history of physics:
M. Matthews, Science Teaching: The Role of History and Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of education research library (Routledge, 1994).
S. Weinberg, Physics and History, Daedalus 127, 151 (1998).
A. Arons, Historical and philosphical perspectives attainable in introductory physics courses, Educational Philosophy and Theory 20, 13 (1988).
M. Stanley, Why should physicists study history?, Physics Today 69, 38 (2016)