Lalitha Pappu

My philosophy of teaching is based on the fact that the human brain is trained to remember only two categories of things- things which are dangerous and things which are pleasure giving. As a teacher my primary responsibility is to make the student understand the concept. But it goes without saying that it is also my responsibility to help the student remember what he learns and apply as and when required. At any point of time, be it theory or practical pedagogy is an integral part of teaching. The fact that the students coming to university are grown up is immaterial because learning can be fun when it is interactive. I walk into the classroom with bouncing enthusiasm so that I be able to transfer my enthusiastic vibrations to my audience. A continuous lecture is often boring, thus I believe in making my lectures interesting with periodic digressions. My efforts to dissolve the barriers of age have always helped in making my teaching more enjoyable. My class begins with a question and ends with a new question which is carried forward to the next session. Thus I succeed in keeping my students engaged rather engrossed in the subject even after the class. The demarcation between slow and fast learners is always in my mind and I never let the students sense. An extra hour that I devote to help the weak students cope up is always disguised in the form of discussion or extension of lab hours. Marks are never a measure of a student’s intelligence is a statement I believe and thereby I never judge the caliber of a student just based on the score. The universities in the country must focus more on concept oriented teaching creating the power of analytical thinking in the younger generation. The lack of creativity is the biggest hindrance to the progress of science in the nation. Freedom in thinking and guidance in extension of research ideas are two very important goals for a scientific career.