Best Way to Teach!

We had a fairly huge debate over what is the best method for teaching. Is it the chalk & talk or presentation based, interactive one.Everyone kind of agreed interactivity is essential. But we had a divergence of opinion on what constitutes the interactivity.

I expected more accepted more of tendency towards the newer methods.One of the clear reason that emerged was that whatever method one is used to is what they want to continue to use. This is such a big issue to change in any sphere of human activity! We are so used to, so comfortable with familiarity of whatever we do! I would have thought, those who are in the teaching business would experiment more with their tools, methods etc.

Another Feedback about Our Students being Weak in Communication

We had representatives of the Indian Army visiting us today for initial selection to their technical branches such as Engineers, EME and the Signals. At the end of day they did tell us our boys were weak in listening & comprehension as well as speaking. Our students come from Bengali background as well as fro Bihar, Jharkhand area.


Bengal boys were generally weak in speaking English back in our time too. But what happened during the intervening period was that we got rid of English from school curriculum for a very long time. That screwed up the situation further! Bihar and Jharkhand had the problem for a long time as well.


Interestingly we have a peculiar situation in the college. While many times we come up with complaints from some students that our faculty members speak Bengali in the class. Now, if they strictly follow speaking English in the class, the same boys will have problem with that too.


Question that is bugging me is how to solve this problem not only when students face external agencies but also in following the daily classes leading to that event.

Technology for Education

If an educational institute has Wi-Fi then there are amazing things you can do to help students and be in touch with teachers, add value to the teaching, question forum, discussions; the possibilities are endless! I was kind of sensitized to these aspects by the reminder that came for call for papers for a t4e seminar run by IIT, Mumbai. In my one year, two semester stint so far in this institute i have been experimenting with some of these tools. it was limited by no Wi-Fi access. Students are not able to access the net very easily. But this certainly has possibility of improving teaching bu at least an order of quality.

crossroads

Life has a strange way of bringing you down to some crossroads when you have to decide the direction you want to take from then on. I am at one such. Having reached 60 years of age I am at a traditional point one retires from professional life. I am just out of an assignment and could easily take that path.

I do, however, feel I have quite a mileage left still. I have always wanted to teach. My father and grandfathers have been teachers, may be that's why. Maybe I understand things well and then love to explain that to others! I have found that to be true all along my student days as well as during my professional life.

During student years loved to lead informal study groups that always formed. Similarly jumped at an opportunity to train others whenever such opportunities arose during working years. I really, truly enjoyed the experience too. So why not!!