When I studied Physics in school it meant a class was just a
black and white text on a board. Our books were filled with formulas and
definitions. I often wonder how I became a Physics teacher. What drew me into
this so called dry and boring subject which is a nightmare of several students?
In the eighties, Carl Sagan’s Cosmos used to come on National Television and also Star Trek was a popular TV show. These shows and visits to the Nehru Science Centre, Nehru Planetarium in Mumbai kindled an interest in the subject. I feel if you want to learn a subject, it must touch your heart first. It should stir an emotion because pure logic can get intimidating. I often experience this when I am camping in the mountains, away from city life and looking at the dark sky filled with Milky Way!
At TISB, we always bring in “touchy-feely” objects to the
class. We have a good number of gadgets in the lab so that one can learn by
doing an experiment. However, to learn Physics it is not really required to go
to a formal lab one can explore the subject through several natural phenomena
that are constantly happening around. I often encourage students to collect
whatever scrap that is lying around. You never know what could turn out to be
useful. Edison’s laboratory was full all types of scraps, odds and ends. You do
not always need expensive instruments to learn a subject. Your imagination and
creativity can do wonders.
In the last ten years, there have been several virtual laboratories
(simulations) on the internet. With my students with an access to laptop I started
showing them about these sites. Photoelectric effect, Thermodynamic engine, HR
diagrams, roller-coaster simulations are some of my students’ favorites.
Smartboard and multi-media turned out to be boons for
teachers. I am able to bring in expert professors like Walter Lewin, Brian Cox, Neil De Grass Tyson, Derek Muller and Richard
Dawkins to my class once in a while. I have learnt a lot from these Gurus and I am trying to incorporate
some of their ideas in my classes. I love Prof. Lewin’s dedication in setting
up and testing an experiment. Derek Muller’s humor when he goes on streets
talking to people is hilarious. Brian Cox has a charm of a rock star and I
absolutely enjoy how he explains the concept of entropy on a sandy desert.
Richard Dawkins combines his love for Physics and Biology to explain several
principles of Science and rationalism. My heartfelt appreciation to all of
these teachers. My son Kabir is always the first one to tell me about a new
video that gets uploaded.
I love to tell stories of scientists. Especially, women
physicists whose life stories did not get much limelight. When I am teaching
about nuclear fission, I invariably talk about Liz Meitner’s love life
and her exile from Germany during WWII. When I am teaching about pulsars, I
talk about Jocelyn
Bell-Burnell’s story of Little Green Men! These stories help in generating
interest.
My last tool for winning my students’ heart is talking about
or showing a part of Science related films.
I have used Einstein’s Big Idea and Newton’s dark secrets by PBS Nova
extensively. In the recent years, Interstellar, Gravity, Back to the Future,
Contact, The Matrix, the Simpsons (Movie and serials) have been some of my
personal favorites.
Courtesy: Professor Walter Lewin's photo
