The philosophy of teaching and learning 

Acquiring knowledge is deeply integrated inside all living beings. They learn from their surroundings, experiences, and others to survive as a species. During the course of evolution, humans have aced this game and have progressed from hunter-gatherers to the present-day hi-tech society. Our thirst for knowledge is insatiable. The teaching-learning relationship in our society has evolved from the traditional process of verbal recitation to present-day technology-driven methods. However, the core values behind this process are still the same – passion, grit, vision, knowledge, teamwork, and critical thinking. The result is a new generation with deeply imbibed creativity, vision, integrity, loyalty, compassion, and leadership. 

Implementation of the philosophy 

When it comes to classrooms, each student is different. I believe everyone wants to learn, but have a different speed and focusing capabilities. The young minds are volatile, moving in all possible directions. My objective is to nurture them to think rationally and, at least when they are in class, focus on the subject at hand while still allowing their minds to venture into related areas. To achieve this goal, apart from using the usual methods of teaching like black/whiteboards, presentations, audio-visual tools, and practical experience, I’d like to encourage the competitive side of the students by involving them in extra activities (group discussions, quiz, team competitions, etc.) with rewards. 

Another aspect of teaching and learning that I’d like to focus is on acquiring practical knowledge and relating them to real-world questions. I’d encourage my students to keep an eye out for problems that people face in their daily lives, try to understand them, and come up with solutions if possible. They will also be encouraged to keep track of recent developments in science as well as other areas which impact the scientific community and the general public as a whole. Lastly, I’ll encourage students to increase their networking from the get-go through conferences, meetings, seminars, etc. 

Course offering and professional growth plan 

Based on my knowledge and experience I can comfortably teach courses on structural biology, molecular biology, and bioinformatics. For my professional growth as a teacher, I have determined the following goals for myself: