TOK Buzz Teachers Day Special -2022

TOK BUZZ presents

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T

z z u b tok

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DAY

X E IND s t n e t n o c table of t

Articles Feynman: raising a generation of scientists Top Gun: Maverick - a bad teacher?

Meritocracy: Is it as fair as people think it is?

Interview Glimpses of our teachers' shower thoughts

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07 07

Word Search Bingo

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The team

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R T A IC S E L

Feynman:

raising generations of scientists

By Vansh Yadav

Rarely do educators reach the fame and celebrity status that Richard Feynman had throughout his life, fame that continues to linger even decades after his death. A legendary physicist and Nobel laureate, he revolutionized the field of quantum electrodynamics—practically rewriting it.

Nevertheless, he is most fondly remembered not for his physics but rather for his contribution to science education.

His most extraordinary educational work, The Feynman Lectures on Physics, arose from an undergraduate course at Caltech. Feynman taught only once, a course of such magnificent quality that Caltech recorded each lecture and took pictures of every diagram he ever made. Driven by the need to overhaul an old-fashioned syllabus and present grander, newer ideas to maintain the interest of new undergraduates in physics, his teaching style won him the “Great Explainer” title. Bill Gates, among many others, has remarked that Feynman was the “best teacher [he] never had” Rarely do educators reach the fame and celebrity status that Richard Feynman had throughout his life, the fame that continues to linger even decades after his death. A legendary physicist and Nobel laureate, he revolutionized the field of quantum electrodynamics—practically rewriting it.

Nevertheless, he is most fondly remembered not for his physics but for his contribution to science education.

But enough of how great Richard Feynman was: What set him apart? What gave him the gift of being what Caltech faculty dubbed “an extraordinary teacher of teachers”? Well, it boils down to his learning philosophy. Feynman ARTICLES particularly despised memorization.

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For him, science was a process of discovery, not a seemingly disjunct series of facts to be memorized.

Especially evident in his experience teaching Physics at a Brazilian university, he remarked on the abilities of students to remember everything about the concept of polarization without knowing what it meant. Feynman hated to see science vitiated in such a manner, with students lacking any ability to recognize or apply what they’d learned in the real world. This was the key to his teaching, prioritizing the quality of education over quantity; inquiry-based courses instead of content-based ones. We’re lucky enough as IB students to be studying syllabi that emphasize precisely this from teachers who genuinely care about developing our natural curiosity into scientific inquiry.

Furthermore, he believed in cultivating a solid intuition and looking at things through first principles rather than taking people’s words at face value. Scientific knowledge is an accumulation of knowledge, but just like any other knowledge, it is also an accumulation of biases and prejudices. To accept information without questioning it defeats the purpose of science, which is, as Feynman put it, “the result of the discovery that it is worthwhile rechecking by new direct experience, and not necessarily trusting experience from the past”. Feynman practised what he preached. This led him to investigate the Challenger space shuttle disaster beyond what NASA officials had already disclosed.

More than anything, though, Feynman emphasized that anyone could learn science and be a scientist. He sharply rebuked the idea that there existed 'natural' talent for science, often reminding his idolizing fans, of which there were many, that he was only "an ordinary person who studied hard". This, at least for me, is my biggest takeaway from Richard Feynman. It is a takeaway that has, does, and will always motivate me and generations of science students to continue learning from this beautiful area of knowledge. It is a testament to Richard Feynman and all science teachers who keep captivating us with the natural world's secrets.

Ideally, I would end with just one quote, but this great man has so much wisdom to gain, so I’ll leave you with a few instead.

“Study hard what interests you the most in the most undisciplined, irreverent and original manner possible” “I learned very early the difference between knowing the name of something and knowing something.”

"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool."

ARTICLES | 02

TOP GUN: MAVERICK

A BAD TEACHER?

By Abhimanyu Sengupta Coming out nearly 36 years after its predecessor, Top Gun: Maverick is, as of now, the highest-grossing film of 2022, surpassing two mega-Marvel movies (Doctor Strange 2 and Thor 4) by a large margin. The movie was praised for its authentic flight sequences, breathtaking visuals, songs, characters, and levity in tone. What stood out to me, though, was a short sequence which conveyed an important message about what it means to be a good teacher.

The film showcases Pete Mitchell training a group of TOP GUN graduates to pull off a seemingly impossible mission. A scene at the start highlights our lead's skills, qualifying him for the mission. We are given the impression that Pete will most likely be able to teach the graduates; however, when time constraints, rugged terrains, G-force, and animosities between the group and himself prove to be an obstacle, we begin to doubt his capabilities. For example, when he wants the group to pull off a stunt that pushes each individual to their breaking point, we wonder if he is asking for too much from them.

In the film's most "staggering" sequence, Cyclone, the Air Boss Vice Admiral (who is shown to oppose Pete's unorthodox training methods but is kept on a leash by Pete's old friend and Cyclone's superior, Iceman), removes Pete as the instructor of the group post Iceman's death.

We see Cyclone attempt to teach the graduates, and despite added leniency, the audience has a gut feeling that Cyclone's teaching methods are not good enough and that the group would have flourished under the guidance of Pete, whose methods we question at the beginning. Why do we change our opinion suddenly? What made Pete's "unorthodox" training methods so much more appealing?

The main reason Pete's methods seem to "become" great is the contrast between his training methods and those of Cyclone's, which we subconsciously know is worse. We knew that the group of graduates were being pushed beyond the limit by Pete, but at least we were confident that they would indeed learn the manoeuvre.

ARTICLES | 03

We know that the pressure being put on the group would bring the best out of them, while the more relaxed approach by Cyclone would lead to lacklustre accomplishments for the group. When the movie continues, Pete, just as the group started to miss him, returns with a bang to complete the 'impossible' manoeuvre and earn his way back into TOP GUN, meaning that the group is in safe hands now, which relieves the audience.

How often have you claimed that a teacher is "cruel", "annoying", or "uncaring" simply because you received a lot of work from them or because you were called out for not paying attention in class? I'm sure you know that you have felt this way about several teachers. But the reality is that, if you are not being suffocated by work (which is hardly the case), these "taxing and unforgiving" teaching methods will almost always lead to a more positive outcome than lenient teaching methods. So, next time you are angry at a teacher for giving you two pages worth of homework, recall under whose guidance did the group of graduates in Top Gun: Maverick flourish?

ARTICLES | 04

Meritocracy:

Is it really as fair as people think it is?

By Saksham Yadav The concept of Meritocracy is something that’s been debated for decades. It has and will always be a two-sided story, where some may claim that it is unfair and snatches away seats from the more ‘capable’, while others claim it to be an opportunity given to those who cannot afford it. It is time to try and settle this debate finally.

Meritocracy allows people to get into schools, colleges, universities, and jobs based on how well they have performed in exams and other aspects of life.

Those who support Meritocracy aren’t wrong because a quota system or a system of reserving seats for those that may or may not do well in the future based on their background can be stealing a seat away from the next Einstein or Feynman; people who may deserve the care and nourishment of professors who will understand them well, and be able to turn them into what they wish to be.

So, is meritocracy the right path to creating a progressive society?

Well, the answer is no. It is simple because while Meritocracy claims to be fair to those that have worked hard and done everything within their capacity to reach where they have, it often forgets one thing: Opportunity. Many communities across many nations often face such an issue. For example, in India, the poor and those discriminated against do not get access to proper education as we do in Pathways. They are not lucky to have teachers who are passionate about what they do because many teachers in government schools do not want to deal with students due to the bare minimum wages a teacher could get.

ARTICLES | 05

So, how can we say it is fair only to consider merit when students have been denied the right to quality education right from the start, which would never allow them to compete with students from private schools based on merit? We cannot call it fair, and therefore Meritocracy itself does not give justice to the underprivileged.

In conclusion, this, in my opinion, settles the debate on Meritocracy because unless you have a teacher who is willing to teach you passionately in good schools and give you enough time to help you become a competitive person, and no argument could be made against the justice of society’s bias and incompetent schools.

Additionally, we must understand that the quota system is helpful because people who come from a background of struggle often turn out to be strong warriors in life, who have a completely different outlook from someone from a privileged background which could give them an advantage in looking at a particular problem from a different perspective. This could increase our knowledge on certain matters and make society ever more progressive.

ARTICLES | 06

' s r e h c a e t r u o f o s e s p Glim

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SONYA MEHTA

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How did you celebrate teachers day during your school years?

My school years were times with no laptops, no internet & no canva, so everything was self-curated. We created colourful handmade teacher’s day cards for our teachers to thank them for building us into the individuals we were. There was no concept of florists back then too, so we plucked flowers from our school or home garden to give to each of our teachers. This personalized wish meant more than anything in the world for our educators.

JAYA SHARMA

As a student, we used to be able to act like teachers and supervise the class. Usually, songs were played and chocolates were given out, the students used to have free lessons and no studies. However, when we went into the senior classes, we used to conduct classes, and the teachers enjoyed watching a movie together in the staff lounge while the senior classes handled the junior classes.

NEENA VIRMANI II remember as a student, we used to swap positions with the teachers, and as a student, we used to take the role of teacher. I also remember that we used to have a match with teachers- with the teachers on one side and the students on the other.

During this time, teachers were given time to have fun.

INTERVIEWS | 07

SAURAV SINHA

How did you celebrate teachers day during your school years?

By pretty much the same, but less sophisticated. So we didn't have too much technology, but we used to do plays and sing songs and things, imitations and stuff. It was a good opportunity to bond with our teachers and make them feel that we do care about them, even though we may misbehave sometimes.

ANOOP MENON

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In my school years, we celebrated teachers' day by dressing up as a specific teacher and mimicking them and their daily routine the entire day while also performing for the teachers. We also used to play a match against the teachers at the end of the day.

What’s your favourite memory of teachers’ day, both as a student and a teacher?

DWAYNE FERNANADES As a student, it was undoubtedly food! I still think about that Teacher's Day cake sometimes. As a teacher, it's still food. I'm looking forward to lunch on the Day! :D

INTERVIEWS | 08

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Aside from the subject you teach, what is your favourite subject? Why?

CARLOS ZARZALEJO I have several favourite subjects that I like besides Spanish. First, I like music because I play the guitar and have always been passionate about everything related to this instrument. Secondly, I enjoy literature, especially poetry. Whenever I can, I try to read the classics and also my favourite writers like René Char, Paul Celan, and Tristan Tzara, among others. Finally, I like everything related to computers, especially those related to new information technologies applied to education.

ASHISH AR0RA English, owing to my love for languages.

KARTAR SINGH Apart from Spanish, I have always been fond of Mathematics. I still enjoy sometimes solving mathematics equations in my free time. These equations are like tempting challenges and sometimes can be addictive too.

INTERVIEWS | 09

What according to you is the best part of teacher’s day celebrations in DP?

MONA SHARMA

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The love and respect a student shows when you go down the memory lane of a child.

ILA PANDEY When the students give titles to teachers and the title and song displays the students' perception of you, so you get to know yourself from their eyes.

JAYA SHARMA The considerable effort which the students make, usually, it is a simple play or dance, but because students have so much access to technology everybody in the class learns. So even the teachers learn some small exciting things from the children. The relationship between the Teacher and student as well, as the spirit and effort are truly moving during the teachers' Day celebration.

INTERVIEWS | 10

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What’s the most rewarding part of being a teacher, according to you?

SONYA MEHTA

The most rewarding aspect of being a teacher is seeing her/his students grow & flourish. When alumni come back to school to narrate their life journey, a teacher swells with pride to see the child who she once taught has scaled heights & made a place for themselves in the world.

SRIRAM ARUMUGAM I enjoy the classes and don't enjoy sitting in front of a laptop. To me, the fun of being around young minds is rewarding for me. I feel younger and derive pleasure from the delivery and the genuine interaction with students. So classes are pretty fun for me.

AMIT RAJPAL The kind of respect I receive from students for being a teacher has to be the most rewarding part.

SAURAV SINHA Well, I'll give you two. First, being around young people energizes you and makes you feel much more vibrant. And secondly, it's an excellent opportunity for you to continue with your learning. And I learned something from my students daily, so those are the two highlights.

INTERVIEWS | 11

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Tell us about some of the funniest moments/memories you’ve had with students since you’ve been at pathways ?

ASHWANI PARMAR

Camps and field trips are some events during which I have experienced fond and fun memories. Generally, most people are into academics in school, but during camps, they are freer and thus have fun moments with teachers. Initially, teachers' Day was less sophisticated, so the performances were more relaxed. At times some performances slightly insulted teachers even though nothing offensive was there in the performances. But all these were fine and in fun humour, so the performances during Teacher's Day were quite enjoyable. And of course, my class, the memories and the funny moments in my class.

AMIT RAJPAL The most memorable and fun has to be the senior school camps in Mashobra (Shimla). From the start of the bus ride to the end of the 4th day, we had lots of fun.

INTERVIEWS | 12

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What's one piece of advice you would give to students that wish to pursue teaching as a career?

PRADEEP SHARMA So teaching is a very admirable job, and if you are a teacher, you can enjoy your whole life, because, with the students, you feel delighted and healthy. You play with them, study with them, and enjoy them, especially in the boarding experience. So I suggest that one should pursue a teaching career for his well-being of life.

MONA SHARMA Compassion is something which you need is a knowledge background after which one can proceed because a teacher is someone who people look up to, so once that basis is taken care of, a little pinch of compassion will perfect you in this profession.

Tell us something about yourself that students would be surprised to know.

AKASH DUTT

SRIRAM ARUMUGAM

I don't think a lot of people are aware of the fact that I'm currently pursuing a PHD in Finance alongside teaching at PWSA.

I would like to play video games such as PS4 and Xbox but they're costly. I've played lots of fun: Far Cry, Counter-Strike, Global Offensive.

INTERVIEWS | 13

unication m m o C assroom l C tion a c u t d n e E m s s e s As Discussion uiry q n I Curiosity n o i t Informa e d u t i otebook N Grat g n i n r a e L Knowledge WORD SEARCH | 14

BINGO u? o y e r a e tabl c i d e r p how

Seen a different side of teachers during events

Failed a maths test

Fought for marks post result

Gotten scolded by a teacher

Gotten told to wash my face during class

Had my phone ring in class

Bad ID Card photo

Left a message on the whiteboard

Pressed the washroom alarm

Not submitted the IA on time, if at all

Called by Dr. Vinod for IA / EE

Taken a subject for the teacher

Been told to get a haircut/tie your hair

Got phone confiscated

by Amit sir

Bunked in another teacher's office

Plagarised the commentary

BINGO | 15

Mr. Guru Charan Kumar

Shreeya Suri , Kripaa Talwar

Vidhi Channa , Nandini Sarin , Abhimanyu Sengupta, Vansh Yadav

Saksham Yadav , Muskan Oberoi

OUR TEAM | 16

Ojas Katiyar , Anoshka Rijish , Vatsal Kabra , Arundhati Goyal

Gaurvi Duneja , Mauli Sood

Jiye Park , Ishita Goel , Anushka Roy , Myra Jain

INTERVIEWS | 17

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