I have been fortunate in my school and university days to have been blessed with some wonderful teachers who have ignited in me a passion for the subject I now study and teach. They have cultivated and encouraged in me a holistic view of education. For me, a university education is not just about getting a degree but to gain knowledge. It is a place where you have new experiences both in and outside the classroom. You hope to find the niche where you excel and this is where your teachers play a very pivotal role.
A university education, no doubt, plays a crucial role in teaching skills and imparting knowledge in the relevant field. It prepares a person for a future role in the workforce. But this is not the only job a university education plays. It also produces the next generation of scientists, artists, teachers, etc. Thus as a university lecturer, one has to balance the varied expectations of the many students. I aim towards being a lecturer who at most times can help each kind of student achieve their personal goal and stay committed to my goal of sharing knowledge and learning. With the advancement in technology, it has become easier to gain access to excellent information. Many wrongly feel that access to information is same as learning or gaining that knowledge. One still needs an expert in that field to impart that knowledge in a meaningful and insightful manner. I constantly work and aim towards reaching that goal.
My personal belief is that a student must work towards excellence in their chosen field and not run after material success. Success, I believe, is nothing but a by-product of excellence. Thus the role of a university teacher is to offer an environment where one can work towards that excellence. I teach in an applied field where the easy way is to teach the student a skill without worrying too much about the process behind the skill. An average student is also very happy to learn that skill which will eventually help him/her in the workforce. But without learning the process the skill will only take you up to a certain point and not beyond. I aim to take the extra step necessary, which will not just teach them the skill but appreciate how, why and where it works.