"An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how
much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do
know and what you don't." (Anatole France)
"You can know the name of a bird in all the languages of the world,
but when you're finished, you'll know absolutely nothing whatever
about the bird... So let's look at the bird and see what it's doing --
that's what counts. I learned very early the difference between
knowing the name of something and knowing something." (Richard
Feynman)
As a teacher I strive to be a guide, to introduce a subject to
students, point out some of the cool and interesting aspects, then
step back and encourage them to explore on their own. Learning is a
continual process that is not exclusive to a classroom and does not
end at the classroom door. The process of "learning" a
subject is far more than just memorizing names, equations, and facts
--- it is understanding the meaning, reasoning, and observations
behind these things and being able to apply them in other areas. In
fact I have found that the best way to truly learn something is to
teach it to someone else, therefore I like encourage discussion and
collaboration among students whenever possible. Likewise the process
of teaching and learning is a two-way street: I instruct the students,
but at the same time they instruct me. Therefore it is always
important to be open and aware of what the students are thinking, what
they find interesting, and what presentation techniques are most
effective. Of course, this will all vary from class to class and year
to year. So, it is my duty to be open to the needs of the students
while creating a friendly and open (but structured) environment as a
framework to encourage the students' learning. Ultimately though,
learning falls on the student, I can only lead them in the correct
directions, but they are the ones who finally need to make the effort
to learn. After all, "You do not receive an education any more
than you receive a meal. You seek it, order or prepare it, and
assimilate and digest it for yourself." (Frank H. T. Rhodes)