TOK BUZZ presents
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 Word Search Bingo The team 01 01 03 05 07 07 EEACHERS' ACHERS' AAY YT T D Dtok buzz t IINDNDEEX X table of contents
A R TICLES A R TICLES
A R T I C L E S | 0 1
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 particularly despised memorization.
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.
Feynman: raisinggenerations ofscientists
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.
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.
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool."
A R T I C L E S | 0 2
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.
“I learned very early the difference between knowing the name of something and knowing something.”
For him, science was a process of discovery, not a seemingly disjunct series of facts to be memorized.
“Study hard what interests you the most in the most undisciplined, irreverent and original manner possible”
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.
A R T I C L E S | 0 3
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?
A BAD TEACHER?
TOP GUN: MAVERICK
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 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 By Abhimanyu Sengupta
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
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?
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.
A R T I C L E S | 0 4
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
Meritocracy: Isitreallyasfairas peoplethinkitis?
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.
By Saksham Yadav
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
A R T I C L E S | 0 5
A R T I C L E S | 0 6
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.
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.
NNTER TER IIEWS EWSII V V
Glimpses of our teachers' shower thoughts
I N T E R V I E W S | 0 7
Asastudent,weusedtobeabletoactlike teachers and supervise the class. Usually, songs were played and chocolates were given out, the students used to have free lessonsandnostudies.However,whenwe went into the senior classes, we used to conductclasses,andtheteachersenjoyed watching a movie together in the staff lounge while the senior classes handled
How did you celebrate teachers day during your school years?
1 1
SONYA HTA
rsweretimeswithnolaptops, nocanva,soeverythingwas Wecreatedcolourfulhand ’sdaycardsforourteachersto rbuildingusintotheindividuals ewasnoconceptoffloristsback epluckedflowersfromour egardentogivetoeachofour personalizedwishmeantmore intheworldforour
JAYA SHARMA
SAURAV SINHA Byprettymuchthesame,butless sophisticated.Sowedidn'thavetoo muchtechnology,butweusedtodo playsandsingsongsandthings, imitationsandstuff Itwasagood opportunitytobondwithour teachersandmakethemfeelthatwe docareaboutthem,eventhoughwe maymisbehavesometimes How did you celebrate teachers day during your school years? ANOOP MENON DES tedly Teacher's eacher, wardto e memory of a student and a teacher? 2 1 1 I N T E R V I E W S | 0 8
2 ASH AR0 Aside from the subject you teach, what is your favourite subject? Why? 2 IhaveseveralfavouritesubjectsthatIlikebesides Spanish.First,IlikemusicbecauseIplaythe guitarandhavealwaysbeenpassionateabout everythingrelatedtothisinstrument.Secondly,I enjoyliterature,especiallypoetry.WheneverIcan,I trytoreadtheclassicsandalsomyfavouritewriters likeRenéChar,PaulCelan,andTristanTzara,among others.Finally,Ilikeeverythingrelatedtocomputers, especiallythoserelatedtonewinformation technologiesappliedtoeducation CARLOS ZARZALEJO I N T E R V I E W S | 0 9
3 3 fromtheireyes Theloveandrespectastudent showswhenyougodownthe memorylaneofachild. JAYA SHARMA Theconsiderableeffortwhichthe studentsmake,usually,itisasimple playordance,butbecausestudents havesomuchaccessto technolog learns.So somesm thechildr between well,asth movingd celebratio What according to you is the best part of teacher’s day celebrations in DP? MONA SHARMA ILA PANDEY I N T E R V I E W S | 1 0
JPAL
ectIreceivefrom ateacherhasto strewardingpart.
What’s the most rewarding part of being a teacher, according to you?
I N T E R V I E W S | 1 1
AMIT
S M ing zesyouandmakes Andsecondly,it'san tocontinuewith somethingfrommy hetwo 4 4
Themostrewardingaspectofbeingateacherisseeing her/hisstudentsgrow&flourish Whenalumnicomebackto schooltonarratetheirlifejourney,ateacherswellswithpride toseethechildwhosheoncetaughthasscaledheights& madeaplaceforthemselvesintheworld.
CampsandfieldtripsaresomeeventsduringwhichIhave experiencedfondandfunmemories.Generally,mostpeople areintoacademicsinschool,butduringcamps,theyarefreerand thushavefunmomentswithteachers.Initially,teachers'Daywasless sophisticated,sotheperformancesweremorerelaxed.Attimes someperformancesslightlyinsultedteacherseventhoughnothing offensivewasthereintheperformances.Butallthesewerefineandin funhumour,sotheperformancesduringTeacher'sDaywerequite enjoyable.Andofcourse,myclass,thememoriesandthefunny momentsinmyclass.
5 5
Themostmemorableandfunhas tobetheseniorschoolcampsin Mashobra(Shimla).Fromthe startofthebusridetotheendof the4thday,wehadlotsoffun.
’
Tell us about some of the funniest moments/memories you ve had with students since you ’ ve been at pathways ? ASHWANI PARMAR
AMIT
RAJPAL
I N T E R V I E W S | 1 2
PRADEEP RMA areateacher, students,you m,studywith theboarding ueateaching beingoflife. 6 6 MONA SHARMA Compassionissomethingwhichyouneed isaknowledgebackgroundafterwhichonecan proceedbecauseateacherissomeonewhopeople lookupto,sooncethatbasisistakencareof,a littlepinchofcompassionwillperfectyouinthis profession. Tell us something about yourself that students would be surprised to know. AKASH DUTT Idon'tthinkalotofpeopleare awareofthefactthatI'm currentlypursuingaPHDin Financealongsideteachingat PWSA. SRIRAM ARUMUGAM Iwouldliketoplayvideogames suchasPS4andXboxbut they'recostly.I've playedlotsoffun:FarCry, Counter Strike,GlobalOffensive. I N T E R V I E W S | 1 3
Assessment Classroom Communication Curiosity Discussion Education G titude Information Inquiry Knowledge Learning Notebook W O R D S E A R C H | 1 4
BINGO BINGO howpredictableareyou? Seena different sideof teachers during events Plagarised the commentary Faileda mathstest Foughtfor marks postresult Bunkedin another teacher's office Gotten scoldedby ateacher Gottentold towashmy faceduring class Hadmy phonering inclass BadID Card photo Lefta message onthe whiteboard Pressed the washroom alarm Not submitted theIAon time,ifat all Calledby Dr.Vinod forIA/EE Takena subjectfor the teacher Beentold togeta haircut/tie yourhair Gotphone confiscated byAmitsir B I N G O | 1 5
Shreeya Suri , Kripaa Talwar
Vidhi Channa , Nandini Sarin , Abhimanyu Sengupta, Vansh Yadav
O U R T E A M | 1 6
Mr. Guru Charan Kumar
Saksham Yadav , Muskan Oberoi
Jiye Park , Ishita Goel , Anushka Roy , Myra Jain
I N T E R V I E W S | 1 7
Ojas Katiyar , Anoshka Rijish , Vatsal Kabra , Arundhati Goyal Gaurvi Duneja , Mauli Sood
www.pathways.in Aravali Retreat, Off Gurugram Sohna Road, Gurugram 122 102 (NCR Delhi), India T: +91 124 4513000 | F: +91 124 4513002 | E: school aravali@pathways in
