Teaching Philosophy

We live in a world which is changing so rapidly, that it is essential to provide our students with the skills necessary to adapt and face the challenges of the future. By graduation time, a student may find that much of what has been learned has become obsolete, in the sense that new knowledge has already been developed. Is it that important to have learned how to solve "a projectile problem," or to have learned a general method of approaching and analyzing problems? My responsibility as a teacher is to provide my students with skills in analytical thinking and general problem solving methods. Shouldn't our students learn how to learn on their own? Whether physics, astronomy, chemistry, health science, mathematics, engineering, computer science, or liberal arts majors, my students will be challenged to the degree expected in their respective majors. My willingness to provide the necessary help to bring the best in all my students is almost unlimited.

My teaching method is not static, it is in constant evolution. Students feedback is very important to me, so that adjustments are made as necessary. Irrespective of their background, students are expected to have a good mastery of elementary algebra, trigonometry and geometry. In physics courses attended by science and engineering majors, whenever required, the elements of calculus are harmoniously incorporated in the development of the fundamental concepts, and are presented from a geometrical and physical point of view. This has the advantage of providing a complementary view of calculus, not usually presented in standard mathematics courses. The emphasis is not on memorizing formulas and short cuts which may work in very special cases, but on how the very few fundamental laws and concepts are at work to solve a variety of practical problems.

My two-semester physics course for Liberal Arts majors is not a history of science. Students learn physics without using calculus and apply the fundamental laws of nature to modern problems. Here again, the visual and geometrical approach taken in developing the physical concepts does not use any of the intimidating language of calculus. All is required is the willingness to learn and study on a daily basis. The laboratory associated with this two-semester course is specifically designed to accompany, and is an integral part of the material developed in lectures. Students should expect to gain from the laboratory experience a better understanding and working knowledge of the material.

To help students maintain good studying habits, quizzes and tests are given on a regular basis. Students active participation in my courses is expected and encouraged.