How to Tackle Physics
An experienced teacher shares some insights in unravelling a difficult subject.
by Mr. S. Ilango
How to Tackle Physics?
Physics is an extremely interesting subject which should be learnt by all to have a good understanding of the things that happen around them.
However, some students find this a 'difficult' subject and try to avoid it.
There are many causes for this and one is not introducing this subject by means of demonstrations and experiments to captivate and interest young minds. Our achievement oriented culture and exam oriented teaching is another reason.
For students who are weak in this area and need to improve their understanding of the subject, the following actions may help.
1. Learn to like the subject, or inculcate an interest in the subject, artificial or otherwise, as one would naturally excel in something he or she likes to do. Be more curious about things around you, like the microwave oven, fan and its motor, what causes spinning, eclipse of the sun and moon, discovery of new planets, why fire-walkers do not get burnt by hot burning coals, etc.
2. Spend some time thinking about texts, paragraphs that do not seem to make sense in the first reading. Pausing and thinking between lines may go a long way in helping them understand the 'big picture' of what they are learning. (Most students do not read a question more than once before attempting to solve it. Doing a second or even a third reading may lead to the solution.)
3. There are many ways to a solution. The weaker students usually give up after one approach when problem solving fails. A good tutor would subtly nudge them to try a different approach, each time the student fails in the initial attempt.
4. Know your weaknesses. Half the battle is won when the student can be made to realize his weaknesses. The teacher has to strive to teach the student to identify his deficiency. Some weaknesses are:
-- cannot remember what was read
-- not enough content knowledge
-- not enough time spent on attempting question
-- not being 'positive' about problem solving
5. HARDWORK, HARDWORK, HARDWORK
1 % inspiration and 99% perspiration and a relentless quest was what enabled Thomas E Edison to invent the filament lamp-- a simple but very useful invention.
To achieve top marks, students must be prepared to 'slug' it out into the long drawn hours of the night and be willing to persevere, no matter what.
Once the student believes that he can solve a particular problem, he will be well on his way to solving it.
6. Staying calm and relaxed during the examination. The control of anxiety and fear of potentially failing an examination can go a long way in helping students perform better. Students could be encouraged to learn simple breathing techniques which could aid concentration, or maybe they could attend Yoga classes to reap the many benefits of this exercise.
After about eighteen years of teaching Physics, I am still learning and fine tuning the many different ways/approaches to teaching to students as the needs of each and every student are so different.
S. Ilango,
Ex-teacher Anderson JC and Catholic JC
If you would like to get in touch with Mr. Ilango, email: editor@dawnlive.com