A Student Can Be Your Teacher as Well - Dr. Abhinav Sharma

Want to become a writer at Eat My News? Here is an opportunity to join the Board of Young Leaders Program by Eat My News. Click here to know more: ​ bit.ly/boardofyoungleaders

1. Tell us more about your experience as an educator. 

In earlier times, it was the sole responsibility of the teachers to educate the students. But, nowadays students are keeping us on toes constantly and helping us to learn and evolve along with them as well. So, I can tell you frankly, a student can be your teacher as well. So, if a student asks me a question to which I don’t know the answer to, I gracefully take that as an opportunity to read about it, learn something new and share with them. 

Also, when we talk about teaching methods, although, with blackboard teaching somewhat taking a back seat and PowerPoint presentations leading the front, it has made us more technology-driven making teaching easier for us rather than keeping it simple and grounded. So, when a student sees you teaching on the blackboard rather than the PowerPoint presentations, he/she knows that you are putting in more effort and thus, pays more attention.

2. What is your opinion of the Indian education system and how would you like to change that? 

I believe, as long as we are creating students who can earn a living for themselves, I don’t think there is much to change. But, for that to happen, we should focus more on developing practical skills rather than focusing mostly on giving theoretical knowledge. Because that is what it is going to help the students to grow. If a student cannot apply a fact practically in his/her day to day life, then, all those mugged up theoretical facts are of no use. I would like to add here that it is also necessary for us to keep ourselves up to date while imparting knowledge to the students.

3. What changes in the teaching methodologies have you seen in recent times?

We have gradually moved from blackboard teaching to OHP (Over Head Projector) sheets to PowerPoint presentations. And, gladly, I have gone through all of these phases. Yet, again we have revolutionized teaching in the technology front.

4. How does education help one do well in their career?

Why only career?? Education helps a person grow individually. It not only makes a person walk with his/her head high anywhere they go, but also, help them to make a living for themselves. Education for me does not merely mean achieving Graduation and Post-graduation, but, it is that moment, that when someone asks me a question that is not related to my field of specialization, I should be able to answer it or at least have an idea of what is being talked about. So, the day this stops happening, is the day that I will start feeling that I am not educated enough. So, education is a continuous process that should never stop.

5. Do you think teaching as a profession is viewed at par with corporate jobs?

I believe nowadays we have become so money-minded that we have forgotten the essence of teaching. Yes, teachers are paid much less than a person working in a corporate office, but, we fail to remember, had there been no teachers, then, those corporate owners would not have even learned to open a corporate office rather than provide any jobs. So, I would say that teaching as a profession may not be at par to corporate jobs financially, but, still, in itself, it is fulfilling emotionally and spiritually.

6. How can we adopt technology to make teaching more effective? 

First of all, no technology can make teaching more effective. Yes, it can ease things, but, cannot replace the essence of it. So, to ease things, nowadays, i.e. in COVID-19 times, it is a technology that has made teaching possible. A lot of applications have been developed for online teaching, even for preparing questions and grading them as well.

7. Why does India need more educators like you?

That’s a question that implies a hell lot of answerability and responsibility. I would say India needs more educators not like me because I am still learning, but educators who are ready to give their all no matter what. Someone who can understand the psychology of a student, and at the same time make them love and enjoy what they are learning. Someone who can make a student understand the importance of education.

Dr. Abhinav Sharma, M.D.S 

Senior Lecturer 

Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology 

Subharti Dental College and Hospital, 

Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, Meerut.

Interview By - Sandeep Virothu