Teaching: Odd Semester 2010

This semester had the following classes

• M.Sc Data Structures (~60 hrs)
  
• M.S Data Structures (~40 hrs)
  
• BSc (CMS and CME) DBMS (~50 hrs)
  
• MCA/M.Sc Placement (~25 hrs)
  
• BCA : Pl/SQL (12 hrs)
• Class Teacher for M.Sc 1st Sem and MS 1st Sem
  

I have really enjoyed teaching here at Christ and each semester it is getting better.

Students of B.Sc were a different bunch to the students I had taught in PG Courses and taking their class was definitely fun. I found the class very enthusiastic and it gave me new energy each time I walked into the class.

My Learnings:

• Not to go unprepared for a class as a time gets under utilized and students do not understand, it is not that I have to learn the topic but rather how to teach it.
  
• Came to know that some students felt perturbed by me, need to be more expressive
• I tend to praise students and sometimes it erks other students and they start assuming I am biased. (Need to be careful)
• Stick to the fundamentals
• Learn from previous semester the topics which students had doubted in end sem and tried to revise it or teach it differently
• Used Blackboard more, ppts are not effective in many situations
  
• Trust students, take feedback from them half way thru
• Code along with teaching
• Importance of Test and Assignments
• Teaching Simple Topics I tend to find difficult
• Need to take care of both the Outstanding and Weak Students and not to get one sided
  

Some different methods applied

• Used different games to foster thinking
• Games to improve team work
• Used discussion/interactive mode
  
• Quiz (as teams)
  
• Data Structure / DBMS dumb charades
• Excercises
• Songs / Mime on different computer papers
  
• Assignments (Create a video on DBMS / DS) ; Writing out of box code; Create Notes from Wiki
  
• CMS/CME class created notes as a team and end result we had two version of notes
• Used Java Application (created by me) to explain sorts
• Shared Online resources
  

I tried to repeat topics in rotation rather than just going Unit 1 - 5 sequentially. Took revision classes.

Playback Theatre

Attended 64 hours (in three months) in a Certificate Course in Playback Theatre conducted here in Christ University (along with Script Peoples Theatre) was an awesome experience

Credit goes to the phenomenal trainer we had in Rajesh P I and the wonderful team of playbackers ( a mix of students and industry professionals)

There are no practices or scripts here, the topic is given and we have to perform. No classroom sessions, just games, acting, innovating, creating , feeling ........... We had a final performance on 25th September in front of a small crowd

The impact of the workshop was so high for me that I concluded my documentation for the workshop with the following lines

"When the mind is ready and visualization is clear and with all the positive energy around the universe will conspire for you and when one becomes a witness to so many miracles, one cannot but bend down to say a prayer of gratitude"

Acting : Beyond Boundaries

When Sibu Sir (TIE) offered me an opportunity to act as a murderer just returned from jail, I was excited to say the least. Add to that the murderer(Ashwin) was repenting on the very day of his heinous crime. Three short scenes, but on the same hand a powerful and emotional one. I practiced with the group and even at home. I had to practice staying in a depressed, frustrated and repentant state for the first 6 scenes of the play. The second scene was in the shadow so I had to make sure that I used my hands and the body language more effectively.

I learnt a lot of things in the process of practices. What makes it memorable was the comradeship we shared with the fellow actors, dancers, backstage artists and the director. The environment was friendly and even though the director had a strict eye on quality nobody felt a hanging Damocles sword. The passion and dedication of the fellow artist pushed me to take that extra yard. I was acting after twelve long years and being part of this production and standing under the lights in huge Christ Auditorium was an impossible dream just a month before.

Three shows to remember, my kids loved my performance and kept repeating my dialogues in the next two weeks