As soon as students enter my classroom, they anticipate Physics – formulas, experiments, and perhaps a few difficult questions. But the first lesson I impart to them has nothing to do with motion or energy. It’s about respect.
Why? For the simple reason that without respect, learning is meaningless. Respect for yourself, others, and the learning process is the actual pillar of education. If my students learn Newton’s laws but don’t care about honesty or empathy, then I’m not doing my job as an educator.
These days, marks have somehow taken priority over marks. I see children constantly pressured to score and have forgotten that education is initially about character building. I take care to remind my students: ‘Your grades can get you into college, but your values will carry you through life’.
I also make real-life connections. In Physics, what goes around comes around. The same is true for life. The respect you show tends to come back to you. I share stories, do activities, and even connect concepts such as balance and harmony with the concept of mutual respect, making them realise that values are not detached from science; they go hand-in-hand.
One day, a classmate who was known for being short-tempered learned to resolve conflicts peacefully. When I asked him why, he replied, “Because you always say we can’t love Physics if we don’t show respect for one another.” That moment meant more to me than any ideal score. It reminded me why I became a teacher, not only to teach equations, but to make a difference in people’s lives. That is the classroom moment I would frame as a photograph forever.
Authored Article by: Khairul Bashar KP, Physics Facilitator, Advita International School, Karimnagar
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