Michigan State University is fortunate to have passionate educators who are committed to enhancing the experience of their students and who help to provide the best education possible.
The Graduate School is featuring some of these educators – graduate and postdoc educators – every month to share their unique stories and perspectives on what it means to be a dedicated educator, how they’ve overcome educational challenges, and the ways they have grown through their experiences.
For August 2024, we are featuring Deepak James, a doctoral candidate in Chemistry. In his writeup, Deepak shares his adjustment to a new culture, new teaching philosophies, and more.
What does it mean to be an educator at a university?
Being an educator at a university has been a life changing experience for me. Looking back over the years, I see tremendous personal and professional growth. Initially influenced by my cultural background, I believed that teaching was primarily about imparting knowledge to students. However, as I delved deeper into the subjects I taught, I realized that simply transferring information was not fulfilling.
This realization prompted a pivotal shift when I encountered the transformative 'Kugel model of educator development.' This model reshaped my understanding of what being a “good educator” means—a transformation I now actively incorporate into my teaching, inspiring me to adapt and grow. Now, if someone asks me to define the duties of an educator, I will describe it as a continuous journey of self-improvement. It involves constantly revisiting and refining teaching strategies to empower students to become independent learners.
I have been able to work alongside amazing mentors who greatly influenced my teaching trajectory. First, I would like to talk about a teaching mentor, Dr. Johanna Ray-Herman, who profoundly influenced my approach to dedication, time management, and openness to new educational perspectives. Her guidance and support were instrumental in my growth. Similarly, Dr. Stefanie Baier and Dr. Hima Rawal, the backbones of the GREAT office, helped me discover my passion for teaching and creating a supportive and open learning environment to grow and share. I am also immensely grateful to my advisor, Dr. Angela K. Wilson, and my group members for their ongoing support and understanding. Their support has been invaluable on my journey as an educator, and I deeply appreciate their contributions to my professional development.
Being part of Michigan State University has provided numerous opportunities to enhance my educational skills through classes, seminars, and workshops. A notable experience has been participating in the Certification of College Training Program (CCTI), which opened my eyes to the importance of inclusivity in teaching. I am an advocate of inclusivity and, as Martyn Rouse states, as educators we are responsible for using our heads, hearts, and hands to be inclusive teachers. Even though that journey was not easy for me, I am still trying to identify the challenges and how to tackle them to provide the most beneficial education for the students. Overall, my journey as an educator is still evolving. I am committed to continuously learning and growing, aiming to become a better version of myself and a more effective educator.
Challenges you have experienced and how have you grown from these?
Transitioning to life and academics in the U.S. brought significant challenges, especially during my first semester. The sudden shift in environment, culture, and time zones was overwhelming initially. Thankfully, the support from friends made this adjustment smoother.
As an international student, mastering English for everyday communication was another big hurdle. I often struggle and need help with vocabulary, repeating words, dealing with my accent, or speaking too fast because of the influence of my native language. Realizing these issues, I consciously make an effort to slow down my speech and openly discuss my language challenges with my students, which helped improve our communication and understanding in the classroom.
Initially, my teaching was primarily focused on just delivering content, sticking to traditional methods that sometimes didn't meet the diverse needs of my students. But over the years, through teaching, attending workshops, and participating in the GTA lunch and learn program, I've embraced technological tools like CATME and iClicker. These tools are crucial when checking if students understand material or determining if I need to tweak my teaching strategies. I've learned that teaching isn't a one-size-fits-all endeavor; it demands ongoing adjustments to cater to the varied backgrounds of the students in my classroom.
Balancing academic duties with graduate research has posed another big challenge. Teaching and research often pull in different directions, and managing both effectively calls for a well-thought-out strategy. I now make daily to-do lists to prioritize my tasks, avoiding the overload that could lead to burnout. This approach helps me stay focused, though some days are unpredictable, and I might not tick off everything on my list. Accepting that things won't always go as planned is a key part of any educator and researcher's learning and growth process. My journey has been one of continuous learning and adaptation, driven by my dedication to improving as an educator and a person.
What value do you see in Teaching Professional Development?
Teaching professional development is vital for the educator's development. Educators often have challenges facing the 'differences' in their classes. Due to our own experience, we often have an ideal student in our mind. We unintentionally compare other students to the unspeakable standard of the 'ideal student,' which usually leads to exclusion. Most of the time, this imaginary student in our mind leads to biases and syllabus architecture aiming only at those students that meet your expectation, which can be problematic.
Although some might argue that modern technology has reduced educational exclusion, the reality contradicts this optimism. If exclusion were truly diminished, we wouldn't see millions of students still lacking proper education according to recent UN data. So, professional development is important to improve our pedagogical skills, effectively use technology to assess our personal and our students' performance, identify and tackle the challenges about inclusivity in the classroom, and to have an opportunity for networking with people in the same field and to be introduced to novel methods in education.
Unfortunately, most of the time, teaching-related professional development is often not getting the attention it is supposed to, due to the work culture and only promoting STEM research while undervaluing teaching/educator development.
What is one piece of advice you would give other graduate educators?
To all my fellow graduate students, remember, you are not alone. It's completely normal to feel isolated or question your worth. There might be instances when the support you expect isn't as robust as anticipated. I've experienced this firsthand, and it's crucial to remember that many others have faced similar challenges. Don't just dwell on the negatives; instead, actively look for new opportunities that might be right around the corner. This advice isn't empty—I learned through tough experiences. The world is full of people who can relate to your struggles and offer the support you need.
Sometimes, safeguarding your well-being means making tough decisions, like saying no or distancing yourself from toxic relationships. It might be hard, and not everyone will understand your choices, but prioritizing your mental health is vital. Listen to your heart, speak up for yourself, and ensure your voice isn't drowned out in the crowd. Embrace every chance to grow personally, academically, and professionally by putting yourself first. Prioritizing your well-being and actively seeking new opportunities is not just about survival—it's about thriving in both your personal and academic life.
What do you enjoy in your free time?
In my free time, I'm passionate about enhancing my cooking and baking skills—it's a fun activity and a rewarding way to create something delicious. Regardless of my schedule, I love to catch up with close friends by watching horror movies, having cookouts, or exploring new places. Besides these social activities, I make it a priority to spend some time alone for personal reflection. This helps me understand my challenges better and strategize to improve myself. These moments of introspection are crucial for my personal growth and well-being.