When thinking of a “good teacher,” the image of hundreds of screaming children might not come to mind. Yet, through experiences with K-12 outreach programs, I learned that effective teaching transcends convention. In one particularly memorable session, I was tasked with teaching the principles of the scientific method. I illustrated these concepts with provoking questions like “how sticky is your gecko?” and aimed to conclude the lecture with a bang. “Let’s practice what we learned about the scientific method, and try to make a hypothesis. What do you think will happen when we mix boiling water with liquid nitrogen?” As I raised the kettle, the room feel silent in anticipation, and with a thundering boom and billowing cloud, 600 children also erupted in glee and awe. This moment encapsulates my teaching philosophy— from laboratory and classroom courses to mentoring 13 students in research settings to public science communication—every encounter is an opportunity to transfer knowledge and ignite curiosity.
Teaching is a privilege grounded in a duty to guide students to mastery. Mastery demands more than mere knowledge absorption and fact recitation, it requires that students apply critical thinking, generate hypotheses, and evaluate new data. Because I cannot address every problem that a student will encounter in their career, effective instruction should enable students to determine which tools they need, how to find and apply those tools in new situations, and how to design new solutions. My role as an instructor is to teach students how to think, effectively communicate, self-evaluate, and improve in the absence of explicit instruction. Essentially, I see each teaching moment as an opportunity not just to impart knowledge, but to instill skills for independent problem-solving and lifelong learning.