TEACHING METHODOLOGY

Teacher, Lecturer, or Professor – Who Are They Really?

By Ashutosh

First of all, let me ask you something—do you know the difference between a Teacher, a Lecturer, and a Professor? Are all their roles the same? I know the profession sounds similar—they all teach students—but if that’s the case, why do we have three different titles?

Think about it.

Based on my understanding:

• A Teacher is someone who provides education at the grassroots level, typically in schools.

• A Lecturer leads research groups, supervises research students, and teaches at higher levels, often in colleges.

• A Professor—derived from the Latin word professus, meaning someone who professes to be an expert—is the highest-ranking teacher in a university or college.

Wikipedia also defines it similarly.

My Experience With Teaching and Teachers

Now let me come to the main point—teaching methodologies and what teaching should actually be.

To be honest, my experience with teaching at the B.E. (Bachelor of Engineering) level has been quite disappointing. Before joining engineering, I had great respect for people in the teaching profession. My father is a teacher at a middle school, and I’ve seen his dedication firsthand. Till class 10, I never went for tuition—my father taught me all subjects himself. He teaches Physics and Math and was my first teacher whose teaching I could grasp easily in just one go.

Then in class 12, while studying in Patna, I had another great teacher—Professor I.D. Chauhan, who taught me Chemistry. His teaching style left a lasting impression on me.

But everything changed after I joined engineering. Here, very few truly resemble the title of "Lecturer" or "Professor." Out of many, only 2–3 faculty members from our branch seem genuinely passionate and knowledgeable.

What I’ve observed is that those who are actually good often join as freshers and leave after gaining some experience. For example, in my first semester, a newly joined lecturer Mr. Kiran Kumar T began his teaching journey with our batch. He was skilled, had a good command over his subject, and most importantly, knew how to teach.

Because here’s the harsh truth—knowledge alone is not enough. Many lecturers have good subject knowledge, but no teaching skills. A classic example from my college is from the 5th semester when we had the subject VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) Design. Our professor was very talented, but he struggled to engage the class.

Some Just Don’t Care

Sadly, many others are not even interested in teaching. They just come to college, pass the time, and take home ₹40,000 a month. There’s no passion, no dedication—just a job.

And students? They can’t even raise their voices. Why? Because we’re afraid. Afraid of marks being cut. Afraid of being failed in internals or end-semester exams. There's an unspoken rule in colleges:

Never mess with a teacher, or you might not pass—even in 8 years.

So students choose silence. We follow along quietly, even if the teaching is terrible.

A Real Incident From Our Class

Let me share an actual incident. We were having a Digital Switching System (DSS) class. Some students were talking, some were sleepy, and the class had become noisy. The madam got angry and left the class, saying,

“Talk to HOD Sir. I won’t take this class or give attendance until then.”

Now here’s the twist—our HOD was on long leave, so the acting head was Mr. Mallikarjun, someone who’d already walked out of class back in the 2nd semester when he was teaching Basic Electrical. Back then, we had apologized, and things were sorted out.

This time again, we had to talk to Mallikarjun sir. The madam had said if we didn’t, she wouldn’t allow us to write the 3rd internal or even the external lab exams.

So all of us—including the girls—decided to go to the staff room with a notebook, just in case they asked us to write a statement or feedback. But when we reached, someone said,

“Sir has gone for a smoke.”
(Yes, unfortunately, this is common among some lecturers.)

So I left to grab breakfast with friends. When we returned, the so-called “meeting” had already started—a meeting between devils and devils, as it felt.

We stood in line. Mallikarjun sir asked,

“What’s the problem? Why are you always making noise in class?”

But no one responded. I asked my friend if I should speak. His response:

“Better keep your mouth shut.”

So I listened to the entire 25-minute monologue quietly. In the end, another madam asked us all to apologize.

As expected, we all said in unison:
“Sorry, ma’am…”
Then we headed to our next class—CMOS.

But Why Were Students Sleepy or Disinterested?

I really wanted to tell Mallikarjun sir the truth—students were bored or misbehaving because the class wasn’t engaging. That madam couldn’t make the subject interesting. If she had been able to connect with students, such problems wouldn’t arise.

A True Teacher Knows Theory and Practice

A great teacher, lecturer, or professor must have both theoretical and practical knowledge.

Last night, while talking with my father, he recalled his own teacher training period. He was sent to multiple schools to observe real-time teaching and understand the profession through practice—not just theory.

He told me:

“Practical knowledge is the key to success. Without it, you don’t deserve to be called an ENGINEER.”

I understand this line deeply. That’s why I’m more inclined toward research—because I value learning that’s real and applicable.

My Message to All Future Teachers

At last, I want to share a humble message to all Teachers, Lecturers, Professors, and students who are interested in this noble profession:

“Don’t choose teaching just as a profession—choose it out of genuine interest.”

Only then will you be truly valued—by students, by fellow teachers, and by society.

Thank you for reading this blog. Please share your comments, thoughts, or feedback—and stay tuned for my next post.

May God bless everyone.
Good night.

Regards,
Ashutosh

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