College Professor Gains Popularity because of Unique Teaching Style

Category: Human Interest

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. unconventional / ˌʌn kənˈvɛn ʃə nl / (adj) – different from what is normal or usually accepted
    Example:

    My school’s dance team won because of the members’ unconventional moves.


  2. zany / ˈzeɪ ni / (adj) – very weird and funny
    Example:

    Larry’s zany coat has toilet bowl prints.


  3. antics / ˈæn tɪks / (n) – funny behavior or actions
    Example:

    Everyone laughed at the clown’s antics.


  4. showcase / ˈʃoʊˌkeɪs / (v) – to show something in a positive way
    Example:

    Eric’s portfolio showcases his amazing drawing skills.


  5. dull / dʌl / (adj) – boring
    Example:

    The movie was so dull that I didn’t finish it.


Article

Read the text below.

A college professor has earned public attention after his student uploaded a video of him and his unconventional ways of teaching.


Dr. David Wright is a 69-year-old Tidewater Community College professor who is known for his zany physics experiments. Erica Church, one of Wright’s students, filmed his lessons and posted a compilation on Twitter. Since then, Wright’s antics have been viewed more than 20 million times.  According to Wright, students have been filming his experiments for years, but this is the first time his lessons have reached so many people.


In the video, Wright can be seen lying down on a bed of nails, walking on broken glass, and creating ice cream out of liquid nitrogen. The video also showcased footage of Wright teaching in an old science TV show.


Since most people perceive physics to be a dull subject, Wright said he wanted his lessons to be fun and interesting for his students. According to him, he developed his unusual teaching method to ensure that his students, who are usually not physics majors, will be able to understand and remember physics concepts.


Wright honed his methods through conferences, books, journals, and online resources. He added that he is constantly looking for ways to be connected with his students.


A Tidewater Community College spokesperson said that the school is proud to have Wright as a professor. The school even recognized Wright as the professor of the year in 2017.


On a similar note, Wright’s students describe him as an amazing teacher who has widened their horizons. They said that the professor’s methods are more fun and interesting than just looking at presentations and reading textbooks.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

• If you were a student, would you enroll in Wright’s class? Why or why not?
• Do you think all professors and teachers should teach like Wright? Explain.

Discussion B

• What task or activity do you find dull? Why?
• How would you make that task or activity more enjoyable? Discuss.