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My story....
I hung up my teaching hat (temporarily, I promised myself) when I moved to the United States with my husband and daughter in 2009. I taught for 14 years, right out of University, at the undergraduate level at my alma mater in Mumbai. I have a Masters in English, with a minor in Applied Linguistics (with Teaching English as a Second Language elective). I taught British and American Literature, Business Communication, Art of Writing and Editing, Mass Communication and Curriculum Design (as visiting faculty for the Graduate level program at the University of Mumbai). I also have a Diploma in French from L’Alliance Française. I also have a Masters in Instructional Design and Technology and am currently in the IDT Doctoral program at the University of Cincinnati.
If I were to describe myself, from a professional standpoint, I would say that I am a facilitator. The greatest strength of my teaching career has been my ability to able to break down complex concepts, and then present them in an interesting manner – be it teaching stream of consciousness through word-idea association or testing grammar rules with ‘Grammar Jeopardy’ with my ESL students, I have always tried to look for ways to help my students retain what they have learnt, challenge them, and keep them motivated and engaged in the learning process.
“Information is not knowledge” – Albert Einstein
“Knowledge is of no value until you put it into practice” – Anton Chekhov
My guiding philosophy…..
Information is only potential knowledge. It becomes knowledge only when it is used or applied, and that, too, depends on how that information is perceived by the user - the context in which it is/will be used, the experience of the user and the need of the user. This makes the approach to knowledge and learning different for different learners. A successful educator, then, is one who can effectively transform and translate “information” to relevant and valuable “knowledge” for learners. This is my goal and guiding principle.
My vision...
A Master’s degree in Instructional Design and Technology and now pursuing a PhD is a well-thought about and conscious choice. I believe that it will equip me with the knowledge and tools to reenter the field of education that has changed and evolved so much in the recent years. There is a need (more so in the current times) for educators, curriculum and instructional designers to bridge that gap between traditional and non-traditional methods, adapt, innovate and apply teaching and learning practices to design learning modules that are accessible, relevant and valuable to learners. That is how I envision myself as an educator.
Photo by April Bryant
What I'm passionate about...
Apart from teaching, food, reading, and dance, not necessarily in that order…
I started learning Bharatanatyam, an Indian classical dance form two years back. Generally, one starts training as a child, and not many teachers were ready to take on an “older” learner. I was lucky enough to find a wonderful teacher who was willing to take me and a few other like-minded ladies on, and thus began my new learning journey. This only goes to prove that there is no age or time limit to knowledge and learning…all it takes is a teacher who can adapt, innovate, and apply the knowledge and learning content, and a student who is willing to learn.