Teacher Tales Interview 1 - Umang Manchanda

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Umang Manchanda

Fellow- Teach for India

Hello and thank you for joining us today. Tell us a bit about your background and

how you got interested in teaching per se.

Okay so I graduated from SRCC after doing B.Com(H) last year. I was sitting for

placements in my final year when Teach for India came for their placement talk. I didn't

know much about them and I had never really planned to go into teaching but after

their presentation I realised how much we talk about the "need for education" in our

country but not many people actually actively do anything about it.

I applied to the fellowship and didn't really expect to get accepted but I did. I went

through a lot of painful decision making but at the end of it decided to give up the other

options I had to give two years of my life to this profession and I'm truly the happier for

it! The fellowship is only a two year experience so next year I will be going to do my

MBA.


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You mention that you applied to the fellowship but did not really expect to get

selected. Tell me more.

So the application process for the fellowship is quite extensive. More than most other

jobs. They have a very low acceptance rate because they really look for quality in

applicants. I had some teaching experience prior to my application but not much. And

since my background and future goals were in a different field all together I didn't really

know if I was what they were looking for.

So is there a bigger lesson there that we could all take away from this.

I think if I was to talk about the fellowship application, or mostly anything you decide to

do in life, as long as you are clear why you want to do something and you are totally

committed to giving it everything you have, there's really no one who can stop you. One

of the biggest requirements to do well in the fellowship and in the teaching profession is

commitment and it is the hardest one to give!

So in the time that you have now

had the opportunity to be part of

the fellowship, what do you make

of teaching as a vocation?

I think teaching is one of the most

fulfilling jobs in the world! Most

people think teachers don't do

much, they just stand and talk but

in reality teachers don't teach

content, the encourage students to

develop their own way of thinking.


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A good teacher is one which really knows each and every student and understands what

makes them special and what they need to grow into a better version of themselves. I'm

nowhere near being that good but my experience has certainly made me appreciate all

the amazing teachers I've had in my life!


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Tell us a bit about your classroom and it's uniqueness.

So I teach 25 3rd grade students in an NGO school in Gurgaon. I think the uniqueness of

my class comes from the uniqueness of each and every one of my students. They all

come with their own talents and quirks and I with mine.

What is actually interesting is that I'm not really the most outspoken person in the

world but my kids on the other hand are confident and passionate and even sometimes

a little loud smile emoticon. What makes it special is that I think I learn from them just

as much as they learn from me!

So what are the challenges of leading such a class? What have you discovered

about your own abilities while working with such a class?

One of the challenges I face sometimes is managing so many different personalities and

learning styles together. You can't

always teach each kid they way

they learn best and that is

something for the kids to learn

also. In life you have to make

compromises so that the majority

can be benefited.

In the beginning I would always

struggle with setting expectations

because I felt like I was somehow

making them conform to what I

thought a class looked like, but what I have realised is, if you are able to set a basic

standard of behaviour that all students have to adhere to, you can really take learning to

the next level! That is when you are able to combine values and exposure into learning

and that is the goal!


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Who is/ are your hero(s)? Who/ what inspires you?

I think most certainly my dad. He has been through a lot in life and so had his parents.

His is a story of sheer hard work and dedication! My motivation to apply for the

fellowship also came from the fact that his education has played a crucial role in

bringing us where we are today.

Recently your student Rimi wrote - "If I was a teacher I would Know everyone's

feelings" - how do you react to that?

So that came a couple of days after a lesson we did on family. A lot of them talked about

how family and home is somewhere you can share your feelings. We even did a sharing

circle in class where they were

all able to talk about how they

felt in class or at home. Rimi is a

lot like me in the sense she isn't

very open with what she says

but when she writes she writes

very openly.

I can read this sentence in two

ways: She feels that I understand

her feelings because I give her

the space to write a journal that

she gives to me to read or that

there is more that she wishes I

knew and she wants me to try to find out. I read it in both ways because both of them

are true!


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How has teaching impacted you as a person and your life in general?

I think I look at children differently

now. I don't believe that there is

anything you can't or should not

discuss with children. Given the

opportunity they can really surprise

you with the simplicity and brilliance of

their ideas and thoughts.

More often than not we end up feeding

them opinions when in fact they are

more than capable of making

judgments for themselves. Also being a

teacher has surely strengthened my patience. I'm still learning how to be effectively

assertive but I'm sure I'll get there!

On this 5th September which is celebrated as Teacher's Day, what is your wish for

the community of teachers?

I really hope that all teachers remember the difference they are making to their

children's lives! It's very easy to get stressed and frustrated with all the work that gets

piled on to us. But it's important to slow down and look back at how far our kids have

come and it's all because of your hard work!

Teachers should continue to have faith in all their children's abilities be it in whichever

field. And most of all a teacher should remember to constantly keep learning! Because

that's the only way to keep teaching your best!

Thank you so much Umang. It's been awesome to chat with you. We wish you the

very best for your future.


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Teacher Tales is an inspirational interview series conceptualised by Shreyanka Basu.

The idea of Teacher Tales comes from Shreyanka’s personal belief about teaching.

The goal of Teacher Tales is to be a witness to the passion that drive teachers to take up

this profession. It touches upon the things that inspire teachers and how they bring the

same to their classrooms. It focuses on the evolving narrative of what it means to be a

teacher in the larger context of learning and education. It celebrates both young and

experienced teachers.

If you know a teacher who has inspired you and others like you please do write in to us

at [email protected] with the subject line – Teacher Tales Recommend a

Teacher.

Teacher Tales Interview 1 - Umang Manchanda

Education

Transcript of Teacher Tales Interview 1 - Umang Manchanda