For 12 years I made a career in corporate. I was into logistics and customer support managing import and export via sea cargo. This job helped me earn a handsome salary package. Life took an unexpected turn in 2012 when I was blessed with twin daughters. At that time I felt that to raise my angels, I needed to quit my corporate job. For a whole year I did nothing, but spent the next one acquiring new qualifications. I did an MA in Hindi and Sociology and also completed my B.Ed.
First steps towards teaching Hindi
My confidence grew in 2014 when I approached the school where my daughters were studying, The Maurya School, Palam Vihar, Gurugram. They gave me my first opportunity to teach Hindi to students of KG and nursery. It was a small beginning and an entirely new concept to teach a language to children of such a young age. But after five years of teaching, I started feeling that something is still missing. Part of the reason was the lesser salary which I was earning as compared to my corporate pay package.
In March 2019, I quit my teaching job and joined a couple of NGOs to begin with social work. It was not exactly teaching but I loved to spend time with children. In one such effort, I used to cook and serve food for people. In 2020, I began taking Hindi classes. And all of a sudden out of nowhere, lockdown began. Like many entrepreneurs, it hit me hard and my recent effort suddenly came to a full stop. Like many others, I began exploring the option of online teaching.
Lockdown hit me hard
Within no time, I met with phenomenal success. Suddenly students increased and I began teaching students from countries like Germany, Poland, Singapore, Dubai, Muscat and so on. I also got students from Mumbai, Cochin and of course Gurugram. Lockdown gave me this opportunity to expand my reach to the world.
I always do things differently. Teaching Hindi was no different. I chose my own syllabus and my own way to teach. I designed my teaching around learning Hindi with fun. My classes are not serious and methods which I use surprise many. And I achieve results. Even my daughters say that you aim to create interest in a language. Once my in-laws and their friends saw me taking online classes and they were surprised as to how I was teaching the basics of hindi in a totally different manner.
All throughout my corporate career, my main language was English and I have a good command over it. But my preference always remained as my native tongue. Coming back to my students, I only focus on basics and grammar, patra lekhan and kahani lekhan. I give a copy of my entire syllabus to the parents and only if they ask specific topics, I cover them. I have prepared worksheets for each topic and at the end of the lesson, I give them to my students as homework.
Looking forward
Hindi learning is interesting but it is not taught that way in school. I make sure that children at a young age have a firm command over Hindi language. I prepare their foundation for life. Hindi teaching is going to become mainstream very soon and I am fully prepared for it.
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A mother of two, Preeti Bhandari is a colloquial writer. She believes in simple living which reflects in her writings. As the Editor of Narisakti, she intends to use her vast experience to propel this platform to a cult status among entrepreneurial networks.
When not writing she is quilling, both with paper and thoughts.
