We are happy to feature Maneesha Agashe, an experienced and professional tutor from Mumbai. She has 15 years of experience in teaching Spoken English, Hindi, Marathi, BCom subjects and academic subjects for students in ISC/ICSE, International Baccalaureate, State and CBSE Board. Maneesha's love for teaching and sharing knowledge with the young minds pulled her back to tutoring even after years of leaving her job as a lecturer in a college.
Maneesha believes that the ability to speak English is very important across societies. She had come across many students from marginalized communities who lost out on job opportunities due to lack of Spoken English skills. Being the language of international communication, the English language is the key for socialising, entertainment and work. Maneesha also feels as a Spoken English tutor one has to have a friendly approach towards the students and take up their suggestions if required. The classes should be lively and interactive for a successful one-on-one session.
According to one of her students - "I really want to thank Maneesha mam for supporting me to improve my English communication which is very useful for a person like me in the corporate field."
Our heartiest congratulations to Maneesha Agashe!
Here is her experience & teaching journey in her own words:
1. When and why did you choose to become a Spoken English tutor?
Ans: It all started when I left my full-time job as a lecturer in college due to family commitments and started working as a part-time teacher at a Spoken English Institute. After a few years, I started teaching children from marginalized communities.,as a philanthropic activity and I realised that many students from lower-income families lose out on opportunities only because they can't speak in English. That's when I started teaching them Spoken English (free of cost).
Meanwhile, some parents from other social circles requested me to teach their children grammar and Spoken English, since they were lagging behind in languages despite being from affluent schools. I realized that the demand for Spoken English is across societies. It encouraged me to explore avenues and platforms to reach out to more students.
2. What skills are required to become a Spoken English tutor?
Ans: I would say, Soft Skills like Communication Skills, Interpersonal Skills, coupled with good command over grammar, syntax and vocabulary are some of the key skills. Being technology-friendly can also be considered an important skill. One should be able to adapt to new ways of speaking across all sections of society, rather than sticking to archaic grammar rules.
The ability to manage a group of students while conducting a group class and in the case of one-on-one sessions, the tutor should try to keep the classes lively.
3. How did you come across UrbanPro.com?
Ans: I came across UrbanPro through google search. This platform has helped me to develop a serious, competitive and organized approach towards the profession.
4. What distinguishes you from other Spoken English tutors?
Ans: I try to cater to the personal requirements of each of the students, even in a group class.
Just like this definition of teacher - “ The best teacher is who teaches the students just as a mother does, to her children, to make them understand everything.” I try to follow it.
5. What percentage of your students do you typically get from UrbanPro?
Ans: I would say 100 % of my students come from UrbanPro.
6. What are your top recommendations to tutors who want to get more students?
Ans: Try to keep the rate affordable to majority students and conduct small group classes rather than one-on-one. Cater to the personal requirements of the students. We should also try to create different courses like interview-preparation, casual conversation in relevance to different situations. Also, rendering long hours of speaking practice would attract the students.
Maneesha Agashe has been conducting tuitions for Spoken English, Hindi, Marathi, BCom subjects and academic subjects for students for the past 15 years. Previously, she worked as a lecturer in a reputed college. Maneesha completed her M.Com from Pune University in the year 1988, M.Phil from Amravati University in 1992 and B.Ed from Mumbai University in 1995. She resides in Mulund Dd Road, Mumbai and can take classes at student’s place, her place and online.
