Quality over quantity: In conversation with Unacademy Educator Sameer Sardana
CAT Educator Sameer Sardana drew from his own experience and learning gaps to become the mentor he is today. To mark Unacademy’s fifth anniversary, we chronicle the journey of Top Educators such as Mr Sardana. Here’s his story.
Winston Churchill once famously stated that success is not final and failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts the most and Top CAT Educator Sameer Sardana vouches by this approach. Born in the village of Talwara, Haryana, Mr Sameer is a first-generation teacher from his family. He has no qualms in admitting that failure is something he has experienced first hand and has learned from. “Not everyone knows what they want to do from a young age. I knew since the get-go that I wanted to become an Educator. Even when I was preparing for my CAT Exams, I knew I would pick teaching over all other professions,” says Mr Sardana, who unfortunately did not succeed in his first attempt. However, this failure did not deter him from his path. He continued his preparation relentlessly. “Every Learner has a different need and it is the responsibility of the Educator to identify these needs and cater to them. I, unfortunately, did not have that privilege. I did not have mentors who could identify my strengths and help me with it so after the first attempt, I decided to pursue CAT on my own and I got 99 percentile.”
According to Mr Sardana, who is among the Top Educators on Unacademy, understanding the Learners’ psyche is key in helping them achieve success. From personal experience, Mr Saradana understands that even the best of Learners sometimes underestimate themselves when they see their Educator bonding well with others and not them. This, he asserts, further leads the Learners to questions themselves, their smartness and ability to learn. “Once insecurities set in, it is a downward spiral. I have experienced this personally, and therefore I ensure that every Learner in my class knows that I know them and I hear them.”
Mr Sardana, who joined Unacademy in early 2018, asserts that his love for teaching has only grown since he became a part of our ever-growing family. The platform has not only helped him become a brand in himself but has also helped him develop an emotional connect with his Learners. “Even though there are more popular Educators than me on the platform, I know that my Learners trust me and I have never in so many years let a single question go unanswered. For me, quality always trumps quantity.”
Today, almost two and a half years since his association with Unacademy, Mr Sardana, has a loyal Learner base of 20K and a total watch-time of 10M minutes. His approach towards Quantitative Aptitude and his teaching methodology is both popular and revered among CAT aspirants. However, Mr Sardana admits that this patronage was hard-earned and in the making for many years. Having known that teaching is something that he wanted to pursue, Mr Sardana began his own coaching centre in Ahmedabad. His videos slowly gained traction and found its way to Unacademy’s Facebook page and that’s where his journey began. He had no idea that one of his Learners had posted his video on Unacademy’s social media and it immediately warranted a call from the Unacademy team. “Sometimes it is the most unexpected things that bring you the biggest joy. I have been wanting to move from offline to online education and that one call changed my life. I wouldn’t have been able to reach half the amount of Learners as I have, had it not been for Unacademy.”
While Mr Sardana is an idol to many of his Learners and his popularity is incomparable, he asserts that he is a culmination of his experiences and the Educators he has come across. “I studied in a Hindi medium school and I had the opportunity and good fortune to be mentored by some really good Educators,” says Mr Sardana recalling that he fell in love with Quant from the very beginning. He recalls his Educator fondly and admits that had it not been for that Educator, Mr Sardana would have never fallen in love with the subject. “An Educator can make even the toughest of subjects easy for Learners and I think that is a skill that Educators need to cultivate,” says Mr Sardana’s whose interest and brilliance in Quant was Herculean and noticeable to all. So much so, in 2008, when Mr Sardana joined a coaching class for his CAT preparation, the coaching centre noticed his ability and offered him a position to become an associate facility. While this in itself is a validation of his prowess, Mr Sardana admits that it is the feedback of his Learners and their results that is a reflection of him.
Among the many things that makes Mr Saradana a credible Educator, he gives most of the credit to his content and his ability to update the content regularly. He believes that Learners need to be challenged regularly and their curiosity needs to be catered to. “ I like to surprise my students with new concepts, theories and blend it all with real-life examples which they can closely relate to,” says Mr Sardana adding that with Unacademy, he aspires to touch the lives of many more Learners. When asked what’s the best part about being a part of Unacademy, Mr Sardana is quick to answer that it is the reach and the work-life balance Unacademy offers. “The time I get to spend with my daughter says everything about this place. All the good things wouldn’t have been possible in a brief time without Unacademy. I truly believe that Unacademy will bring in a revolution and I will be a part of that revolution.”
Mr Sameer’s story is a reflection of what perseverance can bring forth. His desire to teach Quant and his ability to identify his strengths and weaknesses and navigate through it led him to where he is today. He is an inspiration to Learners and fellow Educators alike!
At Unacademy, we cherish passionate Educators like Mr Sameer Sardana and are truly indebted to them for helping us further our mission to democratise quality education. This interview is a part of our 5-part anniversary special blog series.
