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“The More I’ve Given, The More I’ve Gained”

Jayan, a MasterCoach graduate, fondly narrates how the residential workshop paved his understanding on the learner-centric approach and how important it is to know the learner.

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The vastly experienced Jayan, now an Assistant Manager in Reaching Hands, Bangalore, soon after joining MasterCoach realized that without knowing the learners, one cannot engage with them as one needs to know their context and capacity to create a positive impact on their lives.

In our Indian society, where the teachers are treated as God’s equivalent in classrooms, Jayan started focussing on the student as it helped him deliver content better and facilitate effectively. After MasterCoach, Jayan’s perspective has changed, he said, “Earlier I was content oriented but now I try and put the learner in the centre. Although I must admit that I am somewhere in between, where I try both the approaches.”

Self-regulated and disciplined, Jayan seamlessly acquainted himself with learning online and found that blended learning gave him the flexibility to learn at his own pace and time. He also interacted with his fellow ‘Buddies’ to discuss assignments and challenges.

Jayan also proactively implemented the techniques he learnt at MasterCoach, “In the workshop, I learned the Jigsaw concept; I liked it as it empowers the student and the group. Also, when I used it in my session, it encouraged attention and participation. I often use this technique in my class, and it has worked well.”

In his earlier days as a facilitator, Jayan often approached his lessons by reading and understanding the concept, “I am not a book person, I internalize the concept and don’t go line by line but in the form of a story.” But since MasterCoach, Jayan has started using examples by simplifying the content to fit the learner’s understanding and ability, “The  student centric approach is such that the trainer has to be extremely motivated and smart to take the content in that manner.” He strongly believes and advocates that, “The problem with academic space is that it is rigid and assessment is focussed more on content than on innovation.”

One of his endearing qualities is to positively immerse himself in his training sessions and influence as many lives as he can through his motivation and counselling skills, “I like counselling, but training I like the most. My motivation is that we can change and influence so many lives by our work. I have realized that I am a giver.”

His peers too often commend him on his undivided involvement with his learners. Vengatesan, one of his colleagues and a fellow Mastercoach trainer says , “Jayan Sir keeps learning and growing within the organization. Sir will counsel and motivate the learners to change their outlook positively. If I have any problem, I go to him and he tries to resolve it. In meetings, he uses energizers and explains his points through stories and anecdotes. Sometimes, Jayan Sir will handle classes and take guest lectures. In such times, we can just sit as a participant and understand his approach. This will give us a lot of inputs which I then apply in my work.”

Inspiring Jayan, not only runs the administration at Reaching Hands, conducts training for trainers, mobilizes students, oversees placements and supervises monitoring and evaluation of his centres but he is also a doting father to his two daughters who look up to their dad for confidence and self-esteem. When he spoke of self-esteem and dignity, he said, “In my centres, I used the same training approach for the topic self-esteem that I had learnt in Quest.”

Given his vivid 20+ years of work experience in the social sector and his augmented perspective on facilitation through MasterCoach, it is no doubt that Jayan emerges as a true instrument of social change and will drive his thirst for a better world by shaping young minds and stirring change.

Jayan

“My motivation is that we can change and influence so many lives by our work.”