Vanar Year - Pre Primary School (Sprouting Seeds - Kindergarten)
Seema Upadhyaya - Head, Pre Primary School
Seema Upadhyaya is the Head of Pre Primary and Primary School. With a post graduation in Business Management, Hotel Management and corporate experience, she moved on to connect with progressive education in 1998.
Her passion to understand and learn more about children and education led her to undergo the Waldorf Teacher Training Programme. She worked as a Waldorf teacher and later associated herself with the Sri Sri Vidya Mandir Schools.
The journey with Shikshantar began with its inception. Through her experiences at Shikshantar, she has deepened her understanding of experiential learning, classroom practices, curriculum and teaching methodologies. She has grown here from a teacher to a Curriculum Coordinator, Supervisor and now the Head of Pre Primary & Primary School.
Putting down her musings as an educator interests her and she contributes to her blog whenever the urge to share her observations and learning grips her. “My learning has been in the road taken to travel so far… and I continue to walk.”
Jyotsna Chandan - Academic Coordinator, Pre Primary School & Curriculum Coordinator, Kindergarten
Jyotsna began her journey at Shikshantar in 2007, as a group facilitator. She is a Postgraduate in History and a Bachelor of Education. She also holds a Diploma in Montessori school training.
Engaging with children during her years as a facilitator, she was fascinated by their curiosity and willingness to explore and learn. Through her experiences, she gained an understanding of the world as lived by children. Her organic growth in Shikshantar from facilitator to coordinator has helped her unlearn and learn about different aspects of education. That, along with her whole-hearted belief in the principles embodied by Shikshantar, she works closely with teachers, guiding, planning and implementing curricular experiences that respond to children’s interests, innate need to explore, and keen sense of enquiry.
In her spare time, Jyotsna likes to read, cook, travel, and learn more about the world around her.
Shruti Singh - Curriculum Coordinator, Sprouting Seeds
Having done her graduation in Psychology and Masters in Mass Communication, she worked for 9 years in the field of PR and Corporate Communication. She then took a break from the corporate world to spend time with her children.
She initially joined the Shikshantar family as a parent in the year 2007. In 2014, she became a part of the Pre-primary team as a facilitator. Her ability to sensitively connect with children has helped her build an understanding about their world. Her experiences of progressive education at Shikshantar have helped her to create a learning environment that encourages children to observe, explore and make new discoveries.
Reading a wide variety of books helps satiate her need to develop her linguistic skills. However, it is listening to and narrating stories to children that bring her immense joy.
Deepa Bhalla - Curriculum Co-ordinator, Nursery
Deepa has been a part of the Shikshantar family since 2005 she holds a graduate degree in Social Studies, with a masters in English and a diploma in Nursery Teacher Training (NTT). Over the years, her journey in Shikshantar has shaped her understanding of education and what it truly means to be a thoughtful facilitator. She shares a strong bond with young children, and finds joy in nurturing their natural curiosity. Deepa believes learning for young children should be driven by wonder, exploration and meaningful experiences.
For Deepa, the classroom is not just a space for teaching - it is a space for shared discovery and learning. She feels that it is the children who should lead the way through their questions, ideas and interests. Her goal is to help them move forward with purpose while keeping the magic of curiosity & discovery alive.
Deepa connects deeply to the world of stories and likes to bring them alive through her narrations and creative movements