A contemporary crafts designer and a certified Montessorian, she has been teaching for the last 20 years. She has specialised in the Arts working with children following both mainstream education and children with special needs. She have been involved in Theatre in Bangalore and Calcutta, as an actor, a director and a Drama facilitator for children. She is also the founder of The Arts in Education.
Directed & Co-produced Talisman Tales: The first dream for the Tortilla Theatre Fest 2016 in Bangalore ∙ Provide training to teachers from villages on teaching language, Math & other academic subject through Performing Arts. Designed & executed several theatre, storytelling, puppet making, and parent-child workshops for children and adults. Developed & taught an integrated curriculum for theatre in schools. Assisstant director for Jayant Kripalani for ‘New Market, Old Tales’ a theatre production Worked with Jagriti Theatre, Misf!t, Black Box Theatre & Padatik as an Actor & crew member. Studied acting at Misf!t (My Interest Stays Firmly In Theatre) completing all the levels of the course
School Teaching Experience:
∙ Consulting Drama Facilitator at Bangalore International
School AY September 2016 to present
∙ Consulting Performing Arts Specialist at Neev Schools Pvt.
Ltd in Bangalore AY 2014-2015 & 2015-2016
∙ Art and Drama Teacher at Akshar School, Calcutta for
Elementary School and Special Needs’ Children and Slow Learners
AY 2013-2014
∙ Homeroom teacher for Early Years and Drama Teacher for Early Years, Elementary School and Middle School at Bangalore International School AY 2010-2013
∙ Performing Arts Specialist at Neev Schools Pvt. Ltd in Bangalore AY 2008-2010 ∙ Homeroom Teacher at Divyayan Montessori, Calcutta AY 2005-2008
Art:
∙ Founded The Arts in Education, an initiative to encourage different art forms and facilitators to come together and help children and adults learn together
∙ After Bangalore and Calcutta, toured with workshops of The Arts in Education to Jaipur & Bombay. ∙ Developing integrated art curriculum for schools
∙ Teaching Art with a difference where children learn to express their own ideas by tapping their imagination with confidence
∙ Visiting Art Therapist at Winds ‘o’ change Exploring Fine Arts with children who have special needs. ∙ Development and application of skill based art techniques for special needs learners
Consultant at SPREAD Education for the development and application of their Design Thinking & Creative Problem Solving Programme for Middle Schoolers.
Consultant at Aashwasan Life Enhancement Services Pvt. Ltd. For Theatre, Art and Special Needs As an Educator, working with very young children, it has been my continuous endeavour to ensure that children get opportunities to own their learning. This sense of ownership makes the learning sustainable and functional.
Craft:
∙ Founded prishth, a Contemporary paper-handicrafts organization pirshth Facebook page ∙ Participant in several group and solo exhibitions
∙ Conducted and hosted craft workshops
∙ Participated in the Tata Centenary and Rotaract Club of Calcutta exhibitions
∙ Executed a project of the West Bengal Rose Society for the 2005 All India Rose Convention ∙ Helping craftsmen by obtaining orders from corporates for their products
∙ Empowering women from a nearby village by providing employment and training in crafts In an interview with Smart Indian Women, I have shared a bit of my journey as the Founder of prishth.
Community Work:
∙ Conducted sessions on child sexual abuse and physical safety for 350 children at a school for underprivileged children. (Dakshini Prayash, West Bengal)
∙ Conducted Teacher Training Workshops in teaching and learning through Performing Arts at Dakshini Prayas
∙ Conducted workshops in Fine & Performing Arts for children and teenagers
∙ Taught underprivileged children of all ages various subjects in the traditional method. (Disha Foundation, Kolkata)
∙ Getting the children of sex workers to experience learning, using the Montessori Method (Education Support Center, Kolkata)
As an artist, I also believe that creativity is not something that always begins and ends with a solitary individual. Contributing to the industry and sharing experiences with ones contemporaries is what allows creativity to flow through generations. I would like to share my guest post at one such fellow crafters blog.
I have been a firm believer that our resources are limited and we must encourage adults and children alike to use them respectfully and judiciously. As part of an event at the Women’s Web, an online magazine, where prishth was a participant, I had written an article and prishth had also sponsored its products as part of the hampers given by the magazine to its readers.
The Arts In Education is a platform where Teachers, Students and all Education enthusiasts are invited to share their stories and best practices with regards to Education and the Arts. The Arts In Education, aims to seamlessly integrate the Arts within the realm of education, so children and facilitators alike, may benefit and be inspired from the richness of the learnings, not just for mere physical and emotional relaxation, but as a foundation for good education. In an interview that was very special, I have shared my own creative experiences while growing up and why I enjoy sharing those experiences and creating new ones with children. Creating Art, whether on paper or on the stage, is creating an experience for all those involved. It gives me immense joy and pride to be able to be a cog in the wheel that takes everyone participating along with me on exciting journeys in the world of Art. I have a passion for writing. Along with being a published writer in national educational magazines, I also blog regularly at Lafzon Ka Mausam.