Resume

Personal Statement

To quote my dearest student's favourite author:

"Learning is finding out what you already know. Doing is demonstrating that you know it. Teaching is reminding others that they know just as well as you. You are all learners, doers, teachers"
- Richard Bach

Now he's a grown up, and, as he likes to say, once a learner, always a learner!.

It is this beginner's mindset that keeps a body alive to their surroundings and the stimulus it brings. Oh, to look at life through the wondrous eyes of a child.

And the joy in watching that child grow, flourish and thrive.

I am truly blessed to be a parent, teacher and teacher-trainer who has seen some thousand children graduate and a few hundred parents turn teacher in my classrooms, over time.

I now turn all of my energies to running a body of education that is now giving so many across the world a head start in life, and am blessed to be able todo it the Montessori way.

Brief Resume

  • Graduated as a chemical engineer in 1986, and was known as one of the progressive thinkers amongst my alma mater even during my college days.
  • Became a parent in 1990 after marriage, blessed with two well settled adult children today.
  • Child Rights(CR) and Juvenile Justice (JJ). Studied and practiced child rights law in 2010, before which I had the unique privilege of becoming the youngest Chairperson of the Juvenile Welfare Board and Member Magistrate of the first Juvenile Justice board In India, in Chennai, adjudicating thousands of cases for justice delivery to children in need of care and protection and in conflict with the law. Trained several Social Workers, Academicians, Police and JJ Functionaries on best practices for rehabilitation and justice to children.
  • Completed my AMI Elementary Montessori Diploma, I offer consulting in this field at a senior level till date.Practicing the wisdom of 6 Montessori certifications acquired in the past 11 years.
  • Running 2 successful organisations since 1998 and 2019 one with a mission of establishing rural education for transformative communities (RELIEF FOUNDATION) and the other that creates a new education eco-system of collective learning families (CASCADE FAMILY LEARNING SERVICES).
  • Built a rating system for child rights compliance that school administrators could immensely benefit from
  • Also an Author, Speaker, Trainer, Advisor, Devotional music singer, Artist, Friend and most importantly, a determined and disciplined go getter.
  • I have now galvanized my life's learnings to form a new organization - AWAKEN TO LIFE, that will offer a plethora of services to a range of seekers, including parents educators, corporates, social workers and youth.

A seasoned veteran of many challenges with a proven track record of reaching out and touching lives, I will let my body of work speak for itself.

Vidya Shankar,
Dec 2021