Mihir Pathak

Experiential Educator · Nature · Theatre · Project-Based Learning

📍 Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
📞 +91 9537068736
✉️ [email protected]
🌐 learningwala.in

About

Passionate educator with 12 years of practice in formal and informal learning spaces. I facilitate experiential learning journeys for children and young adults, using theatre, nature, storytelling, and inquiry as primary tools.

Transformative learning emerges through authentic relationships between children and adults, shaped by shared, powerful experiences.

Tools & Approaches

Theater · Storytelling · Nature Exploration · Music · Movement · Art · Tinkering · Inquiry Projects · Citizen Science · Filmmaking · Creative Writing · Travel

Education & Training

• Child Development, Learning & Special Needs — Institute of Home Economics, Delhi University & Eklavya Foundation, Bhopal
• Applied Theatre & Theatre in Education — Theatre Professionals & Rangbhumi, Mumbai
• Storytelling, Children’s Literature Writing & Waldorf Education — with Dr. Ankit Dwivedi, Sheetal Paul, Aban Bana
• Green Educator Course & Facilitating Geo-Inquiry Projects (Earth Educator Fellow ‘22) — Youth Conservation Action Network, Green School Bali, National Geographic Society
• Facilitating Creative Learning, Development of Educational Technology, Fundamentals of Tinkering & Creative Coding — with Eric Klopfer, Mitchel Resnick, Mike Petrich & Karen Wilkinson · MIT Media Lab & Exploratorium
• Young Climate Authors - with Aneesa Jamal, Cogitation Club
• Indian Knowledge System - with Raghu Ananthanarayanan

Formal Education

• BA in Sociology - as an external student - Saurastra University, Rajkot

Fellowships & Grants

• Earth Educator Fellowship ‘23 — Youth Conservation Action Network
• Gaur & Chopra Escape Velocity Grant 2024–25
• Hacking The Education System Fellowship 2017 — Shikshantar
• Nagarathna Memorial Grant 2025 & 2026

Experience Highlights

• 12 years of practice as an educator across formal and informal learning spaces — read my journey
• Part of the faculty team for Child Development & Learning course at Eklavya Foundation
• Facilitated Experiential Learning for 21st Century course with Tata Trust for teachers from across India
• 50+ workshops with educators; 50+ workshops with children — work log
• Articles published in Teacher Plus, Farbas Gujarati, Sandarbh, Pathshala Bheetar - Bahar — writings · blog
• Collaborated with government educational bodies: GCERT, NCERT
• Raised ₹10L for a nature education project through independent fundraising from HNIs
• Mentored organisations to develop their contextual experiential learning curriculum
• Media coverage: learningwala.in/about-me/media/

Collaborations

Worked with artists, researchers, and educators from:

• MIT Media Lab
• Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education
• Srishti Manipal Institute of Design
• Maharaja Sayajirao University
• NCERT & GCERT

Work Experience

TIDE Foundation

Program Manager · June 2026 – Present · Ahmedabad

we are a group of passionate educators, researchers & volunteers reimagining the goal of education. Education for harmony through inner work and social action. We are facilitating transformative learning experiences with children and young adults through civic - climate action based projects.

curriculum development - educator capacity building - partnerships - fund raising

Bright Bal Gokulam Foundation

Learning Facilitator · Mar 2025 – May 2025 · Ahmedabad

Part of the curriculum development team building an experiential, nature-based, and project-based learning curriculum for children aged 1.5–8 years. Translating educational vision into meaningful day-to-day learning experiences.

• co-leading the pilot project on Ecological Consciousness (for Age 3–6yr children) — designing nature-based activities, facilitation framework, daily child observation and portfolio-making processes.

Khojbeen Mandali (Independent Practice)

Learning Facilitator · Jan 2021 – Present · Ahmedabad

Self-run experiential learning initiative with two programs:

• Khoja Khoji (Age 3–11): Theatre, Storytelling, Nature Exploration, and Arts-based program fostering curiosity and relationship with the natural world.

• Local Khoji (Age 12+): Citizen Science, Geo Inquiry, and Project-Based program grounding learning in local ecology and place.

• Khojbeen Mandali Website

Project DEFY

Subject Matter Expert — Self-Directed Learning (Consultant) · Nov 2024 – Mar 2025 · Remote

Mentoring ’nook’ facilitators to develop nooks as self-directed learning spaces.

Pratham — Shah PraDigi Innovation Center

Senior Content Developer, Learning for Life Team · May 2024 – Nov 2024 · Vadodara

• Wrote scripts and created videos on climate, nature, and environment education.
• Developed content for Creativity Club — fostering creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving through project-based learning.

Eklavya Foundation

Learning Facilitator & Project Associate · Jan 2019 – Jul 2024 · Hoshangabad, MP

• Faculty for Child Development, Special Need and Learning course (with Institute of Home Economics, Delhi).
• Facilitation team for Experiential Learning for 21st Century — a Tata Trust × CBSE teacher sensitisation initiative.
• Co-facilitated sessions on Piaget’s Developmental Stages, Constructivism, Concept of Childhood, Learning and Emotion.
• Hosted 3-day Hoshangabad River Learning Festival.
• Published articles in Sandarbh, Teacher Plus, and a children’s literature anthology.
• Awarded YouCan & NatGeo Earth Educator Fellowship for nature-based learning.

BeMe — Democratic & Alternate Learning Space

Learning Facilitator · Dec 2022 – Mar 2024 · Bengaluru

Open school for children aged 3–16. Facilitated elective courses (Nature Detective), Bird Watching Club, and portfolio-making. Co-facilitated elective How About Seeing Bangalore. Facilitated exhibition called ‘A matter of time’

Youth Conservation Action Network

Earth Education Fellow (National Geographic Society) · Jun 2022 – Jun 2023 · Pan-India

One of 20 fellows selected from across India for an 11-month fellowship.

• Facilitated nature education workshops with teachers (online & offline).

• Led Geo Inquiry projects and semester-long nature exploration sessions with children.

• Founded Ecobuddy Learning Network — a network of 5 eco clubs across India.

• Fellow profile

Unstructured Studio (Not-for-Profit, Toronto)

Learning Partner · Jul 2020 – Sep 2022 · Remote

• Built a repository of low-cost making and tinkering activities.

• Developed a collaboration platform for young makers.

• Designed a program to empower teachers to facilitate tinkering in under-resourced settings.

• A conversation on tinkering with our learning facilitator Mihir Pathak

• Website

Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, TIFR

Short Term Visitor — Design & Technology Education Lab · Dec 2021 · Mumbai

Developed and tested D&T-related activities for middle school children.

Vijapura Vidya Sankul

Project-Based Learning Facilitator · Aug 2021 – Nov 2021 · Jam Jodhpur, Gujarat

Facilitated PBL Club and Eco Club; mentored Grade 1–5 teachers in activity-based learning.

• Reflection on eco club facilitation
• Reflection on PBL club

Moinee Foundation

Senior Project Coordinator · Aug 2020 – Aug 2021 · Ahmedabad

Worked across 30 government schools and 3 community learning centres as part of Vodafone India Foundation’s CSR project. Content development, LMS translation, and capacity building.

• Webinars hosted by me

The Shishukunj International School

Teaching Fellow · Nov 2018 – Aug 2020 · Bhuj, Gujarat

• Taught Creative Computing (Grades 5–9): MIT Scratch, Python, Makey Makey, Arduino, Raspberry Pi.

• Co-led Eco Buddy Club: nature walks, film screenings, cycling, plastic upcycling.

• Taught Gujarati as a third language using the Whole Language Approach.

• Reflective Note

• Experiments at shishukunj school

The Polymath School

Home Room Teacher — Grade 3 · May 2018 – Aug 2018 · Mumbai

Cambridge Board school using Project-Based Learning pedagogy. Attended EL Education (US) teacher training workshop.

• Reflective Note

Sarvoday Vidyalaya

Teaching Fellow — Grade 1 · May 2016 – May 2018 · Dharampur, Gujarat

Co-taught first-grade tribal children using the Whole Language Approach for Gujarati — making language learning relevant, meaningful, and creative.

• My experiments with learning in a remote tribal village of Gujarat

Baxipanch Ashram Shala

Teaching Fellow · Jan 2014 – Dec 2015 · Vadodara

Founded Prayog Ghar — a maker space where children self-directed projects based on their interests and community needs. Explored Design Thinking through community-centred, need-based work.

• 19 year old village lad drops out of college, starts an alternative education centre

InformationWorks Systems & Solutions

Educational Content Developer · Jan 2014 – Jan 2015 · Vadodara

Content development for an online learning system based on Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence theory.

• learnapt intro

Gap Year (2011 - 2013)

Explored different fields like marketing, copywriting, website & software development through assistantship. Volunteered for developing, designing and curating educational content for Gujarati e - learning website called evidyalay.net

• Portfolio

Notable Projects

Publications & Writing

Articles published in Teacher Plus, Farbas Gujarati, Sandarbh, and Pathshala Bheetar - Bahar.

• Writings - Published work
• Blog
• Work Log
• Media Coverage