Rapid Fire
What could you give a 10-minute talk on with zero prep?
Snails, mushrooms and tree hoppers
Which teacher do you still think about, and why?
I often think about my first grade teacher. When I first had to start wearing glasses, some kids made fun of me. She noticed I was struggling with that, so she started wearing fake glasses herself, just to make me feel less alone.
What did you do prior to joining NEIA that has nothing to do with education?
One of my early jobs was working at the smoothie shop, and the thing that stuck with me the most was the joy of being on my feet and having to move around very quickly. It pulled me out of my brain, and let me be present in the moment.
prachi.shah@neiacademy.orgEDUCATION
B.A. in psychology and Educational studies, Dickinson College
EdM. in Learning, Design, Innovation and Technology, Harvard’s Graduate School of Education
BACKGROUND
Formerly an Innovation Studio and Math teacher at NEIA, Ms. Prachi Shah has taught in schools for gifted and neurodivergent students across India, Denmark, and the United States. She believes the best learning happens when students are fully engaged, in a state of flow and having fun. Her goal is to inspire creativity and help students express their authentic selves.
With expertise in curriculum design, lesson planning, and educational game development, Ms. Shah reimagines how young people learn through play and exploration. She weaves together game design, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), and rapid prototyping to craft engaging, meaningful experiences that ignite curiosity, collaboration, and joy. Always eager to connect with fellow educators, designers, and learners, Ms. Shah is passionate about sharing ideas and rethinking the future of education.