Jyoti Pathak: Empowering Young Minds Through Phonics and Early Education
Jyoti Pathak, founder of Phonics First Step (an ISO-certified institute), has established herself as a passionate educator and phonics specialist with more than 15 years of experience in shaping young learners. Based in Madhya Pradesh, she has worked in one of the region’s most reputed CBSE-affiliated schools, focusing on pre-primary and primary education. Over the years, she has gained recognition as a dedicated mentor who combines structured learning with creativity, ensuring that children not only develop literacy skills but also cultivate confidence and curiosity from the earliest years.
She firmly believes that early childhood education lays the foundation for lifelong learning. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes creating a nurturing and joyful environment where every child feels engaged and valued. Through innovative methods and interactive sessions, she has been able to help students, even as young as four years old, develop advanced reading skills. Under her guidance, children have been able to read newspapers independently, demonstrating the effectiveness of her pedagogy.
In addition to her role as a school educator, she runs Phonics First Step, her own ISO-certified organization. This platform offers structured online phonics programs for children, parents, and educators, with participants joining from across India as well as international locations. The program has received remarkable feedback, with parents praising her ability to simplify phonics instruction and build strong reading habits in children. Her expertise extends to both offline and online teaching, making her adaptable to the evolving demands of modern education.
Her dedication has been recognized through several achievements. She was chosen by her school to deliver a session on “How to Make Online Classes Interactive” at Jagran Public School, which was attended by more than 100 teachers. She has also conducted phonics teacher training at Jain Public School, Dhar, where she equipped educators with practical strategies to integrate phonics effectively into their classrooms. Her contributions have been acknowledged with the Best Teacher Award in 2018, as well as a felicitation by Free Press, Indore, in April 2024 for her contribution to nation-building, presented by Mr. Manoj Vajpayee, CBSE Research Head.
Her professional growth is reflected in her extensive list of certifications and qualifications. She is a certified Jolly Phonics trainer and holds credentials in Early Childhood Education, Nursery Teachers’ Training, and Montessori Training. Beyond traditional teaching qualifications, she has pursued advanced certifications in areas such as classroom management, stress management for teachers, mental health in education, play-based learning, crisis intervention, and learning analytics. She has also explored innovative tools such as storytelling for creative writing, DISC personality profiling, and active learning strategies. This wide-ranging skill set demonstrates her holistic approach to teaching, where academic knowledge is paired with emotional intelligence and mental well-being.
Currently, she continues to balance her role as a full-time educator in a CBSE school with her growing responsibilities as founder of Phonics First Step. Her Jolly Phonics programs cater not only to children but also to parents and educators, empowering them with the tools to nurture independent reading habits. She sees every child as “a page in a book,” emphasizing that teachers must read and understand each page deeply to unlock a child’s full potential.
Her work has positioned her as more than an educator — she is an advocate for early literacy and holistic education. By combining her classroom expertise with entrepreneurial vision, she is helping children across the globe develop a love for reading and learning. As education continues to evolve, her mission remains clear: to give every child the wings to read independently and grow into confident learners.

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