Ms. Nidhi Khanna serves as a Subject Expert Teacher in English at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley, where she is passionate about helping students become confident communicators, critical thinkers, and lifelong learners. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Marketing from American College Dublin in the Republic of Ireland and a Master of Arts in Linguistics from San Jose State University.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌‌‍‍‌​‍‌​‍​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‍‍‌​‌​‌‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌

Ms. Khanna chose BASIS Independent Schools after hearing from many of her former students and their families who encouraged her to join the faculty community. She was drawn to the school’s commitment to academic excellence and the opportunity to continue supporting students as they grow both academically and personally.

Her teaching philosophy centers on building strong relationships and creating a classroom environment where students feel safe, valued, and encouraged to take intellectual risks. She believes students learn best when they are actively engaged, challenged, and supported through meaningful discussions, collaboration, reflection, and purposeful feedback. In her classroom, Ms. Khanna incorporates close reading, creative and analytical writing, small group activities, project-based learning, and real-world connections to help students develop confidence, curiosity, and a deeper understanding of language and literature.

One of her favorite lessons involves introducing students to linguistic analysis by having them become “language detectives.” Students examine authentic examples of language, identify patterns, and explore how communication changes based on audience, purpose, and context. Through this activity, students discover how language shapes their everyday experiences and develop a greater appreciation for the power of communication.

Outside of the classroom, Ms. Khanna enjoys hiking, exploring new places, and spending time on her family’s farm, where she helps care for ancient heirloom varieties of wheat. She has lived and studied on three continents and has explored remarkable places around the world, including regions above the Arctic Circle. A fun fact: she enjoys following trails that disappear over the next hill, always curious to discover where they lead.