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Episode 2- Farea Khan

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Sr. Farea has been building our next-generation of Muslim students for a while through the different roles she's taken at Al-Iman School. This Jersey girl and Mom of three brings an abundance of optimism and a can-do attitude to her work... every day. A much-needed trait as she found herself leading through change pretty much since she took on the Principal role. Listen to what drives this hero of ours and who are some of her own heroes.

Show Transcript

salaam alaikum my name is Rosie said I'm a graduate of element school and this is unsung heroes will be trying to bring topics of interest for a community of parents students teachers and anyone interested in following the school or the idea is to bring to light those people impact on the school and its products the student former teacher current principal and very good role model of minus sign so I was thinking we just start off Yuan you know calling us a little bit about yourself good and give us a quick intro we moved to North Carolina about eight years ago I have three children from the law to have graduated from ugly man one who is still here my oldest now is in college my daughter is a junior in high school and my son is Trader here what else about myself I've been in education for over 15 years now I didn't get my start off in education actually I got my start off actually Sciences I used to work live and did all that stuff but then wasn't feeling 100%. Ales by the career choice I had chosen so I made a change I really have always been from my college days focused on community Community work I used to work with her msa's a lot used to be on the board for a Mercedes back when I was at Rutgers in New Jersey so kind of leaving that environment to just go work you know in a lab was wasn't fulfilling to me I really felt like I was missing something that Community aspect of that happens a lot after you leave college cuz you were surrounded by so many most them so many people use to yourself really helping out your community when you go into the the work world Hannah leaves you and I miss that so I then transitioned into education and here I am I think you going to education was a great choice you're an awesome teacher to me at least I'm sure just like adults and you understood at the same time that we're children so I had a great time in your class but all of a sudden one year you've done principal right how was it to go from like teaching a bunch of middle schoolers to essentially running the school so when your teacher you are focused rate your kids your students you walk in you have a lesson ready you're prepared for those kids in front of you that's how I was when I was a teacher I started off you probably don't you're probably surprised to hear this I started off actually in preschool as a preschool teacher I talk kindergarten for about 4 or 5 years so actually start off with younger kids so as a teacher be a kindergarten be at Middle School you're very focused on your put your students what's happening in front of you then after you know then you know as a your teacher at Beacon Middle School team lead sell my View kind of products you know okay how what do I need to do to help my team my the other teachers are around me but still very Middle School Focus right cuz that's that was my responsibility into the principal position is broadening your view immensely because you know in the beginning I just feel like I always only had like my middle school glasses but then you know there's a whole other building there's so many people there are parents there's your community there's your messages so that's the transition that you all of a sudden realize how everything you have to do you have to realize how every decision affects everybody not just your students anymore you're thinking about everybody and that's that's the biggest transition you just broadens your whole view teachers were friends and stuff right so like ended up becoming the boss what was that kind of relationship all sudden you are you are you know you're there evaluator you're there Observer and so forth but then again with it when it comes to leadership I don't see myself as that you know Authority Cherian leave early I'm really here to serve you tell people I'm here to how can I help you so it doesn't matter if that's your Pier or if that's you know somebody else you're still here to help so it was a transition but that's my view dealership I'm here to help so it's iffy teacher that I was helping before or teacher now I'm helping in this role that's what I'm trying to still do nice and so you've been like you've been the Principal for a little over two years now. what's been the most difficult part now after Covetous eyes you're not like you're not a veteran principal just yet but Michelle I think you handled it very well so it's been the most difficult part so this is my third year right so my first year was my first year as an interim principal second year I got about what six months and then Kobe by surgery and still covered so that's the story principal years that's far it's been a challenge every step I think because just of the way things turn out for me and these first few years but then with you know what that you also have a lot of support So hasn't been something it's not it's not a one-man show here this is a this is definitely a big team and it's in teamwork in this position so Urban challenges covid-19 oh it's probably been one of the biggest one along with other things but do you know that's I think that's another thing I've learned about the position you're never going to have in a quote-unquote easier there's always going to be some now it's called a time sure you know another year it's going to be something else yeah I definitely think that like we're all learning how to adapt to this together you know the students learning how to learn online teachers learning how to teach online principles learning how to do whatever you guys do online and so what have I what have you learned from the experience or what have you have to adapt to I think I'm going to learn from the experience I've learned how adaptable we all are not just myself in this role but teachers students parents how everybody is able to adapt given the circumstance and how everybody is able to just move to push themselves to level they thought they never would be able to I'm sure as a student you never thought that you would be spending so many days learning from reading but you've elevated yourself as any of our students have here teachers are teachers Thrive off of learning and teaching kids in person Hands-On activity you know the younger grades Hi-5 has all the things that have been removed from our present situation but they've elevated themselves to building relationships in other ways so I think that's what I've learned is just that the spirit of people who are in education and parents right I'm sure parents never thought that they would be such Partners on their children's education they always have been but now and they've taken on that role and also elevated their own skills in that regard so that's the biggest learning for me that everybody is able to you able to do things you never thought you would be able to do I mean I've got you know we've got five year olds to sit in those classes with masks all day and they're really normal for them I walk in there smiling they're talkin I'm 6 feet away but they're still enjoying themselves so you know of people is is quite remarkable yeah I don't think I don't think things are going to like ever return to the old way of normal and I think this is going to be like this for a minute until vaccines are like distributed everywhere but we'll see we'll see how long it lasts positive topic right one can you say is the most proudest experience as any man's principle that you've had I answer it I'm proud everyday right because you walk in and you see kids learning things you see teachers trying out new strategies you see those strategies working so well you see people constantly improving themselves so you're proud everyday cuz everybody shows up everyday students show up teacher show up and they're here to work so you know that's you know you're just probably because people are still giving it their all that's cool but just in general if I had to say another proud moment I really feel good when I when I see my outfit when I see the old students some of them interviewing me now and then you know when you see others see them coming back to community helping out just stopping by and say hello Cat letting you know catching catching up with them cuz you know that you're at your impact has gone past what from seeing them everyday that would be my answer for that alright so what about this podcast and tries to bring light to people involved in any man and the community which you are we try to give a full package of info okay so I'm water things that you believe need Improvement in any man's school and you know just that you guys need to work on I think Improvement is something that always happens right so I can sell you just need to improve that needs to be improved this is going well but then even though things are going well also need to be improved right there's always room for improvement of course you know there's always the things you you want to see more of you want to see more involvement from all stakeholders you want to see the school as the center of the unity and really being able to reach out to other organizations and I would like to really work more on extending you send me those opportunities working with other schools working is dialog those things the concept of improvement I think I noticed in the school and as a school leader is something that's always are you always trying to prove something you're never going to sit back because education changed so much what you might have learned in it's not going to work for you know a kindergartener today so you have to prove that it doesn't matter what grade you're talking about so being a principal is harder than them being a teacher am I correct yes you are correct which one which one did you prefer if I can ask because I'm going to say it adult sometimes or more challenging sometimes easier the missing that I miss the direct relationship I used to have a student's right you go in you know you know what's happening you know what they did yesterday you know what they did over the weekend gets harder I'm in the stroll to do that so I do you miss those things and all those things I miss all that are coming to mind I miss you I miss lessons change things around so yeah I do miss it can also make you a better principal because of just like you taking both perspectives so you kind of know both ways what would that feel like you know can I eat is it something that I'd be able to do in the classroom so I like to keep that part of my educational experience hasn't been that long since I've been out of the classroom so I do like that I'm able to still drawn but I hope I die I keep that because it does help a lot when you're making decisions so you also spoke earlier I noticed you said you have one son and any man right now they even get to teach him did you never get there okay so now your principal okay he's going to your school what's that relationship like you get home and he's he's doing home or like something like you're a prince sad about work you know my me check out this position was with the the caveat that I would never never let it go take my family you know I'm a mom first you know all those things first so when we got get in the car and you know I'm off the clock to say the be like I'm talking to you and your mom my mom now and so I have I go ahead and say yes you are going to have and he's and then we're able to speak about whatever he needs to get off of is out of his mind so I'm pretty clear when I'm a mom very similar when I taught my older two they were good about understanding the differences or how cold it affected them not sense some people might not be able to afford the tuition costs so do you have any info on tuition weather is changing tuition assistance programs dates on enrollment and where people can get this type of information if it's been romant for the next has already begun we started our applications every year we start on February 1st so we've already started the process with that so that's happening if there are people who would like to apply to the website and all the information is there tuition we're still finalizing for the upcoming school year we do have tuition assistance programs on the love we have one program that through the state which is an opportunity scholarship program. You have to as well as an in-house initiative that has been started this year for sponsoring a student so for those family those community members who may not be able to afford the tuition here at the school there is a Graham. They can apply to to see if they qualify and then get more assistance that way how can I how can I apply just through the through the website yes all the applications are online okay then suffer people in the school are you thinking back I thinking of bringing back any clubs or extracurricular activities and yes that's that's it's just that we had started for the past two years since we started you know we started all the clubs in the extracurriculars after school because we know during the school day because everybody has three extra subject that you wouldn't have in a normal public Arabic Islamic cities for and so that kind of takes away the time from other extracurricular activities or should I had to stop that this year due to covet and with the restrictions as things get better that's definitely something that we want to get back to we know our students really enjoyed that they enjoyed that other side the creative side sports clubs all those different opportunities that we're here we definitely want to bring them back and I we're hoping that as we get through this Turtle through covet that we can't do that, so then so you said that you were born and raised in New Jersey yes yes we did go to the same car it's a small small world. I was so surprised when you said that to cancel you know administrative role you have to have a certain demeanor right from people up north you know there certain times you just don't you can't take it it's like No Nonsense right certain thing that part comes has grown on me with Aldi Southern Charm and all that everybody is very nice but it comes up every now and then Nakia as a principal says you just looking at the future why do you see any man in 3 to 5 years beautiful I mean actually it's kind of unpredictable covid so far enough right you want to be a boy you know I'm dreaming big I want I want our kids and our students have everything other schools have be a private-public when it comes to the physical space the India manatees the extras horse all those things shall we want more for you community you know we're not going anywhere. We're here to stay and we should dream big in the next 3 to 5 years I definitely want us to continue providing the High Calling education to keep where we needed to and like I said earlier that's you know you you're always working to improve yourself and everything I do also want to continue with strongest army foundation for our students because I do believe that's really and as they leave so that they can have a a love for them their stomach history succeed and society and to be good members and helpful member of society and then to come back and back to their communities so that's I mean animals had a good success rate so far this so many alumni that that Michelle has been awesome stuff so okay so who who in your life you know DC as a hero or someone who left like a really good impression on you to who you are today that reflects you are fit so that's a good question so the people in my life I said I would say that have left an impression would have to be my family I come from a very strong family unit Bella and you know a lot of my members of my family are here in North Carolina that was a big reason why we moved here and many of them are also involved in some type of community were the big of course starting off the bus with my mom my mom is probably the biggest inspiration she has worked through a lot of challenges in her life and has always been a role model for me to know that you just keep going through her own life story which is a podcast for another day and another episode so through that she definitely raised me as a very through a lot of different challenges so she would have to be someone who why would say first off but then my other family members they all they all bring a different aspect that they're very good at you know I have one family member who's very good at keeping someone who's giving good about giving back to the community somebody who's very generous and their time someone generous and their money so there's so many people in my life who exemplifies a strong characteristics as people as much so every time I see them I don't like all I want to do more of this because they're so good at doing that one thing or somebody else is so good at doing something else so my home's a lot of my the elders in my family really inspire me and I grew up in a family that always was so close and respect for your elders around you was a big thing for me so because of that I would say that they really inspire me of course my own family my husband is very supportive I heard one white when I started this position as principal I talked out to some other principles in Islamic schools and somebody said something that really  me well I know you have a wonderful spouse because you were friend like what do you mean he has nothing to do with this but she said well the fact that you're able to work in this job that means that you have someone behind you supporting you to do this looks very true that's the truth that's a good point so my husband is someone who supports me out so I can do this and then my own kids right you I have kids too technically second generation since I was born here so I'm inspired to make sure that I leave something for them leave for them you know that I hope that they see it that I've been someone who always worked hard to keep to help our community to move things forward and I want them to have that same I want to turn the hard worker so there sign say my family my family is my rock educationally I've always had a great mentor has seen people in leadership you know what else I've always been really strong principles that anytime I think you know about decisions or how to go about certain things that come up a day today I really think about what what would they have done how would you know so what's a solid foundation at okay so thank you sister Faria for coming on the podcast with me today those of you who want to listen to future episodes follow the Instagram at any men's School NC in the Facebook attending minecr but I should be links there to listen to these episodes feel free to give us any suggestions for guess you'd like to have lawn and tell us any interesting stories you have what sister Faria email spread the message pass just listening here and we don't let everyone know about it now also for like we talked about tuition programs and applying to the school I go to website at 9 Crescent. Org for all that stuff Alabama school. Org

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