Our National Survey
Our research collective is proud to announce the first national survey on American Muslim Educators! We want to hear about your experiences in the K-12 schools and what education means to you. Please click the link below for the survey to share your thoughts. We are looking for participants who:
- teach in public K-12 schools in the U.S
- self-identify as Muslim (with varying degrees of religiosity or identify with Muslim as a cultural category)
- represent any racial or ethnic background
- are adults over 18 years of age who can provide consent.
All survey participants are eligible to enter a raffle to win a free iPad! Two winners will be selected. Survey takes 15-20 minutes to complete. Thank you!
Meet the Collective
Our research collective was formed in 2018 when we instantly connected over our shared experiences on education, research, and justice. Since then, we have been researching teachers and dreaming radically about what schools can be. As former or current teachers ourselves, we firmly believe in critical participatory action research (CPAR). All of us have deep knowledge about the ways we, and many in our communities, have struggled against oppression, racism, and dehumanization. Our knowledge is rooted in intergenerational legacies, resistance, and transnational migration. Our national survey is an extension of our work, and we are excited to share this part of our journey.
Dr. Mayida Zaal
Dr. Mayida Zaal is an Associate Professor of Teaching and Learning and serves as the Principal Investigator. Her scholarly work focuses on implementing participatory action research as pedagogy, examining the experiences of immigrant-origin youth, and developing a robust pipeline of candidates of color who will enter the teaching profession.
Manar Hussein
Manar Hussein is a teacher, a teacher educator, and a doctoral candidate in the Teacher Education & Teacher Development Ph.D. Program at MSU. She is a full-time graduate assistant for this project.
Chedia Ayari
Chedia Ayari is a doctoral candidate in the Teacher Education & Teacher Development Ph.D. Program at MSU with expertise in linguistic and cultural diversity, culturally responsive and inclusive pedagogies, second language acquisition, world language(s) instruction, & teaching linguistic and cultural curriculum to linguistic minority students.
Nagla Bedir
Nagla Bedir is a social studies teacher and the founder and director of Teaching While Muslim, an organization that focuses on creating a supportive network for Muslim American teachers and advocates for fighing against discrimination, implicit bias, and institutional racism.
Maheen Ahmad
Maheen Ahmad is a middle school English teacher with expertise in culturally responsive curriculum and pedagogy with a focus on instructional technology and media. She also works as the assistant director of Teaching While Muslim to help promote equity and justice in schools.
Amir Billups
Amir Billups is a teacher educator and a social studies department chairperson in Newark, NJ with expertise in participatory action research. He also helped lead a youth participatory action academy.
Nushrat Hoque
Nushrat Hoque is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Chemistry at Pennsylvania State University with expertise in community organizing and advocacy in support of immigrant families.
Contact Us
- For questions about the survey, please contact us at reclaimingmuslimeducators@gmail.com.
- For questions about the larger study, contact Mayida Zaal, the Principal Investigator.