Mariam

Mariam

Teacher

My teaching journey began almost 20 years ago when I started as a parent volunteer at the Family Literacy Program in Alameda reading books during circle time and helping teachers with small tasks in the classroom. After growing interest and passion in the Early Childhood Development field, I began attending weekly parenting classes and workshops about child development and child psychology. I started taking Child Development classes at Merritt College in Oakland and I received my Associate Degree in Child Development in 2015. I have now served young children and families as an educator for over 10 years and have thoroughly worked with mixed ages ranging from 12 months to 5 years.

I am an Afghan-American who has lived and traveled around the world. I was born in Afghanistan and moved at the age of 13 to India then Germany where I lived for 10 years and then the United States in 2000. In addition to English, I speak German, Farsi and Urdu. My husband and I live in Alameda with our son and have a daughter attending college in San Diego.

As a family we love to travel and have visited numerous countries around Europe. I love nature and camping, immersing myself in different cultures through music and cooking. I have worked in diverse environments with families from different backgrounds and cultures. A major focus of mine is inclusivity, belonging and creating an environment for my kids where they feel welcome in, comfortable & confident to be their curious selves. I love creating projects centered around nature and nurturing the children's social emotions and communication with group projects and team exercises.

I am excited to bring my unique skills and passions to Rockridge Little School and to continue to create an environment in which kids and parents feel supported and comfortable. Helping kids achieve their full potential by becoming more independent and empowered brings a huge smile to my face. Children are, by nature, very curious, and with all the questions they ask, I constantly find myself growing and evolving as an Early Childhood Educator.