Student Spotlight: Nida Sakhi
Tell us a little bit about yourself. When did you decide to pursue education, and what drew you to this field?
I was born in Saudi Arabia and moved to Pakistan when I was seven years old. My whole education before undergrad was in Pakistan. Then, I moved to the US and decided to raise my family here. I've always wanted to pursue education, but there was a gap for me because I was raising my family. Since my mother was a teacher and I was running a tutoring business at the age of fifteen to support my family, education was always a part of my life. I started out with a major in computer sciences and contemporary religious studies, but I wanted to expand my horizons. When you move to another country, your credentials may be different. So I found out about the bachelor's program for applied behavior sciences at NLU and that those students can move on to pursue their teaching degree if they want to. I joined this program six years ago, and when I did, I met a lot of inspiring people with diverse backgrounds, which opened up a lot of doors for me to view these different perspectives and opened up many new doors for me. After my bachelor's, I worked as a substitute teacher for four or five years. My goal was to get into the Master's program because I wanted to continue learning from NLU's great instructors.
At what point did you decide to study at NLU and specifically in the degree program you're pursuing?
I have two kids, and they are almost grown up now. I used to volunteer at their schools, and a few of their teachers encouraged me to pursue education. At the time, I didn't know if I felt comfortable going into undergraduate studies because I was older than typical college-aged students. My child's teacher said if you want to pursue your education degree and want to feel like you belong, you should go to National Louis.
My experience as a mother inspired me to go into elementary education. I love working with school-age children because you get to shape them, not only academically but also as positive and engaged community members. It brings a different kind of gratification.
Tell us something you are learning about right now and how it relates to your career goals.
I just learned about culturally responsive teaching, a concept I can relate to given my personal experience as an immigrant. Now I feel prepared to leverage my student's cultural identities and perspectives to make my lessons and discussions accessible and inclusive.
What's been most rewarding so far as being a student of NCE? What's been most challenging, and how have you worked through it?
The biggest challenge I faced when I started my studies at NLU was translating English in my mind and writing in English. My professors encouraged me to keep going--even though it took me a long time to put my thoughts on the page. Now, I'm able to think, write, and contribute to class discussions in English quickly. All of my NCE professors have inspired me greatly. I'm able to connect with them on a personal and professional level. They are very approachable and supportive.
What would you tell someone looking to enroll in an NCE program?
I'll always speak highly of my teacher preparation program, and I'd recommend NCE to anyone who wants to pursue education. I've had a very positive learning experience, and I'm for sure going to enroll in another NCE degree program if I want to continue my education studies. Initially, I struggled in communication, and NCE shaped me. I've learned here how to communicate positively with people of all different backgrounds, found lifelong friends at this institution, and NLU has taught me to be a persistent learner. I'd say if you want to be a great teacher, enroll in NCE.
