Anwarul Amirah Zulkifli is a first-year student in the Department of Instruction Leadership and Academic Curriculum doctoral program at the University of Oklahoma-Norman. She obtained her master’s with distinction in Early Childhood Education from the University of Central Oklahoma and a degree with honors from International Islamic University Malaysia. She taught first grade and Makerspace at a Spanish-English bilingual school in Oklahoma City and has five years of experience in public relations and communication. Amirah is passionate about trauma-informed teaching and the learning of children and teachers, specifically the training of pre-service and student teachers. She is currently a graduate research assistant under the wings of Dr. Kwon and a proud contributor to the Happy Teacher Project.
Fun fact: She taught her students breathing techniques, tools to recenter themselves, ways to express emotions effectively, and other social-emotional skills through modeling and practice. She has been an advocate for mental health for herself and those around her. Apart from that, Amirah also loves collecting and caring for plants and reviving spaces.
Encouraging note: One day, there will be someone saying, “that teacher changed my life”.