What inspired you to become a founder of the Learn & Inspire Center?

- Advertisement -

I started teaching my academic career in 1993 where I worked a lot on community service, teaching and research at SQU. Teaching teachers to teach was some thing that made me want to integrate both visions of mine into one. Being able to teach teachers, support parents and work on building a foundation for the children in their early years.

You have a strong focus on early childhood education. Could you share your vision for child development and why you believe investing in the early years is so crucial for a child’s future?

I believe that the foundation is very important and this applies to us as humans. Children are the foundation, if you invest in their development it plays a big role in how they grow up and their future. Not only providing a strong academic foundation but also ensuring they develop the emotional, social, and cognitive skills they need to thrive. This is necessary to set our children, our future on a path toward lifelong success, helping them to become resilient, engaged learners who are emotionally healthy and socially connected and equipped to face the challenges ahead.

Learn & Inspire Center has evolved significantly from its origins as My Book & Me Nursery. What motivated this transformation, and how has the focus of the center shifted over time to better serve children and families?

My Book & Me Center evolved into Learn & Inspire Center and My Book & Me Nursery was an addition in 2018 until 2020 and was reopened in 2024.These are all stepping stones to my bigger dream of having my own specialized center where I can support parents, educators and empower children to be the best versions of themselves. It was driven by the commitment to adapting to the changing needs of children and families where the focus is social and emotional skills. By opening the Nursery, I have the opportunity to promote and support children’s development in the early years to help them become more resilient, empathetic and lifelong learners. Also, this is to support parents and educators to understand their roles and how to be an active role model in their children’s lives.

What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced in promoting early childhood education and family development in Oman? How have you overcome these obstacles?

Promoting early childhood education and family development in Oman like in any country, has its challenges. Challenges such as finding highly trained early childhood educators and the awareness of active parental involvement. One of the other challenges is working on raising awareness on the importance of early years. This involves talking about it, workshops, support groups and teaching. There are spectacular improvements and progress among the years and much more support for early childhood development. I share a great passion in raising awareness in any topic related to children and especially, early childhood development is one that is very dear to my heart so I do not see it as just an obstacle but some thing that I greatly enjoy and will continue to do.

Your approach incorporates the concept of “edutainment.” Could you elaborate on how combining education with entertainment has enhanced the learning experience for young children at your center?

When edutainment and education are combined, it engages the child and taps into their natural curiosity along with their love of play. This makes learning feel exciting rather than a task. In our center, we incorporate hands-on activities and drama that align with developmental goals. For example, songs can teach language skills, while role-play activities help children build social-emotional competencies. The key is to make learning active, sensory-rich, and meaningful.

Edutainment fosters deeper engagement because it taps into the brain’s reward system, making learning feel like a fun and rewarding experience. This approach promotes better retention of information and enhances critical thinking, problem-solving, and social skills, all while keeping children motivated and excited to learn. By blending education with play, we help children develop a love for learning that lasts well beyond their early years.

You are actively involved in community service, including your patronage of Al Din Theatre for Culture & Art and the SANUBADER Team for Cancer Patients. How do these roles complement your work in education and child psychology?

My dream is to have my own specialized center and I love the theatre, In my own specialized center I want to incorporate play and theater in the children’s learning. I believe that education should be some thing we love and enjoy and this is where play and theatre come in. As my part to giving back, I joined the SANUBADER team where I support cancer patients, spend time with them and learn from them. I am grateful that I am able to support a lot of the children among the cancer patients who need to be looked after from the mental health and education perspective. Also, I am part of the Not Alone Campaign, where we raise awareness for mental health, allowing individuals to express and share their stories to inspire others in

their journey. Each of these to me, are a rewarding commitment, teaching me self empowerment, patience, gratefulness and a learning process.

All, provide me with a deeper understanding of human resilience, emotional expression and community support. They enforce the approach of making us and children feel empowered, supported and equipped to navigate the complexities of life

What advice would you give to young women and aspiring educators who wish to make a meaningful impact in the fields of psychology, child development, and community service?

My advice would be to be empathetic, commit to lifelong learning and to always stay curious. The children are the future as educators we can help them develop and learn socially, cognitively and emotionally to grow into emotionally resilient, socially responsible and intellectually curious individuals. As educators we have the privilege and responsibility to shape the lives of future generations which is one of the most powerful and meaningful things we can do especially in the fields of psychology, child development and community service. Our role is not just to teach them but to nurture and guide the holistic development of children.