Hello! My name is Ms. Sarah and I am a Lead K-8 ELA/Math/HW Help instructor. I was born and raised here in Astoria, Queens, but my family originates from Morocco. I speak two different dialects of Arabic, and I’ve been learning Spanish since the sixth grade. In my free time, I enjoy reading books, going on walks at Astoria Park, and spending time with my friends and family. Growing up in New York, I have been greatly inspired by the city’s diversity and dynamic environments. I admire the way in which different communities come together to support one another, and I strive to give back to my communities in the same way, whether it is through tutoring younger children here at Tip-Top Brain or volunteering in different hospitals serving diverse patient populations.
I graduated from Townsend Harris High School, where I participated in many community service centered extracurriculars such as the Red Cross Club and Key Club. I was also a member of the Arista Honor Society for all four years, and I took a number of AP classes including AP Spanish Language and AP English Literature. Throughout high school, I volunteered at my local mosque’s community center tutoring elementary and middle school students and assisting them with their homework.
I attended Yale University and I received a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish with Distinction in 2022. For my undergraduate thesis, I wrote a literature review in Spanish where I analyzed the portrayal of gender disparities in Morocco at the time of the Spanish Protectorate. Given my Moroccan descent, I have always been interested in the influence that the Spanish language has on the Moroccan dialect of Arabic. After reading numerous accounts of the Spanish colonization of northern Morocco, I decided to explore the differences and similarities between the Spanish and Moroccan natives. In addition to majoring in Spanish, I also pursued a pre-medical track as I am interested in becoming a physician.
My work tutoring did not end once I graduated from high school. In fact, I continued to tutor young children throughout the entirety of my undergraduate career. In my sophomore year of college, I discovered a non-profit book bank that provided free tutoring to children in the New Haven public school system. As a reading tutor, I implemented activity-based learning techniques to encourage students and improve their literacy skills. I also worked as a teaching assistant as a part of the Yale/New Haven Public School Reading Corps, where I supported small groups of fourth grade students by reviewing material meant to further develop their literacy. Many of my students spoke English as a second language, so I often utilized both Arabic and Spanish in my teachings. My experiences tutoring actually solidified my decision to pursue medicine once I realized that I could use my fluency in different languages to establish trust and serve as a resource for patients as well.
I believe that trust is foundational to all relationships, and at Tip-Top Brain, I appreciate that I am able to cultivate trustful relationships with our students to help them grow. Together, we address each child’s specific needs and work to build strong foundational skills. At Tip-Top Brain, I truly feel like I am able to foster positive connections with our students and create a supportive environment where we all motivate each other’s learning.
