Asma Ahmed is an adjunct professor at Niagara University, Faculty of Education. She has a PhD in Critical Policy, Equity and Leadership Studies (CELPS) from Western University. Her research revolves around supporting and improving a more equitable education system. Her work focuses on examining the barriers and supports related to marginalized and racialized students. Currently her focus is on the experiences of Muslim students in public schools and private Islamic schools in Ontario, Culturally Responsive Pedagogies (CRP), anti-Islamophobia education, and particularly, educating against Islamophobia for teachers. Asma conducts workshops on anti-islamophobia for pre-service teacher candidates, for in-service teachers and professors. She has mainly been spending her time writing about how teachers can use culturally responsive pedagogy to support their Muslim students in K-12 public schools and she is developing a theocentric pedagogy for K-12 MAC Islamic schools. She is also facilitating courses with the Centre of Islamic Thought and Education (CITE) at the University of South Australia.
As Muslims begin observing Ramadan, it’s a good time to consider the importance of building a strong sense of belonging at school. Affirming the identities of Muslim students and all minoritized and racialized learners is a way of creating a positive classroom culture.
Recent overt attacks against Muslims in London, Ont.,Hamilton and Edmonton have surfaced and exacerbated the fear that Canadian Muslims have been living with for many years.