Eman Arafa
Biography
Eman Arafa is a 27-year veteran educator with a variety of experiences and expertise. She has served as a k-12 classroom teacher, director of academic affairs at both the elementary and secondary levels, literacy coach, and principal at both the elementary and secondary levels.
As a dean of academic affairs, Arafa created a plan on improving reading/literacy levels through formal teacher training and new curricular programs, and oversaw the revision of the English, reading, and language arts curricula at the elementary and secondary levels. Arafa assisted in the training and mentoring of teachers as they applied new programs in their classrooms. Arafa’s changes brought school wide, Standardized test scores, grades 1-8, up to comparative levels alongside suburban public schools and independent schools nationwide. As a principal, Arafa supervised and evaluated secondary school administrators. During her 5-year tenure as principal, she oversaw the 5-year accreditation review by her school’s accrediting agency, the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools (NJAIS).
In her current role as Lecturer in the Special Education & Literacy Department in the College of Education at Kean University, Arafa teaches courses in the undergraduate Bachelor of Arts in Education program, EDUC 3400: Language Arts/Reading in Preschool and Elementary Curriculum and EDUC 3401: Language Arts/Reading in K-12 Subject Area Teaching as well as a graduate-level course in the LDTC program, CS 5402: Dyslexia.
Arafa’s philosophical views of education pertain to her love of teaching and learning. It is to serve as mentor, confidant, and facilitator; and to provide continuous guidance for all students as they venture through their journey of knowledge. She is a daughter, sister, wife, and mother of three children; and when she is not working or studying, she enjoys reading historical fiction, taking brisk walks, and cooking with her family.