On a new, special bonus episode of Teachers’ Lounge podcast, we’re handing the microphone over to WNIJ’s Maria Gardner Lara to showcase her conversation with Ahmed Elqattawi.
He is a graduate student in the College of Education at Northern Illinois University. He’s also Palestinian and talked with Maria about how growing up in Gaza influenced his decision to study education and social justice, what it’s like being so far from his family in a dangerous warzone, and much more.
You may have first heard Elqattawi in a story on WNIJ earlier this month when he shared his thoughts on student protests on college campuses and his family’s struggle to survive.
If you’ve never listened to Teachers’ Lounge before, our show is based on an idea -- we’ve all had teachers in our lives who shaped who we are. And we want to hear about the teachers who inspired you or deserve a spotlight in your community. Every educator we have on this podcast, whether teacher, coach, counselor or professor, is nominated by our listeners.
So, tell us about the person who comes to your mind. Shoot us an email and nominate an educator at teacherslounge@niu.edu and they could be on the podcast! And please subscribe to our Teachers' Lounge newsletter right here where you can stay up to speed on the show and share stories you think we should cover!
Also, Teachers’ Lounge is on the radio! Catch the show as an hour-long radio program, every month LIVE on 89-5 FM and streaming at WNIJ.org. We have multiple guests, stories, and exclusive segments. Tune in on the last Friday of the month at noon for future episodes. Our next episode airs on Friday, May 31st at noon and the next day, June 1st at 6 a.m.
SHOW NOTES
Educator in this episode:
Ahmed Elqattawi
Music: Our show's theme music is from the northern Illinois-based band "Kindoves" and their songs "Popn," "Origins" and "Quiche." You can find more of their music on their Soundcloud page. You can also listen to the episode of WNIJ's Sessions from Studio A where they were featured.
Teachers! People who know teachers! People with stories about teachers! Send us an email and be part of the show! Also, send us your topic recommendations: teacherslounge@niu.edu
