Living in the US has ironically made Farouki even more aware of her roots and of the common bond between people from all over the Arab world. My children feel very comfortable in the US but they also love our heritage. Farouki's interest in education led her to get a master's degree in the field from George Washington University. She believes what she learned helped her understand how best to develop her children's natural talents. This country tunes in to children and their needs.
Young minds are capable of so much if given the right kind of nurturing.
She argues that an educational system should allow young people a large measure of self-expression and should put emphasis on making them believe in themselves. While unwilling to be overly critical of educational methods in the Arab world, Farouki argues that they should focus more on building independent young minds. We don't give them much support early on in their childhood and don't make enough effort to help them develop a sense of self-worth. We should teach them the necessary skills and reward good behavior. It is this kind of self-assurance that she feels she has managed to achieve in the years since her arrival.