Since joining Seventy-First High School in 2023, Arabic teacher Najoua Ben Ramak has built an Arabic program that students describe as welcoming, challenging and rooted in cultural connection.
She has also become known in the school community for incorporating Moroccan traditions, cooking activities, and virtual exchanges that help students engage with the language in meaningful ways.
She came to Cumberland County through Educational Partners International, a teacher exchange program that recruits educators from around the world to teach in U.S. public schools.
This fall, Ben Ramak was named the 2025 Foreign Language Association of North Carolina (FLANC) Teacher of the Year, an honor recognizing her instructional leadership, community involvement, and contributions to world language education in Cumberland County Schools.
She was nominated by her supervisor and selected through a statewide review process evaluating her classroom practices, professional contributions, and previous recognitions. Born and raised in Morocco, Ben Ramak often tells her students that “language opens doors”—a belief shaped by her own experience learning English and later immigrating to the United States.
Her selection means she will go on to represent North Carolina at the Southern Conference on Language Teaching when the regional event comes to Raleigh in March 2026.
In a conversation with CityView, she discussed her teaching philosophy, her cultural background, and what the statewide award means to her.
Q: Can you start by sharing your role and what you aim to create in your classroom?
Ben Ramak: I teach Arabic at Seventy-First High School. My goal is to create a positive and welcoming environment where students feel confident, curious, and open to learning about other cultures. I focus on diversity, giving students choices and building a space where they feel peaceful and supported.
Q: What inspired you to become a world language teacher, and how has your background in Morocco shaped your approach?
Ben Ramak: I grew up in Morocco and started by studying English as a foreign language. I believe that language opens doors, and that is what happened to me. Learning English opened opportunities for me and eventually allowed me to come to the United States.
Teaching Arabic lets me share my heritage, build global awareness, and help students grow into confident communicators. One of my students even won first place in an international writing competition through Qatar Foundation International. Moments like that inspire me.
Q: Which values or cultural practices from Morocco show up most in your teaching?
Ben Ramak: Gratitude, empathy, and sharing are important in my culture. I bring those values into my classroom through cooking activities, cultural events, and family involvement. I focus not only on language skills but on personal growth—confidence, empathy, and gratitude. My students also participate in community activities, like giving food to staff. Sharing and caring are big parts of how I grew up.
Q: Students often describe your class as a place where they feel challenged and seen. What practices guide your teaching style?
Ben Ramak: I always start by helping students love the language. When they feel welcomed and confident, they’re more willing to learn. I give students choices—how they prefer to learn and whether they want to work in teams or individually. I use games, interactive activities, and constant encouragement, and I remind them that mistakes are part of the process.
Arabic has a different alphabet and different sounds, so it can feel intimidating, but I teach it in a way that makes it accessible. I also create virtual connections between my students and students in Morocco. It motivates them and makes learning meaningful.
Q: What was your reaction when you learned you had been named FLANC Teacher of the Year?
Ben Ramak: I felt very honored and grateful. It was a full-circle moment that motivated me to keep doing my best to meet my students’ needs. It reminded me that even when you do something small in the classroom, it can be rewarded later. This recognition isn’t just for me—it’s for my students. It feels like a team achievement.
Q: How did the selection process work? Were you nominated?
Ben Ramak: Yes, I was nominated by my supervisor. After that, the association contacted me and I went through several steps—I wrote two essays, shared classroom reviews, submitted photos of activities, and sent documentation of other recognitions I’ve received like Teacher of the Month (December 2023) and International Spotlight (March 2024). I also shared the grants I’ve earned to support my class.
Q: What message do you hope to share with other world language educators across North Carolina?
Ben Ramak: Love what you do. When you love teaching, you become more creative and committed. Teaching is a chance to change a student’s future. Give your students confidence, stay motivated, and inspire them every day.
Q: Is there anything else you want people to know about your journey?
Ben Ramak: When I arrived in the U.S. in August 2023, my father had just passed away less than a month earlier. I found love and family in my classroom, and my students helped me heal. I also designed the Arabic curriculum for the county because there was nothing to follow when I arrived.
I had to be creative, and now Cumberland County Schools has a full curriculum based on what I built. I’m grateful for my students—they are miracles in my life. And for anyone who has a goal, nothing is impossible. If you truly love something, it will open doors for you.
To contact education reporter Dasia Williams, email dwilliams@cityviewnc.com.
