Academics – Page 2 – American School of Kosova

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Position: Academics

Mariklena Niço

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Mariklena Niço was born in Korça, Albania. She began her teaching career in 2001. Since then, she has taught Albanian Language and Literature in various high schools in Korça: F.S. Noli High School, Faik Konica-Foreign Language High School, Raqi Qirinxhi High School.
Mariklena has been an Albanian Language and Literature teacher at the American School of Kosova, since 2016. Ms. Niço holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Literature from the University of Tirana. In addition, she received training and certification in literature, from the Ministry of Education Science and Technology.
Mariklena strongly believes on what Aristotle wrote, “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” She chooses her strategies of teaching based on this Einstein quote, “Education is not the learning of facts but the training of the mind to think.” Mariklena published her first collection of poetry “Pylli i muzave”, in 2007 (by Ombra GVG). She has been publishing in various literary magazines, such as Haemus, Poeteka.

Ujkane Hana Beshiri

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A quality assurance specialist and an accomplished educational leader with 20 years experience in teaching, designing and implementing international curricula. Ms. Ujkane joined ASK in 2016 as an Elementary Teacher, and has been part of the Academic Leadership Team 2017-2019 representing Upper Elementary School. Since 2019 she has been leading the MAP Committee in the role of MAP Coordinator.
She has a MA degree in Educational Leadership and Management from AFA [Academy of Fine Arts] in Kosovo. Currently, she is in the process finishing her specializing course on The Certificate in School Management and Leadership [CSML], at online Harvard Graduate School of Education and Harvard Business School. She is also Teacher Trainers certified by the University of Arizona.
Driven by the quote, “One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world.” by Malala Yousafzai, Ujkana believes children are a gift and possess diverse talents and capabilities. She considers it a privilege to help facilitate their learning and academic growth that empowers teachers and students to think creatively and critically about the power of education for positive change.

Fexhrije Sela

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Ms. Fexhrije Sela’s journey in education began over 30 years ago in the United States. After completing her studies in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Psychology at Kingsborough Community College & Brooklyn College, she embarked on her professional career. She started at Chick Peas Preschool School in Brooklyn, New York, and later taught at the YMCA Early Childhood Center. Throughout her career, she participated in specialized training programs at The University of the State of New York, focusing on areas such as “School Violence Prevention and Intervention” and “Identification and Reporting of Child Abuse and Maltreatment.” Following her tenure at various Brooklyn public schools, Ms. Sela returned to her hometown, Pristina, where she joined the American School of Kosovo (ASK) family in 2009. She initially served as a Kindergarten Teacher before being promoted to Early Childhood Education Principal in September 2022. Ms. Sela’s passion lies in laying the foundation of education in the early years, believing it serves individuals throughout their lives.

Her favorite learning quote is, “All I really need to know I learned in Kindergarten.”

Fjolla Kadiu

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Fjolla Kadiu joined ASK in October, 2020.
She teaches Music through all levels, starting from 3rd graders.
She has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Pedagogy of General Music.
Her passion is reading and painting.
She has been in lots of training in the past 10 years and has various certificates including, “Child and adolescent mental health and behavioral disorders”, “Kosovo Curriculum” etc.
Her favorite learning quote is, “Anyone who stops learning is old. Whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning is young.”

Esma Salihu

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Esma Salihu joined the American School of Kosova as a Chemistry and General Science teacher in 2019. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and a Master’s degree in Environmental Sciences from the Faculty of Natural and Mathematical Sciences at the University of Prishtina. She is currently in the process of being licensed as a Clinical Chemistry Technologist. She is passionate about herbs and about ways of using them in formulating different soap recipes. Her favorite learning quote is, “Learning is experience. Everything else is just information.”

Sihana Salihu Bektashi

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Sihana Salihu Bektashi has been a High School English/ESL Teacher at the American School of Kosova, since March 2018. Prior to joining ASK, she worked as an English Teacher at different English Language Schools, such as the English Language Center and The Cambridge School. She also served as an English/Albanian interpreter for various missions in Kosovo, the EULEX Mission in Kosovo, OSCE, and USAID. She feels comfortable working in both fields but she says that what challenges her more is working with students because of the dynamics in the teaching area and the fulfillment a teacher reaches after each accomplishment. She has attended various trainings for teachers held by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of Kosovo, and she has also attended a year of language studies at the American University in Bulgaria. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Language and Literature and is currently pursuing her Master’s studies in Linguistics at AAB University.

Shpresa Perteshani Ibrahimi

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Shpresa Ibrahimi has been a teacher at ASK for two years now. She teaches High School Italian. She has a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Psychology and she has always been passionate about Psychology and Italian. Throughout her 22 years of work, she has always intertwined successfully these two fields. She has also attended many training and has been certified in different programs.
Her favorite quote is, “L’Italiano è amore a prima vista”!

Shkendije Thaqi Kadrija

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Shkendije Thaqi Kadrija joined ASK as a Grade 2 Teacher back in 2018. Prior to ASK, she worked as an English Teacher at a Language School in Prishtine. Mrs. Thaqi Kadrija has worked with different age groups and different language levels (A1-C1). She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Prishtina, Faculty of Philology, and an MA degree in English Language Teaching and Methodology from the South East European University, Faculty of Languages, Cultures and Communication, Macedonia. Her favorite learning quote is, “Learning never exhausts the mind”- Leonardo Da Vinci.

Ionela Hysenaj

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Ionela Hysenaj has been teaching at ASK for 12 years. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Geography and a Master’s degree in Population Studies. Ionela teaches Geography, Global Perspectives, AP World History, and AP Comparative Government and Politics in high school. She is a passionate reader and has published an article about writing recommendation letters for students in Kosovo Education publication. She has been in multiple trainings over the years and has certificates from Kosovo Education Center, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, ASK PD Trainings, Kosovo Learning Summit, and French Ministry of Education.

Her favorite learning quote is, “Don’t just teach your children to read…Teach them to question what they read. Teach them to question everything.”

Fjolla Gashi

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Fjolla Gashi has been with ASK for two years as a Teaching Assistant. She has studied English Language and Literature at the University of Prishtina. Fjolla is currently finishing her Master’s studies in Linguistics at the Faculty of Philology. She is an avid reader and aspires to be a writer someday. Fjolla has also trained to be a Pediatric Nurse Assistant. Before coming to ASK she has worked as an English Teacher at schools of languages. Her favorite learning quote is, “Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” – Socrates.