Supervised by

This project would not have been made possible without the help of all teachers, principals, educators, and administrators who participated in it. I am deeply appreciative to their valuable input and help. Special thanks to all participants in the public schools in Alexandria. My deepest gratitude goes to my wonderful thesis supervisor, Dr. Malak Zaalouk. To Dr. Malak, my dearest teacher and role model, I say thank you for all your patience, support, guidance, and invaluable assistance. I would also like to thank Dr. Peggy Norman and Dr. Ted Purinton, my two thesis readers, for their helpful comments and suggestions, and their great encouragement and support. I am also grateful to all my friends and colleagues at the Graduate school of Education community. To them, I say, it has been a very exciting learning experience and an enlightening journey for all of us. To Dr. Samiha Peterson, our interim Dean at GSE, I say thank you for embracing a vision that has enabled me to realize one of my biggest dreams and aspirations in life. I also would like to express my deepest gratitude to my parents, especially my father who has always been my biggest believer and cheerleader. I dedicate this thesis to my tw