Back to Home School - School Year 2014/2015

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Alhamdulillaah another school year has started. We will be continuing with Cambridge Primary Curriculum Inshaa Allaah and here are the Resources we hope to use for this school year!


Islaamic Studies
We will be continuing with Usooluth Thalaathah Scrapbooking along with Shaykh Fowzan's explanation 

Also Important or Essential Lessons for Every Muslim Scrapbooking, The Inheritors of the Prophets and Our Role Models Sahabah. All this will be based upon Scrapbooking and on and off I will be testing her with questions and answers. Also we will continue with Seerah Worksheets using When the Moon Split and the Sealed Nectar.

 

Additionally we will be continuing our Tarbiyah Classes with the others where we cover Al Waajibaat, Book of Tahaarah from Umdatul Ahkaam, The Great Women of Islaam and Adab al Mufrad Inshaa Allaah.

Qur'aan and Hifdhl
Reciting and memorising the Qur'aan and Reading the Noble Qur'aan and understanding the meaning of what is recited everyday. We will be reading along the Qur'aan for each other during the day in English as well.

Additionally this year we are hoping start the Juzz Amma workbook that our dear sister has put out here

Once a week we will go through the Positions of Salaah, Recitals, and the Obligations and etc. We will use our Salaah Workshop Documents for this purpose. I think this is very necessary as children who have turned 7 need reminders very often to make their salaah proper and eventually we ask Allaah to bring khushoo in the salaah for them and accept their salaah. Aameen.

Now that Maimoonah is grown and able to read Arabic I thought this is the best time to give her a Duaa or Adhkaar Book where she gets used to reciting every morning and evening. Even though most of the Adhkaar are familiar for her I think as they grow having something to look at and read by themselves makes a big difference. I found this one pretty child friendly. May Allaah reward sister Umm Khadeejah for all her hard work. Aameen

To make the Bedtime rituals stress free I thought of giving this little booklet to her hand and make this a practice before going to sleep. Even though bedtime Adhkaar are memorised as they grow sometimes I notice things are not done as they were younger, hence giving something to the hand is safer Inshaa Allaah!

Arabic
We are continuing with Madeenah Book 1 and started  Gateway to Arabic Book 2.

We will be using these lovely Everyday Arabic Books for reading.

English

We are using Nelson Developing Non Fiction Skills and Nelson Developing Fiction Skills, Nelson English Workbook 2 and Galore Park Junior English 1. Junior English is mainly used for Comprehension as most of the Nelson Non Fiction Comprehension Passages are not islamically suitable, We will use the Ronald Ridout English Workbooks as well.

For spelling we will use the Spelling Workout Book D

To improve writing we have started the cursive writing book and she does copyrighting everyday. For Copy writing we have chosen the Qur'aan. So she has started writing from the beginning of the Qur'aan.

Mathematics

We are continuing with Nelson International Mathematics Pupils Book 3 and Workbook 3. We may finish it before the year, so we will go on to Book 4 as well Inshaa Allaah. MEP maths we will use Year 2.

Science

Last year we have been using many books and doing science from here and there. Starting this year we are a bit organized and following the Key Stage 2 curriculum. We are using CGP Key Stage 2 Study book and Question Book for learning in order and getting familiar with scientific technical language.  Along with these books we will use the wonderful science books collection at the QMuslimag Children's Library and the Galore Park Junior Science Book 1. Every now and then according to interest we will do some lapbooks and projects. 

And we are hoping to make a small mini lab at home with some of the interesting science kits we got from Rainbow Resources. This is to make things not that boring and to give a hands on experience Inshaa Allaah!

 

Geography

We are continuing with these Map Skills Work Books and Geography Success Book 1 along with the other Geograpghy books we have for referance. Addionally I also got the country study activity pack from Rainbow Resources with the Passport, Flags and World Map activity sheet.

ICT

We will start ICT this year. I have this CGP book with me and for now we will continue with it. Looks very outdated to me and will look for some other latest ICT books later on Inshaa Allaah!

Fun Activities

Fun Activities include Arts and Crafts, Sewing, Cooking, Games and little Experiments. We do these things every now and then.

So those are the resources we are planning to use Inshaa Allaah.

With all of the above I see that Maimoonah has come to stage where she needs a bit more challenging activities, Inshaa Allaah,  I am thinking of having some out of home activities for her this year getting together with our small homeschooling group in Doha where every month we do something solid outside home. May be an Arts and Crafts Lesson, Lego and Robotics session, a filed trip etc etc,


As for being more organized this year I have started writing down lesson plans for each subject. I do this for every 6 weeks and see how we have done and then write for the next 6 weeks. This is just an example of one subject. This way I hope we can be more organized and helps bring out all resources available.

Additionally this Homeschool Planner is indeed worthwhile trying for those of you who like to be organized Inshaa Allaah. We will be using some of the pages from this too.

Rectification - Random Thoughts!

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Alhamdulillaah 7 years of parenting, 5 years of homeschooling! Yes , Need Rectification! 

As we finished our last school year I have been thinking how we really fared, what are the drawbacks, what are the achievements, where did we go wrong, what did we do well and what needs to be done to improve! Rectification! 

Last year has been a happening year as there were lots of changes, challenges and struggles with regard to homeschooling, family commitments and the growing little personality. And I feel most of the time I did not handle things well as a homeschooler, teacher and as a parent, Allaah knows best! Hence need Rectification!

We as parents, teachers and especially homeschoolers go through these different stages in our lives where we suddenly find the kids are different as they grow and we are stressed. I know this because many other sisters have written to me the same phase that they go through with homeschooling their kids. I tell them WE need Rectification! 

The purpose and need of humans, is that they rectify the things related to their worldly affairs and the afterlife. The path to attaining that is through sound intellect (guided by the Qur’aan and the Sunnah) and its symbol is the selection of affairs through discernment, and the accomplishment of discernment through determination. 

[Al-Adabus Sagheer Wal-Kabeer of ibnu Muqaffah: page: 43 and Al-Muntaqaa Min Butoonil Kutub: page: 6]

Powerful saying, Maashaa Allaah! But tells us how to Rectify ourselves so precisely. Alhamdulillaah! 

Here is where we need to refresh and think back why did we really embark into this journey of homeschooling? Didn't we all want this for the sake of Allaah alone! We did not want our children to be victims of the secular world rather we wanted them to be true slaves of Allaah with knowledge and actions that would make them earn the pleasure of Allaah! We wanted to make them the children of hereafter! We wanted them to get the much needed Tarbiyah or Cultivation from us! Right? 

Hence with this refreshment and keeping in mind that 7 years mark is a milestone where it becomes obligatory upon us to command the Islaamic regulations and duties upon the child and we are responsible and accountable for it before Allaah,   I am just noting down some of the areas that I need to understand and rectify Inshaa Allaah with the help and Mercy of Allaah. If you are in the same phase then it may help you too Inshaa Allaah! 

• Constantly seek refuge with Allaah from the accursed Shaitaan in every slightest situation of anger building up. Anger is the root cause for mishandling the kids.
• Continuous Duaa, despair not the Mercy of Allaah.
• Engage the kids in the conversation as much as possible. As they grow they need more attention, more than what we think. 
• Give responsibilities and give specific praise when they are carried out well, encourage when they slip, never criticise and demoralize the child. 
• Get organized to the extreme. Most of the time things do not go smooth when lunch is not cooked nor have no idea what to cook.

• Start a lesson when you are really ready with the lesson plans and resources. In case you are not ready with them do some thing else. When you do not know what to teach you get stressed and the child takes advantage. 
• Build up a strong relationship by listening to the kids with true attentiveness and sincerity. Take a walk in the evenings just listening to them and talking to them, topics can vary from the lessons from a life story of the sahabah to anything beneficial.
• Lessen the number of times we say "Keep Quiet" to a child. 
• Compromise at times. You have an important email to send someone, your kid wants to show you something she has made with the lego. Just take some time to look at it. 
• Be consistent in showing firmness.
• Stick to a routine and when you have to alter it for some reason explain to the kids why you are changing things. 
• Stop sounding like a military officer. Some kids may be fine with this but most do not like commanding, instead get things done as we would get things done by an adult! 
• Keep the tone low always. Other words stop shouting! Maintain Calm all the way! 
• Read aloud at least for half hour every day. Even if the kids at this age are excellent readers, they still love to hear us read to them. The best book to read aloud would the Book of Allaah! 

•  Stop worrying too much about the worldly affairs or any issues that come your way. Allaah is sufficient for us. Keep to the duties of Allaah and have tawakkul.
• Always remember that Children and wealth are indeed trails to us. ""Indeed, your wealth and children are a trial." [Al-Qur'an 64:15]

Anything else to add to this. Please feel free to leave a comment and share your experiences! 

May Allaah make us of those who are grateful to Him in all situations and May He help us throughout in cultivating our children for His pleasure alone and keep our children firm upon His Straight Path and grant them and us the highest place in Jannah. Aameen!

End of another School Year & Assessment - 2013/2014

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Innal Hamdalillaah! I have not been blogging since Ramadhaan due to many other commitments Maashaa Allaah! Obviously when I do not blog I feel so thoroughly disorganized with regard to homeschooling, subhanallaah! We are slowly trying to get back to organizing and starting the new school year soon. What I want to do in this post is to sum up our last school year Inshaa Allaah along with information on how we did our Assessment! 

Qur'aan

Qur'aan reading has tremendously improved especially after Ramadhaan in which Maimoonah read at least one page a day, Alhamdulillaah. she is still continuing to read and understand the meaning by reading the Tafseer.

As for Hifdhl, subhanallaah we had a very rocky year. At the moment we have stopped memorising new soorahs as I see the old Soorahs still need perfection. So the last few months of last school year we have been only concentrating it perfecting the old soorahs. I find that she is getting mixed up with the old soorahs when she is going ahead memorising the new soorahs. Inshaa Allaah next year want to be more organized. I feel I am very much partly responsible for this as I was not too organized with her Hifdhl the last full year. 

Islaamic Studies

We covered many areas especially most of the parts of Aqeedah Alhamdulillaah, mainly due to our Tarbiyah Girls Club. We covered the Scrapbooks on Usooluth Thalaathah, Essential Lessons Every Muslims, Inheritors of the Prophets and Our Role Models.

As for memorising Usooluth Thalaathah Maimoonah has completed upto the First Principle. And we have been doing the Scrapbook with detail explanation for the first part of the book before the Principles. We did not complete that part yet, Inshaa Allaah we will continue next school year.

We went up to Eemaan in the Last day in Essential Lessons for Every Muslim (I have not blogged a couple of lessons on this due to time constraints, Inshaa Allaah will do so soon). This was indeed a great way to learn and live Eemaan.

We learnt about few scholars on Inheritors of the Prophets and I got stuck with preparing for some scholars due to lack of information about them in English. This was one reason I could not continue. Inshaa Allaah we hope to do more on this next year.

As for the Sahaabah our Role Model, Alhamdulillaah Maimoonah has been reading and re reading the Golden Series of the Sahabah and pretty familiar with those 20 Sahaabahs and their wonderful stories. We could not do more on the scrapbook due to time constraints. We want to continue that next year as well Inshaa Allaah.

We only read about the Prophets this year and did Aadam Alaihissallaam Activity Pack. Again we just could not find enough time to complete all what we wanted to do. Inshaa Allaah next year I have thought of an alternative way to do about the Prophets.

She has been reading both the Sealed Nectar and When the Moon Split for seerah but we could not really do more worksheets on Seerah. Hope we are able to do more next year.

ICO Islaamic Studies Books got stuck in UK and we eventually decided to not use them. Also I think most of it is covered in the books of the scholars we are using and Qadarallaah.

Arabic

We have been able to complete Gateway to Arabic Book 1 and about 6 lessons on Madeenah Book 1. Her writing has improved as well as reading. Lot more to go Inshaa Allaah!

English

We completed Nelson English Fiction and Non Fiction Books 1 and covered half of Nelson English non Fiction Book 2. We also completed Nelson English Workbooks 1 and 2 along with Ronald Ridout's English Workbook 1. All what we have covered so far with regard to Cambridge Primary Curriculum has been ticked off and you can see it here.

Spelling 

We have completed Spelling Workout Level B and little more to finish Level C.

Mathematics

We completed Nelson International Mathematics Book 2a, 2b and 2C and finished half of Nelson Mathematics Textbook and Workbook 3. We are still doing MEP Maths Year 1, as Maimoonah sometimes feels bored to do the same thing over and over again on MEP. Thinking of starting Year 2 straight away Next year. The areas we have covered so far with regard to Cambridge Curriculum have been ticked off here

Science

As for science we have been doing topics from here and there this year as many areas were covered before. We did some topics from Junior Science and some from CGP Key Stage 2 - Book. We also did many hands on Science fun activities. All what we have covered so far in Cambridge Primary Curriculum has been ticked off here.

Geography

We completed the Developing Maps Skills Book 2 and a little more to complete Maps Skills Book 1 which is another series. We also completed Geography Success Starter Book started on Book 1 as well. What is completed with regard to the UK National Curriculum has been ticked off here

ICT

We did not do ICT this year as we could not get down our books till recently.

Assessment

Just to see where Maimoonah stands with regard to English and Mathematics as per the UK Curriculum I decided to give her the Sat Key Stage 1 Past Papers and made her do all on her own. Then I got a friend of mine to correct and mark the papers. These papers come with Teacher Instructions and Answers and Marking Schemes making it really easy for us homeschoolers!  I also gave her to do some Cambridge Sample Papers to do.

   

English she was able to do both and scored well Alhamdulillaah. The sister pointed out her careless mistakes with regard to not reading the whole question before answering for a couple questions. Other than that the sister marked her to be above average, Alhamdulillaah!

 

 

  

    

Maimoonah really enjoyed doing the Sat English Papers as all questions were based on little stories and the format of the paper is very appealing to the kids.

 Maths was also the same Alhamdulillaah!

  

  

  

As for science and geography I gave her some revision worksheets from the Internet to check her and Alhamdulillaah she was able to do all of them independently. 

I did not do testing on other subjects as any way I really do not believe in exams for kids at this age. The only reason I wanted her to do the Sat papers is to know what I have taught her and if she is in level with what we are following as a curriculum. 

So that sums up our end of school year post. Inshaa Allaah look out for our Next Back To school post!

Ramadhaan Journal - 2014

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Hope and pray all of you are benefitting this Ramadhaan so far and your kids are enjoying Ramadhaan as well. Maimoonah has been enjoying doing her Ramadhaan Journal every day. I have allowed her to be free in what she wants to do this year and so far she has been in control of her journal fully and asked me to help her only with some writings. Here are the pics of her journal so far.