At the moment we are taking advantage of the weather. Alhamdulillah this week we had such a lovely summer weather after autumn seems approach rapidly especially here in the North. Therefore I got couple of things I need to do outside, and had to put aside some of the homeschooling schedule.
Anyway, yesterday before I went out to sort something in the storage, I had work together with AS for his Geography and Maths. On Geography we still learning a bit more about the UK map. Colouring the map according to the instruction which I print out worksheet from enchanted learning. Also mark where we live from the printed map worksheet. He than stick it in his geography notebook.
In Maths, yesterday we learn about capacity. We start on Tuesday 27 September and yesterday we did some more practical learning of capacity with litre and millilitre. Alhamdulillah he understand quickly. He didn't do his English yesterday although I had print him out from mindsprinting.
I had wonder although I didn't do much English with him in a way, he had so much vocabulary, less spelling mistake and also good in writing sentence. I figure out this must be from mindsprinting worksheet. Mindsprinting worksheet for reading excellent start from level 1 as soon as he start learn to read. Now he is in level 5 already where as he only should be on level 4. From there also, I help him to answer comprehension in proper sentence. Which give benefit when he answer other subject such as science. This will also give him a big benefit in other subject. He didn't just put the only answer , but answer in full sentence. Even in busy day, I usually get him to do the worksheet. He usually took ten to fifteen minutes to complete the worksheet of 5 pages.
S is on estimation worksheet with mindprinting for Maths. She still on her English comprehension book from Schofield and Sims. I had print some Geography hand out for both MS and S , but we havent' got to do it yet as we went out in the afternoon and as soon as we back home, I got this very bad migraine.
Today, looks like we going to give some miss on homeschool. I might get them to do one subject later. This morning I get MS and As tidy up their room after breakfast. I mean, really tidy up their room while I was clearing up up stairs. Since after Ramadhan, I don't want things to pile up anymore. So I try to maintain whenever I can. I make sure dusting and cleaning upstairs being done once or twice a week. Hovering the whole upstairs , hall way upstairs, my bedroom and guest room, toilet and bathroom. I give some quick cleaning around and stairs as well. While PS is on her online school. She got plenty of workload now a days. And every fortnight, she will have more extra work. She still help me around in between after school and her homework. She had a break as well in between. But, she is concentrating and giving her time and her energy on her school work, Alhamdulillah.
S was tidy up their room as she and PS do tidy up their room everyday and brush. So do MS and AS where they usually do it before they went to bed. I'm not sure what happen last night or this morning, their room is so messy, therefore I instruct MS and AS to clear up everything including all the toys under the bed and what else! While they going through their toy box, after they all had breakfast and tidy it up, I went out and start doing some mowing. I am not suppose to as this will give me extra pain on my hand, it will stiff and the scars will start to become harden. The nerve will be in pain as well. But, I can't resist the weather. Hub is also busy as he been chosen to represent his company CAT for a presentation which he suppose to be in US. But, as he got limited time to apply visa, he will than just do it live from UK. Therefore he had to do some extra work when he back home to make sure he got everything prepare for it this Monday. I don't know when the weather going to turn like this again this year. I cannot than resist to clear up the garden especially everything is really dry up outside, just nice time to work on.
I spend nearly two hours mowing and trimming the front driveway. I can only rely heavily on my left hand while my right hand had to stay on trigger. Therefore , at this moment, both hand is so wobbly. I will need some strong pain killer later. Luckily hub already mention that he want to bring us out for dinner tonight at our usual place, having chicken grill. Which is why I taken this opportunity to do as much as I can as I don't have to think about dinner tonight. MS help me as well after he clear up his room. At this moment , we having a break before heading to recycling centre to out the grass and falling leave away. Still I got big massive grass area need to be done on side and at the back! It's usually PS job. But, the grass there wasn't that long and she keep telling me that we need to leave that area to grow from now on as it won't grow quickly any more until spring. But still there are some area need trimming, raking and clearing and tidying.
Therefore none of MS, S and AS doing their study today. But, we should be able to get couple of work done in an hour or so before we went out for dinner. MS moving well in Conquer Maths. As we start doing our English and other subject, we will also start to do Islamic Studies back on track. I need to have a halaqah for kids during Islamic studies as well. Although we had some halaqah during out taaklim time, but usually hub reading and doing some little talk. At that time now, I usually left it to him to give some talk for us. Still there are other area I need to cover for kids especially motivation. As for me, I am also need motivation and reminder. So do kids. For me Islamic studies need plenty of reminder and motivation and talk.
Insya Allah , next week hopefully will be much better in term of teaching and learning. I am going to present some kids with the rules of routine as well which I will share Insya Allah.
Thursday, 29 September 2011
MS English
I think I know where I stand now with MS English. He did his first ever essay after a very long time which is not bad. he got many vocabulary and ideas. He has a good punctuation as well. I than ask him to write it again with correction. He only got 5 paragraph done with the essay. Looks like no conclusion present at the end of it. But, that's is a start.
We haven't start on his second essay yet. I ask him about the topic that interest him, so he can easily go for it comfortably.
We haven't start on his second essay yet. I ask him about the topic that interest him, so he can easily go for it comfortably.
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
More of Geography Lesson 27 September
This time together with MS, S and AS . Usually I print out the map, for the lesson that we had long time ago. This time I think they should learn the skill of drawing map which I used to learn in my primary school by tracing the map. So, I print out the outline of the map from Enchanted Learning and get them to trace in their Geography notebook.
Label the map and than write some simple fact about it and make a Flag, a bit of art and craft I guess.
Other subject yesterday work brilliantly. Every one did their Maths, English and reading quran. We didn't yet did formal Islamic studies. Neither do working project and experiment I hope to get in to. but we get there. At least we increase from two subject a day to three now. Islamic studies is something we do in action , we talk and we sit in halakah. So, I wasn't that desperate in a way. Just to bring it into note formally and learn more in formal setting apart from workbook.
I was please to see where we going now and at this moment I am desperate to get the work in the garden done as weather is nice and warm. So do other things at the same time don't want our routine homeschool interrupted. Alhamdulillah for the blessing that Allah send...Life is hard, but nothing easy at the end. Let alone Jannah...I keep reminding my self!
Tuesday, 27 September 2011
AS and Geography
Now I wanted to start other subject more into hands on learning. This indeed need to be done.
To get away from distraction and as weather is lovely, I decided to do this work with AS in the library. Therefore I can concentrate with him on his level without any other interruption from others. My kids always find anything interesting! I thought starting with local area where we live is a good idea.
He start with copy my roughly drawing of the area on the white board. We discuss on the area around us while he drawing. I would say that he do know better than me in term of the name of the street.
Than he copy the one he made on piece of white paper onto the piece of white hard card. On this task, he than use his maths skill that he just learn, measurement. I told him that we will have to try to do exact same plan as he made on the piece of paper into the white card. How? By measuring and transfer the measurement on the the card from the plan from the paper.
I than talk to him about how important that we used measurement to get the same exact things in doing many task around us. I used this type of lesson since small until now. I love to make schedule and plan and boxe by measuring them and divided them to ensure I got perfect and balance on what I made. Estimating sometimes will leave waste on paper and card. Measuring will help us not to waste anything we try to do.
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| We start with the road and used black colour. So we know where to go next. The blue represent church and red represent care home. AS choose the colour. |
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| Yellow represent our house. |
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| Purple represent terrace house. |
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| Green represent grass |
At the end, we had two plan. One is drawing plan on piece of white paper and the other one is 2D plan with colourful card represent building around, road and grass. Unfortunately as we had label all the road in the local area map AS made, I don't like to upload the whole finish project.
We took one and half hour from start to finish. Alhamdulillah we include art and craft, geography and maths in the task. So was please. Although later in the day, As manage to finish his Maths worksheet and English worksheet.
That's the day done for AS. I am looking forward to similar task with other subject with the others as well. I try to find a simple task, not taking too long and also not too much complicated but achieve the target on what I want them to.
Friday, 23 September 2011
2nd week on new term
Alhamdulillah we manage to keep on track although I didn't actually put stress on the REAL time of our scheduling. I think flexibility is needed. Otherwise kids will start thinking in the box only. It is good to follow the proper schedule and be on time up to the minutes, but perfection up to the minutes and second for me will just put stress on. Nevertheless, I ensure kids are in time frame. Which mean, not go over the certain limit of time at some point.
Example, they should finish each lesson for one hour according to my original schedule. But, it was impossible, especially for Maths. Keep telling them off to get things done in one hour time frame if not the best for me. But, gradually decrease the time slowly but reasonable. Example, they can take up to 2-3 hours when we first start our homeschool last week. Now the time frame had go down. This is especially for Maths. Yesterday S manage to finish 4 sheet of Prime number in one and half hours. So do MS is start to reduce his time frame but he still need more than one hour or up to two hours as he always confornt with new topic everyday as he is catching up to finish the topic for Year 9.
MS is struggling at some point for certain topic and sometimes he need to wait till hub back home if me and PS cannot resolve the problem. Honestly I don't have time and energy to sit and study on certain aspect on Algebra. PS is getting better and better and interest in Maths has rocketed, but she got so much work load on her as well. Hub s the best option for kids Maths on a very difficult questions. He make it look so easy and MS and PS love it. MS said, it's much better than Conquer Maths!!!. Well, hub is a lecturer, and got Diploma in Teaching from Teaching Institute in Malaysia. But, that is for teaching secondary kids or college. He cannot teach primary kids. Not even before they master their basic Maths. He can teach difficult thing, that's ok..and when kids already understand difficult Maths task.
MS also had started on his writing. Well, he didn't do any writing for probably 2-3 years now. He only did his English workbook. Therefore he did learn a lots of his grammar and verbs although he still lack in spelling. He also lack in imagination in writing although he is very creative but he got some problem to put it into writing. Therefore I had to try to twist whenever needed.
I had print some topic about compare and contrast from Ed Helper. I think I had found the topic he will learn to talk and discuss about and he master at. Which is compare the similarity and the different of whale and shark. he start fill in the column for the similarity and the different. From there I had found the plan sheet to write about compare and contrast when I was tidy up the library. I gave that to him and told him he need to start doing essay from his point follow the 'how to' sheet I gave him. I done want to put much pressure on him and ask him to start on intro and than follow by one paragraph after another one at the time, not in one go. Alhamdulillah, he started to roughly write in piece of paper than ready to finalise it in the book. I haven't seen yet if he finish it or not, but I had seen roughly when he started to do it in his English workbook. That is a good start, Alhamdulillah. I just need to concentrate on him with writing, find the best interest topic. He love non fiction. I still need him to do some fiction but I think base on science and nature is best for him. This is important for Design and Technology lesson and development. Hub said he wanted to start teach kids on this subject. I heard that since ages ago....! But this time I gave him a book about teaching Design and Technology but a very old book. I haven't got time to read that yet anyway. I will find out about new version of it, for teaching info. Hub will want proper info.
AS was in swing mood at some point. He waking up early and start to go on his Juz 30. Therefore he will be sleepy after , i get him to go back to sleep for an hour. By the way, he is very quick in doing his work. We keep on English and Maths still at the moment. On Maths he move onto length now. On English, we keep on workbook at the moment. I will start on his writing as well. After some reading , I think I should manage to work with him in writing without buying any curriculum.
S is fine. She still on mindsprinting on factor still. She learn and understand quickly. I keep her on Ed helper set of writing and comprehension at the moment till I manage to fill in her plan for that.
Quran reading is as usual everyday. Everybody had moved better Alhamdulillah.
Hopefully next week will be much better and more learning session, Insya Allah.
Wednesday, 21 September 2011
Hectic weekend and not moving far yet
It was quiet a hectic weekend as I got guest from Friday night. So preparation of food and tidy up around and preparing guest room had to be done before. I was dragging about homeschool, but I thought I just take one at the time and whatever come. I was busy with my business since two years ago. Homeschool just left with workbook mainly. Although they do with Conquer Maths and Mindsprinting. Than just after my last shipping, I got burn incident which altogether had slow me down at some point but also give me time to reflect on my routine.
The benefit of the incident is I cannot do much. Mix with many of hospital appointment and kids had to help around a lots than before. I just cannot think too much of the homeschool. Than Ramadhan came. I try to get on with some Islamic activities for the kids. Than eid came, with guests on weekday and weekend plus invitation.
I want to jump into homeschool routine but I had struggle with planning and preparation. Really I cannot work as normal at some of the time. My hand in some way will not back to normal it used to be. Although I start to used it more than before, but the pain will be there if I over used. By the way, for me as usual live goes on! My motivation is still here..
As I manage to done some part of AS maths, so he was on track Alhamdulillah. He still on measuring topic at the moment. He was telling me that he should moved into other sub topic of measurement, but I insist that he will come to that soon. We also started doing some writing, Alhamdulillah. Something I had started to focus with the boys. Other subject still on hold although some of the time they do some Islamic studies workbook and also go on BBC school on other subject such as Science and History.
MS is fine with Conquer Maths. Hub be a help sometimes if he stuck if I am too busy to sit and go through with him. Possibly because I know that I had a backup rather than I had to start up my brain again! By the way, it's good to involve hub at some point as he should be a master for Maths anyway! Advance Maths. MS said that he should finish Year 9 curriculum for Maths by next week and he actually just landed in year 9 this term if he went to school. He will than start on key stage 4 , working on harder topic and towards exam. Although on some topic now he find it harder, but he manage. I think he getting used of moving his brain a lots more than before now. I am also start to get him searching in internet if he don't understand some topic. To teach him to be more independent in study unless he really stuck. It seems work well, although he said that some topic was hard, but he manage to understand it clearly and do the work.
He also start on writing now for English. It will be hard task for him, but I think we both had gone through time when he hate the subject because he find it hard. But, nothing hard until we stick to learn it by hook or by crook!
S is fine with Mindsprinting. He also on ed helper worksheet for English at the moment. No other subject yet been plan for her.
I was in the middle of sorting out the library. Alhamdulillah no business stock in there at all now. Although nobody want to study in there as the room is nice and big but the door is in between main door and second door on the hallway. Also the room is colder than the other as there are only roof on top of it except small store room. Even it had a big central heating in there, still it the room will be very cold especially in winter. Unless when temperature is above 15-16 C. Still we can used the space fr our project and experiment.
Also I was sorting out all the past worksheet, resource paper and their past workbook. I hope this will make my job easy after , reorganise especially during winter as the library room will be very cold. I was hoping that I will receive less guests during winter, so I can get less distracted with our homeschool.
Oh, for whoever in UK, I just came back from Homebargain and got plenty of letts book for many subject for variety of age for 69p. I used to buy them in bookshop for £3.99-4.99!! What a bargain!
The benefit of the incident is I cannot do much. Mix with many of hospital appointment and kids had to help around a lots than before. I just cannot think too much of the homeschool. Than Ramadhan came. I try to get on with some Islamic activities for the kids. Than eid came, with guests on weekday and weekend plus invitation.
I want to jump into homeschool routine but I had struggle with planning and preparation. Really I cannot work as normal at some of the time. My hand in some way will not back to normal it used to be. Although I start to used it more than before, but the pain will be there if I over used. By the way, for me as usual live goes on! My motivation is still here..
As I manage to done some part of AS maths, so he was on track Alhamdulillah. He still on measuring topic at the moment. He was telling me that he should moved into other sub topic of measurement, but I insist that he will come to that soon. We also started doing some writing, Alhamdulillah. Something I had started to focus with the boys. Other subject still on hold although some of the time they do some Islamic studies workbook and also go on BBC school on other subject such as Science and History.
MS is fine with Conquer Maths. Hub be a help sometimes if he stuck if I am too busy to sit and go through with him. Possibly because I know that I had a backup rather than I had to start up my brain again! By the way, it's good to involve hub at some point as he should be a master for Maths anyway! Advance Maths. MS said that he should finish Year 9 curriculum for Maths by next week and he actually just landed in year 9 this term if he went to school. He will than start on key stage 4 , working on harder topic and towards exam. Although on some topic now he find it harder, but he manage. I think he getting used of moving his brain a lots more than before now. I am also start to get him searching in internet if he don't understand some topic. To teach him to be more independent in study unless he really stuck. It seems work well, although he said that some topic was hard, but he manage to understand it clearly and do the work.
He also start on writing now for English. It will be hard task for him, but I think we both had gone through time when he hate the subject because he find it hard. But, nothing hard until we stick to learn it by hook or by crook!
S is fine with Mindsprinting. He also on ed helper worksheet for English at the moment. No other subject yet been plan for her.
I was in the middle of sorting out the library. Alhamdulillah no business stock in there at all now. Although nobody want to study in there as the room is nice and big but the door is in between main door and second door on the hallway. Also the room is colder than the other as there are only roof on top of it except small store room. Even it had a big central heating in there, still it the room will be very cold especially in winter. Unless when temperature is above 15-16 C. Still we can used the space fr our project and experiment.
Also I was sorting out all the past worksheet, resource paper and their past workbook. I hope this will make my job easy after , reorganise especially during winter as the library room will be very cold. I was hoping that I will receive less guests during winter, so I can get less distracted with our homeschool.
Oh, for whoever in UK, I just came back from Homebargain and got plenty of letts book for many subject for variety of age for 69p. I used to buy them in bookshop for £3.99-4.99!! What a bargain!
Wednesday, 14 September 2011
Today routine and Kids hayya
I was dreading to wake up this morning as well...I think it was because middle of the month. With the age, sleepy body had become part of me at some point. This is not sleepy because I don't have enough sleeping time, (Last night by 10.30 pm, house was so quiet!), but just feminine hormone and doesn't matter if I had enough sleep, I will still feel sleepy. Therefore, it was a challenge for me!
I push myself to wake up while hub already went to work. I thought I never gonna make it, but I did..! I wake up everybody at around 8.30 am. PS ready in 15 minutes and start reading Quran while others sort their self out and have breakfast. PS start school on 9.30 am like usual. She was busy more this year as she is in scholars. I can see her full motivation and pretty much no encouragement needed at all for her now! What a relief. I was so happy how she turn out. Consider she was more house bound now than before but her confident build up more and more everyday.
Long time ago, I used to worried about her hayya. She was so friendly and chatter when she was small. May be until she was 11-12. Than she slow down a bit and now she claim because she didn't have much outside activity, she don't know how to socialise!! I was a bit confuse at some point. I was worried about socialisation skill for my kids. Is this real? Honestly I don't want her to open up as much and I am in some way, closing doors more now for her as a Muslim girl as she grow. But, is she actually lost her socialisation skill? I ask myself again.
Than I think, we had people coming in and out almost every week, or not every other week. Or we went out somewhere. She actually had matured more than before in conversation and think more before she involve in conversation. In some way she is less chatter box as before, but involved in more matured conversation which lead her to think that she lost her social skills. She always help me to entertain people in and out the house and she will involved in conversation but in skill manner. So I wasn't worry at all from what she say as for me as she grow up, for the girl, it's very important to slow back and keep the hayya and moving in social with keeping in mind what Islam want and says.
Even MS age 14, never go on bus or any other public transport on his own. I don't allow him even to cycle outside from our road. Only this year he allow to walk to corner shop which is just 3 minutes away on his own. PS not allow to walk on his own even though she matured enough and know how to look after herself. Because for me, opening the unnecessary door is dangerous. I rather driving around many times and spend money on fuel rather than opening the door into fitnah after all time and energy I spend on. She usually be allow to walk to corner shop either with MS or S and AS. I am always make sure the girls will have each other and one boy at a time. This is to teach them that girls are always vulnerable and cannot be independent at some point. Because independent in some point of view for the girls can lead into some problem which is why Islam not allow. She is very independent which I can left her at home the whole day with her brothers and sister, to look after them, cooking and cleaning and sort everything, but to the outside world, she will need to be teach that Islam says different and there is a reason behind.
Everything we talk about, courses, job and future for the girls will lead back into girls role in Islam as mother and wife. Alhamdulillah I know she will pass that when the time come. So with her being a bit lay back in to the outside world is just fine. But not in bad way that she is lay back into the outside world. For example, when we went on holiday, she the one who will bring all her sibling to the play area, sort them out and speak to reception and what needs and she also sort out her siblings books in the library and other sort of things needed. She also don't mind talking to the shop keeper, or anywhere she need to talk to others to sort out formal thing. She was very independent, but there are certain things I try to not lead her which I think can easily bring the fitnah. So do my boys. MS had become very much independent and confident through out the years. He the one who always shy and hiding behind the curtain when small, but now he shine through but still I make sure I don't over do. There are certain things that I let it slow and easy. Over do before the time come for me is very dangerous! Letting their confident at early age can lead into so many fitnah especially now a days. Some people might think that I might be too scared or spoil the kids, but they had build up confident, being independent already but I believe or not over do that. I think we can easily had over confident that we can let them out now, but overdo can easily do the damage. Doesn't matter if we had teach them properly and they are pious, because we all know that environment do play important part as well. This from my point of view is because over do it in early age.
Especially for the girls, I will put stress in to not going around on their own for any reason. I always said in my Islamic teaching regarding girls especially, how they need their mahram, and they always be a fragile one, I cannot be able to not do different in practise. I know they should be able to go out while maintaining what I had teach them, but we all know that as a parents, there are a hadith related to how if we can look after thr girls until they married. The reward of one parents, and how a husband is a leader in the house who their wife will be and shall be their independent. Therefore I really stress this out in action. Although I was very independent, still it wasn't easy to maintain hayya and be independent but dependent at the same time. So, better take low risk than high risk. For me girls are always vulnerable and fragile and that is how we been told in Islam. This is how we should treat them and in many case, do not over do while teaching them independent and confident. Independent and confident can be teach in many way, but do not by putting them in outside world that full of fitnah without observing about what Islam says.
For boys, for me it is a different technique, which is I slowly develop but also do not over do. I found out that teaching them brave got to be done in fragile way. As this can lead into many unnecessary bravery. I had seen many example and as one of the sign of the day of judgement is children over power parents. This sign can come easily once your child been expose and overdo into teaching them bravery. Many in the Quran and Hadith that we had to ponder upon.
Alhamdulillah MS, S and AS ready for their Quran reading by 9.45 am. My kids do not read the whole pages or even many lines. I am always keep them in manageable lines that they had to read. Because I am very particular in pronunciation. I don't want them to mess with their reading which why I like to keep it as little lines a day. Therefore I don't required too long but keep it maintain. As MS now, he read much better as I keep him in small area that he can easily master properly.
At 10.30 am they start Maths. I do not intend for all of them to do the same subject at the same time as it can be very difficult, but it seems like that at the moment.
AS still on measurement. At first he did ask why he is on the same topic. But, he didn't know that this is for him to gradually moving forward. So today he was quiet happy and show much more understanding in measurement. He had to choose from the label in the worksheet and list down the lightest and heaviest weight in grams and kilograms. Than he had to read the scale in the worksheet and mark how much it weight. With a bit of help, he understand better and better with fun.
Than after Maths, I went out to get some fish at Fish Quay and bring him along. I test some measurement verbally and he manage to answer them correct although some hard one! Than when we came back, he did English about synonym. I was struggle now to find the best way to teach my boys writing! Still doing some reading and research myself.
S did common factor today. Last night she also manage to do her homework and give it to me before the time she had to. So she seems to manage and grasp the idea of having responsibility in her own time. Her homework is in multiplication. This is to keep her on track although she had sort of master her multiplication. Still she need lots of practise, so I design one worksheet with not much exercise in it while in study time she do a new topic. Just to keep her on track and revision. Today she manage her time better although it was more than time frame of an hour, but still it wasn't bad.
In English she got some worksheet on comprehension and writing Paragraph. She didn't manage to do her writing but agree to do that as her homework. I can understand as she had taken more than time frame for her Maths.
MS was on Conquer Maths and manage to find the scientific calculator. Therefore he manage to finish his topic according to plan although I was to adjust a bit as it was suppose to be yesterday lesson. Anyway, not to worry as he will just carry on with the plan I made as everything will be on Conquer Maths and I will just top up the homework to strengthen some topic that Conquer Maths didn't go deeply.
MS English: Let just say that he will need lots of improvement in his English..A lots. I know that I had abundant this since ages ago and he just stay on workbook which is not help much. Therefore I am encounter some problem there to help him strengthen his English even I might have to start from scratch with him. But, for me Maths is harder in term to cope with when we getting older. Therefore concentrating on Maths is the first thing from my point of view. Therefore as he work brilliantly with Maths now and manage to pull himself which was way behind years back into the same level of understanding and might go further than his age level is pretty much an achievement for him and me. But as hub who until now got some difficulty in conversation and writing report but still manage to do the job and even been chosen as the only Engineer from Caterpillar to present a paper next month. Yes, from the whole Caterpillar around the world.
As him, MS is also a technical person, which by developing his Maths can help him strengthen where his weakness is. But, didn't mean I will let him get away and left English and writing. Now me and him will start concentrating in English particularly reading and writing. He do lots of reading and always borrow books from library. But, he didn't read to me except in out taaklim time sometimes as hub did read most of it now and lead our taaklim time. MS did quiet good in understanding grammar, verb and making sentence. Only when it comes into making it into whole story, than he struggle. Another things that my kids struggle, is because although they do watch tv and movie from time to time, but they had in their mind that this is all fantasy that we shall not follow in reality. Therefore it was a bit hard for me to teach them fiction. I don't want to lead their mind into imagination as well as I think we Muslim should always keep our mind in reality.
For this week, I will keep only two study subject plus Quran reading of course. Especially tomorrow I got another hospital appointment with Surgeon. Friday we will have guests , my niece and her family. So some quick tidy up and cooking needed. I though than best to keep it that way as long as we istiqamah. Insya Allah next week we will move into 3-4 subject and after that with project / experiment frame time I had schedule. Insya Allah.
I push myself to wake up while hub already went to work. I thought I never gonna make it, but I did..! I wake up everybody at around 8.30 am. PS ready in 15 minutes and start reading Quran while others sort their self out and have breakfast. PS start school on 9.30 am like usual. She was busy more this year as she is in scholars. I can see her full motivation and pretty much no encouragement needed at all for her now! What a relief. I was so happy how she turn out. Consider she was more house bound now than before but her confident build up more and more everyday.
Long time ago, I used to worried about her hayya. She was so friendly and chatter when she was small. May be until she was 11-12. Than she slow down a bit and now she claim because she didn't have much outside activity, she don't know how to socialise!! I was a bit confuse at some point. I was worried about socialisation skill for my kids. Is this real? Honestly I don't want her to open up as much and I am in some way, closing doors more now for her as a Muslim girl as she grow. But, is she actually lost her socialisation skill? I ask myself again.
Than I think, we had people coming in and out almost every week, or not every other week. Or we went out somewhere. She actually had matured more than before in conversation and think more before she involve in conversation. In some way she is less chatter box as before, but involved in more matured conversation which lead her to think that she lost her social skills. She always help me to entertain people in and out the house and she will involved in conversation but in skill manner. So I wasn't worry at all from what she say as for me as she grow up, for the girl, it's very important to slow back and keep the hayya and moving in social with keeping in mind what Islam want and says.
Even MS age 14, never go on bus or any other public transport on his own. I don't allow him even to cycle outside from our road. Only this year he allow to walk to corner shop which is just 3 minutes away on his own. PS not allow to walk on his own even though she matured enough and know how to look after herself. Because for me, opening the unnecessary door is dangerous. I rather driving around many times and spend money on fuel rather than opening the door into fitnah after all time and energy I spend on. She usually be allow to walk to corner shop either with MS or S and AS. I am always make sure the girls will have each other and one boy at a time. This is to teach them that girls are always vulnerable and cannot be independent at some point. Because independent in some point of view for the girls can lead into some problem which is why Islam not allow. She is very independent which I can left her at home the whole day with her brothers and sister, to look after them, cooking and cleaning and sort everything, but to the outside world, she will need to be teach that Islam says different and there is a reason behind.
Everything we talk about, courses, job and future for the girls will lead back into girls role in Islam as mother and wife. Alhamdulillah I know she will pass that when the time come. So with her being a bit lay back in to the outside world is just fine. But not in bad way that she is lay back into the outside world. For example, when we went on holiday, she the one who will bring all her sibling to the play area, sort them out and speak to reception and what needs and she also sort out her siblings books in the library and other sort of things needed. She also don't mind talking to the shop keeper, or anywhere she need to talk to others to sort out formal thing. She was very independent, but there are certain things I try to not lead her which I think can easily bring the fitnah. So do my boys. MS had become very much independent and confident through out the years. He the one who always shy and hiding behind the curtain when small, but now he shine through but still I make sure I don't over do. There are certain things that I let it slow and easy. Over do before the time come for me is very dangerous! Letting their confident at early age can lead into so many fitnah especially now a days. Some people might think that I might be too scared or spoil the kids, but they had build up confident, being independent already but I believe or not over do that. I think we can easily had over confident that we can let them out now, but overdo can easily do the damage. Doesn't matter if we had teach them properly and they are pious, because we all know that environment do play important part as well. This from my point of view is because over do it in early age.
Especially for the girls, I will put stress in to not going around on their own for any reason. I always said in my Islamic teaching regarding girls especially, how they need their mahram, and they always be a fragile one, I cannot be able to not do different in practise. I know they should be able to go out while maintaining what I had teach them, but we all know that as a parents, there are a hadith related to how if we can look after thr girls until they married. The reward of one parents, and how a husband is a leader in the house who their wife will be and shall be their independent. Therefore I really stress this out in action. Although I was very independent, still it wasn't easy to maintain hayya and be independent but dependent at the same time. So, better take low risk than high risk. For me girls are always vulnerable and fragile and that is how we been told in Islam. This is how we should treat them and in many case, do not over do while teaching them independent and confident. Independent and confident can be teach in many way, but do not by putting them in outside world that full of fitnah without observing about what Islam says.
For boys, for me it is a different technique, which is I slowly develop but also do not over do. I found out that teaching them brave got to be done in fragile way. As this can lead into many unnecessary bravery. I had seen many example and as one of the sign of the day of judgement is children over power parents. This sign can come easily once your child been expose and overdo into teaching them bravery. Many in the Quran and Hadith that we had to ponder upon.
Alhamdulillah MS, S and AS ready for their Quran reading by 9.45 am. My kids do not read the whole pages or even many lines. I am always keep them in manageable lines that they had to read. Because I am very particular in pronunciation. I don't want them to mess with their reading which why I like to keep it as little lines a day. Therefore I don't required too long but keep it maintain. As MS now, he read much better as I keep him in small area that he can easily master properly.
At 10.30 am they start Maths. I do not intend for all of them to do the same subject at the same time as it can be very difficult, but it seems like that at the moment.
AS still on measurement. At first he did ask why he is on the same topic. But, he didn't know that this is for him to gradually moving forward. So today he was quiet happy and show much more understanding in measurement. He had to choose from the label in the worksheet and list down the lightest and heaviest weight in grams and kilograms. Than he had to read the scale in the worksheet and mark how much it weight. With a bit of help, he understand better and better with fun.
Than after Maths, I went out to get some fish at Fish Quay and bring him along. I test some measurement verbally and he manage to answer them correct although some hard one! Than when we came back, he did English about synonym. I was struggle now to find the best way to teach my boys writing! Still doing some reading and research myself.
S did common factor today. Last night she also manage to do her homework and give it to me before the time she had to. So she seems to manage and grasp the idea of having responsibility in her own time. Her homework is in multiplication. This is to keep her on track although she had sort of master her multiplication. Still she need lots of practise, so I design one worksheet with not much exercise in it while in study time she do a new topic. Just to keep her on track and revision. Today she manage her time better although it was more than time frame of an hour, but still it wasn't bad.
In English she got some worksheet on comprehension and writing Paragraph. She didn't manage to do her writing but agree to do that as her homework. I can understand as she had taken more than time frame for her Maths.
MS was on Conquer Maths and manage to find the scientific calculator. Therefore he manage to finish his topic according to plan although I was to adjust a bit as it was suppose to be yesterday lesson. Anyway, not to worry as he will just carry on with the plan I made as everything will be on Conquer Maths and I will just top up the homework to strengthen some topic that Conquer Maths didn't go deeply.
MS English: Let just say that he will need lots of improvement in his English..A lots. I know that I had abundant this since ages ago and he just stay on workbook which is not help much. Therefore I am encounter some problem there to help him strengthen his English even I might have to start from scratch with him. But, for me Maths is harder in term to cope with when we getting older. Therefore concentrating on Maths is the first thing from my point of view. Therefore as he work brilliantly with Maths now and manage to pull himself which was way behind years back into the same level of understanding and might go further than his age level is pretty much an achievement for him and me. But as hub who until now got some difficulty in conversation and writing report but still manage to do the job and even been chosen as the only Engineer from Caterpillar to present a paper next month. Yes, from the whole Caterpillar around the world.
As him, MS is also a technical person, which by developing his Maths can help him strengthen where his weakness is. But, didn't mean I will let him get away and left English and writing. Now me and him will start concentrating in English particularly reading and writing. He do lots of reading and always borrow books from library. But, he didn't read to me except in out taaklim time sometimes as hub did read most of it now and lead our taaklim time. MS did quiet good in understanding grammar, verb and making sentence. Only when it comes into making it into whole story, than he struggle. Another things that my kids struggle, is because although they do watch tv and movie from time to time, but they had in their mind that this is all fantasy that we shall not follow in reality. Therefore it was a bit hard for me to teach them fiction. I don't want to lead their mind into imagination as well as I think we Muslim should always keep our mind in reality.
For this week, I will keep only two study subject plus Quran reading of course. Especially tomorrow I got another hospital appointment with Surgeon. Friday we will have guests , my niece and her family. So some quick tidy up and cooking needed. I though than best to keep it that way as long as we istiqamah. Insya Allah next week we will move into 3-4 subject and after that with project / experiment frame time I had schedule. Insya Allah.
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Slowly moving
This morning I was a bit tired. Possibly as I had wake up for sehri, tahajud and fajr. Than go back to sleep as it was still early. Because if I don't, than I will be waking up the whole day till 11pm. I do prefer to make sure me myself got some good rest or it will effect my role as a mother. Sometimes things are small and easy but we might make it big because we didn't have enough sleep and rest. Especially when age is not staying at the same point! Plus when you also had husband who had past number 40! Things can get really different.
I wake up a bit late than yesterday, past 7am. Prepare hub pack lunch and thinking to go back to sleep. But than I was holding with tidying and think that I just better stay awake. I was thinking to wake kids up at 8.30am, as yesterday we do had some extra time in the morning before our initial time to start study. I am quiet glad as I wasn't actually gave them the schedule yet and just printed out for myself. Also I didn't finish doing planning yet. This has actually gave me flexibility and to try and error to see how things goes.
I wake them up at around 8.30am this morning. Get MS and AS to take shower. PS preparing herself and than start quran reading as she start her school at 9.30 am, while our schedule for Quran reading start at 9.45 am. So she had breakfast and than start Quran reading. Unbelievable, she had rice with lamb I cook in the night before and thicken it this morning during sehri for her breakfast, than on her break during 10.30, than she also had it again during lunch at 2 pm! yesterday when I took out two bag of lamb which I pack in freezer bag, I thought it might be too much, but we should be able to have it for at least one and half day. But, I think look at it now, it might just last for today only. Plus I got another grown up boy as well. S also eat a lots now like adult portion!
While MS and As taking turn in shower and have breakfast, S had breakfast first after she done with tidy up bed and PS is reading Quran, I start to tidy up around. For quiet sometimes, I didn't do much cleaning and kids only did everything. Also our dishwasher had broken down. Hub said he going to get me another one We bought it cheap, from factory defect shop. Nothing should be wrong because the defect is only on the body scratch. Hub said it's better to get another one from same place, as it wasn't cost actually much and may be more to repair. So, we do have some washing to do. I said to kids, I will do it while using PVC glove as I want them to get on with their schedule. They all now their role and know how to work things aroudn the house. I thought while they will be full train and concentrate on their study work, I will have to do more. It is my job , my role and my responsibility anyway. It was good at some point that they do everything, but as a mum it's still my responsibility and I don't want kids to feel that I was abusing them in some way. Because at the end of the day, kids cannot take much as we adult of course.
We still not fully on our schedule. Alhamdulillah they manage to do two subject today which I had set out English on the spot. Thanks to Ed helper.
AS Math: still on measurement. He just got easy worksheet today fill in the weight from the label. I print the worksheet from Primary Resource. We than watch BBC learning zone about grams and kilograms.
As English : He did worksheet from Ed helper on choose the correct spelling. He got four worksheet on that and than he did comprehension also from Ed helper.
S Maths : Working on mindsprinting. She is on Divisibility Test topic today. Like usual, she get on with new topic with little bit guide and help.
S English: I got her worksheet from Ed helper as well. She did some spelling worksheet and also comprehension.
MS Math: MS suppose to do interest, discount and problems. He need to used calculator for that and didn't manage to find the scientific calculator. Therefore he just finish Division on fraction topic that I left without noticing that he didn't finish that topic in the plan. So he did two lesson for that.
MS English: He did some spelling worksheet and also writing , also from Ed helper worksheet.
I was in need of proper pack to teach them literature and writing. The best I had seen is from Catherine Mooney Tutoring. She also now got a pack for as small as 8 years old as well. It was very interesting for three of them, but money was very tight at the moment as I decided to slow down on my business and concentrate on kids. Still I was looking if I can squeeze it somewhere for MS first.
They know that we suppose to do four subject a day which Maths, English, another subject and also Islamic Studies. But, as I was a bit tired and had done fully tidy up around and kitchen, I fall as sleep after zohr. I decided to call it off and finish just two subject including their Quran reading. Possibly tomorrow we been able to pull up another one.
So we are slowly moving but encourage, I would say. Better slow, istiqamah than nothing. It is for me, important thing is istiqamah. I am still getting my head around with planning. Hopefully I will be manage by next week or a week after as I still going to have my niece with her whole family coming on Friday till Sunday. So, can't do everything at the same time. But, one thing for me at this time is to keep our schedule in the morning as istiqamah as I can for the long term.
I wake up a bit late than yesterday, past 7am. Prepare hub pack lunch and thinking to go back to sleep. But than I was holding with tidying and think that I just better stay awake. I was thinking to wake kids up at 8.30am, as yesterday we do had some extra time in the morning before our initial time to start study. I am quiet glad as I wasn't actually gave them the schedule yet and just printed out for myself. Also I didn't finish doing planning yet. This has actually gave me flexibility and to try and error to see how things goes.
I wake them up at around 8.30am this morning. Get MS and AS to take shower. PS preparing herself and than start quran reading as she start her school at 9.30 am, while our schedule for Quran reading start at 9.45 am. So she had breakfast and than start Quran reading. Unbelievable, she had rice with lamb I cook in the night before and thicken it this morning during sehri for her breakfast, than on her break during 10.30, than she also had it again during lunch at 2 pm! yesterday when I took out two bag of lamb which I pack in freezer bag, I thought it might be too much, but we should be able to have it for at least one and half day. But, I think look at it now, it might just last for today only. Plus I got another grown up boy as well. S also eat a lots now like adult portion!
While MS and As taking turn in shower and have breakfast, S had breakfast first after she done with tidy up bed and PS is reading Quran, I start to tidy up around. For quiet sometimes, I didn't do much cleaning and kids only did everything. Also our dishwasher had broken down. Hub said he going to get me another one We bought it cheap, from factory defect shop. Nothing should be wrong because the defect is only on the body scratch. Hub said it's better to get another one from same place, as it wasn't cost actually much and may be more to repair. So, we do have some washing to do. I said to kids, I will do it while using PVC glove as I want them to get on with their schedule. They all now their role and know how to work things aroudn the house. I thought while they will be full train and concentrate on their study work, I will have to do more. It is my job , my role and my responsibility anyway. It was good at some point that they do everything, but as a mum it's still my responsibility and I don't want kids to feel that I was abusing them in some way. Because at the end of the day, kids cannot take much as we adult of course.
We still not fully on our schedule. Alhamdulillah they manage to do two subject today which I had set out English on the spot. Thanks to Ed helper.
AS Math: still on measurement. He just got easy worksheet today fill in the weight from the label. I print the worksheet from Primary Resource. We than watch BBC learning zone about grams and kilograms.
As English : He did worksheet from Ed helper on choose the correct spelling. He got four worksheet on that and than he did comprehension also from Ed helper.
S Maths : Working on mindsprinting. She is on Divisibility Test topic today. Like usual, she get on with new topic with little bit guide and help.
S English: I got her worksheet from Ed helper as well. She did some spelling worksheet and also comprehension.
MS Math: MS suppose to do interest, discount and problems. He need to used calculator for that and didn't manage to find the scientific calculator. Therefore he just finish Division on fraction topic that I left without noticing that he didn't finish that topic in the plan. So he did two lesson for that.
MS English: He did some spelling worksheet and also writing , also from Ed helper worksheet.
I was in need of proper pack to teach them literature and writing. The best I had seen is from Catherine Mooney Tutoring. She also now got a pack for as small as 8 years old as well. It was very interesting for three of them, but money was very tight at the moment as I decided to slow down on my business and concentrate on kids. Still I was looking if I can squeeze it somewhere for MS first.
They know that we suppose to do four subject a day which Maths, English, another subject and also Islamic Studies. But, as I was a bit tired and had done fully tidy up around and kitchen, I fall as sleep after zohr. I decided to call it off and finish just two subject including their Quran reading. Possibly tomorrow we been able to pull up another one.
So we are slowly moving but encourage, I would say. Better slow, istiqamah than nothing. It is for me, important thing is istiqamah. I am still getting my head around with planning. Hopefully I will be manage by next week or a week after as I still going to have my niece with her whole family coming on Friday till Sunday. So, can't do everything at the same time. But, one thing for me at this time is to keep our schedule in the morning as istiqamah as I can for the long term.
Monday, 12 September 2011
Warming up
Alhamdulillah today we manage to warm up our new term. I had some nervous in my mind thinking of how kids going to reach to have to start early bird as we used to when we first start homeschool. Alhamdulillah the reaction was excellent.
Our schedule suppose to be like this:
8 am: Waking Up, brush teeth, sorting out themselves
8.30 am: Exercise
8.50 am Tidy up around
9.15 am : Breakfast
9.45 am: Quran reading and tasbihah
10.30 am: First lesson
11.30 am : Second lesson
12.30 pm: Dhuha and Zohr Prayer
1.30 pm: Lunch
I will make a link for our schedule and the comparison can be made during my day to day post.
As it was warming up time, I just left the schedule for today as until zohr for study time.
This is how the ACTUAL is :
7.30am: I wake them up. As I know it will take sometimes and I wasn't sure about the reaction. So better to try early than my schedule to see how they react. Alhamdulillah they react brilliantly. With a bit of 'uh..and ahh..' only.. So I fell great. The worst part is over. I realise that kids are listening to me and better than ever now..as they grow up.
8.00 am: Sorting out themselves and have breakfast. We skip exercise for today , may be the whole week, see how it goes as I wasn't ready with any plan at the moment for that.
8.30: They start tidy up around, hovering and etc. I wasn't expect that as I think that my schedule might a bit tight. But, kids seem to work brilliantly especially after my burn incident as whatever I ask, they don't waste much time although still i had to remind them but not as much as before every time.
9.15: They all ready to study but than I just realise that our quran session start at 9.45 am. So I let them chilled out!
9.45: They start reading quran until 10.30. I skip tasbihah at the moment.
10.30 am: They all start on their study: MATHS
AS working with me on new topic for him: WEIGHT. We talk about weight. I read a book about measurement on weight topic. We than start the worksheet which asking him to read the scale on the worksheet in kg and gm. Than we write a poster about what is weight, and what is the measurement used for weight. It might seem that he is behind as we just started this topic from basic as I was busy with him on strengthen him on addition and subtraction. I had one worksheet meant for him for homework, but I though he might be too early to be given homework task as he will have heavy workload on the day time. I will see how things goes. so I decided for him to just do the homework at that time. The worksheet ask him to find any packet in the kitchen and write down the item and the weight on the packet. He finish all his work on time within one hour. We also watch BBC school about reading scale before he start the worksheet and he seem to understand quick.
S was on her last lesson for mindpsrinting. I did skip lots of lesson of mindsprinting for her as she was quicker than MS in learning. Therefore she don't need much of it and can just do some revision of times table on homework time I had design. She got 2 pages of times table and 3 other pages on her new topic of Factor. She need tiny help on factor, but than get on her own pretty much. S, like PS do have some extra brain in understanding complicated things like Maths make job easy for me since they small. Unfortunately, she just struggle with time. She cannot finish all that 5 worksheet with quiet a lots of the activity which understandable in one hour. She take almost two and half hours for that. I skip her other lesson time as I didn't prepare anything yet. And as we warming up, this will train her to keeping up with doing the job in time given. she will gradually learn but it might takes some days.
MS was on his Conquer Maths. He start with RATIO topic for year 9 and he seems a bit struggle. I was struggle as well as my brain wasn't working fully yet at the time! He manage to finish them and also another two lesson. He than continue with topic under RATES with two lesson. He might need to do some extra work on ratio as the lesson was too short in my point of view. So I will looking on him to do homework for the topic soon. He was also struggle as I also forgot to print him the worksheet, which he take sometimes to print it out as he was using the lap top which not been set out for printer. He took almost two hours to finish that three topic I plan for one hour time frame. But, never mind as I didn't have any other plan ready yet for other lesson and as we warming up, I don't expect much but I know gradually as they getting used to it, they will moving faster and Insya Allah will manage work within one hour time frame.
After zohr we went out for library and some shopping. After hub came back from work, he bring us for dinner as we just receive great news before. Also for me as PS had now moved to scholars class which show her determination and hard work on her school. Alhamdulillah. Insya Allah tomorrow will be much better. It was't fully follow the schedule, but the start is better than I expected. So I was happy.
Our schedule suppose to be like this:
8 am: Waking Up, brush teeth, sorting out themselves
8.30 am: Exercise
8.50 am Tidy up around
9.15 am : Breakfast
9.45 am: Quran reading and tasbihah
10.30 am: First lesson
11.30 am : Second lesson
12.30 pm: Dhuha and Zohr Prayer
1.30 pm: Lunch
I will make a link for our schedule and the comparison can be made during my day to day post.
As it was warming up time, I just left the schedule for today as until zohr for study time.
This is how the ACTUAL is :
7.30am: I wake them up. As I know it will take sometimes and I wasn't sure about the reaction. So better to try early than my schedule to see how they react. Alhamdulillah they react brilliantly. With a bit of 'uh..and ahh..' only.. So I fell great. The worst part is over. I realise that kids are listening to me and better than ever now..as they grow up.
8.00 am: Sorting out themselves and have breakfast. We skip exercise for today , may be the whole week, see how it goes as I wasn't ready with any plan at the moment for that.
8.30: They start tidy up around, hovering and etc. I wasn't expect that as I think that my schedule might a bit tight. But, kids seem to work brilliantly especially after my burn incident as whatever I ask, they don't waste much time although still i had to remind them but not as much as before every time.
9.15: They all ready to study but than I just realise that our quran session start at 9.45 am. So I let them chilled out!
9.45: They start reading quran until 10.30. I skip tasbihah at the moment.
10.30 am: They all start on their study: MATHS
AS working with me on new topic for him: WEIGHT. We talk about weight. I read a book about measurement on weight topic. We than start the worksheet which asking him to read the scale on the worksheet in kg and gm. Than we write a poster about what is weight, and what is the measurement used for weight. It might seem that he is behind as we just started this topic from basic as I was busy with him on strengthen him on addition and subtraction. I had one worksheet meant for him for homework, but I though he might be too early to be given homework task as he will have heavy workload on the day time. I will see how things goes. so I decided for him to just do the homework at that time. The worksheet ask him to find any packet in the kitchen and write down the item and the weight on the packet. He finish all his work on time within one hour. We also watch BBC school about reading scale before he start the worksheet and he seem to understand quick.
S was on her last lesson for mindpsrinting. I did skip lots of lesson of mindsprinting for her as she was quicker than MS in learning. Therefore she don't need much of it and can just do some revision of times table on homework time I had design. She got 2 pages of times table and 3 other pages on her new topic of Factor. She need tiny help on factor, but than get on her own pretty much. S, like PS do have some extra brain in understanding complicated things like Maths make job easy for me since they small. Unfortunately, she just struggle with time. She cannot finish all that 5 worksheet with quiet a lots of the activity which understandable in one hour. She take almost two and half hours for that. I skip her other lesson time as I didn't prepare anything yet. And as we warming up, this will train her to keeping up with doing the job in time given. she will gradually learn but it might takes some days.
MS was on his Conquer Maths. He start with RATIO topic for year 9 and he seems a bit struggle. I was struggle as well as my brain wasn't working fully yet at the time! He manage to finish them and also another two lesson. He than continue with topic under RATES with two lesson. He might need to do some extra work on ratio as the lesson was too short in my point of view. So I will looking on him to do homework for the topic soon. He was also struggle as I also forgot to print him the worksheet, which he take sometimes to print it out as he was using the lap top which not been set out for printer. He took almost two hours to finish that three topic I plan for one hour time frame. But, never mind as I didn't have any other plan ready yet for other lesson and as we warming up, I don't expect much but I know gradually as they getting used to it, they will moving faster and Insya Allah will manage work within one hour time frame.
After zohr we went out for library and some shopping. After hub came back from work, he bring us for dinner as we just receive great news before. Also for me as PS had now moved to scholars class which show her determination and hard work on her school. Alhamdulillah. Insya Allah tomorrow will be much better. It was't fully follow the schedule, but the start is better than I expected. So I was happy.
First day on new term
We had just start our first day on our new school term for new school year. Although we are homeschooling, but we still in some way follow school term and school year especially as we got kids friends came over and also as PS on online school. It make things easy around.
I was a bit worried about the schedule. Not sure if kids able to as we use to be flexible in very long time especially with morning task. I wasn't finish yet with planning the curriculum, still long way to go, but I decided that I had to start getting it on with the schedule as I got some planned already been set up for starting date today, 12 of September 2011.
This morning I wake kids up while hubby was getting ready to go to work, which is around 7.30am. They all go back to sleep after fajr including us as fajr is still early bird. I though it will be hard to get them to get up and getting on with what I had been scheduling. But, Alhamdulillah things run smooth and easy for some reason. Although I still had to push a button a little bit, but not as hard as I thought at all! I thank Allah for that.
They manage to tidy up, have breakfast, we skip the exercise bit for the time being. Than quran reading. We skip the tasbihah bit at the moment which I had schedule it up. Everybody start study for their academic from 10.30am. PS start her school with first college first day today at 11.20 am. She had now moved to scholars class. The only student from Senior moved to scholar class today. I am so glad and excited, Moving to scholar class mean, she will be prepared to get ready for exam sometimes next year. There are two time a year exam, one in winter an done in summer. I reckon she might do the summer time one. But it also depends on the circumstances we plan at the moment. If not she might just extend and take the exam on Jan 2013. In case we had to change our life journey plan.
I am just working on planning Maths at the moment. Nearly finish AS Math plan. Which is the hardest on top of all. I had jump on S maths planning to make sure she can start off. also not bad on her. MS probably is the easiest one as he is on Conquer Maths. I am still yet to do the others which I am now working hard on it.
I am looking to work harder with MS this year especially with his Maths. Looks like he can finish the whole Conquer Maths by middle of November. Therefore from Middle of November, I hope MS can start on revision and doing Maths exam paper for training. The target is for him to do High tier paper. I am so glad in some way after all the hard work and how we now moving into planning and preparing exam for him sometimes sooner. I wasn't plan to put him on any online school as I think I better work with him on his exam. Also we ditch our plan from sending him to Darul Ulom as per financial problem and other plan we try to reach. I am still hoping if he can do alim course at some point. But, that not worries me much. He had firm believe in his religion as Muslim and his amal. He also good in doing dakwah to other Muslim and talk about what he believe. Only that I want him to get the proper Islamic knowledge from learning alim, Insya Allah.
I will start recording our daily schedule and plan from our learning and the source Insya Allah. I am sooooo busy Alhamdulillah and lots of help from Allah swt at the mean time.
I was a bit worried about the schedule. Not sure if kids able to as we use to be flexible in very long time especially with morning task. I wasn't finish yet with planning the curriculum, still long way to go, but I decided that I had to start getting it on with the schedule as I got some planned already been set up for starting date today, 12 of September 2011.
This morning I wake kids up while hubby was getting ready to go to work, which is around 7.30am. They all go back to sleep after fajr including us as fajr is still early bird. I though it will be hard to get them to get up and getting on with what I had been scheduling. But, Alhamdulillah things run smooth and easy for some reason. Although I still had to push a button a little bit, but not as hard as I thought at all! I thank Allah for that.
They manage to tidy up, have breakfast, we skip the exercise bit for the time being. Than quran reading. We skip the tasbihah bit at the moment which I had schedule it up. Everybody start study for their academic from 10.30am. PS start her school with first college first day today at 11.20 am. She had now moved to scholars class. The only student from Senior moved to scholar class today. I am so glad and excited, Moving to scholar class mean, she will be prepared to get ready for exam sometimes next year. There are two time a year exam, one in winter an done in summer. I reckon she might do the summer time one. But it also depends on the circumstances we plan at the moment. If not she might just extend and take the exam on Jan 2013. In case we had to change our life journey plan.
I am just working on planning Maths at the moment. Nearly finish AS Math plan. Which is the hardest on top of all. I had jump on S maths planning to make sure she can start off. also not bad on her. MS probably is the easiest one as he is on Conquer Maths. I am still yet to do the others which I am now working hard on it.
I am looking to work harder with MS this year especially with his Maths. Looks like he can finish the whole Conquer Maths by middle of November. Therefore from Middle of November, I hope MS can start on revision and doing Maths exam paper for training. The target is for him to do High tier paper. I am so glad in some way after all the hard work and how we now moving into planning and preparing exam for him sometimes sooner. I wasn't plan to put him on any online school as I think I better work with him on his exam. Also we ditch our plan from sending him to Darul Ulom as per financial problem and other plan we try to reach. I am still hoping if he can do alim course at some point. But, that not worries me much. He had firm believe in his religion as Muslim and his amal. He also good in doing dakwah to other Muslim and talk about what he believe. Only that I want him to get the proper Islamic knowledge from learning alim, Insya Allah.
I will start recording our daily schedule and plan from our learning and the source Insya Allah. I am sooooo busy Alhamdulillah and lots of help from Allah swt at the mean time.
Friday, 9 September 2011
Planning and Scheduling
I was still on planning and scheduling..and yes, like I mention many times, I don't like planning. I know that it's good in many ways, but once I start to make plan and schedule, I will slowly moved on until everything finish.
I was so fussy when I want to do something in order. Therefore I had moved very slowly as I had 3 kids to work on with many subjects and different level for each. And on each subject I got topic and sub topic. I guess the hardest one I am doing now is Maths for AS. Well, it suppose to go nice and easy as he is the youngest, but as he is moving up from year 3 to year 4 and he need to strengthen hardly his Maths now to cover many topic, I got plenty to sort out. Before I just concentrate him on Addition and Subtraction, number value and Place order until he master in it. I don't even moved him into multiplication and division yet, although he do know basic of times table.
Like I said, once I start to do the planning, I will be very fussy and will not just grasp workbook or any worksheet to fit in the plan and schedule. I will have to go through every worksheet, teaching ideas, teaching method and not like when I am not planning I can just sit and get on with it and it's done.
I have to fill in my schedule calender just like I did when they first start homeschool back in 2008. Fill in each day Monday to Friday for at least three months and the calender will have each for Maths, English, Science and mix for Geography, History, IT, Citizenship and individual again for Islamic Studies.
Dear me....!!! Honestly I am dreading myself as I had to moved very slowly, I cannot push myself quickly and this is what a battle in myself. I got my organiser notebook for each child with the same copy of what I write in column in calender. Also I got to sort out the worksheet or workbook in order for each day up until three month for each subject, and for three kids. Seems like I am still long way to go. But, I am determine as I got three of them now is on important level that they have to start working harder and harder.
When I am doing this as well, I will get workbook, revision book, reference book and teaching book all around me. Plus all sort of pen, pencil, eraser, highlighter, paper clip, staple, punch pocket and folder all around me! I am not doing science yet where I will get all sort of experiment gadget I bought from car boot sale all around me..LOL...I am such a crazy mad woman!
Therefore at the moment kids are enjoying their time off still. The did some work, but I am not bother much now and just need to spend my time and energy on the planning and scheduling. Once this done, than things will be much more easy and we can just get on with it. As winter approach soon, I will spend more time at home as usual, where at this time we usually getting serious with our formal homeschool and no more messing around. Insya Allah...
I was so fussy when I want to do something in order. Therefore I had moved very slowly as I had 3 kids to work on with many subjects and different level for each. And on each subject I got topic and sub topic. I guess the hardest one I am doing now is Maths for AS. Well, it suppose to go nice and easy as he is the youngest, but as he is moving up from year 3 to year 4 and he need to strengthen hardly his Maths now to cover many topic, I got plenty to sort out. Before I just concentrate him on Addition and Subtraction, number value and Place order until he master in it. I don't even moved him into multiplication and division yet, although he do know basic of times table.
Like I said, once I start to do the planning, I will be very fussy and will not just grasp workbook or any worksheet to fit in the plan and schedule. I will have to go through every worksheet, teaching ideas, teaching method and not like when I am not planning I can just sit and get on with it and it's done.
I have to fill in my schedule calender just like I did when they first start homeschool back in 2008. Fill in each day Monday to Friday for at least three months and the calender will have each for Maths, English, Science and mix for Geography, History, IT, Citizenship and individual again for Islamic Studies.
Dear me....!!! Honestly I am dreading myself as I had to moved very slowly, I cannot push myself quickly and this is what a battle in myself. I got my organiser notebook for each child with the same copy of what I write in column in calender. Also I got to sort out the worksheet or workbook in order for each day up until three month for each subject, and for three kids. Seems like I am still long way to go. But, I am determine as I got three of them now is on important level that they have to start working harder and harder.
When I am doing this as well, I will get workbook, revision book, reference book and teaching book all around me. Plus all sort of pen, pencil, eraser, highlighter, paper clip, staple, punch pocket and folder all around me! I am not doing science yet where I will get all sort of experiment gadget I bought from car boot sale all around me..LOL...I am such a crazy mad woman!
Therefore at the moment kids are enjoying their time off still. The did some work, but I am not bother much now and just need to spend my time and energy on the planning and scheduling. Once this done, than things will be much more easy and we can just get on with it. As winter approach soon, I will spend more time at home as usual, where at this time we usually getting serious with our formal homeschool and no more messing around. Insya Allah...
Thursday, 1 September 2011
Getting Back
Today is 3rd of Eid. Hub back to work already after five days off, Alhamdulillah. It was quiet nice this year as including weekend and Monday bank holiday, hub only need to take two days off. Also all the school is still on holiday. PS school only started on the 12 of September which give her sometimes and me time to think off and to get back into our schedule.
Back to the schedule!! The hardest things I reckon and my worst enemy at the moment. But, I had to make it up somehow, and at the moment I need a BIG willing power to do so. Imagine, for a month we used to go to sleep between 11-12, after taraweeh finish. My boys probably didn't go to sleep between that and sehri most of the night for the whole month of Ramadhan. We wake up for sehri started from 2.15am up until the last day just around 3.30am. Go back to sleep between 4-6am and wake up again between 10am to 12pm. Subhana Allah. It looks like lots of sleep , but not when we had to wake up for couple of hours in between.
Now, the body started to get change bit by bit. Hub went back to work today, mean I had to wake up for his pack lunch. Fajr is still early and as I cannot pray, it give me some lay down at the moment. From next week, according to my plan anyway we will start back on our homeschool schedule we used to when we first started homeschool nearly four years back. Which is start early and finish just by the time hub back from work. By the way, at that time hub used to arrived home between 6-7pm as he went off to work between 8.30am to 9.30 am. But, as for now, he went to work at 7.45 am and arrived home usually around 4.45pm, I had to try to start off our schedule early. According to the schedule I made, we will not finish yet when hub back from work, due to many things need to be done in between.
We will had two Islamic studies a day which is Quran reading and Islamic Studies area which I make it into group studies and individual studies for different area. We will have three academic study a day with one hour for each. Than we will have project or experiment session either individual or group project or experiment. In between will be tidy up time, eating time, tasbihah time, Dhuha prayer time, Zohr prayer time and exercise time.
I put up also Infradi time in the schedule as I make our schedule from waking up time till sleeping time. S was asking, what is Infradi. I told her that infradi is your own time. Oh...how she smile...I am also make homework time everyday before they go to sleep. I was thinking that they will have long day, but I need to train kids for homework time now to teach them about management in their future. I had seen how First College set up the children with homwork gradually to help build up kids future development to complete task on their own with their time management. I will follow First College step as what I see from PS work, where if they don't do their homework with deadline everyday, they will have to stay over for extra homework class after we finish our homeschool study. I will only design small amoung of homework task. Possibly one simple worksheet only a day. Just a very simple work they should be able to do. But the target is to teach them to plan out their own time during the day after we finish our homeschool schedule to get one things done which need to meet the deadline. Actually to try to train this to become a habit. Which I schedule this every day.
After we finish our homeschool schedule, I know their two friends will come by. Therefore they will not happy to have to stay for homework class after that. This will encourage them to do their homework and meet the deadline. Anyway, we will see how this goes. Sometimes, it's easy to say in theory but hard in practise.
Therefore I had many things to do. I am now started to schedule individual study time, so they know what subject they need to do in that particular time just as I used to long time ago. Only this time just for three people as PS will be on her online school. But, she will still have study time with us for Islamic Studies. Plus she will have heavy workload this year, I reckon more than ever. On top of individual schedule, I'm also start to schedule for the topic they will do in each particular subject with some homeowork task. Also I am scheduling their project and experiment to get done. I used my own Google spread sheet for some of the schedule. Plus I will used some from Donna Young website that I had used before. Only that I will customize with my own way. Usually I used her calender instead of particular schedule sheet she made.
There are many things to me to look forward. I need a motivation BIG time!!! I cannot afford to mess around anymore as MS is 14 and S is starting year 7 this year. I make doa that Allah make it easy for us, for me especially to start this off. It will hard at first to make our schedule a habit, but once we get on, hopefully it will be easy. Especially we are now down to one car at the moment. This has give me a good reason to plan my day on shopping, library and any other outside task! Alhamdulillah. I will be bound in the house during hub work time. Which is why one of the reason that will help me to get on with the schedule. Hub wanted to buy another car as we had to scrap the one he used to go to work. But I said to him just used my big van instead of buy another car. On of the way that I know will help me keep my feet down instead of unplanned journey and task!
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