Lesson 9th Dec 2009

AS:

Maths: Adding with regrouping tens.
English and Islamic Studies: Work book level 3 from emaan series
History: Seaside games from Parents in touch
ICT: Computer part
Quran reading

S:

Maths: Unit test; Big multiplying no regrouping
English: Composition and writing
ICT: Saving, printing and tool bar
Islamic studies: Fasting and obligation
Quran reading

MS:

Maths: prime factors 3
English: Sentences with and and but
ICT: Saving, printing and tool bar
Islamic studies: Ad duha
Quran reading

PS:

Maths: Algebra; properties of numbers 3 and closure properties
English: writing formal letter
History: Test Unit
Islamic Studies: Alexandria


Summary:

Today we make a plan to go for a walk to the seaside. I was thinking to get up early and sort out worksheet for kids before we go. Unfortunately, I'm not quiet manage to do that, but still I'm already printed out some work last night. I make decision that we wait until asr time which is at 1.24pm to make our outing easy. While I'm making breakfast, kids as usual, take their worksheet and started to work on it while waiting for me, alhamdulillah.

After that while waiting for asr they manage to get some subject done and put it away. We were thinking to just go to the beach round the corner, but I make decision to go a bit further in Rocky about 15 minutes away. They had a big Morrison just off the beach and we get some of food to eat there, junk food really such as crips and juice. Of course when we arrived there and do a quick shopping, it was nearly 3pm. Kids rushed to the beach, playing with sand and water using bucket and spade they brought from home. We off back home just before magrib and after magrib,we had some meal, read quran, taaklim as usual and kids continue with subject they need to finish off.

Alhamdulillah, with the outing, we still manage to get all done. Well, this is the advantage while hubby not around, plus I had stress free mine thinking we can finish our homeschool anytime we need to. This is hardly gonna happen when hubby back. Art and craft and outing is always stress me out as this things taking so much time yet gain a little. But, this is the need sometimes, not all the time for us anyway. Why? We do outing a lots. Especially if hubby here, and we not having guest around, we usually go outing during weekend. Also kids do art and craft most of the time, everyday!! Anything and everything. Painting, colouring, making things, cutting, gluing and all sort. Art and craft is my kids life which is why I don't really have to integrate art and craft in our learning. I can be sick of papers, colour, scissors, glue, paint stick in the sink and clothes and all type of boxes from tissue roll, cupboard boxes, cereals boxes and etc. Last night after we finish lesson, I was sitting in front of net book, browsing, AS busy looking at art and craft book( which we had plenty) and start asking about paper colour and etc. _I'm not paying attention at him at all although he was next to me until he presenting me with eid card with the front page he write " 9 Dzulhijjah" and in side is 3D kaabah! A bit of surprise as he did this all by himself follow the instruction. I bet that's just show the result of learning. Well, he make things like that all the time but if I'm about to make a lesson in art and craft and make a plan of what to do and how to do it, he won't be interested. Because I intended to see what others do in his age and it will be too boring for him, usually.

Anyway, Art and craft session will be with PS soon. I'm more than happy about it. Today also is the first lesson she teach all her three sibling with ICT. They actually more advance than the lesson they need to learn, but this is just to fulfill the need to record informally. For example, AS age should be learn to open and turn off computer, which he did ages a go. AS also can go to ebay and search for things!! Yeahh..shopping..He can google what he want to know and know how to used cap lock and etc. I think I will only interrupt later sometimes to teach them about go safe online. They know what they can go and what they can't They usually have others around when they on the internet. I can say that I can trust them to be on them without me around and that do happen, as I said when I busy or when hubby around and I'm taking time off from kids. I'm quiet happy to build this trust upon my kids and they seems to keep the trust and respect.

It was not easy when kids growing up. There are lots of things we need to keep and eye on , but we can't spy too much on them as this will not going to build up trust and respect from them to us. I can say that relation between me and my teenage daughter getting better then it has been before. It was time when it goes high and out of proportion but I find out that was me. Probably I was scared and confuse that she had now grown up and I had to start giving her some space around. But, still she had to be told off. And I don't want her to feel that She get told off like she was small but she will get that if she behave like small. She was in transition, it was not easy, she's not small nor big. So, to get the right balance was crucial!! It has to be try and error. Now I can see MS as well. I try as I can to handle it the right way. It was a crucial time for me as if I got it wrong, I will deeply regret it later. When hubby back, I will than send MS to started going 3 days in jamaat with hubby. This will take him a way from home, away from his other sibling, and he can have time of with hubby as father and son and also good learning experience. I can't wait for that to happen. So, hubby had to get involve more now as MS is getting big. I'm also want hubby to have a chat between father and son about boy and grown up world!! Brought up kids was not easy especially at this time of fitnah. And I don't go that we do the best and what going to happen later, not our fault. For me, what I'm doing now is for the future. It's not worth me teaching them to al islamic studies, knowing the whole quran and translation, can speak arabic or memorise hundreds hadith if they go astray when they big. I've seen this and to say that we do the best, is not enough because I seen that the result is the parents actually not doing the best. Usually parents think that teaching them when hey small and as kids behave well when they small, than that's their best and job done. It's not for me. My job will not done until I die. Because one of the things that I will bring into the grave yard is my children that make doa for me and of course pious children. Begin pious when small, doesn't mean pious when big. It was very crucial. Every step for me is crucial. How we manage and handle kids these days is very crucial.

I don't mind my kids not being a hafiz, cannot speak arabic, not knowing the meaning of quran, but standing firm in believing in Allah and have a manner and attitude that can pull others into Islam by only showing the good behaviour. Fear and hope to Allah is what I want my kids to grow up with all the time. Than they should be fine without me. I don't want them to scared at me, but to respect me. And for me it was all not easy. I'm using all experience I have, observation upon others and also experience that people share with me. And I have hope from Allah that he had mercy on me and not testing me using my kids the test that I can't bear with and also I fear Allah that anything can happen at anytime as for that I can't say that I had teach them everything they need for deen than why are they turn around later.

I had found out and see how many parents now are arrogance and put them and thei kids in high place in what they had learn about deen. They had put themselves higher status and compete to each other to bring up kids to memorise quran, being an alim and alimah, can talk in arabic and etc. Of course all this lesson is good and of course the status is high as we know when someone can memorise the whole quran, but such arrogance and competition to make their kids one, had put people high in status and forget that the one that had a such high status is only Allah s.w.t. I seen that these also had put the kids behave arrogance as well which is quiet sad looking at someone who had such a knowledge but are far from humble. This is happening a lots now around and for me this is had turn wrong. And having a knowledge is different than practising the knowledge. And more sad when people used this knowledge of deen to gain duniya status and wealth. I believe that the more we teach to become hafiz, alim and imam and etc, the more we had to put stress about humbleness and arrogance. The more I reckon we have to get them to clean toilet bowl as this been said to put people down to earth.

The example is easy, I have seen lots of doctors I know, had medical problem either themselves or in the family. Usually a condition that they not be able to give treatment although they had full knowledge in medical. Hubby always says that this is because Allah wanted to put themselves down to earth otherwise they will have the arrogance in themselves.

When my kids used to go to school when they small and usually as a Malaysian we always a bit soft and kids do get bully when they small. My rules is do not hit anybody even though you been hit! Always back off although it's painful. Do not be anger to others although they try to get into our nerves, always walk away from the situation. As we are Muslim, we been teach not the lesson about our Prophet, but to bring it into practice. So, doesn't matter how we been push, we will always be patient.

Sometimes, I don't know if I did the right things for my kids. Who know what going to happen in the next ten years. But, for me it was always crucial to try and error and observe closely to see the result. It was always there. We as a parents can always recognise. Usually either we wanted to believe it or not. That's all. But, Insya Allah, always have hope and fear to Allah and always know that what we did is as bab, only Allah can change and bring the outcome we want. But, of course it is our responsibility that we will be ask later in the day of judgement. No turn back at that time anymore. And we have to take all responsibility we been given and accept the good or bad outcome in the day of judgement.

Back on routine!!

Alhamdulillah, we back on school routine. Kids just getting on in good order. As soon as we all come down stairs, they will grab their worksheet while I'm prepared breakfast. Everybody seems very motivated. Also they all just get on without hassle accept talking to each other in the middle of work and probably distracting each other, but nothing major except couple of shout from me. Anyway, they all do realise who concentrate will finish quick.

Today something that I notice, everybody finish work early and in order. Masya Allah. While at the same time, I'm getting on my housework. It was a big improvement from last week. They all getting on Maths without whinge. It seems now it's become one of the lesson they love. They all getting on with the lesson with pretty quick understanding. MS is always the one I'm worry about and always stress with Maths, now getting on stress free. What a release. S getting on her multiplication with big number pretty quick as well although at first stage of multiplication she find it hard. But, she getting used to it and learn very quickly as she used to with all other lesson. AS yesterday start with adding with regrouping ones which I'm quiet worry if he's going to find it hard. But, alhamdulillah, he understand pretty quick as well and today get on with two pages of it on his own. PS now comfortable with algebra. So, she back on mindsprinting today, yey! Still on algebra.

I'm now will start focusing more on English especially writing and spelling. Other subject is not much to be worry about. Geography and History, I'm using workbook from Letts, which is interesting revision with worksheet after every topic. It's been design depends on age group. I'm not worry much about this.

Islamic studies is revision and learning all the time. Alhamdulillah. Quran reading going well. Although it's long way to go for them. I found out that Iqra taking ages especially with me who only moved them one or two sentences. I'm very fussy with quran reading and make sure pronunciation and tajweed is correct before they can be moved. I can see improvement in their reading pretty much now by stressing the important to pronounce it clearly before I can moved them. For me , quran reading is better harder at first, but once they grab the way it should be reading , it will be easy.

As it's getting cold and we been study in the middle room, it was a bit of a chaos. I need to reorganise paper work and workbook as they don't want to keep going back to the library to pick up books needed! Looks like the library is become a library to store books!

PS will start teaching all other three kids ICT on Wednesday and Friday. She already made a lesson plan for them from ICT workbook. As she love teaching, this will give her chance to learn and practice at the same time. Of course she love that. She will also make her art class again for all her sibling as she used to starting next week. I had to say she will be more organise than me. She will motivate them with sticker and sweets and also make plan in advance of what she going to do.

Overall, I'm a happy bunny with what's going on with our homeschool. Alhamdulillah. A long break had actually worried me, but the loves of learning help everything. It's look like we never been on long holiday before and I wonder how is that can happen. I bet kids might can go forward very quickly with their lesson plan if we don't have long holiday and unschooling, but i reckon it's a need as this is how kids will develop to be in their own world without too much interruption from me. I wonder how kids can get on well and quick to settle down although we haven't really been on our formal homeschool routine since April! I think the answer is, this is what homeschooling do best. But, of course because my kids getting bigger , they do have to have formal homeschooling. But, if they only under 5/6, I think unschooling suit me better as I love to have stress free time with my kids. I don't like put hassle on them at the age they shouldn't and just need to play all around without our interruption. Because our worry sometimes not helping them to grow properly unfortunately and disturb their imagination and development.

I believe that when the right time comes, the approach and learning will be so easy until for me, I don't realise how formal homeschool that we just start has been so easy than I expected! When I know that I'm on track, I know that something right had happen. And to make things right before to get the good outcome is always worry me. Sometimes, when we do things and make decision especially a decision which against majority, it seems hard to note about the outcome. And every time I see the result, I know that at least I had stand on the right things. But, of course that on the way to do things, there are always try and error. Observe and learn from our own and others mistake is for me somewhat important. I don't just do things, sit back and let it just follow the flow. I do adjust hundred of time at first, middle, before and after. I'm always thinking that I might be right, I might be wrong. But, I'm always think about the outcome of A, B, C, D and always take the way that the outcome had the lowest risk. So, what I do now or after is not for today or tomorrow, but maybe for next year, next 5 years or 10 years or more. We been given brain to plan and schedule, which i think we should and leave the rest to Allah. But, with hope and fear, Insya Allah, Allah will help to put what we fear away. As we always put hope on him.

Try hard

Alhamdulillah, we try so hard to go back to normal homeschool routine before we been stop again by any unexpected reason which will come anytime I believe. As from Tuesday, we back to normal as Monday we still on the road from weekend visiting time.

Tuesday we start slowly as I don't want all of us to feel hard impact which will make us feel learning or homeschool is a pressure. As I mention last week, we did had a change into routine. As soon as MS ready in the morning, he will than come and pick up his mindsprinting maths worksheet from his drawer and start to do it. all their mindsprinting worksheet contain four sheet. He did that in his room and than come down to continue doing other things.

I'm also start to print worskheet of life skill and puzzles from ed helper. Also this week, kids been continue doing some worksheet about Malaysia theme for English. Ps and MS also learn about dialogue for English. Also I MS did worksheet about water frokm ed helper for his revision. PS also had worksheet for er revision on Geography about rock and mineral and science as well.

S had lots of worksheet from various site which we always use. I did get her to stay on time topic for her maths to make sure she master her skill. In maths I'm pretty much fussy and make sure they graps things before I moved them. S had been good in 'learning time' now, alhamdulillah. From looking at time, calculating the elapsed time and also problem solving involving time. I will get her to stay on the topic probably for the rest of this week and may be next week as well. Than she will have a review for her Maths from various topic we been learning before with mindsprinting before I get her back into mindsprinting program. It's will be a slow learning process for all my kids on Maths, but satisfaction in term of their progress. Maths needs lots and lots of training. Again and again to ensure they master the basic needed. Alhamdulillah homeschool allow this to happen.

AS, as usual happen to start finishing one by one the workbook he have. Mindsprinting worksheet for English excellent is always his favourate now and again and it's just as easy as a,b,c, for him now. He now also a good reader for his age and moved a lots himself. It's unimaginable and he is he most evidence for me what homeschooling did. It's unbelievable. It's excellent, alahmdulillah. Today As start to learn about 'time' for his maths.

PS also did making leaflet for her English lesson. She now finish it and will did colour print in library soon. After she meet couple of people in secondary school during our visit, she realise how much she benefit from homeschool as we intend to learn more and advance from people who go to school. We also start to think what to do for Design and Technology. I plan to give this lesson for hubby to handle with PS. I will get the lesson plan and everything needed and hubby can spend sometimes in summer as that is his speciality.

Today we also manage to do all the important subject we need to do everyday. English, maths, quran reading, other subject and also they did their ad duha book. I will try to do Fikh with PS and MS tomorrow hopefully, Insya Allah.

Overall, it has been a successfull time back into routine, alhamdulilllah. Also looking at other school children had made me realise how grateful my children are to be able to homeschool and for Allah to give me a strength and guide me and help me all the time.

Tomorrow will be another day and Friday will be a short and quick leanring for us or as PS will go and have clippy club. MS and AS will off to Friday prayer with hubby.

AS diary

This among sentence that AS write in his diary. I just found out while we were in Birmingham visiting the jamaat there. He bring couple of things to get him occupied including his diary. I was so shock to find this out. Usually he will only want to arite the correct words. This will make him need someone all the time to spell for him. This is not good in term of learning. He nee dto just write out from the phonic sound as he can now read a lots. I'm always frustrated with his story writing and didn't actually get him to do story writing.

But, as usual, whenever we busy, Allah will guide the children in learning. And of course the guidance from Allah is the most important. Bottom is among the sentence AS write in his diary:

Monday: "It wus cool".

Tuesday: "I had fun day".

Wednesday: "Das the day want I want to shop". (This the day I went to shop)

Thursday: "I like BEN 10".

Friday: "I like egg".

Saturday:

Sunday: "It wus a cool day".

Monday" I wan to hoamschool".

Tuesday: "I plad wud the sow". ( I play with snow)

Wednesday: "I wus bod". ( I was bored)

Thursday: "It is cool today".

Friday: "Muslim ar good. I am a muslims."

Saturday: "I want to the mosc". ( I went to the mosque)

Sunday: "I want to the shops". ( I went to the shops)

Monday: "Ties day is fun". (These day is fun)

It was so good to see the development like that as than it motivate me more and show me the result from the effort I had made. I'm not a teacher nor having a degree. I never been to university. Many Malaysian if they heard someone homeschool, the mother expected to be educated and have at least a degree. Also the way people think when it's come to homeschool which need to have proper training to teach our own children.

Of course we all need to learn how to. But, first, mother instinct towards her own children is natural. Now a days, there's plenty resource that we can used. Either we used one of the resource that already there in the market or like me whose very fussy, wanted to design and mix everything and make my own way. The best things is I'm work as freelance homeeducator whose didn't tied with my own formal university theory as I neevr been to uni or tied up with a formal theory of education as I didn't learn all that sort of theory and hate it a lots. I believe in freelance way and work my own way as every parents know their own child better. Also we can find the resource that suitable for us and I like the resource that didn't tie me with one sort of theory only and something that giving plenty of option and flexible.

I was worried and think how am I gonna teach AS to start doing writing without thinking too much to spell perfectly. As he should write and learn to spell while he's learning it along the way. Now, the worries gone. Suddenly he started to do all the books and worsheet and deliver his idea in writing without worries weather his writing is correct or not.

The other reason I think is because I was busy, and on top of that I believe we busy for a good reason. Everytime we busy means we entertain guest and doing work of dakwah because of Allah. So than, Allah is always there to help and every time, kids always improve themselves with me my help, alhamdulillah.