It's not holiday or seems like it. We don't do much school, formal school which means follow the schedule and sitting down altogether doing work. Kids were pretty much doing their own things. But, along these days what I like is conversation and dialogue. Mostly about islamic studies. Mostly about the day of judgement. Doing good deeds. Being a good muslim. Remind each other. Why there are certain things we had to be careful about especially now a days with too much islamic knowledge being consume and for me, it's confusing more and create tension between muslim themselves. Everybody are busy learning the translation of the quran, arabic and at the end think that they can do ijtihad and without realising they actually give their own opinion about certain things involving fikh.
I am pretty careful in expalaining these thing. And we are alwasy talk about not quote any translation of quran and hadith that we read even though they are correct. Because it was so easy to make mistake. usually people not only quote but than explaining and giving their own opinion. And these I can say had an evidence of people allowing to turn what ever they want into thei own word even they said, they only follow quran and hadith. It' dangerous situtaion and I make sure my kids understand this.
So, we did plenty of talk. I take the topic seriously about tafseer hadith and arabic to ensure kids are not abusing it easily and take it for granted. I had to say, it wasn't enough is we just learn all these from secular education which means from islamic school, islamic online school, online courses, from colleage or university. If one believe they need to learn quran and the tafseer deeply, they need to spend full time in formal islamic institution such as madrasah or darul ulom. Because it's a big different among scholars that had been though traditional islamic institution than secular islamic institution. BIG DIFFERENCE. People who went to traditional islamic institution, won't write or telling other what they learn and start teaching even their own kids especially when they not finish yet study, or even they finish, they avoid certain things or mot of the things involving teaching until they had been on question and answer and gain some scholar experience. But now a day we can see with a little bit learning sometimes only 2/3/ year arabic and quran translation and tafseer, we are open up about teh ayat in quran and start teaching others. Nauzubillah..
But, this is what happen a lots and I make sure that my kids understand this issue. Quran is not contradict into each other verses, but we see people take one ayah and hold on to it and without taking another ayah with seem contradict but because they do not learn deeply more and start conveying things to others. Even if they learn more, they are scholars who contradict into each other on certain issue but there are issue that most of scholars agree but only certain scholars which can be seen in most people who learning about arabic, quran tafser and hadith from secular learning is taking these in and ignore other scholars who had go deeeper into it.
Also certain things ben counted such as narration, the place the ayah been revealed, when and etc. All these is very important to determine the tafseer. This why is not compulsory and now a days it seems that people make learning arabic and tafseer compulsory, but forgot about all other aspect of Islam. It was scary to me and I put this issue now and again with kids.
Last Sunday I been to one talk which I don't usually went to. But, as hubby know the person who giving the talk, he bring all of us. I met this ladies and when she know that I a homeschool, she asking me, are you teaching my kids arabic. Usually I just said yeah, I did because we did some from Ad Duha now and again. But, this time I told straight that I don't put important in arabic. I said, it is more important for my kids to learn properly on how to pray, how to beign a good muslim, what important in our life to look at, which is our amal, what is compulsory and not or other word, fardu ain, or fardu kifayah.
I put important in fardu ain, which is all compulsory bit a muslim need to know. And this had to be strees over and over again. Like a sister who also a hifd and alimmah said to me, it is fardu ain which mena compulsory to read quran with tajweed but fardu kifayah or not compulsory to learn the rules of tajweed. We do not need to remeember the rules in term of what mad is this or what mad is that, but important to know which need to be read with what sound, long and short.
For me fardu Kifayah can be learn at any time along the way when kids are big. As long as we feed them with life long learning attitude. If they want to learn arabic or tafseer when they big, it's fine. But, important that they know how to used the knowledge that thye got and not play with it and make it a conflict between muslim.
So, fardu ain for me had to come with important bit for me, which mean, this fardu ain is not just for learning but had to bring it into practise. I do not know about others, but as a mother for four homeschool and in these duniya time especially living in western country far form families, my time is full also do kids with all learning subject. So, if we put fardu kifayah among our important subject, I scared that even fardu ain will be left as a knowledge.
Amal need to look after. And for me , on top of fardu ain, is sunnah of our beloved Prophet s.a.w. To bring sunnah into our life in day to day routine is wasn't easy. And to istiqamah, is far more difficult. So I am always talk about to act upon knowledge and istiqamah on it. Even this been discuss with 7 years olds AS. He love reading muslim books. Sometimes adult muslim books. So, So, usually after read, he will explain and tell us what he rea. Such as "aaa..we cannot do this or that or we had to do this or that."
When he did not do what he said before ot tell me before, I will put it back right on his face bacause he read one book that we had to act upon what we know. So, this reminder is becoming a day to day reminder for all of us and we do remind each all the time. So, the one who gulity will have to out their hands up. And sometimes when they see something from others, for example, a muslim who celebrate birthday and kids will said that they had told this people before or they know that we can't do this or that but they don't listen, we will always go back to the lesson where it is very important to learn upon what we act and why is it important to learn to fear Allah, to work upon amal, becaue amal increase our iman. Without iman, the fear of Allah will be gone out of the window. Without the fear, no taqwa, and we can be very knowledgable but useless or knwoledgable but using it following our own nafs.
Hard time to teach Islam now a day. I don't mind much about influence from non muslim or kids step into bad non muslim environment. But, the most things that I am worry if so many opinion, view and folow own nafs among muslim themselves. Because sometimes it's very hard to determine the intention behind. Now a days looking pious doesnt' mean pious. Can speak arabic, knowing the whole quran, doesn't mean, having taqwa. There are so many so called, people with Islamic knwoledge seeking popularity. And there are plenty work of deen spread around the world from ulamak and scholar who are unknown and unseen their face, but heard of their worries of deen thei sacrifice. And imagine how Allah also close them from being in public, even they are known all over the world in Deen, but Allah disclose their face and life from publicity. Allah look upon them in such a manner to ensure they keep it on straight path clear and clean. Masya Allah..
Thursday, 25 February 2010
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
The differences
Education..education..education. Whenever me and hubby try to actually talk about education, it will never ending with happy face. We had so much differences ever since we first married and when we not even had kids yet. Every time we touch this topic, hubby will say that I am sensitive whenever we talk about this topic and I think probably lots of other people also think that I might have strong opinion on education like I know them all.
Suddenly, I just realise...I am just difference than lots of others. And of course usually our opinion and the way we thinking is a reflection from where we come from, our background and importantly what we been experience before. Experience is the strongest link with how we think, feel and put our voice and opinion.
So, I sit and sum up:
Hubby education background is just simple like any other common people. He didn't go to kindergarten. He start off with year one or so called standard one in Malaysia and finish primary school at standard 6 and went to secondary school from form 1 as we call in Malaysia and finish at form 5 age 17+. Than went to Uni, done his diploma of mechanical engineering, and than work and done his diploma of education and start teaching in Polytechnic and married and came to England and get his degree and master degree.
So, in a way his primary and secondary education is just straight forward like most people. He only experience one type of Education during primary and secondary which is government public day school.
How about me:
I went to kindergarten. Kind off English type of nursery. We read fairy tales, draw Cinderella and snow white and teacher do speak English. Than I went to the best of Primary school where we live and I was in the best class which is A class since standard one until six. Never actually work hard but I was in school from 7.30 am to 1.30pm. Than back home for lunch time and off to quran reading from 2/2.30pm until 5.30pm. than usually off to tuition from 7pm to 9pm. That's what I have for 6 years.
Than in secondary my parents send me off to private Islamic school belong to ex Malaysian Prime minister Abdullah Badawi grandfather in Penang. I was thirteen at that time. This school teach only arabic and Islamic studied using arabic as a first language. There's no canteen or cafe and I stay in boarding and had to cook by my self using old fuel cooker style. The boarding building is lovely with 2 people in each room with complete bed, wardrobe and study table for each person. Big nice kitchen for everybody with kitchen cabinet and nearby shop where we can buy some meat, vegetable and other dry things. So, look back I start to shop and cook at the age of 13 without any adult help. Lots of people that study there age 15 above and few my age. Class is mix according to when we start, not by age. So, I had classmate age 15, 17 and etc. I stay there for around 6 months. I do learn a lots of things there and sometimes weekend nearly whole building where we stay was empty as lots of people stay nearby go home and as I was quiet far from home, I am not normally go home every weekend.
From there my parents than take me out and send me to government public girl only school. Still it was far from home, so I stay in boarding. And as lots of other boarding school, I had experience bullying style when you first get into the boarding and is among the younger group in the school.
So, that was two different experience in one year. One in private only Islamic study school, no academic and the other one is government public school with tight schedule and rules without any islamic studies except basic. Which means we learn Islamic studies but no arabic, deep into hadith and etc.
Around 4 months there, I than been moved to another private school not far from my house, about 20 minutes drive but still I stay in boarding. This school got both Islamic studies and academic. Islamic studies contain fikh, tauhid, islamic history, hadith, 3 subject of arabic language including writing, reading, grammar and comprehension. Also we had range of other academic subject of maths, malay language, science, geography, history, economy, English. Because over there there are foundation year, mean I will be backward one year than my other cousin and friends that I know. As there are change in curriculum at that time, me and couple of friends there decided to take exam one year than we should be with school privately, so we can take it same as our friends who do not have to go through foundation in other school.
My parents got me a distance learning for the exam I wanted to take. At the same time, I still continue my study with the school and stay boarding. After nearly 1 1/2 year, and time for my private exam is near, I pull my self from school and attended private tuition for couple of months and still go to school as well at the same time. I quit from school before exam and take exam and pass with quiet flying colour. I was 15 at that time and this is when my parents decided for me to just stay home and take another important exam, o level. I don't actually like to stay home and get distance learning as I love company. My parents didn't actually bother about exam, but willing to provide any distance learning as money is not a problem for us.
I had no help or motivation from others. I don't have computer at that time at home even we have it before when my father office is at home and I used with computer since age of 7/8. But, as office move and we move, I don't have access with computer, only sometimes at my cousin house. I love motivation book. I made my own spider web for my learning without realise about the learning style. I stick lots of my spiderweb style info on the wall. My room fill with data for my study. I had my target achievement stick on the wall as well. I learn to story on my own. Buy revision book, past paper and go though books on my own. Got feedback from my tutor if I send them assignment. Otherwise I am on my own. Distance learning I take usually for people who actually taken the exam for second time.
I went to register the exam with my own will and without any help from any adult. Just all the things I do for my study and exam and the whole of my homeschool process is on me. Alhamdulillah I pass my exam with quiet good consider I did waste lots of time. I should continue with diploma but wanted to go through another exam for sixth form. And get married before the exam and did take the exam though! I did work in nursery for a while before married.
So, that is my education journey and look back I've been to public school, private boarding school, public boarding school with full islamic studies and both islamic and academic studies. May be I didn't experience University environment, but I did go through some Uni level studies with open University couple of years back and did various other courses.
I am also was a stay home mum with one and than two and than three kids. Than start working part time with three kids, and than work full time worth three kids and than four kids. And now stay home mum and homeschooling with four kids. I think experience say it all.
This is why sometimes or maybe most for the time, when people talk about their experience and give their opinion, I can easily interrupt but do have my own strong opinion mostly if the person just like hubby, going to straight and one line journey during education. Not me. Talking about school, been there. Talking about private school, been there. Boarding school, been there, private and public. Islamic only school, been there. Mix education style of islamic and academic, been there. Homeschooling and taking 2 big exam as a homeschooler, been there. Stay home mum with one, two and three kids, been there. Work part time and full time with three and than four kids, been there. Stay home mum with four kids and home educate, been there and still there.
And of course one of the big difference between me and hubby as I am the eldest who had to look up my other sibling, noticing any problem occur around family and hubby being the number five, in the middle out of ten, of course experience less responsibility taken. Probably been given too much at some point in a way as his gap with his younger brother is 4 years, while I had four other brother and sister although the gap between me and the one younger than me is 6 years because I had one brother died after 7 days born.
For me experience is better tale than books or theory. We can simply talk about what we think and give opinion from what we read and see or observe, but experience it all our self can give a big impact towards how we think and how we see things.
After sit and reflect upon my own education journey, I suddenly see why I got so much differences from others. While most people either go through straight forward journey either school or homeschool, or mix half and half, I went though a lots of corners along the way and lots of stop by and transit which teach me a lots and change the way I am thinking and the way I see what education is and why there are things I am worried and other not and others worried and I am not.
Education for me is one big picture with lots of corner, hurdle, gates and rewards. The most important rewards is experience. And what am I thinking? I am thinking if we had a chance this year to go back for holiday to Malaysia, I will send PS and MS for probably two or three weeks into private boarding school where they will have to wash their own clothes using their bare hand. Only to give them some experience and I believe that short time will teach them a lots and change the way they think and they way they see things. I do feel pretty happy that I am be able to give my kids experience similar to what I had. Probably will also send AS and S to private day school when we go back for one or two weeks. They all had been to school here. Although AS might not be fully in school, but he had been in private nursery when I used to work for more than a year from 8am to 6pm. I want my kids to explore and experience a different type of education system which will give them whole lots of other important experience.
Hubby said that all other people in jamaat whose went with him to Bosnia, says that they shock look hubby was clothes with hand and dry it by twisting the clothes tightly. They said to hubby, they cannot do that. They all need to find laundry to wash their clothes. I bought hubby a tiny bottle of washing liquid for clothes. All other people were born and brought up in UK.
I was thinking about his story and than said, " How about our kids?".
Our kids never wash clothes by hand. PS did wash her own bag and shoes but not clothes. I am not wanted to take one day to teach kids how to wash clothes by hand. I know it's like not important as we going all techno geek this days and we 'might' not needed to learn this? I think it's a no no for me. I think I will need to list down important things on how we do things before without all this technology. I was homeschool without any computer. With limited books and no tutor or help from adult. I manage to pass through 2 big exam, SRP (not PMR) and SPM. It make big different in my life, not the exam but the journey along the way. Experience make a big difference, just think before you give a birth naturally and after you give the birth. Even doctor who learn about this, tell different things before the experience and after.
Suddenly, I just realise...I am just difference than lots of others. And of course usually our opinion and the way we thinking is a reflection from where we come from, our background and importantly what we been experience before. Experience is the strongest link with how we think, feel and put our voice and opinion.
So, I sit and sum up:
Hubby education background is just simple like any other common people. He didn't go to kindergarten. He start off with year one or so called standard one in Malaysia and finish primary school at standard 6 and went to secondary school from form 1 as we call in Malaysia and finish at form 5 age 17+. Than went to Uni, done his diploma of mechanical engineering, and than work and done his diploma of education and start teaching in Polytechnic and married and came to England and get his degree and master degree.
So, in a way his primary and secondary education is just straight forward like most people. He only experience one type of Education during primary and secondary which is government public day school.
How about me:
I went to kindergarten. Kind off English type of nursery. We read fairy tales, draw Cinderella and snow white and teacher do speak English. Than I went to the best of Primary school where we live and I was in the best class which is A class since standard one until six. Never actually work hard but I was in school from 7.30 am to 1.30pm. Than back home for lunch time and off to quran reading from 2/2.30pm until 5.30pm. than usually off to tuition from 7pm to 9pm. That's what I have for 6 years.
Than in secondary my parents send me off to private Islamic school belong to ex Malaysian Prime minister Abdullah Badawi grandfather in Penang. I was thirteen at that time. This school teach only arabic and Islamic studied using arabic as a first language. There's no canteen or cafe and I stay in boarding and had to cook by my self using old fuel cooker style. The boarding building is lovely with 2 people in each room with complete bed, wardrobe and study table for each person. Big nice kitchen for everybody with kitchen cabinet and nearby shop where we can buy some meat, vegetable and other dry things. So, look back I start to shop and cook at the age of 13 without any adult help. Lots of people that study there age 15 above and few my age. Class is mix according to when we start, not by age. So, I had classmate age 15, 17 and etc. I stay there for around 6 months. I do learn a lots of things there and sometimes weekend nearly whole building where we stay was empty as lots of people stay nearby go home and as I was quiet far from home, I am not normally go home every weekend.
From there my parents than take me out and send me to government public girl only school. Still it was far from home, so I stay in boarding. And as lots of other boarding school, I had experience bullying style when you first get into the boarding and is among the younger group in the school.
So, that was two different experience in one year. One in private only Islamic study school, no academic and the other one is government public school with tight schedule and rules without any islamic studies except basic. Which means we learn Islamic studies but no arabic, deep into hadith and etc.
Around 4 months there, I than been moved to another private school not far from my house, about 20 minutes drive but still I stay in boarding. This school got both Islamic studies and academic. Islamic studies contain fikh, tauhid, islamic history, hadith, 3 subject of arabic language including writing, reading, grammar and comprehension. Also we had range of other academic subject of maths, malay language, science, geography, history, economy, English. Because over there there are foundation year, mean I will be backward one year than my other cousin and friends that I know. As there are change in curriculum at that time, me and couple of friends there decided to take exam one year than we should be with school privately, so we can take it same as our friends who do not have to go through foundation in other school.
My parents got me a distance learning for the exam I wanted to take. At the same time, I still continue my study with the school and stay boarding. After nearly 1 1/2 year, and time for my private exam is near, I pull my self from school and attended private tuition for couple of months and still go to school as well at the same time. I quit from school before exam and take exam and pass with quiet flying colour. I was 15 at that time and this is when my parents decided for me to just stay home and take another important exam, o level. I don't actually like to stay home and get distance learning as I love company. My parents didn't actually bother about exam, but willing to provide any distance learning as money is not a problem for us.
I had no help or motivation from others. I don't have computer at that time at home even we have it before when my father office is at home and I used with computer since age of 7/8. But, as office move and we move, I don't have access with computer, only sometimes at my cousin house. I love motivation book. I made my own spider web for my learning without realise about the learning style. I stick lots of my spiderweb style info on the wall. My room fill with data for my study. I had my target achievement stick on the wall as well. I learn to story on my own. Buy revision book, past paper and go though books on my own. Got feedback from my tutor if I send them assignment. Otherwise I am on my own. Distance learning I take usually for people who actually taken the exam for second time.
I went to register the exam with my own will and without any help from any adult. Just all the things I do for my study and exam and the whole of my homeschool process is on me. Alhamdulillah I pass my exam with quiet good consider I did waste lots of time. I should continue with diploma but wanted to go through another exam for sixth form. And get married before the exam and did take the exam though! I did work in nursery for a while before married.
So, that is my education journey and look back I've been to public school, private boarding school, public boarding school with full islamic studies and both islamic and academic studies. May be I didn't experience University environment, but I did go through some Uni level studies with open University couple of years back and did various other courses.
I am also was a stay home mum with one and than two and than three kids. Than start working part time with three kids, and than work full time worth three kids and than four kids. And now stay home mum and homeschooling with four kids. I think experience say it all.
This is why sometimes or maybe most for the time, when people talk about their experience and give their opinion, I can easily interrupt but do have my own strong opinion mostly if the person just like hubby, going to straight and one line journey during education. Not me. Talking about school, been there. Talking about private school, been there. Boarding school, been there, private and public. Islamic only school, been there. Mix education style of islamic and academic, been there. Homeschooling and taking 2 big exam as a homeschooler, been there. Stay home mum with one, two and three kids, been there. Work part time and full time with three and than four kids, been there. Stay home mum with four kids and home educate, been there and still there.
And of course one of the big difference between me and hubby as I am the eldest who had to look up my other sibling, noticing any problem occur around family and hubby being the number five, in the middle out of ten, of course experience less responsibility taken. Probably been given too much at some point in a way as his gap with his younger brother is 4 years, while I had four other brother and sister although the gap between me and the one younger than me is 6 years because I had one brother died after 7 days born.
For me experience is better tale than books or theory. We can simply talk about what we think and give opinion from what we read and see or observe, but experience it all our self can give a big impact towards how we think and how we see things.
After sit and reflect upon my own education journey, I suddenly see why I got so much differences from others. While most people either go through straight forward journey either school or homeschool, or mix half and half, I went though a lots of corners along the way and lots of stop by and transit which teach me a lots and change the way I am thinking and the way I see what education is and why there are things I am worried and other not and others worried and I am not.
Education for me is one big picture with lots of corner, hurdle, gates and rewards. The most important rewards is experience. And what am I thinking? I am thinking if we had a chance this year to go back for holiday to Malaysia, I will send PS and MS for probably two or three weeks into private boarding school where they will have to wash their own clothes using their bare hand. Only to give them some experience and I believe that short time will teach them a lots and change the way they think and they way they see things. I do feel pretty happy that I am be able to give my kids experience similar to what I had. Probably will also send AS and S to private day school when we go back for one or two weeks. They all had been to school here. Although AS might not be fully in school, but he had been in private nursery when I used to work for more than a year from 8am to 6pm. I want my kids to explore and experience a different type of education system which will give them whole lots of other important experience.
Hubby said that all other people in jamaat whose went with him to Bosnia, says that they shock look hubby was clothes with hand and dry it by twisting the clothes tightly. They said to hubby, they cannot do that. They all need to find laundry to wash their clothes. I bought hubby a tiny bottle of washing liquid for clothes. All other people were born and brought up in UK.
I was thinking about his story and than said, " How about our kids?".
Our kids never wash clothes by hand. PS did wash her own bag and shoes but not clothes. I am not wanted to take one day to teach kids how to wash clothes by hand. I know it's like not important as we going all techno geek this days and we 'might' not needed to learn this? I think it's a no no for me. I think I will need to list down important things on how we do things before without all this technology. I was homeschool without any computer. With limited books and no tutor or help from adult. I manage to pass through 2 big exam, SRP (not PMR) and SPM. It make big different in my life, not the exam but the journey along the way. Experience make a big difference, just think before you give a birth naturally and after you give the birth. Even doctor who learn about this, tell different things before the experience and after.
Friday, 12 February 2010
Tagging along
We are just tagging along here and there. It has now been a busy week for me. Monday, PS and MS going to Youth centre from 3.30pm till 5pm. Tuesday all four of them went to library for investing in children club, although MS and AS not joining it anymore but go there to read the book and go on computer.
Yes, they go on computer there because it was very limited time used at home plus we now had only 2 lap top that operate as I had put our 2 old desk top down as it's too old and need replacement. As day time was busy and usually after our homeschool, hubby back home and will take over the lap top for his other entertainment such as go on his email and etc. He don't go on any other things while at work such as his personal email, news and etc although he are on computer most of the time at work but only for work.
Wednesday, MS and PS went to Youth centre again which usually they on art and craft session or just chatting and going on various activity around there. It was good environment as most of kids parents is working parents. Most of the kids come straight from school and they either chatting, doing art or going on various activity such as sport, on internet (which got restricted access) or just doing their course work or homework. They also do some cooking there and eat, let say big meal there before going home. It was actually a convenience place but under youth care guidance and it's free as it's belong to council.
Friday between 6pm to 8 pm is junior time which S and As went for to join various activity such as art and craft, sports, cooking activity and etc.
I was a bit sceptical before of what kind of kids, my kids will confront. But, I try to be brave inside me to let go my fear a bit and stress out to my self that there's no way I can keep them with me all the time in the future. I had to let it go bit by bit and teach them along the way. Alhamdulillah, kids that went there is kids with manners and they made all of my kids feel welcome, and not feeling any different or racial tension at all. They all made friends easily and of course some education about our culture and religion will started to come out. The youth worker saying that they will get halal food for my kids cooking lesson, but told PS that I can get them as I want them to be HMC not just halal. I might also going there to give some cooking lesson for Asian food.
At the moment I am waiting to have some informal meeting with couple of other homeschool parents and kids who had teenager kids in North East. Hopefully we can share the value we got and the problem we had to go through even though looks like we the only family who is muslim.
So, it was a busy time on week day, Subhana Allah. Plus all the cooking and cleaning. I had manage to maintain the cooking, cleaning, laundry, alhamdulillah. It was great and be able to actually maintain homeschool as well. We wasn't on schedule homeschool where I know what to teach the next day and etc. But, I am kind of tagging along and do know where kids are with their learning. They also made a record everyday on where they are.
PS had enjoy conquer maths and now on revision for Key stage 3. So, no minds printing for her all this week. MS also did maths from revision workbook. We started to cover a topic that he miss for primary school. When I first started homeschool he did not had a strong foundation in Maths and I had to go back to basic maths to strengthen his maths foundation especially timestable and division which take about a year and a half so to say. So, he is behind in most of other topic such as basic fraction, decimal and meansurement. But, as he is mature more than when he suppose to learn basic of that and because he had strong maths foundation now, it was very easy for him to cover the topic. So, we just did some basc fraction, than moved to adding fraction and some problem with fraction. It seems that not doing the other topic when he should be, not to be worry much although I did worry before.
This is similar with S. As S haven't been long in school such as PS and S, she did had more benefit to advance when she started homeschool. I had also left out mindsprinting for her all this week and we go through workbook she suppose to finish at age 9. There are some topic left out such as basic fraction, money problem, reverse operation and basic measurement and now we going through it and it was easy as she had quiet a lots of works for times table with mindsprinting and other work with mindsprinting had strenghten her basic maths and enable her to understand the problem she cannot do before quiet easily, alhamdulillah. So, quiet a lots of work progress this week, which even though not been record specifically there but we cover a lots from our work book.
S had also work with writing, comprehension and writing poem. MS also do work from workbook cover spelling and grammar. PS cover poem activity and grammar. They all did some other subject. MS finishing off topic for key stage 2 science. He shall started science for Key year 7 , probably a week after next week as I will get him to do some science SATs. They things is, my kids especially MS did not like at all topic such as Big bangs from science point of view. Lots of things that they think contradict what they learn and understand in deen, they do not like it. And I don't think I will push them to learn that in a way of conflicting both topic of science and from islamic point of view but we try to look at it from both side and what science had contradict. Because there are lots of research that actually prove what we learn from quran and hadith. Only for us to know what science contradict with to understand deeply that what Islam says is what true. But, I will leave topic that I think wasting time for them to learn just to gain a knowledge that will contradict too much with Islam such some of topic in history. Usualy kids themselves will opt out of it. Even though my kids are not have much knowledge formally or being teach formally in term of proper islamic knowledge and history, but they will opt out in their own sense that this will not suitable for them and what a waste of time for them to learn. As knowledge that is not useful is a waste.
AS had not done mindsprinting as well and we going through workbook this week. We did some easy work to finish off workbook such as subtraction, addition, world of animal and easy measuring work. Also we did some Islamic studies which cover geography, science and english together. Some day we just so this Iqra book, we are muslim 2 for his Islamic studies as well as English as there are lots of vocab, nouns and writing involved. Also reading. Usually I did some reading about the topic to him and than he will get on with his workbook that come together with the text book. He had been on memorisation programme on imaan star every morning and sometimes night. He don't actually care about what others do. And he will just on with it. He done one surah for this week and getting onwith the next one now. Enjoying it so much without any of my effort. Alhamdulillah. I can hear it as soon as he wake up and now and again during week day. He said that he got new surah that he can says in his prayer now. His step alos follow by MS without my effort. I believe in teaching kids the benefit of the knowledge, and the benefit of the effort and why we should made effort and what kind of effort we should made. And of course for deen, we need to constantly let them know that deen is not just about knowing, so do memorisation of the quran. Memorize now and forget about it later or burn out later is no good. It is important for them to know why they doing it, and to make sure that they feel good about doing it from their own point of view. My kids will not memorise quran because I want to make them hifd or alim. They had to had this responsibility and their own self belief in what they doing. Especially with deen now a days that easily been play up with.
So, as before we just tagging along this week with plenty of work been done, alhamdulillah. Next week we probably looking to join some activity around or taking some fresh air as it is half term for school. Probably look around for a 'homeschool' trip as PS suggest!
I am probably going to try to sit and make a plan for next week this weekend. As house seem fine and we not yet having any phone call of anybody coming. Also I don't intend to go anywhere except probably getting some halal meat to store up as our ration is actually finish. We will have some busy weekend for the next two week, so I think probably getting on with ironing and my new online shop for muslim in UK especially and other part of western country to be done, Insya Allah.
Yes, they go on computer there because it was very limited time used at home plus we now had only 2 lap top that operate as I had put our 2 old desk top down as it's too old and need replacement. As day time was busy and usually after our homeschool, hubby back home and will take over the lap top for his other entertainment such as go on his email and etc. He don't go on any other things while at work such as his personal email, news and etc although he are on computer most of the time at work but only for work.
Wednesday, MS and PS went to Youth centre again which usually they on art and craft session or just chatting and going on various activity around there. It was good environment as most of kids parents is working parents. Most of the kids come straight from school and they either chatting, doing art or going on various activity such as sport, on internet (which got restricted access) or just doing their course work or homework. They also do some cooking there and eat, let say big meal there before going home. It was actually a convenience place but under youth care guidance and it's free as it's belong to council.
Friday between 6pm to 8 pm is junior time which S and As went for to join various activity such as art and craft, sports, cooking activity and etc.
I was a bit sceptical before of what kind of kids, my kids will confront. But, I try to be brave inside me to let go my fear a bit and stress out to my self that there's no way I can keep them with me all the time in the future. I had to let it go bit by bit and teach them along the way. Alhamdulillah, kids that went there is kids with manners and they made all of my kids feel welcome, and not feeling any different or racial tension at all. They all made friends easily and of course some education about our culture and religion will started to come out. The youth worker saying that they will get halal food for my kids cooking lesson, but told PS that I can get them as I want them to be HMC not just halal. I might also going there to give some cooking lesson for Asian food.
At the moment I am waiting to have some informal meeting with couple of other homeschool parents and kids who had teenager kids in North East. Hopefully we can share the value we got and the problem we had to go through even though looks like we the only family who is muslim.
So, it was a busy time on week day, Subhana Allah. Plus all the cooking and cleaning. I had manage to maintain the cooking, cleaning, laundry, alhamdulillah. It was great and be able to actually maintain homeschool as well. We wasn't on schedule homeschool where I know what to teach the next day and etc. But, I am kind of tagging along and do know where kids are with their learning. They also made a record everyday on where they are.
PS had enjoy conquer maths and now on revision for Key stage 3. So, no minds printing for her all this week. MS also did maths from revision workbook. We started to cover a topic that he miss for primary school. When I first started homeschool he did not had a strong foundation in Maths and I had to go back to basic maths to strengthen his maths foundation especially timestable and division which take about a year and a half so to say. So, he is behind in most of other topic such as basic fraction, decimal and meansurement. But, as he is mature more than when he suppose to learn basic of that and because he had strong maths foundation now, it was very easy for him to cover the topic. So, we just did some basc fraction, than moved to adding fraction and some problem with fraction. It seems that not doing the other topic when he should be, not to be worry much although I did worry before.
This is similar with S. As S haven't been long in school such as PS and S, she did had more benefit to advance when she started homeschool. I had also left out mindsprinting for her all this week and we go through workbook she suppose to finish at age 9. There are some topic left out such as basic fraction, money problem, reverse operation and basic measurement and now we going through it and it was easy as she had quiet a lots of works for times table with mindsprinting and other work with mindsprinting had strenghten her basic maths and enable her to understand the problem she cannot do before quiet easily, alhamdulillah. So, quiet a lots of work progress this week, which even though not been record specifically there but we cover a lots from our work book.
S had also work with writing, comprehension and writing poem. MS also do work from workbook cover spelling and grammar. PS cover poem activity and grammar. They all did some other subject. MS finishing off topic for key stage 2 science. He shall started science for Key year 7 , probably a week after next week as I will get him to do some science SATs. They things is, my kids especially MS did not like at all topic such as Big bangs from science point of view. Lots of things that they think contradict what they learn and understand in deen, they do not like it. And I don't think I will push them to learn that in a way of conflicting both topic of science and from islamic point of view but we try to look at it from both side and what science had contradict. Because there are lots of research that actually prove what we learn from quran and hadith. Only for us to know what science contradict with to understand deeply that what Islam says is what true. But, I will leave topic that I think wasting time for them to learn just to gain a knowledge that will contradict too much with Islam such some of topic in history. Usualy kids themselves will opt out of it. Even though my kids are not have much knowledge formally or being teach formally in term of proper islamic knowledge and history, but they will opt out in their own sense that this will not suitable for them and what a waste of time for them to learn. As knowledge that is not useful is a waste.
AS had not done mindsprinting as well and we going through workbook this week. We did some easy work to finish off workbook such as subtraction, addition, world of animal and easy measuring work. Also we did some Islamic studies which cover geography, science and english together. Some day we just so this Iqra book, we are muslim 2 for his Islamic studies as well as English as there are lots of vocab, nouns and writing involved. Also reading. Usually I did some reading about the topic to him and than he will get on with his workbook that come together with the text book. He had been on memorisation programme on imaan star every morning and sometimes night. He don't actually care about what others do. And he will just on with it. He done one surah for this week and getting onwith the next one now. Enjoying it so much without any of my effort. Alhamdulillah. I can hear it as soon as he wake up and now and again during week day. He said that he got new surah that he can says in his prayer now. His step alos follow by MS without my effort. I believe in teaching kids the benefit of the knowledge, and the benefit of the effort and why we should made effort and what kind of effort we should made. And of course for deen, we need to constantly let them know that deen is not just about knowing, so do memorisation of the quran. Memorize now and forget about it later or burn out later is no good. It is important for them to know why they doing it, and to make sure that they feel good about doing it from their own point of view. My kids will not memorise quran because I want to make them hifd or alim. They had to had this responsibility and their own self belief in what they doing. Especially with deen now a days that easily been play up with.
So, as before we just tagging along this week with plenty of work been done, alhamdulillah. Next week we probably looking to join some activity around or taking some fresh air as it is half term for school. Probably look around for a 'homeschool' trip as PS suggest!
I am probably going to try to sit and make a plan for next week this weekend. As house seem fine and we not yet having any phone call of anybody coming. Also I don't intend to go anywhere except probably getting some halal meat to store up as our ration is actually finish. We will have some busy weekend for the next two week, so I think probably getting on with ironing and my new online shop for muslim in UK especially and other part of western country to be done, Insya Allah.
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Here and there
Our learning is not really in order. Although manage to get on with whatever we can.
PS as usual on mindsprinting and conquear maths. And also on other subject as History, Geography and Science. Nothing much interesting except just about getting on with what needed in the topic.
As usual in winter we concentrate a lots on workbook and worksheet. So, everybody got plenty of mindspriting and other worksheet. I am also on one months subscribtion for edplace English for secondary. Looks ok to me, not so bad. Just plenty more practise with English and hope for PS and MS to do lots of writing to imrpove. PS is not bad, just MS need lots of training and exercise for it.
S getting on with her times table with mindsprinting as usual. Quiet a hard time now and again but that's how it's going to be for her at the moment. So, she did one or two day mindsprinting and skip one day and do other worksheet or workbook for maths before get back with times table on mindsprinting.
I am still not satisfied with our learning in a way, but life goes on, I bet. I just learn to accept that there are a time..well, plenty of them for me, where we just had to get on with unstructure learning. What important is there are imrpovement to be seen.
The best learning we did at time like this is talking to each other. Asking and answering question. Now, usually after work, while hubby sitting in front of lap top after ,jumaah prayer, lunch and resting, he will start asking kids question while everybody gather in one room. Last Friday hubby suddently take over the lesson for one hour and teach PS and MS on practical Maths. It's like asking verbally the word or life problem with Maths and get them to find the answer. Being in engineer, of course it was his favourate subject when he asking kids question. Also subject like ' How this things works?' or 'what should we do to make this or that'.
So, I am more on teaching and being with kids on workbook, worksheet and did other practical things with homeswchool tools. But, hubby is more into verbally and practical in term of Maths, design and technology and science. Also presentation. So, we kind of share our different way of teaching which hopefully benefit the kids.
The only thing is hubby need me to prepare things if I want him to teach. Well, he didn't say to me to prepare things, but he says that we will do this and that, such as design something or make something practically, but he need to sit and prepare for that...or me had to, other wise it won't happen...:)
So, overall we are on learnign track everyday. Only some day is less and some day is more.
PS as usual on mindsprinting and conquear maths. And also on other subject as History, Geography and Science. Nothing much interesting except just about getting on with what needed in the topic.
As usual in winter we concentrate a lots on workbook and worksheet. So, everybody got plenty of mindspriting and other worksheet. I am also on one months subscribtion for edplace English for secondary. Looks ok to me, not so bad. Just plenty more practise with English and hope for PS and MS to do lots of writing to imrpove. PS is not bad, just MS need lots of training and exercise for it.
S getting on with her times table with mindsprinting as usual. Quiet a hard time now and again but that's how it's going to be for her at the moment. So, she did one or two day mindsprinting and skip one day and do other worksheet or workbook for maths before get back with times table on mindsprinting.
I am still not satisfied with our learning in a way, but life goes on, I bet. I just learn to accept that there are a time..well, plenty of them for me, where we just had to get on with unstructure learning. What important is there are imrpovement to be seen.
The best learning we did at time like this is talking to each other. Asking and answering question. Now, usually after work, while hubby sitting in front of lap top after ,jumaah prayer, lunch and resting, he will start asking kids question while everybody gather in one room. Last Friday hubby suddently take over the lesson for one hour and teach PS and MS on practical Maths. It's like asking verbally the word or life problem with Maths and get them to find the answer. Being in engineer, of course it was his favourate subject when he asking kids question. Also subject like ' How this things works?' or 'what should we do to make this or that'.
So, I am more on teaching and being with kids on workbook, worksheet and did other practical things with homeswchool tools. But, hubby is more into verbally and practical in term of Maths, design and technology and science. Also presentation. So, we kind of share our different way of teaching which hopefully benefit the kids.
The only thing is hubby need me to prepare things if I want him to teach. Well, he didn't say to me to prepare things, but he says that we will do this and that, such as design something or make something practically, but he need to sit and prepare for that...or me had to, other wise it won't happen...:)
So, overall we are on learnign track everyday. Only some day is less and some day is more.
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Learning review
What we been learn all these time?
AS:
Getting on with adding. Adding thousand and hundreds thousand and also regrouping and no regrouping. Now is on rewrite horizontal adding to vertical adding. Also started on times table from workbook. He did not memorise timetable but from experience I got from MS and now S, just to get them do times table even if they write down time table and get the answer from there. Just not from calculator. AS is doing times table by using times table 'table' for the answer. I don't mind at all because after hundreds and thousand times table they will do along the way, they 'accidentally' memorise it without they realising it!! And that is like a magic to them. They only thing is they will whinge along the way as they will have to do hundreds and thousand of the timetable but is suddenly we ask what time what is what, they just 'accidentally' answer from their mind. (this is what happen to MS and S and make them laugh to themselves and realise the reward).
English is on mindsprinting worksheet also workbook. Also did some writing stories and lots of reading as usual. Yesterday he did some colouring and also reading and comprehension about volcano.
S:
Will be still on times table in mindsprinting. She did some maths from workbook as a break from mindsprinting times table. And now back on mindsprinting times table.
Did English from workbook and yesterday I started to print out form ed helper which she did about fact and opinion. Also done lots of comprehension from mindspriting and lots of reading a usual.
Yesterday she did learn about volcano also form ed helper and today will be the same. She had been doing science and history before. History from Galore Park book.
Islamic studies had been on ad duha, alos on iqra foundation with MS which topic now on Zakah. Also doing lots of revision on prayer supplication on her own and with MS as she's now 10. She also had look after her prayer on her own account and pretty much responsible on it by her self as she says that she don't want to get smack.
So, alhamdulillah, seems the magic wand had workout well as soon as they reach ten. She not been told to pray between 7 and before 10. And with reading the hadith of benefit of prayer form fazail amal and also the torment from hell fire of neglecting salat, automatically create their responsibility and create the zeal of looking after their prayer.
The tips is to teach them to pray but I didn't actually pray together with them on every prayer unless hubby is at home and we pray in jamaah as we don't have local masjeed nearby. It is very important for us to look after our prayer and to get the kids every time to stay with us with prayer when they small at this time of the fitnah age can lead to easily burn out later. We pray together when hubby at home and they all did, but I am not waking them up for fajr unless in ramadhan before they reach 10 and sometimes they do miss some prayer here and there and I am not that bother. But, very important to sit and read from the hadith especially the hadith with the benefit of amal which automatically motivate them.
MS will always pray jamaah together with AS at home if hubby not at home as it's important for boys to learn that they need to pray in jamaah where azan is being call. As we are far away from the local masjeed, usually MS will azan for zohr, asr, magrib and insya prayer as the azan in the masjeed. alhamdulillah his azan now had improve a lots since hubby emphasize on that nearly two years now. He also don't mind doing azan while we had guest at home when it's time. So, it's also had build up his confident on that. Hubby can do very nice azan and now it's MS turn. Hubby's dad is local imam in his hometown in Malaysia and so do my grandfather on my dad side. Hubby also always been imam anywhere he went and also had been an imam for jumaah khutbah probably more than a hundred time.
MS:
On math he is on 'area'/perimeter topic at the moment. Before he had been on temperature as well as finishing of advance topic on 'time' and calendar such as world time and problem.
English he had been doing from CGP workbook and also ed helper. With all sort of topic of grammar and comprehension. He need to build up his writing skill a lots and I am looking to find a way that suitable for him.
Also did on volcano topic from ed helper form geography. History with galore park book.
Also on ad duha and iqra foundation workbook with zakah topic at the moment.
PS:
Is getting on well on all revision topic on key stage 3 at the moment from conquer maths. Also on mindsprinting worksheet as well. She getting well on maths and I do hope that we been able to finish all topic for GCSE by end of this year and revision for couple month and will register her for GCSE maths on July 2011 exam, Insya Allah. Not sure about other subject yet, but Maths will be definitely by looking at it and probably trial on English as it will be IGCSE English and also ICT. She should be able to take science by that time or may be we bring that forward for Nov exam to take the stress out plus she's only in year 10 this September which usually GCSE been taken at 16 although some school started early for half of subject now in year 10.
She is yet to decide weather she will take child development or not and I am not so much worry to decide at last minute as she probably need just a year to complete that. She wanted to take product design but I am not sure about this as this course will acquired course work. So, I put that aside for a while.
I had register all kids to get involved with local kids in children club. I was keep thinking about his and I think it's about time. S and As had been to junior club lst Friday. Only two of them for 2 hours. They are the only muslim and asian and alhamdulillah had getting on well with other kids. I was really wanted to do this as I think it's a need for the kids to interact with other kids especially local non muslim. We had been learning too much islamic studies and about non believer and it can easily create a distance between us and local non muslim which is no good. We need to interact but not follow their way and kids need to learn this now before it's too late. Keeping them too far from outsider will not be good for their future.
MS and PS had started on Monday with art class. MS make friends and will go again today with senior club just to play sport there or chat with other kids his age. He was not so confident before and keep thinking how this non muslim kids will be. But all kids that go to youth centre is a good kids and been getting involve in lots of good activities under youth worker. So, he was happy after first session. PS had found out about girls club and will start join them on Monday from 6pm to 8 pm. It's a good start for them and my local HE which is mostly non muslim or probably all of them, is started HE teen group and we ow looking for our first meeting to set up activities for our Teens. One of activities that we looking for is a Duke of Edinburgh which involving surviving skill which I love my kids to join. We will hopefully also discuss on to get a tutor for some subject and share the course which I probably need is for English subject for secondary.
So, a lots had been going on around and had gone quiet well despite my busyness. Feel like still need to keep my head straight into proper homeschool schedule as in early Dec that had happen but not just yet. Just too much going on here and there with this cold weather winter and winter blues that come and go....
AS:
Getting on with adding. Adding thousand and hundreds thousand and also regrouping and no regrouping. Now is on rewrite horizontal adding to vertical adding. Also started on times table from workbook. He did not memorise timetable but from experience I got from MS and now S, just to get them do times table even if they write down time table and get the answer from there. Just not from calculator. AS is doing times table by using times table 'table' for the answer. I don't mind at all because after hundreds and thousand times table they will do along the way, they 'accidentally' memorise it without they realising it!! And that is like a magic to them. They only thing is they will whinge along the way as they will have to do hundreds and thousand of the timetable but is suddenly we ask what time what is what, they just 'accidentally' answer from their mind. (this is what happen to MS and S and make them laugh to themselves and realise the reward).
English is on mindsprinting worksheet also workbook. Also did some writing stories and lots of reading as usual. Yesterday he did some colouring and also reading and comprehension about volcano.
S:
Will be still on times table in mindsprinting. She did some maths from workbook as a break from mindsprinting times table. And now back on mindsprinting times table.
Did English from workbook and yesterday I started to print out form ed helper which she did about fact and opinion. Also done lots of comprehension from mindspriting and lots of reading a usual.
Yesterday she did learn about volcano also form ed helper and today will be the same. She had been doing science and history before. History from Galore Park book.
Islamic studies had been on ad duha, alos on iqra foundation with MS which topic now on Zakah. Also doing lots of revision on prayer supplication on her own and with MS as she's now 10. She also had look after her prayer on her own account and pretty much responsible on it by her self as she says that she don't want to get smack.
So, alhamdulillah, seems the magic wand had workout well as soon as they reach ten. She not been told to pray between 7 and before 10. And with reading the hadith of benefit of prayer form fazail amal and also the torment from hell fire of neglecting salat, automatically create their responsibility and create the zeal of looking after their prayer.
The tips is to teach them to pray but I didn't actually pray together with them on every prayer unless hubby is at home and we pray in jamaah as we don't have local masjeed nearby. It is very important for us to look after our prayer and to get the kids every time to stay with us with prayer when they small at this time of the fitnah age can lead to easily burn out later. We pray together when hubby at home and they all did, but I am not waking them up for fajr unless in ramadhan before they reach 10 and sometimes they do miss some prayer here and there and I am not that bother. But, very important to sit and read from the hadith especially the hadith with the benefit of amal which automatically motivate them.
MS will always pray jamaah together with AS at home if hubby not at home as it's important for boys to learn that they need to pray in jamaah where azan is being call. As we are far away from the local masjeed, usually MS will azan for zohr, asr, magrib and insya prayer as the azan in the masjeed. alhamdulillah his azan now had improve a lots since hubby emphasize on that nearly two years now. He also don't mind doing azan while we had guest at home when it's time. So, it's also had build up his confident on that. Hubby can do very nice azan and now it's MS turn. Hubby's dad is local imam in his hometown in Malaysia and so do my grandfather on my dad side. Hubby also always been imam anywhere he went and also had been an imam for jumaah khutbah probably more than a hundred time.
MS:
On math he is on 'area'/perimeter topic at the moment. Before he had been on temperature as well as finishing of advance topic on 'time' and calendar such as world time and problem.
English he had been doing from CGP workbook and also ed helper. With all sort of topic of grammar and comprehension. He need to build up his writing skill a lots and I am looking to find a way that suitable for him.
Also did on volcano topic from ed helper form geography. History with galore park book.
Also on ad duha and iqra foundation workbook with zakah topic at the moment.
PS:
Is getting on well on all revision topic on key stage 3 at the moment from conquer maths. Also on mindsprinting worksheet as well. She getting well on maths and I do hope that we been able to finish all topic for GCSE by end of this year and revision for couple month and will register her for GCSE maths on July 2011 exam, Insya Allah. Not sure about other subject yet, but Maths will be definitely by looking at it and probably trial on English as it will be IGCSE English and also ICT. She should be able to take science by that time or may be we bring that forward for Nov exam to take the stress out plus she's only in year 10 this September which usually GCSE been taken at 16 although some school started early for half of subject now in year 10.
She is yet to decide weather she will take child development or not and I am not so much worry to decide at last minute as she probably need just a year to complete that. She wanted to take product design but I am not sure about this as this course will acquired course work. So, I put that aside for a while.
I had register all kids to get involved with local kids in children club. I was keep thinking about his and I think it's about time. S and As had been to junior club lst Friday. Only two of them for 2 hours. They are the only muslim and asian and alhamdulillah had getting on well with other kids. I was really wanted to do this as I think it's a need for the kids to interact with other kids especially local non muslim. We had been learning too much islamic studies and about non believer and it can easily create a distance between us and local non muslim which is no good. We need to interact but not follow their way and kids need to learn this now before it's too late. Keeping them too far from outsider will not be good for their future.
MS and PS had started on Monday with art class. MS make friends and will go again today with senior club just to play sport there or chat with other kids his age. He was not so confident before and keep thinking how this non muslim kids will be. But all kids that go to youth centre is a good kids and been getting involve in lots of good activities under youth worker. So, he was happy after first session. PS had found out about girls club and will start join them on Monday from 6pm to 8 pm. It's a good start for them and my local HE which is mostly non muslim or probably all of them, is started HE teen group and we ow looking for our first meeting to set up activities for our Teens. One of activities that we looking for is a Duke of Edinburgh which involving surviving skill which I love my kids to join. We will hopefully also discuss on to get a tutor for some subject and share the course which I probably need is for English subject for secondary.
So, a lots had been going on around and had gone quiet well despite my busyness. Feel like still need to keep my head straight into proper homeschool schedule as in early Dec that had happen but not just yet. Just too much going on here and there with this cold weather winter and winter blues that come and go....
Thursday, 28 January 2010
A quickie
Just a quick post. A picture shown PS ICT class with ehr sibling. She is a pro in ICT , so to say and I let her to teach her siblings. She love it sooo much and she do have a big massive talent in teaching and make them understand and firm. She can also make her there sibling listen to her at the same time!!
That picture is on her first class. She did couple of class now. She make a preparation before and organize everything in order!! Better than me actually.
So, it's brushing her skill in working with children.
PS enjoying her conquer maths as I am now going to take for MS and S as well. But, we still on mindsprinting even though they do not enjoy it too much at some point as US curriculum is quiet hard and deeper. But, that's what I think they need as that's how I learn and that's how make me who I am. Some of the things is OK to be fun and light but not on all.
I know that I didn't make records on here which I should, and hopefully I can sometimes. We had been doing motivation class lately and I am also started to do Islam and Citizenship which is aimly for muslim kids who live in UK. It was a good brief of lesson and we just did second lesson today. I was aim to do this lesson more and go through it as much as I can and we alos will do motivation class probably once a week. It's a need when kids get bigger and alos for me. For them to see a big picture and keep motivated and focus in learning.
Alhamdulillah, house are all tidy, in order and sustain and I hope can continue to do so..
Thursday, 14 January 2010
Above: PS work. This is just recently this week. This had been done as part of workbook she learning from. She love doing all this type of learning and usually do this on her own account and learning, not from my plan and teaching. She work pretty much independently on her own now. She made her own schedule and lesson plan and know what next and she also know when she need more resource and etc. This way she can see where she's going on her study and learn to make target. I was pretty much motivated when I was homeschool, I got my own target and know where I am going. I got no help at all from my parents accept provided me with resource and it's all up to me. I got no tutor, no teacher and no other who actually think someone can take exam especially in Malaysia at that time by only learning on her own, but Alhadmulillah, I made it all the way with 9 subject I needed to take and acheive the result where allowed me to futher my study to Uni but I ended up married! Allah know best. At the end of the day, this is why for me, at PS age, I don't actually sit an teach her the subject. But, I support her and give her resource and open her mind and give her the choice. At the end of the day, it's her choice. She can think and she got her target, dream and aim. I cannot make it happen in whatever circumstances. She need to stand on her own choice now and this is what we talk about and what I teach her from time to time. Sh reach the time, where she no need my push. She can think and she need to start to motivate her self more than before. And when the time past, we cannot turn back and regret is not a choice for me. It's not worth regret something is we actually been given the choice. She need to stand on her self more like I did except she got plenty support from us , parents. She is very good in finding resource and organising and planning. Her weakness is at the moment, she still need to push a lots and this is when I gone crazy sometimes. But, i deal with it by sit and talk to her face to face. Open her eyes of what I had spend and gave her, all the choice she got and it's up to her to moved it more. At teenage time, I know that sometimes they forgot about others surrounding them and think only their own emotion and feeling. They usually forgot what other had done for them. So, to sit and have a chat from time to time to wake her up is what I did. And of course it's always a change after and tears. But, it's all good. Nothing easy when bringing up teenage. Girl ad boy need to be approach in different way. Sometimes they need to be tell of, whinge, but they also need a space. They still confuse and think they are big and grown up but at the same time they act like small kids. It is enjoyable in a way to see all this and try to cope. Especially I got one girl and one boy on pre teenage age. They both need totally different approach, Subhana Allah. It was like playing a games sometimes. And as a parents we just have to be quick and observant and to be there at the right time they needed us. Especially at this time of fitnah, we can't keep them and hide from everything we scared off, because life now is too open. We can't open them up too much as well because they not strong enough yet to make their own decision. They not same like us even though we used to be teen once. Even though they had our behaviour. Everything is just different. We had to catch with all the technology and we can't keep things out from their face as one day they will certainly go out and about. They will get married and live their own life. To get the right balance is so important, and I am trying and trying and tyring..
Above: AS work.
Above: One of unplanned and self learning from AS. If I am to ask him to do this, he won't. So, things like this I quickly capture as this is not in my lesson plan. Paper and writing story and document like this been made on his own time most of the time. He write better when I don't ask him to. Lots os Ialamic vocab comes from islamic studies we been doing, alhamdulillah and the understanding is from what we been talking about time to time.
Above: AS maths, he's now advance on three and four digit and mix regroup and not regroup.
Above: S maths. She will stay on this probably for at least two months.
Above and bottom: As favourate reading book borrow from library. He manage to finish the whole set of this from our local library and enjoy it very much.
Above and bottom: One of tings AS make in his break time during our homeschool routine. When he making this, I didn't actually realise what he is making as I was busy on other things and other kids were busy on their work. He like to make something like this but not all the time. so, usually I didn't sit and make things like this with him. It's usually come out when he feel like it and from his own ideas. Unfortunately when I try to sit and ask him to make something like this, he might run miles away!
Above: AS making aquarium him self while I a busy on other things and other kids busy on their works. This is not on my shedule or planner. But, this is what AS sometimes depends on his mood during his break time in our homeschooling. Sometimes I shoo him to go to another room as he keep talking and distrub others. But, he don't want it , so this is how he always ended up. Making something on his own and using whatever he can find himself.
Above and Bottom: S wanted to make cookies her self. This is happening about two months ago actually.
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