Review 2013: Memulakan homeschooling

  Alhamdulillah hampir berlalu setahun tempoh percubaan homeschooling anak-anak secara sepenuh masa.. Ia proses pembelajaran yang sangat banyak untuk kami seisi keluarga. Antara yg dapat dipelajari mengenai proses homeschooling ini :

1. Tetapkan misi/objektif yg jelas-5-10 tahun (study pathway), tahunan, bulanan, mingguan etc. Sentiasa review objektif ini dgn pasangan & anak. Mesti realistik yang anak-anak adalah ' our biggest stakeholder' (dah macam ayat dato' presiden rasanya!)

2. Pilih method yg sesuai digunakan-contoh: school-at-home untuk ibubapa yang suka proses yg teratur & mimic sekolah tetapi di rumah, montessori untuk anak2 kecil, unschooling untuk pendidikan yg lebih practical & kurang strict dan banyak lagi model-model pendidikan. Jika tidak tahu, mulakan dengan apa yang ada di depan mata dahulu.

3. Pilih bahan dan resources yg sesuai dgn gaya pembelajaran setiap anak& kemampuan ibubapa mengikut objektif yg telah ditetapkan. Tidak semestinya disediakan di awal proses. Ia akan berterusan dan semakin lama pasti semakin banyak. Di sinilah keperluan adanya objektif yang jelas, perlu KIV jika bahan yg ditemui baik tetapi tidak selari dengan objektif.

4. Sediakan jadual,planner, checklist,MTP atau apa-apa sahaja yg boleh menjadi rujukan oleh sesiapa secara cepat apabila diperlukan & apabila ter'carried away' dgn kehidupan yg sibuk. Juga utk beri semangat ketika diperlukan :)

5. Bear in mind that homeschooling is lifeschooling. Every life event is learning, so be flexible & reserve little regret if we don't achieve our set target. They'll surely be something kids and parents have learnt. Review and make it better from time to time.

6. Have faith that if anything happen, there must be a lesson from Allah. Learn, learn & keep learning :)

Antara persediaan yang kami perlukan sepanjang tahun:

1. Office- ruang untuk berfikir, merancang, menyimpan peralatan (PC, printer,file, paper supply, laminating machine, cutter, puncher etc.) selamat dari anak-anak kecil.

2. Mini Classroom-whiteboard, meja, alatulis,TV with DVD player, bahan bantu mengajar dll....untuk activity school-at-home & menyimpan peralatan belajar/bermain/learning tools. Tidak dinafikan, kadang-kadang anak-anak mahu merasa seperti bersekolah juga. :)

3. Learning & activity facilities yang dapat digunakan secara rutin- seluruh rumah, padang, playground, swimming pool,  perpustakaan,masjid yg sesuai etc.

4. Social & educational events to attend.

Senarai di atas adalah secara umum, pastinya realiti yang berlaku berubah-berubah mengikut keadaan semasa. Contohnya, selama 2-3 bulan anak-anak melalui proses radical unschooling, classroom tidak digunakan langsung kerana umminya tidak sihat. Di sinilah pentingnya objektif supaya tidak lari dari 'bottom-line' target....seperti mengaji & latihan membaca.

Masih terlalu banyak yang perlu dipertingkatkan...namun bersama setiap bebanan yg bertambah itu, dapat saya rasakan terlalu banyak juga pertolongan & petunjuk yg Allah berikan. Alhamdulillah syukur ditemukan dengan insan-insan yang sentiasa positif dan proaktif dlm arena pendidikan.

Doakan semoga segala urusan semakin dipermudahkan dan rezeki ilmu buat kita semua semakin bertambah untuk tahun 2014 dan seterusnya.

Rabbi Yassir Wala Tu'assir

MICF educators' conference

Segala puji-pujian bagi Allah,dengan aturanNya akhirnya dapat juga rezeki mengikuti MICF conference ni. Sudah berminggu-minggu memikirkan budget yg x mengizinkan utk register, so really leave my case to Allah tanpa berhenti berharap...akhirnya Allah Maha Kuasa. Syukur & sangat berterima kasih kepada rakan-rakan fb & organizer MICF for the ticket.

Educators' Conference telah berlangsung pada Jumaat,22 Nov 2013 di SACC, Shah Alam. Berikut dicatatkan serba ringkas nota personal dari conference ini:

Keynote Speaker :Transforming Today's Children Into World Leaders
By Dr. Rozieta Shaary

• What is said around a child will be his rooted belief- be careful of negative statements, focus on positive qualities
• teach kids to add value to the world, not only receiving
• Success spirals:  positive emotions --endorphins released---->brain power ---->success--gratefulness--->increased self-esteem---->more positive emotions
• Mengapa ibubapa lebih garang/tegas dgn anak sendiri? Because we have fear when our own children are at stake.
• What you give tochildren is what you get back.
• Anak tidak akan jadi hebat jika orang dewasa sentiasa meragui kehebatannya.
• Everyone enter this world with a mission. Find what is it (purpose of life). Why this child is given to me?
• Allah tidak membebankan apa yang kita tidak mampu. Yakinlah.

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Forum : Publishing books for Muslim Children: Bridging the gap

 Pn. Zaliza Alias, Genius Aulad
Pn.Maizurah Hamzah,SuperZickr
Mr. Ahmad Redha, International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY)

• Books are not only for early readers
• Islamic books are being secularised & segregated, while christian-based books are being generalised,unclassified & widely accepted & distributed.
• Books are window to the world & a mirror to a child.
• Everything written/illustrated in the books must have children as their utmost priority
• Reading books to children-must be engaging & provide means of communication between children & parents/educators 
• Should parents write children books? Parents understand children interest, but may not be profitable to publish. Most publishers target books that can be supplied to schools/institution for profits.  
• e-books vs printed books- the mechanics of reading a physical books are still very much appreciated
• Must fulfill children's learning styles ( visual, kinesthetic, audio)
• visit IBBY for updates on children books industry around the world.

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Educating the Generation of Information
Pn. Hjh Sabariah Faridah, Little Caliph International

• 2 hours of screentime each day is enough for children aged 6 & below
• Our children are digital natives -they are digital first language
• Parents/teachers/educators are digital immigrants- have to learnto speak using digital language
• DFL kids at home :
• 24% have 5 or more tv in a house
• 63% said tv is watched during mealtime
• Average 6.5 hours/day spent multitasking between electronics devices & media
• Effects on  students:
• assignment takes longer to complete
• mental fatigue
• impaired attention
• Impact on learning from long wordy text:
• Difficulty in focusing attention
• Difficulty in organizing thought & looking for relationships between info.
• Cannot visualize & having trouble putting thinking into language
• Does not work well independently w/o immediate feedback.
• In South Korea : digital obesity- too much time on the internet & digital services
• Solution :
• Download the best apps & the right software to aid learning.
• Set clear rules on digital activities
• Those who watch more than 3 hours of tv, video, DVDs per day have higher chances of conduct problems, emotional symptoms & relationship problems by 7yo compared to children who did not.
• Positive side of gamers:
• able to analyze complex situations
• very sophisticated thinking 
• more ready to take new risk
• motivated

Education in 21st Century

Australia

• education has gone beyond classroom wall

• introduce cyberethics 2 years before applying digital technologies in teaching/learning

Malaysian schooling system:

• 75% teachers using left-brain techniques
• 85% of students are right brain learners
• teachers as the key source of information
• very confusing school system!

Objectives :  to produce

• creative problem solver
• better communicator
• lifelong learner
• engage to teaching-learning  
• all must be based on tauheed- strong foundation
• blended learning teachingstyle

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Forum: technology as learning Tools  for Muslim Children

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Forum :Challenges & changes required in educating special needs children in Malaysia

• Special needs education is still largely undermined, insufficient attention given
• Special education is not widely available, especially to non-educated parents/rural area
• Teachers in special needs are not recognized similar to teachers in mainstream education system.
• Emphasize too much on LINUS rather than developing holistic potential of students with special needs

What to do :
Mr.Tuah Johari Atan's experience...

• help the 'normal' to understand those with special needs -was put in the last class due to his disabilities although he could read english well. 
• persevere & focus on giving/ teaching/helping others instead of expecting help/receiving-   He taught his classmates until succeed.  
• must have self-confidence & willingness to succeed more than the normals : stayed in hostel since 8yo to ease going to school.

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Terima kasih & tahniah buat abah yang sanggup menjaga anak-anak beraktiviti di booth-booth MICF & creative corner sepanjang hari semasa ummi berconference. Kata-kata seorang agen insurans yang memperhatikan mereka berkeliaran di exhibition hall sepanjang hari "Sanggup ye abang jaga semua anak-anak kecik dari pagi!"kepada saya sebelum balik menjelang maghrib sangat 'touching'!Anak-anak mmglah enjoy sampai xcukup seharian nak datang lagi...haha...abahnya yg macam nak tercabut kaki.

Semoga dapat diamalkan & ada manfaatnya, insyaaAllah.

Raising our children with the book of Allah

Below are some of the notes taken from the lectures of International Education & Islamic Parenting conference 2013 organized by Brainy Bunch on 23rd nov 2013 at PICC. Alhamdulillah...after taking some time sorting out all  children at the daycare (so thankful they have this for FREE, or else I couldn't imagine handling all 6 by myself) & finally managed to have my 'me time' at the comfort seat of the huge plenary  hall (yes, main reason I love seminars & conference! They are like SPAs to me).

First lecture by Ustazah Isfadiah-

1. (I missed her first point...need help from early comers)

2. Building Emotional Attachment (especially in early years)

• Make them fall in love with us
• Build trust
• Concern & care
• Physical touch - Rasul saw been reported to touch sahabah before make prayer/ give advice.
• Make Du'a - e.g.Rasul saw make dua twice for Ibnu Abbas, Prophet Ibrahim' dua
• Playing & joking with them -  refer hadith on Rasul saw & his grandsons, Him & child with dead bird
• Provide gifts & rewards accordingly
• Sooth them when they are in grieves
• Appreciate their good & kindness
• Encourage them in doing good deeds.

Generation gap - only an excuse for adults who fail to have emotional attachment,
non-existance in the time of Rasul saw, he mixed around with much younger sahabahs equally & treated them with respect.

3. Building the aqidah block

• Can successfully be built on top of love & trust.
• Manifest your love to Allah & Prophet saw by :
• always talk about Prophet saw in everything
• always live the way of Rasul saw
• always pray & talkabout Allah

PARENTS MUST START WITH OURSELVES!

4. Teaching them worship (Ibadah)

• Strong foundation to aqidah
• 3 methods to start before age of puberty:
• train them (in fun & enjoy to perform ibaadah)
• create the ibaadah culture by doing it repeatedly
• Parents as the centre of attraction to ibaadah (main role model)

refer hadith by Jabir Ibn Sumrah ( I couldn't forget the smell of his hand- when rasul saw touched his cheek after prayer)

5. Teaching them morals

• practising the sunnah of the prophets saw
• practising love & rahmah in the family
• respect parents & elders
• GUIDE them to be independent (NOT leaving them alone & condemning them whenthey make mistakes)

6. Teaching them sexual education

-Inside the house:

• the role of parent ( don't let tv/media takeover)
• through solat- different saf for male/female,concept of aurah, protecting the gaze, respect different gender
• Bedroom-ask permission before Fajr, Zuhur & after Isya'.
• express the emotion of shyness/haya' - rasul saw is indeed a shy person 
• lowering the gaze on everything that is haraam (tv,newspapers,aurah, guests & visitors)

-Outside the household

• manage the gazes- show them what to see & what not
• avoid chatting & gossiping

7. Teaching them to socialize

• Parents should guide children on :
• building self-confidence appropriately
• choosing the right social character
• choosing the right environment for children
• Include interaction with non-muslims -refer hadith Rasul saw asked Anas bin Malik to join him visiting a sick jewish boy.

Then,ustazah went on to discuss the most successful education system in the world- FINLAND

• Children do not start schooling until seven -around years of mumayyiz inIslam, when kids are able to choose good or bad on their own.
• Children are not measured at all for their 1st 6 years -focus only to connect with the world
• All children,clever or not arenot differentiated / taught in the same class- allow for care & helping each other
• Teachers spend only 4 hours in classroom- allow social interaction & free-play (HS note- inline with Charlotte-Mason)

(cross note from MICF Parenting conference- if parents are able to homepreschool, it is preferable to delay schooling until 7yo, and let preschool remain as PRE-school)

Philosophy of Finland education

• Finland respect each child uniquness & needs
• Guide children in the development of social & interactive skills
• Encourage children to pay attention to each other (by allowing positive socialization)

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Our Children & Digital technology
by Mufti Ismail Menk

• Digital technologies come with amaanah for parents. 
• It is wrong to prevent child to use the technology,BUT they must be guided closely
• Parents should show examples of good usage of digital technologies
•  when not to use,
• priorotize physical communication with spouse over digital.
• time management

Was a bit frustrated that his most-awaited lecture was shortened & I was following the lecture from the daycare, but alhamdulillah...it is an enlightment of the big issue we face with children nowadays.

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Representative from Majlis Ulama Indonesia 

• The word IQRA has at least 4 meanings:
• reading
• understand
• practice
• ???(don't remember, pls kindly advise me :) )

• Major issue with muslims nowadays,we read and memorize the quran as tilaawah but not trying to understand & practice.
• Be preprared to educate children in their own zaman, not ours.
• Major role of education is on parents. Islam never refers mothers as housewives, instead they are the real home educator ( murabbiyatul bait).

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Dato Seri Zainal Abidin
-sorry for didn't listening well to his lecture :(
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Raising Children of Jannah
Prof Muhaya

• to bee in jannah, we need clean & sincere heart- qalbun salim
• to raise children to jannah,parents must have jannah in their hearts first
• age 7-14yo: timing for children to find their role model
• we must live by design-consciously choose daily activities, foods, friends & lifestyle to fit our purpose of life.
• create our own aura -busying ourselves with Allah
• good akhlaq starts within family
• write our own life script
• use language of akhirat daily in the house
• avoid 3 thieves of life :
• regret of the past
• fear of the future
• ???
• positive inner talk
• do things with the end in mind- reach for akhirah,dunya will follow. 

Of course, there were so much more than this short notes, reminders that are refreshing & much needed to my heart.
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Jazakumullahu khairan kathiira to the organizers & sisters who made this conference run so well (especially the complimentary tickets!)

May Allah shower His blessings to all parents trying hard to raise their children the Islamic way. Truly appreciate the above-mentioned points & of course,there is so much more to improve and looong way to go. May Jannah belong to us in this temporary world & the hereafter. Ameen.

Belanjakan harta di jalan Allah...the way forward

Kakak Aisyah memegang wang RM5 yang dijumpainya di lantai.."Ummi, ada duit RM5 lah...boleh tak nak belanja kat kedai?"

Ummi pun tak tahu apa nak jawab...lalu tanpa disedari terkeluar kata-kata " Dalam Quran memang Allah suruh belanja kalau ada duit...tapi belanja di jalan Allah"

Kakak : " Macammana nak belanja di jalan Allah?"

Ia persoalan biasa...yang punya maksud yang luar biasa...

Kebetulan selepas perbualan ini, datang pula berita banjir besar yang melanda rakyat di pantai timur.

Dalam budget yg semakin menghimpit untuk membantu mereka yang memerlukan, memang terduka untuk membelanjakan tanpa memikirkan kepentingan diri & keluarga.

Lalu bertemu dengan ayat-ayat cinta dariNya...

" Dan mengapa kamu tidak menginfaqkan hartamu di jalan Allah, padahal milik Allah semua pusaka langit dan bumi? Tidak sama orang yang menginfaqkan (hartanya di jalan Allah) di antara kamu dan berperang sebelum penaklukan (Mekah). Mereka lebih tinggi darjatnya daripada orang-orang yg menginfaqkan (hartanya) dan berperang setelah itu. Dan Allah menjanjikan kepada masing-masing mereka balasan yang  lebih baik.  Dan Allah Maha Teliti apa yang kamu kerjakan.

Barangsiapa meminjamkan kepada Allah pinjaman yang baik, maka Allah akan mengembalikannya berlipat ganda untuknya. Dan baginya pahala yang mulia" ( Al-Hadid, 10 & 11)

" Sesunggunya orang-orang yang bersedekah baik lelaki maupun perempuan dan meminjamkan kepada Allah dengan pinjaman yang baik, akan dilipatgandakan (balasannya ) bagi mereka, dan mereka akan mendapat pahala yang mulia" ( Al-Hadid: 18)

Teringat pesanan & tarbiyah semasa zaman usrah zaman belajar " Apa yang kita berikan untuk fisabilillah, itulah harta untuk kita, apa yg kita belanjakan untuk dir sendiri akan habis begitu sahaja".

Semoga prinsip ini akan terus tertanam dalam diri ummi & anak-anak...RM yg ada untuk fi sabilillah :) Murahkan rezeki kami Ya Allah.

The wonders of RM1

Bismillahirrahmaanirrahim.
At this time of life, we are being tested..but alhamdulillah..in some ways, we know we have to go through it and learning has to go on.

It has now becoming our routine on every Saturday.
I love it, coz it always easy to wake up kids when it's outing time :-)
They will get up, take shower, get dressed and pray subuh as soon as they can....the sooner, the better. Reason being: kuih in the stall will finish if we're late.

This Saturday, Allah has taught us that.
Luqman was the winner, he was the first this morning. As others busy getting ready, I reminded that the best of Allah's bounty will given to those who are early.

Sakhr al-Ghamidi narrated that the prophet saw said: "O Allah, bless my people in their early morning." When he sent out a detachment or an army, he sent them at the beginning of the day. Sakhr was a merchant, and he would send off his merchandise at the beginning of the day; and he became rich and had much wealth. ( at-Tirmidhi and Ahmad)

Reading this hadith from sis Zabrina's  "Life  is an open secret" really motivate  me. I've seen it happening since my childhood so I truly believe on  the prophet's saw du'a. But passing it on to these kiddos is not simple yet a must. It is not simple since they're homeschooling, and we are running our own biz too. There is  no morning assembly, no punch card...yet we have to be disciplined enough to succeed.

Each child receives RM1 including Ameen, 1y9m. They get to choose any 3 kuih or 1 pack of nasi lemak. Most of the time, they mix 2 types of kuih of their choice.
What this really short weekly RM1 outing trip teaches us :

1. Early birds will grab the best
In our latest Saturday, everyone wanted kuih kacang (kuih kasturi). But  there was only 2 pieces left. So they've given the 'prize' to Luqman :-) we actually sapu bersih all the kuih, should we come a bit later we won't get any, or we have to hunt for stalls further away and cost 40 cent each, less value money ( will bring them anyway one day, they'll definitely surprise how inflation can affect them!)

2. Taking small step at a time and observe the surrounding
Teaching biology does not necessarily need to be done in day-long field trip. We always stop on the roadside to observe, touch, smell or feel...the flowers, the trees, different types fruits (and jantung pisang) they produce, how these reproduce and why. The fact that we do it on weekly basis also allow us to see the mango flowers turn into small fruits, become less in number and ripen. Different shapes of leaves showed by small wild plants by the road pavement.

3. Sharing is caring
When they buy the kuih, all they think of is what they want individually. But then, when we sit and have breakfast together, these kids naturally swap and share to taste each of the kuih and make comments :)

4. Interact with others
Homeschooling do sometimes makes us isolated. This is among the best time to speak to outsiders. The newspaper uncle who eagerly help us crossing the not-so-busy road. And pakcik kuih who patiently entertain each child to choose his kuih. These people certainly are add-on to our lifeschooling. Thank you Allah :)