Sunday, December 22, 2013

Homeschooling

Bism Illah wa as salaamu alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.


 Al-Hakeem al-Tirmidhi said:




صلاح خمسة في خمسة صلاح الصبي في المكتب وصلاح الفتى في العلم وصلاح الكهل في المسجد وصلاح المرأة في البيت وصلاح المؤذي في السجن

The rectitude of five lie in five: The rectitude of a child lies in the study-room. The rectitude of a youth lies in (seeking and acquiring) knowledge. The rectitude of the mature, middle-aged man lies in the masjid. The rectitude of a woman is in her house. And the rectitude of one who harms others is in the prison.

Al-Siyar of al-Dhahabi (13/441).

People often ask me about homeschooling, and what we do for general and Islamic studies.Our weekends here in Saudi Arabia are now on Friday and Saturday, so our school week starts on Sunday and goes through to Thursday. Our class consists of three girls: 13, 10, and 7 ... and a one-year-old baby boy, LOL.

General subjects of English, Math, Social Studies, Science, and Health are done from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon each weekday, with a break from 9:50 - 10:10 a.m. While our 7-year-old is working through a curriculum we made up from various sources for a 5th grade level, our 10 and 13 year old are both in Keystone Online School. The elective subjects are manageable, so they don't have to do subjects that go against our Islamic principles. If the assignments present some conflict, then a simple note in the comment box about how they worked around it or seeking approval for an alternative approach from the teacher sets things right, maashaa Allah. An example would be my daughter's social studies assignment where she was meant to pretend she went back in a time machine to colonial South America and report on what life was like there. She wrote about it in a reporting fashion, did not mention anything about a time machine or fictitious elements, and typed in the comment box that she could not tell lies, so had tried to show that of the subject was complete while excluding anything that would entail lying. Al hamdul'Illah, the teacher was fine with it and she got full marks.There are reading lists for each grade, and maashaa Allah, there are books on the list that are auto-biographies, biographies, and many based on true events. We actually found excellent books on the lists that we would like our children to read, maashaa Allah.

There is a break from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. for salaat-udh-dhuhr and lunch, then Islamic studies from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. Twice a week, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. they have a gym class with "Daddy."

This is how our Islamic studies curriculum looks this year.


Sunday: Reading from My Advice to the Women byUmm Abdillaah al-Waadi'iyyah with discussion and supplementary materials, Qur'aan.

Monday:   40 Hadeeth Quiz on the hadeeth learned the previous week, Al Waajibaat lesson, online Arabic and Qur'aan lesson


Tuesday: Tajweed with homework assignment, Qur'aan


Wednesday: 40 Hadeeth, learning new hadeeth in Arabic and English with audio explanation and it's written explanation, Qur'aan

Thursday: Biography of a scholar lessons with essay test for each, online Arabic and Qur'aan lesson.

Our children must know their Creator, Allah, and understand everything in the context of it being His Creation and His Will. They will find healing in the knowledge they gain and an ever deepening love and awe for Allah and this perfect religion through their focused and specialized education, inshaa Allah.


4 comments:

  1. Assalaamu Alaikum!
    Maashaa Allaah love your Islaamic Studies Schedules. Jazzakillaah Khayr for sharing the valuable links.

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  2. Wa alaykum ussalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh Umm Maimoonah!

    Wa iyyaaki ukhti. We have read many books during the Sunday class and this is our second year to do the Waajibat course, maashaa Allah. While we always look for ways to improve and refine the curriculum, this seems to work well as a rounded, varied, and comprehensive schedule. May Allah bring great benefit from it for us all - ameen!

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  3. Asalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu,
    Wow Mashallah I love this!! My daughter is 2 and I am just now starting some 'homeschooling' activities...I am still trying to find things to do for Islamic studies activities. As of right now I am having her look at du'a with me at night (the du'a before sleep) and to recite it after me. I've also been asking her "Where is Allah?" Her response goes something like this "7 heavens..above 7 ...Allah" so of course I cheer and say YES Mashallah Allah is above the 7 heavens!! Any tips would be appreciated *smiles*
    Anyway, barakallahu feeki for writing down this down!

    Amina Bint Yusuf Knuckles

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    1. Wa alaykum ussalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh Amina.

      Maashaa Allah, how cute! Barak Allahu feekum! Islaam4kids has excellent material for small children and the presentations are really well done maashaa Allah. Also, I suggest hands on activities, like making a mud/cob mix and building a small scale masjid as a reenactment of Rasool Allah - sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam - arriving in Madinah. Also, a Ka'aba and placing a black stone there...all these things will teach her Islamic history in a real way inshaa Allah. I will be posting more about hands on activities and curriculum for young and old alike inshaa Allah.

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