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Muslim Homeschool Central |
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Updated
1/17/02...check out the Links Page and our Curriculum . |
Have any suggestions? Email me now and I'll try to work them into the site as soon as possible!
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Masha Allah is about all I can say. Go here to pick a surah, the verses you want recited and how many times. Cool! Muslim moms and educators discuss and share. Great board. New Article Section of Our Seeds There are so many wonderful and thought provoking articles written for homeschoolers, parents and educators that I thought I would add some here. |
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First, of course, ask for Allah's guidance and mercy. Then, contact your local homeschooling organization or support group to learn about your State homeschooling laws and options. Search the internet for these groups. Once you understand your options and get some advice, then you MAY call your local school district to find out what kind of programs the school district offers to homeschoolers. Each school district differs and you may be able to belong to a school district that is superior in its homeschool program even though you don't live within their district. If they do offer a program (sometimes they provide texts, paper, pencils, many supplies, a resource library, state testing, resource teacher, etc.), you are not always obliged to follow their texts in which case you are able to choose your own curriculum. Discuss their program with them in detail to find out all your options. It may seem overwhelming but insha Allah you will get the hang of it and if you find that something is not working for you, then you figure out why and find a solution. It's a dynamic process and you are rarely ever cornered into sticking with your initial plan. This year (First Grade) we've already scrapped our math program. Alhamdulillah, I love that we can change when something isn't working and alhamdulillah, we're making progress comfortably and happily. I've also learned to buy used instead of retail and have saved a whole bunch. Another thing to keep in mind is to solicit support from your husband and other family members but don't open yourself to criticism by friends, relatives or neighbors who are not keen on the idea of homeschooling. You need all the support you can get. Second, decide what curriculum you will use. The school district's? Your own? Pre-packaged from a curriculum company, like ArabesQ, Oak Meadow or Laurel Springs? Join a local or internet homeschooling group (see Homeschool Links) where you can talk to other moms about what materials they are using. You will find secular and religious groups, both of which can provide good advice. One advantage of belonging to a local homeschool support group is that you can participate in group fieldtrips which would otherwise be impossible for you as a sole homeschooler to attend. You also get group rates which make it really affordable. You should remember that what works for one family, or even one child, may not work for another. Be sure to ask for specific advice and if you can borrow a book for a couple days, it will give you a good chance to really look at it and see if it is something that you can use. Some big bookstores also carry many books for homeschoolers. It's nice to see a book before you buy it. And, if you do order it and then don't like it, you can either return it (you will loose the shipping costs) or you can try to sell it on a used curriculum board (see Homeschool Links). Find out if there are any homeschooling conferences in your area. We have one in Phoenix once each year in the summer. It's a great place to see what curriculum is out there and hear speakers talk on a variety of subjects. We also have a used curriculum fair...I've heard the deals are great but it's packed. Third, determine what subjects you can teach yourself and which areas you need help with. Tutors or homeschool programs often offer services for physical education (sports), arts, music, language (including Arabic), religion. Some masajid have hafiz programs. Fourth, purchase your materials. Either you can buy from a bookstore or from a used curriculum board (see Homeschool Links). Sometimes you will find a curriculum swap in your area. Your local homeschool support groups will know about these. Insha Allah, you will be able to buy a lot at a swap for incredibly cheap prices. Fifth, start teaching and don't be afraid to change what you are doing if it is not working. If a child has a bad attitude about school or a particular subject, be patient and ask for Allah's help in getting over that hurdle. Local homeschoolers will probably have great advice. Some other things to think about...Homeschooling can either be done individually (one on one) or cooperatively where moms take turns teaching the group of students while other moms babysit the younger siblings or just drop off her student. Each mom needs to decide if this is something she and her child are ready for. It takes dedication and commitment to make it work. Do you have the time or can make sacrifices or adjustments to free up enough time? Is your family (husband and other children) supportive of homeschooling? We get together with three other families once a week to teach a chosen unit (mostly science and history so far this year...first grade). Each mom takes turns presenting a particular part of the lesson (cirlce time, project time or large motor activity). The kids love it and we can teach subjects that the kids would otherwise not be that interested in. Some advantages of cooperatively homeschooling is that you pool effort, time and experience. Each mom learns from the other moms in teaching ideas and techniques. It also gives your child other children to learn with and helps them in any separation anxiety issues where a gradual separation can be established. Some disadvantages are that you have to cooperate and organize with others and that alone does take time and effort. Our group runs so smoothly, alhamdulillah. We pick a schedule and topics. Each mom signs up for what she will contribute and alhamdulillah it always works out so well...sometimes it seems as though we've planned together. You may also choose to cooperatively teach certain subjects and then teach other subjects at home on your own. Unit studies and science are fun to do as a group and they can be quite a bit of work to do on your own but if each mom brings something to share, you can save lots of time. Even if you don't co-op your classtime, you can still co-op in developing a curriculum and ideas. Insha Allah we will be able to use this site to network with each other to build resources, share knowledge and find other moms interested in cooperative homeschooling. In our local homeschool support group one mom, instead of scheduling a fieldtrip which is mandatory for belonging to the group, she offers classes at a minimal fee (usually $2 for supplies). She has taught space and dinosaurs. Everyone loves it. |
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If you disagree with any comments below or have any suggestions, send them my way! I'm very much an eager amateur and would love your input. Below are some of my suggestions but I do not swear by them because we all have different methods and different children. I advise you to read what you can, use the powerful brain Allah has given you and see what benefit a book is to you. Remember that some books don't work for you but may for others and there are certainly some that should be dumped. The Complete Home Learning Source Book by Rebecca Rupp (excellent source book...the best I've seen so far) Evolution's End by Joseph Chilton Pearce The Homeschool Manual by Theodore E. Wade Jr. & Others (Christian based but general concepts applicable. Some interesting food for thought.) The Home School Source Book by Donn Reed (discusses homeschooling challenge thru essays, lists resources for homeschoolers & reviews books on general homeschooling, curriculum planners, phonics, education methods & concepts, unit/theme studies, magazines, teaching aids, etc. - useful) Core Knowledge Series has books with the title What Your Kindergartener Needs to Know (1st grader, etc.) - I'm not overwhelmingly impressed with it but I've heard it recommended quite a bit. Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences by Howard Gardner (discusses the different types of intelligences people possess). It's a heavy theory based book but not much advice on the practical end but still it's a good and interesting read. In Their Own Way by Thomas Armstrong (addresses the different types of learning styles and gives tests that can help determine someone's specific learning type). Dumbing Us Down (addresses how current educational practices hinder our children's learning) The Big Book of Home Learning by Pride. The Well-Trained Mind by Jessie Wise & Susan Wise Bauer (a homeschooling guide to classical education). I really like it as a guide since our school district doesn't give us any guidance at all. I also like the logic but try to make it more world balanced (it's pretty western centric) and also add in Quran, Arabic and Islamic studies. Talk So Your Kids Can Learn by Adele. Easy to read, practical advice on how to teach and how not to teach. This is a must read! Charlotte Mason has several volumes on home learning. I find articles on CM newsletters to be so helpful and they keep me on track and not so obsessive about schedules and curriculum. See the links page. |
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Please let me know if you have some other good resources I can add! Library...The public library is a great resource for wonderful books. You will even find books about Muslim children (you can also find a big list at the ArabesQ website). Remember, you can add islamic concepts or discussions to ANY book. The library has a good section on activities for story time and art projects (ask the librarian). Many libraries are online so you can check the book catalog from home instead of heading off to the library with the ducklings in tow! Internet...There are a thousand and one websites and our list is growing, so click here to see the links. Includes homeschooling sites as well as suppliers. Art Supply Stores...Supplies are generally a bit costly but you can often find cheaper alternatives. Craft stores or teacher supply stores are both listed in the Yellow Pages. There are several craft catalogs out there...Oriental Trading Company is one. You can make your own finger paint, playdough (see Fun Stuff), clay dough and many other materials and can also substitute less expensive materials that will work just as well. The library has wonderful books on crafts and different recipes for pastes and paints. Lakeshore Learning has reasonable prices if you catch a sale and you can either buy online or at your local store. Find out about discounts to "educators" at all your local stores including craft stores, office supply stores, book stores, etc. If you buy paint, get tempera paint (I like the wet better) and only buy the primary colors. You or the kids can mix the rest of the colors yourselves. Islamic supplies...There are bookstores on the internet like Astrolabe, Halalco, Noor Art and Sound Vision. The problem is that you often don't know exactly what you are going to get, so check their return policy before purchasing. You may even coax them into faxing or sending you a copy of the table of contents and a few content pages of the book. |
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