Reasons Why I Chose to Homeschool

 
     Prior to home schooling, my daughter was attending a private international school here for four years. She attended from grades K-3 until I finally decided to home school her this year. Based on my personal experiences here are all the issues I had with schooling, which are issues all too common within most educational institutions nowadays.
 
Method of Education:
 
The first issue dealt with how the school placed too much emphasis on testing. Within this particular school, students started getting tested from as early as 1st grade. They had to not only prepare for exams every month, but for midterms and finals as well in almost every subject! I was surprised and dismayed to discover that many other local schools here were as rigorous, if not more, about testing, with some having their students prepare for weekly quizzes on top of the monthly exams/midterms/finals, etc!  
The second issue had to do with the method of test preparation favored by the school, which was based on rote memorization. Before every exam, the school would provide a list of questions and answers and expect students to simply regurgitate these facts on exam day. This of course led to study time being a frustrating experience for my daughter.
The third issue was that there were not enough hands-on activities available in class. Examples of this included students not getting to use the computer lab often for computer class, and not getting to participate in in-class science experiments.
Through homeschooling I have been freed from the constraints listed above. Even though my daughter still engages in testing, it is not as rigorous and time-consuming as it once was in school. She is also not expected to provide answers simply through memorization, but also through problem-solving. Finally, we engage in lots of hands-on activities, from using online computer programs to learn about software basics, to performing a variety of scientific experiments almost every week.
 
 
 
 
School's Social Environment:
 
The fourth issue is a critique of the school’s general social environment. My daughter almost always complained that she had no friends at school, since her classmates generally ignored her due to her shyness. The only time they acted nice was when they wished to “borrow” something of hers (which more often than not was never returned). When I notified the school about this matter, they did nothing to alleviate the problem. Instead they insisted that my daughter should try to become more outgoing!
In relation to this is the fifth issue I had with the school, which was that it didn’t work harder to provide an Islamic social environment encouraging proper adaab and akhlaq amongst students (manners and behaviors towards others based on Islam). So for example it was quite common to find kids continuing to disrespect each other, their teachers, maids, other adults, etc. even after they were taught the importance of respect in their Islamic studies class.
Problems within a school’s general social environment are a major reason why many families eventually choose to home school. While I had to deal with the problem of my daughter having no school friends, it’s common to find other problems occurring from a lack of a good social environment (particularly one influenced by Islam). Such problems include bullying and “falling in” with the wrong crowd, amongst other things. Most schools have no adequate procedures in place to deal with socialization issues, instead choosing to ignore a problem until it gets out of hand.    
The major benefit with homeschooling in this regard is that families can shape their children’s social environment so it can mainly include friends with like-minded qualities and manners. Home schooled children are also able to learn early on how to interact with individuals of various different ages and social backgrounds. Muslim families, in particular, can easily instill Islamic social values into their children and make sure these values are upheld consistently outside the home.
 
 
 
 
 
 
School’s Handling of Arabic and Islamic Studies
 
The next following issues relate to the problems I had with the school’s handling of its Arabic and Islamic studies curricula. The textbooks used for both subjects were unsuitable for elementary school students because they were too dry and hard to understand. The English translations of various Quranic ayats and Prophet’s (salla’Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) hadiths were badly done. On top of this the school was required to teach the local culture here as being synonymous with Islam, thereby creating the impression that Islamic practices are all “cultural” by nature.
With regard to Arabic studies, since my daughter was the only non-Arab student in her class (with the other non-Arabs taking either Urdu and/or French) the school decided to forgo teaching Arabic in a bilingual format. Instead they relied on using very advanced Arabic textbooks and teachers who only communicated in Arabic. Since I had no success in finding a language tutor, Arabic became extremely difficult for my daughter to learn.
            The benefit of homeschooling in relation to this is that now I can personally choose the books I want to use to teach my children about Islam and Arabic. Besides this I can also have my children dedicate more time towards memorizing the Quran with use of the correct translations. Finally, I can show them that learning and practicing the Deen is not simply confined to the classroom, but is something we follow and believe in within every aspect of our lives.  
 
Choice to Homeschool Despite Challenges
 
Lastly I want to mention why I am choosing to continue home schooling next year Insha’Allah despite the challenges of doing so (especially here). At one point my husband and I did consider simply transferring our daughter to another school. However, to our dismay we discovered how difficult it was to find an ideal school here; we found that our daughter’s old school did offer several advantages that we could not find elsewhere, such as being financially affordable and academically rigorous. Its greatest advantage was that it did not make students participate in any unnecessary extracurricular activities, such as cultural song and dance shows and/or the celebration of other religious/national holidays. So based on this we found that we would not be completely satisfied with almost any school here!
What I most appreciate about homeschooling is that it allows parents to tailor their children’s education according to their individual needs, interests and abilities. It also allows for greater flexibility towards deciding how much time you wish to spend teaching various subjects based on your child’s interests. Most importantly, homeschooling makes children understand that learning is actually a lifelong process that can be both fun and natural.
 
 
Written by: A KSA Homeschooler---
Disclaimer: The contents of this article are solely the author's opinion and personal experience, and should not be taken as a general criteria for all KSA schools.  Other families may have other standards and thus,  may have more pleasant experiences with the schools. The points mentioned here could be case in any school in any other country.

Homeschooling : a productive alternative ?

Many people cringe when they hear the word homeschooling. They feel that it is a term only for people living in the amazon or in rural areas where schools are not established. This article will share 5 benefits that homechooling has which other schooling systems do not have.

1. Being able to control what your child is learning and when they are learning it, and how they are learning about it. This is vital for any parent who wants their child to become a righteous, pious person. Garbage in, garbage out. What the schools choose to teach our kids nowadays can be very disgusting and inappropriate for them. How do I know this? I went to public schools and regret how much time was wasted on books, stories, or videos of inappropriate, irrelevant, or unproductive content. Much of what was covered did not benefit me.

2. Making sure that your teaching style and curriculum content is one that is tailored to your child’s learning abilities. This is vital for your child’s success. Each of our children learn a bit differently and in order for them to love learning and want to continue to learn, we must discover their learning styles and their interests, and try to teach them appropriately insha’Allah Ta’ala.


3. Helping your child love learning. By being there to teach your child and being supportive you will be able to instil in them a love for learning and discovery, as opposed to just making them regurgitate facts they will never use. For example, when I am doing science with one of my kids and realize that they do not understand the concept, we go to Google and search for a video on that topic. This helps him visually see what we were just talking about. So he reads about it and then sees it in the video. This helps him understand the concept much more deeply and thoroughly. This one-on-one attention would not be able in a standardized curriculum or large school setting.

4. Keep your children away from negative influences which can destroy their eman and their lives. Nowadays you hear about kids doing drugs as early as 10 years old. Early peer pressure of drugs, alcohol, smoking, bullying, food, and immodest behaviour is rampant in schools nowadays. Our kids are taught to be disrespectful to their teachers and parents, and disobey authority. So much evil is out there, and unfortunately much of it is coming to our schools and influencing our kids. We would be sending our young kids, unequipped, into a negative environment. Bringing them up in a positive environment will make them positive insha’Allah.

5. Make a schedule that fits your lifestyle and Islamic goals. For example, we all wake up for tahajjud and pray, and we pray our other 5 prayers, and in between we study, take classes, do projects, take field trips, travel for events, etc. When everyone is stuck home from school on a snow day, and don’t study we study, so that when spring and summer are here we can have more outside time and activities. When the kids are sick, they rest until they get bored, then they do something creative so they are not bored. Home-schooling also allows for greater time to be spent on Islamic Studies and Hifz-al-Quran.

As you can see, homeschooling has many benefits and an effective option to raising and educating pious children insha’Allah. Even if your kids have started school, it’s not too late to start home-schooling them. It’s a productive alternative that is often overlooked or dismissed all too quickly.

For a comparison between public school, private school, and home-schooling, check out this interview onThe Deen Show by Zohra Sarwari. Also hear about the great accomplishments her children have already achieved maa sha Allah.

For more information, you can visit: Superchargehomeschooling.com or Follow its Facebook page

About the Author:

Zohra Sarwari is an international author, coach, entrepreneur, and speaker, sharing her inspiration and love of learning with those around her. She is the author of 10 books. Her mission is to serve Allaah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) by teaching others how to live effectively and productively and to benefit their communities with the gifts that they are blessed with.

Raising moral children

 

 

Raising Moral Children
1. Commit to Raising A Moral Child

How important is it for you to raise a moral child? It's a crucial question to ask, because research finds that parents who feel strongly about their kids turning out morally usually succeed because they committed themselves to that effort. If you really want to raise a moral child, then make a personal commitment to raise one.

2. Be a Strong Moral Example

Parents are their children's first and most powerful moral teachers, so make sure the moral behaviors your kids are picking up from you are ones that you want them to copy. Try to make your life a living example of good moral behavior for your child to see. Each day ask yourself: "If my child had only my behavior to watch, what example would he/she catch?" The answer is often quite telling.

3. Know Your Beliefs & Share Them

Before you can raise a moral child, you must be clear about what you believe in. Take time to think through your values then share them regularly with your child explaining why you feel the way you do. After all, your child will be hearing endless messages that counter your beliefs, so it's essential that he/she hears about your moral standards. TV shows, movies, newspapers, and literature are filled with moral issues, so use them as opportunities to discuss your beliefs with your child.

4. Use Teachable Moments

The best teaching moments aren't ones that are planned—they happen unexpectedly. Look for moral issues to talk about as they come up. Take advantage of those moments because they help your child develop solid moral beliefs that will help guide his behavior the rest of his life.

5. Use Discipline as a Moral Lesson

Effective discipline ensures that the child not only recognizes why her behavior was wrong but also knows what to do to make it right next time. Using the right kind of questions helps kids expand their ability to take another person's perspective and understand the consequences of their behavior. So help your child reflect: "Was that the right thing to do? What should I do next time?" That way your child learns from his mistakes and grows morally. Remember your ultimate goal is to wean your child from your guidance so he or she acts right on his or her own.

6. Expect Moral Behavior

Studies are very clear: kids who act morally have parents who expect them to do so. It sets a standard for your child's conduct and also lets her know in no uncertain terms what you value. Post your moral standards at home then consistently reinforce them until your child internalizes them so they become his or her rules, too.

7. Reflect on the Behaviors' Effects

Researchers tell us one of the best moral-building practices is to point out the impact of the child's behavior on the other person. Doing so enhances a child's moral growth: ("See, you made her cry") or highlight the victim's feeling ("Now he feels bad"). The trick is to help the child really imagine what it would be like to be in the victim's place so he or she will be more sensitive to how his or her behavior impacts others.

8. Reinforce Moral Behaviors

One of the simplest ways to help kids learn new behaviors is to reinforce them as they happen. So purposely catch your child acting morally and acknowledge his or her good behavior by describing what he or she did right and why you appreciate it.

9. Prioritize Morals Daily

Kids don't learn how to be moral from reading about it in textbooks but from doing good deeds. Encourage your child to lend a hand to make a difference in his world, and always help him or her recognize the positive effect the gesture had on the recipient. The real goal is for kids to become less and less dependent on adult guidance by incorporating moral principles into their daily lives and making them their own. That can happen only if parents emphasize the importance of the virtues over and over and their kids repeatedly practice those moral behaviors.

10. Incorporate the Golden Rule

Teach your child the Golden Rule that has guided many civilizations for centuries, "Treat others as you want to be treated." Remind him or her to ask himself before acting, Would I want someone to treat me like that? It helps him or her think about his behavior and its consequences on others. Make the rule become your family's over-archingmoral principal

Source: http://moralsandethics.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/10-tips-for-raising-moral-children/

Teach Your Children At Home!

Teach Your Children At Home!
Below is an article from an Australian homeschool website.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You won't be alone.

Many Australian families choose to educate their children at home. Homeschooling is both rewarding and enjoyable.

You don't need any special educational qualifications to teach your children at home. People from all backgrounds successfully teach their children -- people with university degrees, trade certificates, small business owners, factory workers, people working from home, mums, dads - everyone has the ability to teach their children at home!

The only qualification you need is LOVE for your children. Do you qualify? Yes!

Schools can't, and don't, love your children. They can care for them, look after them and teach them, but the essential successful ingredient in home education is love.

Love brings success to every learning situation.

From the love you offer your children will come the responsibility, commitment and drive to continuously strive for the best education available for your children. Your life-long dedication to your children's health and happiness will drive you to seek out best and most appropriate resources and to facilitate excellent quality learning opportunities and activities for your children. You, too, will become a life-long, passionate learner!

Home education is grounded in love and commitment. A parent's love for a child. A child's love for his or her parent. This is a solid foundation to grow educational success upon.

Do you want to know more?

Are you interested in building strong, enduring and respectful family relationships? Are you interested in becoming involved in healthy, active and interested communities, dedicated to promoting the educational opportunities and well being of not only children, but adults too?

This web site is packed with information about how you and your family can explore the world of homeschooling. You'll find lots of great ideas and tips to help you navigate your way easily into a happy home learning environment.

Homeschooling is empowering!

Become personally involved in your children's education. Be there to mark those special learning moments. To share in the delight of discovery. To guide your child through the trials and tribulations of childhood. The excitement, the awe, the anticipation, the wonder.

Teach your children at home today!