ALMISKEENAH

 

Home Schooling and… 

According to our Islamic tradition the lap of the mother is the first Madrassah. A beautiful Hadith expounding a simple but profound image of the foundation of the child’s education.  A child snuggled on the mother’s knee immersed in the blessed mercy Allah Ta’ala has bestowed upon the mother. Initially listening, feeling, smelling, seeing, touching the world around them from this unique lap of learning and interacting.

Home schooling, home education seems the logical extension of this nurturing and intimate basis for Tarbiyah, especially in these times of trial and turmoil for those who feel so inclined. I am a staunch advocate for this method of education for the future flag bearers of this glorious Deen, and deeply admire the many families I know who make the effort in accommodating the needs of their children in the home environment.

"Whatever an education is, it should make you a unique individual, not a conformist; it should furnish you with an original spirit with which to tackle the big challenges; it should allow you to find values which will be your road map through life; it should make you spiritually rich, a person who loves whatever you are doing, wherever you are, whomever you are with; it should teach you what is important, how to live and how to die."  John Taylor Gatto, a prominent figure in the home schooling arena, who along with Sheikh Hamza Yusuf is one of the advisory board members of Kinza Academy, an excellent site to explore if you are interested in home education.

It seems more and more Muslim families are embracing this way as an alternative to the mainstream systems. So much is now available online offering all the various supportive areas to make home schooling a successful choice, and so many blogging on their activities, positive outcomes and posting a variety of links. (A few sites that will lead you on an inspiring journey of discovery 1, 2, 3, 4, and two audios on Classical Education for Muslim Children by Mustafa Styer 5, 6 )

Apart from the religious and academic side of the curricula, the creative, fun times need a time and place too, offering a happy balance and an expressive outlet for the mind. Using recycled bits and pieces teaches a respect for materials and the environment whilst at the same time provides an array of stimulating activities, and an alternative to mass produced toys, giving young ones the opportunity to engage in artistic and engineering concepts. I was recently asked for some advice with the two following rather ‘eccentric’ outcomes, combining recycling of common objects and card with a dash of jollity with words. And even if you are not home schooling time spent with your little, and not so little ones crafting and designing makes for a happy and loving family.

ZANY ZOO 

Whacky woo

welcome to my zany zoo

are you a zebra or a gnu?

please tell me who

a-r-e  y-o-u?

 

I am far from true

but don’t be blue

I am merely paper pegs n glue

without a shoe

but who plays on cue

all fun games anew.

 

And this is bug

who is always snug

as he lives on a rug

he likes to tug

the bathroom plug

to remove the glug

he drinks from a jug

not a mug

and gives the best squeezy hug.

 

And here is bubbly guinea pig

she wears a fancy spiky wig

as she dances a jazzy jig

on a huge plump purple fig

hanging from a twig

which is not very big.

but she is happy to dig

while singing ig ig ig…. ig ig ig.

 

Here is dippy dinosaur

he does not have a claw

or a paw

but can open a door

with his mighty roar

he knows funny tricks galore

while flying high to soar

giggling and shouting more more more

 

These zany riddles we adore

please add more for an encore

you as sure to guffaw

and it is not against the law

as we are not humour poor.

 

So go and make a zany zoo

take some time to be wacky woo

thanking AllaHU

for all He has blessed you to do.

*

 

MR DINGLE DANGLE JANGLE 

 

 
Bounce me up and down

I will never frown

Throw me on the floor

I will beg for more and more

Float me in the bath

For a jolly good laarrrfff

Dangle me in the air

Or sit me on a chair

Hang me from a tree

Or use me as a tasbee

Learn all my bright colours

Then teach them to others

Give me a tap and I will spin

Sure to make you giggle and grin

Madly shake me all about

You may even hear me shout

Wriggle me from side to side

So all aboard for a ride.

As we giggle and go he he he

Don’t forget to say ALHUMDULILLAHI

ALHUMDULILLAHI ALHUMDULILLAHI.

*

More from Mr Gatto for contemplation: 

"Don’t cooperate with your children’s school unless the school has come to you in person to work out a meeting of the minds - on your turf not theirs. Only a desperado would blindly trust his children to a collection of untested strangers and hope for the best. Parents and school personnel are just plain adversaries. One group is trying to make a living; the other is trying to make a work of art called a family. If you allow yourself to be co-opted by flattery, seduced  with worthless payoffs such as special  classes or programs, intimidated by Alice in Wonderland titles and degrees, you will become the enemy within, the extension of state schooling into your own home. Shame on you if you allow that. Your job is to educate, the schoolteacher’s is to school; you work for love, the teacher for money. The interests are radically different, one an individual thing, the other a collective. You can make your own son or daughter one of a kind if you have the time and will to do so; school can only make them part of a hive, a herd or an anthill."