INDEPENDENT LEARNERS

'O Allah increase me in knowledge,
amin.'


Wednesday 29 July 2009

ICT and lots of fun!!

Assalamu alaykum,
While I am writing this new post from my mobile, my two younger ones are swimming in a big pool full of soft toys and colourful balls. I can hear them shouting, screaming and just enjoying being together in this great play area, one of many near my home. It's open everyday in summer from 9am to 2pm and from Monday to Friday same time as before, in school days.
We often come here. It's here where I can rest as I know it's a clean and safe area and the kids are inside and cannot leave. I just sit and enjoy looking at them climbing, running, sliding, swimming etc. MashAllah.
While sitting I am thinking about the months to come...Ramadan and then after a new school year. I haven't decided yet about the curriculum and still not sure what I will do. Just a vague idea. Dh wants the kids to go to school and once again I am finding myself fighting an needless 'battle'. Need to make duas and stay steadfast. I need once again to go back to my Lord and ask for guidance.
InshAllah the month of Ramadan is soon and we cannot wait. I am stocking up on art and craft materials. Keeping the kids busy, insh'Allah. I am also looking out for DVDs with stories about Ramadan, books and need to spruce up the old collection of PC CD-ROM. All to keep the kids busy while fasting long hours.

A.is at school for all week. He started a new course: ICT. He is enjoying and learnt about a new software to make videos, using Windows Word and how to create a folder. The week is not over yet, two more days. Next week A.will be at another course. This time will be literacy and numeracy. InshAllah.
Also gardening has been really a great activity with the boys this summer. We planted new flowers and plants. Cleaned up the front garden and tidied up the bushes. Mowed the lawn and gave a good clean to our shed and garden furniture! By the end of the day the kids were exhausted!!
We had few picnics here and there, not as many as I was hoping, weather has not been great but hamdulillah.
Quran and Arabic was on as usual. Kids are progressing nicely and I am hoping they can develop true love for the Qur'an, not just repeating like parrots! I need to remind them constantly why we read the Qur'an and why it is so important. The tafseer booklets from Ad-Duha are great for this purpose and I am looking forward for Ad-Duha Institute to re-open their website to purchase the rest of the Tafseer collection, insh'Allah.


For now, enjoy your week!

wa alaykum assalam




Nature Detective resources

Nature Detective for a day!
Soft play area, S. just relaxing on a soft dolphin
The swimming pool


Saturday 25 July 2009

Holidays!!!!

Assalamu alaykum,

yes, we are totally relax, doing no much a part from Qur'an and Arabic!!

We sent back the last test to Calvert and so it's goodbye for now...maybe on September we will get the 3rd grade? We'll see. For now I need rest, my boys need rest and we all need time to get ready for Ramadan, insh'Allah. Hamdulillah.

Kids had busy two weeks with far more that I was expected! They tried out a new sport: fencing and attended so far 4 lessons. They really liked it and asked to go again next week, insh'Allah.

We attended the annual Al-Noor funday and it was mash'Allah! We try to go every year as it is the only occasion we can enjoy in an halal environment, and kids get to go on the fun rides with their Muslim friends, hamdulillah.

No much more to say but the pictures will make the talk...sorry just tired from a day out at the farm!

So for now jazakallahu kheiran to all of you, dear readers! I was overwhelmed by all the lovely emails I received. I was not aware that I had so many readers, mash'Allah wa hamdulillah.


Wa alaykum assalam

x















Tuesday 21 July 2009

We are going private!

Assalamu alaykum
after much thoughts, I have decided to restrict this blog. Sometime things that happens in your life makes you wake up. Nought happens for no reasons...
So we are closing down...if you do still want to follow our adventure in home education please drop me a line and remember to state 'Blog reader' in the subject, otherwise I won't be opening your email.
This blog will be open to all for a further week or so, just to give you all the time to catch up with it.
Jazakallahu kheiran
wa alaykum assalam
x

Tuesday 14 July 2009

Just pics...

Assalamu alaykum


I have been not too well lately and decided to stop homeschooling and start our holidays. I thought to homeschool the boys throughout the summer but I had to stop 'cause of my health. I would have to slow down anyway as the boys will be busy with the free courses I registered them to. Hamdulillah and certainly Allah is the best Planner, la hawla wa la quwwata illah billah!!

So here are some pics of our past week or so. Hope you like them.

And for now happy summer holidays to you all.


Wa alaykum assalam


Last on the right. S art work

Canary Wharf Building
Watching a hockey game
Trying out a new sport


A. 99 names of Allah rocket
S. rocket
A. wrote a book for kids ages 3-4 about Tawheed

Leaflet about Tawheed for non Muslims made by A.
S. poster about Tawheed 'Who created us?' 'Who created everything?'

A new visit down the sea
Finally a sandy beach




Friday 3 July 2009

Lots to do...

...but so little time!!
Assalamu alaykum
summer just started and as promised the free courses and sport events are out! So much to choose from. This year looks even bigger and better than any other year! Mash'Allah.
So I took advantage of those great free courses once again and registered both boys to some maths, literacy, science, fencing, tennis, cricket, art and craft club and much more!!! Insh'Allah.
This year, above all, I am so interested about what the Muslim Community has to offer for our youngsters and small ones. I found some excellent resources and I am sure so many kids won't be bored at home, stuck in front of telly! Mash'Allah there is lots to choose from: from Islamic science to the Seerah, from Quranic classes to Nasheeds workshops! There is bound to be something out there for your kids,insh'Allah.

Back to us...
The past week I have home educated the kids for 3 days mash'Allah. I was hoping to stay indoors for 4 days but the weather was irresistible!! Mash'Allah!
Saturday A. gave a miss to the Saturday school and we ended up having a picnic at the park.
Sunday the boys were at wrestling all day while me and baby attended a janaza prayer at the masjid. May Allah have mercy on my dear friend/sister.Amin.
On Monday we re-started homeschooling.We carried on with Calvert curriculum for A. . Just few more lessons and we are finished for this year. I am really hoping to finish before the end of July insh'Allah but I don't think we will.
S. carried on with mindsprinting for literacy and numeracy. But he used enchanted learning and parents in touch for science.
Monday the boys attended swimming and had their tests. Looks like they passed, mash'Allah. I am just awaiting for their certificates and new badges.Insh'Allah.

This week was also the start of our new Islamic curriculum. I am so pleased with it and I cannot tell you how much my kids have enjoyed so far.
We started to talk about Tawheed. I wanted the boys to re-start afresh with Islamic Studies and go back to basic.
We made a poster and wrote about the categories of Tawheed:
Tawheedur-Ruboobiyyah: Maintaining Oneness of the Lordship of Allaah
Tawheedul-Uloohiyyah: Maintaining Oneness of the Worship of Allaah
Tawheedul-Asma was-Sifaat: Maintaining Oneness of the Names (Asma) and the Qualities/Attributes (Sifaat) of Allaah
We studied Tawheed Ar-Ruboobeeyah and Tawheed Al Uloohiyah in depth and produced some nice work. Kids listened to this lecture prior to start the lesson about Tawheed.
The kids worked on two main projects: it was a story book for A. He had to write down a story for children of 3-4 years about Tawheed Ar-Ruboobeyah. He wrote a story of two children that while enjoying in the park wondered about Allah's creation and ask questions about who created this and that. Mash'Allah. He completed his work adding colourful pictures to his booklet and a hard back.
S. worked on a mobile made out of paper clips and straws. He attached to each paper clip a cloud. In each cloud he wrote about Tawheed ar-Ruboobeyah answering questions such as 'Who is my Creator?' 'What does Rabb means?' ' Name three small things Allah made' etc. Mash'Allah.
This Islamic Curriculum is really one of the best for us as it uses very nice and inexpensive resources, mostly free from the Internet. Hamdulillah! I would recommend it to all. (see my previous entry for more details about Tailor Made curriculum).

Thursday we attended the usual meeting with other homeschoolers...there weren't many this week. Where were you all???? I bet the weather was far too out for the kids!!
My boys really wanted to go so I made an extra special effort to take myself down the park without the car! And the bus was crowded and hot!!!!Kids complained all the way...hamdulilah.

Also this week, art and craft club for S. He mastered a new technique using paint and cotton buds. Mash'Allah. We reproduced same technique at home and decorated some paper plates.

What's more?
-There was a visit to the Natural History Museum to learn about mammals and to the Investigate Centre;
-Qur'an and Arabic was on as usual;
-Learning the stories of the Caliphs from a audio CD from Islamic Foundation. Really nicely made and A. really like to put it on in the evening before listening to the Qur'an. It's a bit like bed time story, mash'Allah.
-Boys received new Islamic books mash'Allah. Some great titles there such as 'Qur'an stories', 'Parents love', 'Ramadan is coming', 'The story of Yusuf (as)' and I was impressed by one in particular. It is called 'Let's go Dua catching'. A really sweet story with very nice pictures. A different Islamic book from the rest.Mash'Allah.

More about this week in our pics...it's 4.15am and mash'Allah dawn is here...such a beautiful time of the day...I am going to catch some blessings insh'Allah!

Happy home edu to all! x

Bubbles: a classic of summer!


Thursday Group!

Baby at the Thursday group.

Some more pics of the park we do attend on Thursdays

Foam puzzle, learning about continents. £1 from Poundland

Learning about the Human body in English and French.

Baby's art attack!

New arty technique

Painting with cotton buds

A.'s painting his paper plate

Baby and his friends: ducky and eeyore.

Learning about Art very fast, mash'Allah.

The mobile S. made about Tawheed Ar-Ruboobeya.

It's the one with the clouds!

A close-up of one cloud. it says: Allah is my creator.

Lavender blooming in my garden

Some really nice flowers I forgot kids planted in Spring

And our veggies...cherry tomatoes

Dwarf beans

Some freshly made mint tea after dinner...

better drank in the garden.

A collection of 5 books, great value for money and great titles.

' Let's go dua catching'

At the Investigate centre, Natural History Museum

baby's learning too.

A.'s writing about his findings

A 3 mt. long snake skin (python)

S.'s using the computer in the centre

The Investigate centre