Muslim-Malaysian Homeschool

Homeschool Talk

Posted by: coachsha on: November 22, 2009

December onwards we will start our Homeschool Talk for Parents.

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Next week, two days before Aidiladha we will share our homeschooling experience with Pusat Rawatan Islam Az-Zahrah medical and staff team.

It will be a 2-hour sharing session on alternative ways to educate your children – beyond schooling.

This in-house program is part of Az-Zahrah training and development programs for their staff.

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This TUESDAY 24 November 2009, we  will attend a half-day workshop on e-learning and business.  I’m sure my readers are aware that we have been using Score A program as part of our homeschooling module.

If you are curious and interested to know more, I’d be happy to take you along.  Come join us (Ridz & Sha) this Tuesday from 8:30 am – 1:30 pm, Bandar Tasik Selatan.  Only RM30 per person.

To book your seat, sms Coach Sha at 012 201 7353.

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Recommended! I Can Read by Ameen

Posted by: coachsha on: November 18, 2009

RM 39.90 (pos laju not included)

One set contains 4 books, Flashcards and an audio CD.

I have only 5 sets left.  Email:  coach_sha@yahoo.com

A super short story by Maryam Ridzuan

Posted by: coachsha on: November 15, 2009

maryam

The story was written by Maryam in her own words and spelling.  Since I found it a bit challenging to ‘decipher’ some of the words, she gladly read it out loud for me.  Here it is (in the politically correct spelling):

A Story about Red

Red is sleeping.  Suddenly there was a big rat and the big rat was sad and the rat was bad too and the mom see the big rat and the rat was sad.  Finish.

Well, see you real soon.  Bye, from Maryam.

* notice she wrote “good job” at the bottom in cursive.  She commented her own work!

p.s:  I did not have the heart to ask if Red and Rat refer to the same character.  I was too happy she used a big word “Suddenly” and the three-sentence story rhymes too!

“HIE: Hafazan is Easy” – 13 seats booked so far!

Posted by: coachsha on: November 11, 2009

Assalamu’alaikum parents, parents-to-be, educators, Muslim brothers and sisters:

Have you always wanted to memorize the Quran (or at least some Surah from the Quran)?

Do you want your kids to be a hafiz or hafizah?

Do you desire to appreciate the Quran better and have it ’stored’ in your mind and heart?

If you answer “Absolutely!”, then we’d like to invite you to take part in a homeschool talk at Coaching Zone, Equine Park, Seri Kembangan.

HIE:  Hafazan is Easy, with Ustaz Wan Zikri

Date:  15 December 2009 (Tuesday)

Time:  8 pm – 10 pm

Venue:  Coaching Zone, Equine Park in Seri Kembangan, Selangor

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Last Tuesday, Ridz and I flew to Besut for English Program at Imtiaz, School of Excellence.  Ustaz Wan Zikri (former CEO of Imtiaz) on behalf of Pusat Minda Besut invited us to conduct a one-day workshop for Imtiazians.

MashaAllah, we were impressed with the hafiz/hafizah (they have memorized 30 juzuk by by the age of 15) and at the same time have the potentials to speak English with style!  Seriously, we experimented with different accents and they sounded so natural.

After all, one who recites the Quran regularly has conditioned his/her vocal chords to make any sound a human can produce.

Once back in Bangi, we met Ustaz Wan again over a cup of tea.

He asked about our homeschooling module and when we mentioned our aspiration to train Muhammad and Musa to memorize the Quran, Ustaz Wan got us excited with the 3T module that they use at Imtiaz.

Good things must be shared, right?

Hence, we’ll have our first homeschool talk this December InshaAllah.  If you are not a homeschooling parent, you are most welcome to join the session as well.

E-mail me:  coach_sha@yahoo.com (re: HIE)

Imtiaz Besut TeamPhoto:  (L-R), Mr. Fakru, Ustaz Wan, Ridz, me and Mdm Suhaila

Alhamdulillah…

Posted by: coachsha on: November 10, 2009

Assalamu’alaikum, ahlan wa sahlan, bienvenido!

I’m taking a break in between work.  Kerja sendiri memang tiada istilah working hours.  All hours are working hours!  No, I’m not complaining, I’m having the time of my life, Alhamdulillah.  I get to bring my kids to the office.  Even if I don’t sit and seriously ‘teach’ them something, I’m happy because I get to be with the kiddos.

Today, Muhammad bought me lunch because I was too occupied to leave my workspace.  He told me he chose his favourite lauk for me! How nice, Alhamdulillah.  I gave him upah 50 sen.  He’s happy, my tummy’s happy, Alhamdulillah.

These past months have been really hectic, in a good sense.  Our family have a new addition (edition?), sorry, two extra members now.  I have six kids, Alhamdulillah.

No pregnancy took place…hahaha..

We have Muhammad, Musa, Maryam, Sarah, Sakinah and Ahmad.

We are babysitting our niece and nephew.  Their parents flew to Mekkah to be the guest of Allah.  MashaAllah.

Our homeschooling activities continue as usual.  I must say that my significant other handles most of the ‘lessons’ with the boys and Maryam.  Normal routine – Kawashima in the morning, then Score A, reading, writing, playing computer games in between.  After lunch, mostly playtime!!!  Yee haa!!!  Then maybe (hahah maybe) another round of Score A.

Note:  It’s not the ‘A’ that we are after.  No-sir-ree.  We subscribe to Score A because it is easier to keep track and record the kids’ progress through e-learning program.  The funny thing is, to register for Score A, we have to put the school name.  So, guess what?  We just typed – HOMESCHOOL.

The kids can ‘jump’ and advance according to their own pace.  Musa, 7 claims that the Year 1 exercises and tests are “boring” so we upgraded him to year 2 and 3.

Anyway, our h-s syllabus is very simple:  reading, ‘riting, ‘rithmetic, and recitation of the Quran plus running ’round and play.

IMG_3238Photo:  Jungle-trekking with the kids minus Sarah.

 

Bilingual Babe

Posted by: coachsha on: October 29, 2009

Maryam said to Abi:IMG_2481
“Abi, today Maryam dah baca buku and read books.”

baca buku = reading Malay books
read books = reading English books

real writing for real kids

Posted by: coachsha on: October 29, 2009

Muhammad and Musa have joined epals.com for a month now.  It’s a site where teachers and learners all across the globe meet and become friends.

Through epals.com, our boys have made friends from other countries.  They email each other and get to know their new friends and the countries as well.

epals.com

Writing to a real person is a practical writing lesson for Muhammad and Musa.  They write to communicate….in English.

Of course, the most popular question asked would be about themselves and Malaysia.

It’s interesting and funny to see what goes on in their mind from their correspondence with people from another continent.

So, if you are a parent or a teacher, connect to epals.com ‘write’ away!

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The Dean has spoken!

Posted by: coachsha on: October 29, 2009

Our beloved friend, who’s a dean at one of the colleges here in Klang valley wrote this:

Super Coaches,

Both of you are a great parents. I love the way you choose. Only the brave and superb parents can do this. Very challenging experience. Both of you will never stop exploring, researching and predicting the outcome of homeschooling.

Allah gifted you the excellent kids, so do the kids- they are also gifted the excellent parents.
The purpose of education is not for academic excellence only, whereby in our Malaysian schools that is the top priority. Thinking skills, socio-emotional development and spiritual wellness in developing their emotional intelligent- regrettably been ignored in our school system, even it is clearly stated in the Malaysian National Education Philosophy. In term of implementation, the teachers, the school management, the state education department and the ministry still not showing the positive efforts towards this. (Contohnya, ajar Sains & Matematik, takde pun inculcation of Islamic values…)


The most important thing that need to be inculcated in our children’s cognitive development is the spiritual wellness- the awareness of the existence of God (Allah), and how the relation with Allah become the focal point in their way of life. I believe that both of you are capable to educate your kids in the right direction.


My own experience, masa borak2 dgn parents yang nak ambik anak kat sekolah, masing2 sibuk dok compare, anak dapat nombor berapa? Markah BM, BI berapa? My Irfan is very playful. Well, typical boy type. Walaupun markah tak setinggi budak2 lain, overall % is 86, whereas anak2 org lain about 90 % and above, to me, its ok. I will never push him to study, hantar tuition to improve grades…

Let him explore his school life, let him enjoy going to school, let him think what ’school’ is all about, not going to school as a routine in his life, getting good grades is to make mama happy, doing homework to satisfy the teachers… To me, the most important thing is that, let Irfan think what a life is all about…

This Sunday on Radio IKIM

Posted by: coachsha on: October 13, 2009

Assalamu’alaikum Casa-Escuela Readers,

Would you like to join me and my team for a one-day workshop next month?

Change of venue – not at Hotel Residence but at our freshly designed Coaching Zone Seminar Lounge.

InshaAllah, this Sunday we’ll be on air again – Radio IKIM – 11 am talking about catching English and promoting EPL and Cuti Sekolah Program for Kids and Teens.

Abang Yoji!

Posted by: coachsha on: October 12, 2009

On our way back from Ipoh, heading towards Taiping, we stopped a cyclist.IMG_2877

Reason:  The road was going uphill.  We wanted to offer a lift – he could put his bike inside the hiace and we’d take him to his destination.  (Aduh..mesti penat nak naik bukit.  Kesian dia..jom ajak tumpang) – this was the script in my head, from the perspective of a couch potato.

However, he refused because he was on a mission to cycle from Singapore to Penang.  We could just say, “Ok fine.  Good luck!” but we were determined to have him as our guest.  A golden learning experience for our kids!  Homeschooling, right?

After much persuasion, we gave him our address and promised to wait for him in Taiping.  He was planning to spend a night in Taiping, by the way, so it worked out nicely.

His name is Yoji from Hiroshima, Japan.

ice breaking session Yoji-san accepted our offer to stay for a night.  Ohhh!!! Seronoknya!!!

The kids call him Abang Yoji.  I wished I had recorded all the questions Muhammad and Musa asked Abang Yoji.  Yoji-san entertained them well and the kids were being excellent host, I thought.

I was amazed when the boys told Abang Yoji about surah-surah in the Quran.  They also performed solat in front of him.  My boys…proud to be a Muslim!  Sarah and Maryam also sang their favourite nasyid (Nazrey Raihan’s songs) for Abang Yoji.

For dinner, we took Yoji-san to a restaurant in Kamunting.  Lapar sungguh abang Yoji kita.  The dinner time was loaded with more questions from the boys and stories on Yoji’s side.reading japanese

Imagine the boys’ excitement when they got Abang Yoji’s email…

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On Air RADIO IKIM: Sun 22/11/09, 11:00am – 12:00 noon

IKIM will organize English for Young Muslims 2-day Seminar on 19-20 December. RM 150 per person.

24 Nov (Tue): Score A e-learning Workshop, RM 40 per person

Alhamdulillah, Muhammad, Musa and Maryam benefit from Score A Program. As homeschoolers, the e-learning module helps us to keep track of their progress. Curious about it? Email me: coach_sha@yahoo.com (Re: SAP)

30 Nov – 11 Dec: Spoken English Cuti Sekolah for Kids & Teens

Booking / Inquiry: Call Coaching Zone 03 8942 9100 or visit mycoachingzone.net

12 – 14 Dec: Spoken English Cuti Sekolah Camp, Besut, T’ganu

We'll fly to Besut for a public seminar plus 2-day camp for kids and teens. Organized by Pusat Minda Besut.

15 Dec: HIE (Hafazan is Easy) with Ustaz Wan Zikri

15/12/09 (Tuesday), 8pm - 10 pm, Coaching Zone Seri Kembangan *RM 25 per person, RM40 per couple* E-mail: coach_sha@yahoo.com (Re:HIE)

23 January (Saturday): English Playshop for Ladies, Batch 4.

The EPL Sisterhood is growing, alhamdulillah. 9 am - 5 pm at Coaching Zone, Seri Kembangan. *RM 275* It's more than an English session, it's a SISTERHOOD! E-mail: coach_sha@yahoo.com (Re: EPL)

It’s a matter of CHOICE

This blog is about homeschooling. Our kids (Muhammad, 8, Musa, 7, Maryam, 5 and Sarah, 1) are exposed to learning & tarbiyyah at home, in the van, on the road. The world is their classroom. Their teachers are Abi & Umi, Tok Wan, Tok Wen, Opah, Sensei, their tutors and coaches, all the aunties and uncles in our big family, our friends and people from all walks of life.
We don't subscribe to a particular theory - what Islam has given us is simple and specific enough. Enjoy reading!

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