Oh, how beautiful it is to meet old friends. How much one learns as one visits others, not just any 'other', but those special people who remind you of your Rabb, of how precious life is...

I've met so many sisters and have learnt so much...
I've seen young sisters get up to the task of helping and supporting neighbors at times of need. Where material world around them have not made them forget the most important things of life...
They are starting their life with their little ones and I remember myself at that stage, how I had engulfed myself in mundane things of life, going here and there...struggling with different turmoils and storms of life. I wish I had turned more to my Rabb at those beginning years, had concentrated more in the miracle of my Rabb's words...It would have been so much more of a cushion in my life.
Life will be a constant struggle, no matter in which condition you are in... but if we take the Quran as our everyday companion, life will be so much sweeter and fulfilling.

Oh, yes I was doing all the outside things, halakas and youth groups and what not... but even at that time I had realized that the alone time with the Quran was the most critical and healing times of my life...

We experienced the most beautiful atmosphere this weekend while learning to appreciate the divine speech that is with us. Oh, if only we would look for it, how are life would change. You can never feel lonely, you can never feel hungry, you can never feel bored when you know you have such a treasure with you to be opened. So many important points he mentioned. One of them...
Someone asked him how we can make our kids interested in Sunday School. We don't seem to be teaching them anything..
He told her: 'stop teaching'. There has never been any institution that has been able to teach a language in a few hours a week. The first thing we have to do with these kids is become their friend. Play with them, talk to them. Let them get comfortable with you. Let them come to you for their problems. They are not even in the stage where they believe truly in Islam. They don't even have the basic tenets. So first we have to develop their Islamic character.Only after the character, knowledge will come.

It's so true, Murat has the same beliefs. He started having the Turkish brothers spend time with our kids in the masjid just playing with them. Then we have to slowly and wisely put in knowledge, maybe 10% and then 15% to build up.

We can truly be successful as educators after we develop some kind of relationship with our students. May Allah help us teach with wisdom.

Subhanallah! I must write about this before I forget. There are so many ways to teach. Nur was trying to make the first graders review their science lessons before their test. She had recorded a skit they had performed about the subject. Now she was watching it with them and had made them reporters. So they were acting like reporters writing down notes about what the video they themselves had produced! She had accomplished quite a few things by using this procedure.

• She had made her teaching period fun for herself
• She had encouraged them to write which is very hard for first graders.
• She had made them interested in learning their subject and reviewing it.
• The kids had a lot of fun while learning.
  

May Allah grant her more imagination to benefit others and spread knowledge in the best of manners inshallah.

Being the Eldest by Nur Kose

Being the eldest kid in a family of seven,
Is a very tough job for someone who’s eleven.

Two sisters and two brothers whom I need a lot,
To live with and to play with and with each other to be rude not.

Being the eldest, it’s hard not to get,
(when they are misbehaving) angry or upset.

When they beg too much and make me lose control,
I must cool down and get some self-control.

Changing diapers is, of course, something I would love to miss,
But until my sister is potty trained, I will have to wait for that bliss.

Keeping me up in the night when I'm only trying to sleep,
My siblings can make lots of noise and onto my bed they can leap.

Messing up my room after I had just cleaned it up,
I find my sisters playing and I feel like I'm going to erupt.

But having so many kids depending on me,
Makes me feel special for who I may be.

Joking with my siblings in the darkness of night,
Brings happiness and laughter as well as dreams that are bright.

And with so many playmates, I always have something to do,
Whether it be playing or laughing or just saying, 'BOO!'.


Being the eldest in a family of seven,
Can sometimes be fun for someone who's eleven!

Remind them and Yourself of the most blessed Prophet

I find Br. Yasir Qadhi's lecture series on Muhammad(s) so beautiful and beneficial for our little ones. I wish every one of us would let our kids hear one series once a day.
Here is the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlGCkuFeJE0&feature=SeriesPlayList&p=09F7478734CE32E7

Kids as young as 7 years old are able to comprehend his lectures. He goes slow, repeats his sentences and summarizes his topic. Also he puts the Prophet's life(SAW) in clear distinguishing parts to make it easier for the children to digest.

Try it and inshallah you will see beautiful results.
Oh, and do not let them listen to more than one part(about 20min). Let them wait eagerly for the next one.