Tuesday 7 April 2009

Tests all round.....

We started this week joining in some of the new free swimming sessions and although I love the idea behind this initiative I do (just a little) begrudge the kids having to share the normally quiet pool with loads of other children. They have been used to sharing it with just a few select friends but commented this week about how manic it was and that they couldn't swim properly. Oh well!

Other than that DS1 started a project on the Animals of Africa that we purchased from www.currclick.com for £1.38. It's a complete study unit that he can read and work through himself, some of it is way too easy for him but he is really enjoying it mashaAllah. A friend of his is doing the same project and they have spent some time studying together awwwww ;0) This is what he has done so far....
By the way, if you like lapbooking and you have not already done so it is well worth registering at currclick as they have a weekly free product for you to download which are usually good mashaAllah.

Other than that we, among others mashaAllah, sacrificed some time and learning this week to help out a dear sister and her family that are going through a difficult test at this time. This has been the focus of our week really and the kids have learned such a lot through this experience mashaAllah. They have learned that any of us could be faced by a difficulty at any time and as an ummah we have to work together to help each other out inshaAllah, they have learned about putting what they want on a back burner in support of the greater good mashaAllah. Some sisters looked after kids so others could go and help, brothers also helped when needed and supported their wives in whatever they could do to help. SubhanAllah, it has been a week of reflection and I hope we have all learned something from this family whose faith has only been strengthened by this test, I pray that Allah (swt) grants them the best of this life and allows them entry into Jannah without reckoning inshaAllah.

As the weather has been sooooo nice we have also spent lots of time in the garden and are going to be spending some time planting seeds and stuff (better late than never my old dad always said) in the next week inshaAllah. The kids made a habitat for wood lice and have been observing their behaviour and learning about what they eat etc., They also spent two (or was it three) whole days playing at a friends house and still they want more - this morning they all spent a lot of time and energy trying to convince me to let them stay for another day..... will they ever choose school work over play, lol???

Swimming and sports as usual with madressah in the mornings. The kids have been doing citizenship this week at madressah with a brother, and they have really been enjoying the male input mashaAllah. They are developing a love for Quran and Islam mashaAllah and I pray that this continues and grows inshaAllah; DS2 announced he wants to be a shaykh and hafiz when he grows up mashaAllah be idhnillah. Although my 6 year old seems to be having real problems with memorisation of Quran - any ideas greatly appreciated.

2 comments:

A Muslimah - Another Stranger said...

Assalamu alaykum sis,
how does the Currclick works?
I have never heard of it but it looks so interesting. Looks good for our lapbooks and Unit Studies.
Mash'Allah your DS1 is doing great!
Also sis, if you don't mind me ask, how long have you been using mindsprinting and how do you find it? I use it too for ds2.

Jazakillah
wa alaykum assalam
x

Umm Adam said...

Assalaamu alaikum sis

Jazakillahu khair for your kind comments - DS1 does certainly seem to have begun to 'bloom' educationally and has really responded to structure.

Currclick is a place to download unit studies and pre-prepared lapbooks. Registration gives you access to the weekly free product that you get via email. You just buy and download whatever you want but don't have to make a purchase for the free stuff. Most of the stuff is great and it's fab if you want something that is all prepared and the child just gets on with it. Some of the stuff is Christian orientated so I have had to change some things but not much - all in all its good stuff.

I found mindsprinting started off way to easy for all of the kids so found it easier to fast track than follow the programme. I really needed a math programme and couldn't find anything that fitted the bill so (for the moment) this suits us just fine alhamdulillah.