Talk on Homeschooling

Abbi was asked to give a short talk introducing home education, at a seminar titled 'Rethinking Education'. Interestingly it was held at a school and the audience consisted of teachers and educators representing various schools. Though the talk was short it presented an alternative to conventional means of education. (Jazakullah Khair Umm Ayman for providing the slides)  Enjoy!

Creative Characters (Bookworm Club Competition)

Our Bookworm Book Club is currently reading "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". Once the first four lucky golden ticket winners were revealed in the book, our Book Worms were asked to write about a fictitious child who would fit in with the first four nasty winners and tells us how the child found the ticket. They were given a week to prepare for the competition.

HBAP (7yrs) was very excited, she brought out a white board and marker and asked Ummi to help write out her thoughts. She first considered writing about a child who played too much cricket and the following day changed her mind and thought out a story about a boy who didn't like to bathe. She then asked Ummi to write it out so that she could copy it on to paper. She then wrote it out twice to make it neat, still not satisfied with her own handwriting she asked Ummi to write it out.
This is HBAP's story in her own handwriting:

TED KHAN

It continues-One day his parents said they would give him money to buy chocolate if he had a bath. He washed his hands and face with soap, and they gave him the money. Then he went to the chocolate shop and he bought a chocolate. He went home and he opened it and he saw a golden ticket inside.



MBAP (9yrs) decided not to write anything because he felt he couldn't possibly win, but was quick to suggest stories for others to write, with some persuasion he finally put together a story just before the club session began.  His story:

JESSE MEANIE

Jesse was an only child who did not know how to share. When his neighbors play cricket and their ball flies into his house he takes it and hides it in his sleeves and tells them it did not come there .When he plays with them and gets out he stops playing and goes whit his ball so no one else can play. When Jesse heard about the golden ticket he bullied small children to give him their chocolate .once he found a ticket he left the little children alone.           

IBAP (11yrs) eagerly put his story together and wrote it out without a fuss Masha'Allah!

IBAP's Story:

PETER   POSTOPIA

Peter Postopia loves his PSP. He plays on it all day long. Even when he wakes up he plays on his PSP while his mother feeds him breakfast. At school when his teacher is checking other children’s work, he uses it under his desk. Peter plays with it till he falls asleep so it stays in his hand while he is asleep. When he heard about the golden tickets he started eating chocolate while playing on his PSP, till one day he found a ticket. Peter then stopped eating chocolate to concentrate on his games.

After all the club members had presented their stories a secret ballot was carried out to ascertain the competition winner; Masha'Allah HBAP won! She received a Hajj activity book as a prize.

To read more about the competition and read the other children's entries visit:
http://karachi-bookworms.blogspot.com/2012/10/charlie-and-chocolate-factory-4.html

BAP Update

As-salaam alaikum Wa-Rahmaullahi WaBaarakatuhu

A lot has been going on with the Pirani boys over the last few weeks and here's a brief update:

Tae Kwondo Belt Test:


The elder four BAPs had their first Tae Kwondo Belt test at RMI. The judges were Tae Kwondo masters of 8dan caliber. The children were surprised long beards and heavy builds but were in awe of them when they demonstrated their skills ( kicking up high and powerfully at various targets).

The children themselves were asked to demonstrate various manovers based on which they were awarded points which would determine their promotion to the next tae Kwondo level (from white belt to either Yellow Belt jr, of Yellow Belt Senior).

Subhan 'Allah, all four BAPs (ages 14, 12, 10 and 8) were awarded Green Belts (Junior)! This is the level after the Yellow Belt.

Hifz Examination @ RMI

The following week ABAP (14yrs)  and  QBAP (12yrs) had an internal Hifz Examination conducted by the Hifz class Haed Qari Sahib. Alhumdulilah ABAP attained 2nd position in his group and QBAP attained 3rd position in his group. ABAP has completed 13 juz and QBAP has completed 2 juz Alhumdulillah.







2nd International Conference on Islamic Business 2012
This conference was held in Islamabad, where Abbi was a delegate, and accompanying him was MBAP. This opportunity gave MBAP a chance to observe grown ups at work, he listened to them talk, played with his toys when he was bored and Masha'Allah kept himself busy though he had no one to attend to him (he was the only child present too). He had the opportunity to watch people behind the camera as they taped interviews with some of the delegates, Masha'Allah as he moved around or sat at a back seat, none of the grown ups seemed to mind, but they did take note of him, one of the delegates announced that there was a child amongst the audience whose manners had impressed him and MBAP was called up on stage and given a delegate pack which all the adults had received earlier.
MBAP was also present at a gathering of parents who wanted info about homeschooling where Abbi had been invited to give a talk. He said he found it interesting but he didn't learn anything (new) !


Public Speaking Session
RMI conducts a bi-weekly Public Speaking session in the evenings. The topic of the forth coming session is announced at the end of each session. Students of the Hifz program are also chosen to participate. ABAP was chosen to participate in the last session. The topic given was "Adl aur Insaaf" (Justice and Fairness). Alhumdulillah ABAP prepared for the speech by firat looking up the meaning of the term Adl from an English copy of Maroof ul Quran, then went to one of the class Qaris for the relavant Ahadith and spent some time with one of the admin men at RMI for further consultation, then sat down to write his speech in URDU! (not an easy task for any of the BAPs).

ABAP admits that he was nervous when he was called upon to give the speech,  the judges lauded his efforts saying that though it seemed he was flailing at first he grew in confidence as he continued and ended well Masha'Allah.

Masha'Allah its been a busy month for the BAPs and they have had a lot of interesting experiences to share too.