June 26, 2022

Homeschooling Curriculum?

In my posts lately about Islamic schools I received a number of questions about homeschooling.

I will summarize it here for you إن شاء الله

1. Children living at home and learning the religion and life skills from their parents is completely natural.

2. Homeschooling does not mean that children don't get exposure to the outside world, on the contrary, parents will take their children outside and let them interact with society at large.

3. Children at times will play outside at the playground and encounter other children, they will be exposed to things that they will come back and ask their parents about. Encourage them to go outside so that they can learn about nature and not get distracted with cell phones and social media, keep technology to a minimum.

4. One should not obsess with curriculum and syllabus, you make your own routine and customize it for each child depending on their passion, skillset, and interests. We are not following the standardized factory line model of modern educational institutions.

5. Depending on where you are, you might be able to have your children do entry exams for college or university should your children want to go that route. In some places, there are special tests for homeschooled students.

6. It is important to know that the most important thing you can teach your children is the foundations of Islām based on the authentic sources and scholars and the pristine ‘Aqīdah. Memorizing and understanding the Noble Qur’ān and the authentic Sunnah and learning the Arabic language are paramount.

7. The most important general skills are reading and basic mathematics. Once the child knows how to read, then they can start pursuing their interests in reading about topics such as history, geography and so on. Again, get them used to loving reading and books and keep the technology to an absolute minimum.

8. One thing I would strongly recommend is teaching the children how to make money. Your aim should not be to get them into a high paying job, although that might be a stepping stone. Your aim should be to teach them how to be entrepreneurs such that they work for themselves and don't depend on any employer.

9. Don't stress too much about the whole thing, you are more qualified than anyone else to teach your children, ideally the mother does most of that because she should be ideally at home with the children. Remember, you are their parents.

A gentle note, I have been an instructor at the college level for 17 years and I have been through school, so I feel obligated to give you this advice given what I went through and what I am doing now with my children.

May Allāh make matters easy for all of us.

Don't stress too much about the whole thing, you are more qualified than anyone else to teach your children, ideally the mother does most of that because she should be ideally at home with the children. Remember, you are their parents.