Homeschooling During Ramadan: 5 Tips for a Productive and Spiritual Month
My first experience of homeschooling during Ramadan was extremely stressful.
Naturally, the blessed month of Ramadan is my hibernation period. I simply withdraw from the ‘public’ in order to focus my strength on spirituality and family, but that year, I couldn’t even get a breather as I tried to homeschool as usual and be more spiritually productive. I was exhausted at the end of the day and couldn’t do much.
I made the mistake of copying our homeschool routine outside of Ramadan and using it without modification during Ramadan. Since that not-so-great experience, I’ve made it a point to approach homeschooling during Ramadan with deliberate steps.
A short description of Ramadan for my non-Muslim readers;
Ramadan is a special time of year for Muslims all over the world when families gather to fast, pray, and reflect.
For homeschooling parents like myself, balancing the demands of Ramadan with their regular curriculum/routine can be challenging.
In this post, I’ll share some tips and strategies for homeschooling during Ramadan that is both productive and spiritually fulfilling:
Create a schedule: Ramadan can be a hectic month for many families, with extra religious activities and gatherings. Plan your schedule ahead of time to ensure you can homeschool effectively. Set aside specific times for your homeschooling activities and try not to schedule other obligations during these times.
During Ramadan, I get up earlier and try to take as many afternoon naps as possible. As a result, we will begin our day later and end it earlier. We will not be learning any new topics in our compulsory subjects, but rather reviewing everything we have learned since the beginning of the school year.
Modify your curriculum or routine: Consider making your curriculum or routine more flexible during Ramadan to make more time for spiritual activities. You might want to concentrate on subjects that your children can complete independently or with less supervision. You could also use this time to delve deeper into Islamic studies or Quran lessons etc. Ramadan-themed art & craft do come in handy and it is an activity you can enjoy with your children.
During Ramadan, I will not be introducing new topics to my 10-year-old in shaa Allah. He will only be revising the topics he had learned so far in this school year. but we will be doing more read-aloud with a focus on Islamic books (fiction and non-fiction) and simple craft activities.
Utilize Technology: During Ramadan, technology can be an excellent tool for homeschooling. To supplement your curriculum, consider using online resources and educational apps. Video conferencing tools can also be used to connect with other homeschooling families or to attend virtual religious classes.
I will be using online tools like Ixl- for Math and language art revision, Nightzookeeper- for creative writing, Miraj- for Islamic content, Epic- for read-aloud on days when Mummy needs rest. The amazing thing about all of these resources is that they can be used with minimal input from me. So while my 10-year-old is busy on IXL, I can attend to the 6-year-old.
Involve Your Kids: Including your children in the planning and preparation for Ramadan can help them feel more connected to their faith. Encourage them to assist with meal preparation and planning, as well as decorating the house and establishing a designated prayer area.
This is our 1st Ramadan without my children’s closest friends and my best friend so it will be a bit different this year. I am looking into ways to get my 10-year-old who is so excited about Ramadan involved. We will likely be decorating, doing lots of reading aloud, and playing games.
Look after yourself: Finally, remember to take care of yourself during Ramadan, Mama. Homeschooling by itself can be stressful, Make sure you get enough rest, stay hydrated, and take breaks as needed. It is okay to take the last 10 days of Ramadan off to completely focus on spiritual rejuvenation activities.
The last nights are very sacred. It involves a lot of staying up late at night to hopefully catch and benefit from the blessings of Lailatul-qadr. So I stop homeschooling completely so that my energy is well utilized on things that are most crucial at that point
To summarize, while homeschooling during Ramadan can be difficult, it can also be a productive and spiritually fulfilling time with intentional planning and preparation. We should also avoid adding new things to our plates and instead look for ways to reduce things that can distract us from being the best during the month. Oh, Allah! Let us reach the month of Ramadan, grant us the strength to fast and draw closer to You. Aameen.
Have you ever homeschooled your kids during Ramadan? Share your tips in the comment section.
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