My Day, al-hamdu lillah -smiles-

bismi Allah, wa al-hamdu lillah, wa al-salatu wa al-salamu `ala rasuli Allah
-smiles-

So, I woke up in the morning:

al-hamdu lillahi ladhi ahyana ba`da ma amatana, wa ilayhin Nushur (Praise be to Allah Who gave us life after death, and unto Him will be the return)

For some reason this morning, I didn't quite feel like getting up... lqtm, but I had to, so I did.

Our devotion area is outside, and one of the parents came and complained how the children might get sick. I told her not to worry, I'll tell the Shaykh to say it a little faster... on my way to the Shaykh I got stopped by a students father who complained to me that a student from the 3rd grade hit his son during lunch time.

Then I had a flashback: I remembered his son running up to me and saying so and so hit me, so then I called the child's name who hit him so I could talk to him, but he never came... and I just ignored the matter.

Then his father said, "my son said you called the other boy, and then the other boy hid."

I thought, ~aha! so that's what that child did.~

I explained myself, "subhan Allah brother, I get complains from children at least every 5 minutes, it's hard for me to answer every single one with my full attention... in sha' Allah today, I will make it a point to talk to that child and let him know to keep to himself. I do see him playing rough in the playground, and I'll do everything I can to make sure he keeps to himself, in sha' Allah"... I then recommended that he talk to the office, and have them call the child in, I know that child and I've talked to him many times, but doesn't adhere to my advice so maybe that will shake him up a bit. So, the father went on to the office.

Then I quickly went to the devotion area, and all I could think about was how I told that lady I would tell the shaykh to speed up his du`a'ing -smiles- (new word there, du`a'ing)... So instead, I kind of forced it to be done faster by saying the du`a' louder than usual and at a faster pace, and al-hamdu lillah he caught on. -smiles- lqtm, ya Rabb, ighfirli.


So, then in class, we made shadow boxes!!! It was such a great project it came out so beautifully. Basically, what we did was this, I had them use tissue paper to make a tree inside, and flowers, and a sun, and clouds, and it came out so nice. Then on the glass part in the front, I had the verse in the Qur'an about trees taped on the front: A goodly word like a goodly tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches (reach) to the heavens [14:24]

I loved the way it came out, barak Allahu fihum. Psst, you can buy shadowboxes from the Dollar Tree, such a great store for teachers!!!

Today, we also planted our corn seeds. They were starting to die in the class, so during recess the children gathered around and we planted it. It's so nice to see a seed sprout after planting it. As the whole class took a cup and planted the seed in it, I did one too. For some reason, my plant just grew wildly and the others had maybe one or two little seedlings. subhan Allah, the children were excited about my plant, but it's just so amazing how you can put a seed in and to see it grow. I felt bad for some children who waited and waited and their seed didn't grow at all, khayr, lqtm, I can't force the plant to grow. subhan Allah... subhan Allah.

Also, today we had a spelling test as usual, but I'm especially happy because one of my weakest students got 7 out of 11, and he usually doesn't do that good. al-hamdu lillah, it really made me happy, and I let him know how proud "of himself" he should be. Barak Allahu fi.

... let's see what else.. what else...

Today, I had to substitute for 4th grade for about an hour, so I actually had no break today, because I did that during my only break during the day. It was A LOT of fun. subhan Allah, I don't have to repeat to them to stay in their seats more than "once"... in first grade, I repeat that, over and over and over and over... and over and over.... and.... mhm.. over. -smiles- Khayr, I really enjoyed it, but I don't know, I love my first graders.

So, today, one child told me, "i told my dad, I hate school and I don't want to go to school.. then my dad asked me, 'why don't you like going to school what's wrong' then i told my dad, 'i'm just kidding i like school'.." .. these children are funny, subhan Allah. I got to a point this year, where nothing they say or do can affect me that much. For instance, during our state testing one girl didn't even do some questions because she didn't feel like, and she's a very "bright" child, that day wasn't her day... I surprised myself, I thought for sure something like that would annoy me, but really, subhan Allah, I know she's a great and she knows she's a great student she doesn't need a test to tell her that. -smiles- ya Rabb, this dunya, it's dunya.

Oh, afterschool I took the student that I was tutoring and took her to the Islamic bookstore next to the masjid. I bought a few CD's and a new Qur'an tape set, al-hamdu lillah, my students absolutely LOOOOVE listening to Qur'an (and they do stay pretty quite) we had some on today, and the students told each other, "shhh! shhh! don't talk the Qur'an is on!!!"... subhan Allah!!! I think someone out there who mentioned I should do this is a GENIUS!!! -smiles- lqtm. So I bought more.

I created a new system in my classroom. All the toys in there can be rented, but the Qur'an can be taken hom for free and returned the next day. subhan Allah, everyday something is rented, for instance... the cash register, you give me one good deed ticket, and you can take the cash register home and bring it back the next day. I even let them buy my board markers, or whatever interests them in the class... i love this system. One mother came in this morning with the Qur'an and the cash register and she said, "here you go teacher, she took this home with her."... lqtm, I told her, "listen, she didn't steal it, the students are allowed to rent stuff from my classroom with their tickets." -smiles- al-hamdu lillah.

Anyways, so then, I drove the girl I was tutoring back to her home, and decided to sit with her for another hour and a half reading. subhan Allah, I've learned so many techniques for teaching children how to read this year that I got from so many different places that I want to list what was the most successful and blog it, or put it somewhere for future reference. I would do that now, but I kind of want to get done, and in sha' Allah i'll make time for that later.

So, I went to her house, and ofcourse, I got presents! lqtm.. ya Rabb. I got a new skirt, and an egyptian cup and saucer that has a very intricate design of and symbols with blue and gold. subhan Allah... I fear going to that house, I always leave with gifts... ya Rabb, it's a good thing, but I feel overwhelmed.

Then I came home, around 5 and I was so exhausted that I prayed `asr and fell asleep. I missed my Qur'an class tonight and we were going to go over TaHa, subhan Allah that class is at 6:30 and I woke up much later than that. -sigh- That really bummed me out. Khayr, I have a class Saturday morning, that should be fun! I love that class... like, love love it! -smiles-

... I didn't have pasta roni -smiles-.. but i did have mahshi! -smiles- with meat!!! and... it wasn't "that" bad. -smiles-

Then, I went online for bit, and I read old mail that I had neglected from the Daily Reminder from the book Don't Be Sad... and while I was reading, I got a wonderful phone call. al-hamdu lillah, al-hamdu lillah, al-hamdu lillah...

That was my day, al-hamdu lillah... and jazakum Allahu khayran for sharing your day, barak Allahu fikum.

subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika ash hadu an la illaha illa ant astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk