RAMADAN ARTICLES - Seventeen tips for Parents to Present Ramadan in your Child's Class:

Parents talking to their children's principals, teachers and
classmates in public schools about Ramadan are of immenseimportance.
By doing so, Muslim children feel less awkward identifying themselves
as Muslims, since someone in an authority position has discussed what
they believe what they do. As a result, the children often feel more
confident and secure.
Well, Muslim children need to feel the importance of their own
celebrations and holidays, especially since we are living in a
non-Muslim environmentwhere kids don't see fancy lights and
decorations, commercial hoopla or consistent reminders of the"holiday
season" during Ramadan.
And of course, talking to your child's class about Ramadan is a great
way to make Dawa to non-Muslim kids and Muslim kids as well, in
particular those who maycome from non-practicing Muslim families.
There are a couple of tipsto keep in mind when approaching the school
or your child's teachers about presenting, as wellas for how you
present the information to the child's class.
01.Start early
Calling your child's teacher in the middle of Ramadan asking to do a
presentation on the topicis too late. Now, less thana month before
Ramadanis the best time to bring up the issue, especially considering
Christmas is coming up and holidays are on the minds of most people,
teachers and students included.
Starting early also helps you think about and gather the right
materials to make a goodpresentation.
02.Get permission from your child's teacher
While parents do have a lot of clout in the school system, this does
not allow them to show up unexpectedly one day at their son or
daughter's class to do a presentationon Ramadan.
Send a letter giving a general indication that you want something done
about Ramadan. Then wait for the teacherto call. If he or she does not
do so within a week, call them and tell them you are following up on
the letter you sent earlier.
03.Select the right period in which to do thepresentation
Does your child study Social Studies? Or does he or she have a period
once a week for Moral and Religious education?If so, suggest to the
teacher that you would like to do the presentation during these
periods. Or, you can of course ask the teacher if he or she has ideas
about which time would be best to come inand do the presentation.
04.Be polite but firm
Speaking nicely to people is part of our Deen, including non-Muslims.
We should remember that the purpose of this exercise is to not just
educate the students, but the teachers as well. Being polite and
courteous will not detract from your desire to present. It will serve
to build bridges and communication, and could lead to further contact
to do presentations on other Islam-related topics and more
teacher-parent cooperation in the future, Insha Allah.
05.Ask the teacher what areas to cover and how long it should be
This helps to adjust your presentation to the age level of the
students, as well as connect it to whatthey are already learning. This
doesn't mean you can't bring in other information, but knowing what to
cover from the teacher helps you put down what has to be covered and
from there you can develop more points on these or related topics.
Asking how long the presentation should be can also help you decide
how much you can include in your presentation.
06.Read, prepare, read, prepare
Now that you've gotten the permission, you don'tjust sit back and wait
for the night before the presentation to put it together.
Remember, if you want to appeal to the students,especially younger
ones, you are going to need more than just a talk. Visuals are a great
help. You can get a Ramadan banner picture of Muslims fasting, show
part of a video aimed at children about Ramadan (see Adam's World's
Ramadan Mubarak video. To get the right material, you will have tofind
out where to get it from, and ordering it might take a couple of
weeks.
Preparing is important, even though you may have fasted all of your
life and think you know all about Ramadan. Get a children's Islamic
book and read what it says about Ramadan. Or an article written by a
teenager about Ramadan. This will also help you understand what points
to emphasize in your presentation.
Reading up will also clarify any incorrect cultural norms that may
have seeped into the practice of Ramadan which you may not have been
aware of. Talk to a knowledgeable Muslim for advice as well.
07.Talk to your son or daughter about the presentation
Who would know better the mind set of the kids in the class than your
sonor daughter? Consult them about what to include, what the kids
like, what kind of things they are interested in. Not only will this
improveyour presentation, Insha Allah, but it will also make Ameena or
Saeed feel important and more confident as individuals, and as
Muslims.
08.A few days before the presentation
Call the teacher to check the date and time of the schedule. This will
serve to remind him or her about your visit and prepare the class
accordingly. It will also help you get the exact time and date.
09.Write presentation points on note cards
Reading off papers aboutRamadan will not hold the interest of many
people, young or old. Instead, writing brief notes on note cards that
you can look at so you don't miss any topic will help you avoid
straying from the subject while allowing you to make eye contact with
your audience and maintain a conversational style of presentation.
10.Practice your presentation in front of your son/daughter
Practicing helps you identify what can be improved, changed or
omitted. Practicing in front of Ameena will giveyou the opportunity to
present before one of the kids in the class who can really give you
the best advice.
It will also help you time your presentation, so youcan make it
shorter or longer.
11.Dress for success
This does not mean pulling out the Armani suit or the most expensive
dress you have. It just means looking as a Muslim should-clean,
respectable, professional and Islamically covered. Clothes don't
always"make the man" but they do affect others' perception of you.
12.Be early
Teachers and students are busy people. They have a certain
curriculumto cover. The fact that they've squeezed in your
presentation is somewhat of a privilege. Don't take advantage of this
by wasting their timeby coming late. And anyways, Muslims should be on
time as a principle.
Coming early can also help you set up your audio visual material.
13.Make Dua...
Before your presentation. Ask Allah tohelp you convey this message
sincerely, properly and clearly. And say Bismillah.
14.Speak calmly and clearly
It's important not to race through the presentation, nor to talk too
slowly. A clear, conversational style, but emphasis on the major
points or terms you wantthe students to understand can help convey the
message properly.
15.When answering questions
If you don't know something, say so. Then check up on it and get back
to the teacher. Ask him or her to convey the response.
16.Thank Allah...
For this opportunity He blessed you with and your ability to go through with it.
17.Send a thank you note to the teacher and class...
Thanking them for their time and attention, as well as their cooperation.