40 parents shared videos of their children involved in different styles of learning activities while playing, we the parents observed children in uninterrupted play & We learned that there are 3 modes of child's learning:
1) Imitation,
2) Self-realization (comes from experimentation)
3) Formal learning.
We observed children as learners, carrying out different activities. How foolish of parents to instruct them to stop playing and sit and focus on studying. While the act of playing itself is learning. Perhaps there is a difference between 'learning' & 'studying.'
Studying is to devote time and attention to gaining knowledge of (an academic subject), especially by means of books.
While, Learning is the acquisition of knowledge or skills through study, experience, or being taught, investigation, knowledge acquired through wisdom & enlightenment.
We use these 4 metaphors for children in our households
When we force teach children their potential of reaching a reality is moulded into something what we want them to be, undermining their aptitude.
All these metaphors are ideally used by parents because they have their own desires of making a child into what they dream him of, or make him choose a career with lucrative salaries, high status etc. They are seldom interested in finding out his interests and aptitude.
There are some interesting metaphors used by John Holt in Learning all the Time. He calls students squirting bottles, containers, laboratory rats, and mental patients.
A mother from our class mentioned calling humans as 'Shakila' in the Quran. It is mentioned in Surah Bani Israil,84:
قُلْ كُلٌّ يَعْمَلُ عَلَى شَاكِلَتِهِ
Say:"Each one does according to Shakilatihi..."
Ibn `Abbas said,
"According to his inclinations."
Mujahid said,
"According to his inclinations and his nature."
Qatadah said,
"According to his intentions."
Ibn Zayd said,
"According to his religion."
Shakila is a prevailing tendency, mood, or inclination, temperamental makeup, the tendency of someone to act in a certain manner under given circumstances. His circumstances are pre-designed by Allah.
Allah provided certain circumstances for his prophets, passing them through thick and thin, think of Yusuf Alayhe Salam (was imprisoned before he became a king of Egypt) Yunis Alayhe Salam (was sent in whale's tummy for seeking repentance) Allah has given us options in making our choices in the world, we choose what we want to eat, we choose to pray or not,whom we befriend, we choose our daily activities and these decisions make our shakila (they go in our favour or against us is our destiny) other things,our provisions, our rizq, our spouse, our parents, the country & household we are born in etc are all predestined; already written in Lawhe Mehfooz (Inscribed in a Preserved Tablet with Allah) Only dua can change destiny in Layla tul Qadr.
Blessings and good fortune lead to arrogance unless one remembers where they come from and gives thanks to Allah who bestowed them. On the other hand, when someone is afflicted by difficulty and hardship, he is easily lost in despair unless he trusts Allah and hopes to receive His Grace. It is when one truly relies on Allah that one feels that hardship will give way to what is better. This makes it clear that faith ensures Allah’s grace in situations of ease and difficulty alike.
The sūrah then states that everyone and every camp acts according to the path it follows. The final verdict on methods and actions is left to God alone: “Say: Everyone acts according to his own disposition. Your Lord is fully aware as to who has chosen the best path.” (Verse 84) In this statement we have an implicit warning as to the results of approaches and deeds. Hence, everyone needs to heed the warnings and strive to follow the path of divine guidance which is available to all (Qurtubi) In this verse, human beings have been warned that they must abstain from bad surroundings, bad company and bad habits and take to the company of good people and inculcate good habits. The reason, as stated earlier, is that one's response pattern built up under the influence of surrounding, company and custom makes one do what it dictates. Imam al-Jassas has also given another meaning of 'shakilah' at this place, that of 'like.' Given this meaning, the sense of the verse would be that everyone feels comfortable with a person who is compatible with one's temperament. A good man finds another good man familiar while a wicked man feels comfortable with another wicked man whose style he follows without any qualms of conscience. An example of this behaviour pattern appears in what Allah says in the Qur’ an: الْخَبِيثَاتُ لِلْخَبِيثِينَ (Evil women are for evil men - 24:26) and وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ لِلطَّيِّبِينَ (Good women are for good men - 24:26). It means that everyone strikes familiarity with a man or woman according to one's own temperament. In short, this too is a warning against falling into bad company and bad habits. One should really make an effort to abstain from these. [Taken from Tafaseers]
'Genes' is a fancy term to blame if things are happening against us or in our favour. However, if two genetically identical twins are raised in different households,different countries, with different values will have completely different shakila, personality & outlook on life.
Our genes are not always responsible for what will happen to us, our decisions create or not create our genes.
A recent study of thirty men with prostate cancer (conducted in part by Blackburn and her co-Nobel Prize–winning scientist, Carol Greider) showed that three months of eating a low-fat, plant-based diet, along with engaging in moderate exercise and stress management, increased the subjects’ telomerase activity by almost 30 percent within a certain type of immune cell. The amped-up activity prevented the telomeres from deteriorating, which, according to the study, may help prevent these cancers from spreading.
In other words, this study, as well as many others, offers evidence that our genetic makeup is not necessarily fixed. Moreover, epigeneticists believe that our external environment can actually change it.
Dr. Bruce Lipton, author of The Biology of Belief and a former medical school professor and research scientist, asserts that genes and DNA do not control our biology; rather, they are controlled by signals outside the cell. If this hypothesis turns out to be accurate, it’s all the more reason to send your DNA the best messages possible by eating well, exercising, and trying some of the other secrets in this book. [From the book: The secrets of people who never get sick; by: Gene Stone]
This shows people of ancient times lived different lifestyles and had stronger genes, had long lives & were physically living real life without being dependent on technology. Perhaps their genes were working to live strong, they ate tayyib and organically grown vegetables, hormone free grass fed animals, grounding on grass, connecting with the universe and living like a Learning animal.
Regards,
Dr Mini
1) Imitation,
2) Self-realization (comes from experimentation)
3) Formal learning.
We observed children as learners, carrying out different activities. How foolish of parents to instruct them to stop playing and sit and focus on studying. While the act of playing itself is learning. Perhaps there is a difference between 'learning' & 'studying.'
Studying is to devote time and attention to gaining knowledge of (an academic subject), especially by means of books.
While, Learning is the acquisition of knowledge or skills through study, experience, or being taught, investigation, knowledge acquired through wisdom & enlightenment.
We use these 4 metaphors for children in our households
- Moulding clay
- Sponge
- Clean slate
- Empty vessel
When we force teach children their potential of reaching a reality is moulded into something what we want them to be, undermining their aptitude.
All these metaphors are ideally used by parents because they have their own desires of making a child into what they dream him of, or make him choose a career with lucrative salaries, high status etc. They are seldom interested in finding out his interests and aptitude.
There are some interesting metaphors used by John Holt in Learning all the Time. He calls students squirting bottles, containers, laboratory rats, and mental patients.
A mother from our class mentioned calling humans as 'Shakila' in the Quran. It is mentioned in Surah Bani Israil,84:
قُلْ كُلٌّ يَعْمَلُ عَلَى شَاكِلَتِهِ
Say:"Each one does according to Shakilatihi..."
Ibn `Abbas said,
"According to his inclinations."
Mujahid said,
"According to his inclinations and his nature."
Qatadah said,
"According to his intentions."
Ibn Zayd said,
"According to his religion."
Shakila is a prevailing tendency, mood, or inclination, temperamental makeup, the tendency of someone to act in a certain manner under given circumstances. His circumstances are pre-designed by Allah.
Allah provided certain circumstances for his prophets, passing them through thick and thin, think of Yusuf Alayhe Salam (was imprisoned before he became a king of Egypt) Yunis Alayhe Salam (was sent in whale's tummy for seeking repentance) Allah has given us options in making our choices in the world, we choose what we want to eat, we choose to pray or not,whom we befriend, we choose our daily activities and these decisions make our shakila (they go in our favour or against us is our destiny) other things,our provisions, our rizq, our spouse, our parents, the country & household we are born in etc are all predestined; already written in Lawhe Mehfooz (Inscribed in a Preserved Tablet with Allah) Only dua can change destiny in Layla tul Qadr.
Blessings and good fortune lead to arrogance unless one remembers where they come from and gives thanks to Allah who bestowed them. On the other hand, when someone is afflicted by difficulty and hardship, he is easily lost in despair unless he trusts Allah and hopes to receive His Grace. It is when one truly relies on Allah that one feels that hardship will give way to what is better. This makes it clear that faith ensures Allah’s grace in situations of ease and difficulty alike.
The sūrah then states that everyone and every camp acts according to the path it follows. The final verdict on methods and actions is left to God alone: “Say: Everyone acts according to his own disposition. Your Lord is fully aware as to who has chosen the best path.” (Verse 84) In this statement we have an implicit warning as to the results of approaches and deeds. Hence, everyone needs to heed the warnings and strive to follow the path of divine guidance which is available to all (Qurtubi) In this verse, human beings have been warned that they must abstain from bad surroundings, bad company and bad habits and take to the company of good people and inculcate good habits. The reason, as stated earlier, is that one's response pattern built up under the influence of surrounding, company and custom makes one do what it dictates. Imam al-Jassas has also given another meaning of 'shakilah' at this place, that of 'like.' Given this meaning, the sense of the verse would be that everyone feels comfortable with a person who is compatible with one's temperament. A good man finds another good man familiar while a wicked man feels comfortable with another wicked man whose style he follows without any qualms of conscience. An example of this behaviour pattern appears in what Allah says in the Qur’ an: الْخَبِيثَاتُ لِلْخَبِيثِينَ (Evil women are for evil men - 24:26) and وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ لِلطَّيِّبِينَ (Good women are for good men - 24:26). It means that everyone strikes familiarity with a man or woman according to one's own temperament. In short, this too is a warning against falling into bad company and bad habits. One should really make an effort to abstain from these. [Taken from Tafaseers]
'Genes' is a fancy term to blame if things are happening against us or in our favour. However, if two genetically identical twins are raised in different households,different countries, with different values will have completely different shakila, personality & outlook on life.
Our genes are not always responsible for what will happen to us, our decisions create or not create our genes.
A recent study of thirty men with prostate cancer (conducted in part by Blackburn and her co-Nobel Prize–winning scientist, Carol Greider) showed that three months of eating a low-fat, plant-based diet, along with engaging in moderate exercise and stress management, increased the subjects’ telomerase activity by almost 30 percent within a certain type of immune cell. The amped-up activity prevented the telomeres from deteriorating, which, according to the study, may help prevent these cancers from spreading.
In other words, this study, as well as many others, offers evidence that our genetic makeup is not necessarily fixed. Moreover, epigeneticists believe that our external environment can actually change it.
Dr. Bruce Lipton, author of The Biology of Belief and a former medical school professor and research scientist, asserts that genes and DNA do not control our biology; rather, they are controlled by signals outside the cell. If this hypothesis turns out to be accurate, it’s all the more reason to send your DNA the best messages possible by eating well, exercising, and trying some of the other secrets in this book. [From the book: The secrets of people who never get sick; by: Gene Stone]
This shows people of ancient times lived different lifestyles and had stronger genes, had long lives & were physically living real life without being dependent on technology. Perhaps their genes were working to live strong, they ate tayyib and organically grown vegetables, hormone free grass fed animals, grounding on grass, connecting with the universe and living like a Learning animal.
Regards,
Dr Mini
