EDUCATION These videos were compiled into a “video hug,” that weaved together the participants’ segments into an uplifting and inspirational testimony of their collective resolve (https:// tinyurl.com/isla-resilience). Additionally, the retreat included raffles and giveaways with gift cards to their vendor of choice, a gift card to all participants to The ISLA Bookstore (www.theislabookstore. org), courtesy of partnering organization, Al-Furqaan Foundation, and some free professional development workshops for winning schools. While the virtual event was only two hours long, the program included a variety of interactive activities. It began with a beautiful recitation of Surah Duha (Chap. 93), connected to the theme of “rising with resilience” by IANT Quranic Academy’s (www.myiqa. org) Shaykh Muhammad Khan. Participants were guided through a mindfulness practice led by Wadud Hassan, founder of Define 360 (www.define360.online), reflecting upon some of Allah’s names and attributes. Kathy Jamil, former ISLA board chair and founding principal of Universal School in Buffalo, N.Y., and current educational consultant (http://litconsulting.org), led a breakout session highlighting the importance of leading with clarity. ISLA executive director Shaza Khan concluded the event by sharing ISLA’s growth over the past year and upcoming programs and services that will help to support Islamic schools in 2021. The event was remarkably close in spirit to the physical event, despite the many constraints of being held virtually and for such a short duration. There was a feeling of community, excitement and celebration, with moments for reflection and connection to God and the Sunna of the Prophet (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). Due to it being held online, many educators were able to participate in the ISLA Retreat for the first time. One retreat participant reflected, “I almost didn’t join because I am really tired of virtual experiences, but I’m glad I did!” And another summarized sentiments culminating from a year-long endeavor to collaborate with Islamic school colleagues across the country, “Truly a new experience. This pandemic made us find other ways to have this retreat, not miss it, and see all the people we have been meeting during the yearly retreats. Jazakum Allah Khairan for all you do for the Islamic education.” ih Shaza Khan, PhD, is executive director of the Islamic Schools League of America.
48 ISLAMIC HORIZONS
The Reality of Muslim Children in Public Schools Teachers want to help us — we have to show them how BY MICHAEL ABRAHAM
T
he average Muslim parent in the U.S. has concerns about how public schools influence their children. While sending them to Islamic schools might be preferable, the reality is that the vast majority of Muslim children attend public schools, where they will spend over 16,000 hours of their growing-up years. It is common knowledge in our communities that this particular worry has always been prevalent and is only heightened today. At the same time, the average public school teacher, along with the education system itself, has been facing the task of teaching an ever-increasingly diverse student body in the current century. This was especially buttressed by the decade of 2000-10, which saw the U.S. welcome more immigrants than any other decade in its history. There are now more Muslim students in public schools than ever before. The reaction to this increasing diversity has been to amp up the prioritization and prevalence of training teachers and staff in multiculturalism and racial equity
throughout pre-service teaching training programs, school policies and in-service professional development. The result is that the average teacher now absorbs a nearly endless amount of messaging about the need to accept and respect students and families who are not from the same background as themselves. Racial equity and multicultural training are incorporated, at least in part, in nearly every school district proximal to an urban center, and standards for developing multicultural competencies are common to virtually all state teacher licensure requirements. What is generally known and felt by public school teachers is that the pressure to be “culturally responsive” and practice “culturally relevant pedagogy” is made apparent and strongly felt. However, what most find lacking, yet desperately desire, is a concrete “how to” manual when it comes to transforming what they have learned into real-world cultural competencies. Here lies the grand opportunity for Muslims. Having analyzed and experienced this dynamic, seven years ago I
