Islamic Summer Clubs in America. Children should learn English

Mai Malkawi-Connecticut

"There has never been so many summer clubs in America before," said Maysa Ahmed, who spoke about her experiences with the summer centers of her daughters. "But there is more interest and more programs throughout the year."

Maysa registered her two daughters at the Summer Club for Girls, organized by the Islamic Center of Bridgeworth, Connecticut, which was established just two years ago, to learn the Holy Quran and Al-Nuriyah and engage in various activities such as ball, arts, knitting and cooking, as well as religious lessons for their ages.

Exploitation of summer leave
"Clubs are necessary in the summer and throughout the year because they link the child to his religion, many like him with customs and traditions, which gives him self-confidence and a sense of belonging," she said.

"They give their best in terms of capabilities and costs, which are symbolic compared to non-Muslim centers," she said, but she spoke of a lack of emphasis on Arabic as the language of education. The method of teaching religion must be playing and exploring, not indoctrination.

"The summer clubs have great advantages, including the atmosphere of openness and freedom that allows us to choose a variety of courses and resources that are easily available, in addition to the practical means and technology that are suitable for all ages," said Ola Habab, "It is a very positive thing that fosters familiarity and a sense of equality."

Challenges
In her speech to Al Jazeera Net, Habab mentioned a number of challenges facing the work of Islamic clubs such as the challenge of Arabic because the basic language for children in America is English and thus make it difficult for Arabic especially if it is not taken care of at home daily by parents. In addition to the challenges of finding "advanced educational methods suitable for the new generation, which is very influenced by American culture."

The development of Islamic clubs in other states such as New Jersey, inhabited by a large Muslim and Arab community, has become specialized and interested in entertainment and educational activities in modern ways, offering many activities in addition to Quran and Arabic classes such as field trips, football and basketball.

Targeted educational programs
The educational expert Suzy Ismail said in statements to Al Jazeera Net that the Islamic summer clubs in the state of New Jersey experience "amazing" as "most of them are managed by employees and not volunteers" and gave an example of their children who work in an Islamic summer camp and pay them the center financially to work.

She stressed the importance of using the summer vacation for their children in the best ways, including registration of Islamic clubs, focusing on the idea of ​​supporting those centers to pay the costs of summer programs in the same way they pay for registration in non-Muslim camps, she said, "These amounts go to the rental facilities and pay teachers, Their mission is better. "

"We have noticed that the old method of delivering programs for children and young people should be developed. This year we started our program with a new philosophy (to be reformed) and tailored to every age stage," said Omar Awad, head of the Islamic Center for Basque County, New Jersey. Separately from the age of 4-16 years, to be a Muslim individual reformer in the entire American society and not only the Muslim community. "

"We offer the summer program with a set of scientific activities, programming and games that provide a story, for example, they build a whale and then tell them the story of Noah, peace be upon him, in addition to the programs of debates between students and others."

Qualified Trainers
The center has about 300 participants this summer. Thirty teachers are trained and paid, but the center faces the challenges of lack of human resources and infrastructure. "We changed our methods in programs, which increased the financial burden on the summer program, Which we are trying to avoid to ensure sustainability and quality in the service of the community with reasonable financial possibilities.

"The change is markedly different from the past and is for the best," said Khadija Abu Taleb, whose children enrolled in the summer program in the Basque district center, describing the activities and methods presented as stimulating thinking and attracting students of all ages.

She repeated the dilemma of the language used in summer centers, which is English. "It is supposed to be taught in Arabic as long as it is a mosque, but the problem in many students and their families who do not speak in houses can not practice in Islamic centers."

In New York State, a number of mosques and Islamic centers compete for summer programs. Karim Hassan, an official at the Islamic Center of New York City, said that the summer program offers topics such as "teaching the Holy Quran, Arabic and Islamic studies, Technology and others. "

The center has a number of teachers who, Hassan told Al-Jazeera, are often trained and qualified, not just volunteers. He explained that the Muslim community is growing rapidly, necessitating the launch of an expansion project and a gym that will make the center one of the largest Islamic centers in New York.