Sanad Prep: A Leader in Blended Education
Blended learning as defined by “The Blended Learning Universe” occurs when two or more models of learning integrate creating a new modality. For the model to be truly considered integrated, there must be an instructional shift from a face to face teacher to web based content and instruction. There should be some element of student control over the web based content and instruction. And finally, all modalities of the student’s learning path should be seamlessly integrated creating a rich and comprehensive learning experience. (Maxwell 2016) So when the entire world shifted their education systems online because of Covid-19, they did NOT all transform into a blended learning system overnight. The peril is the misconception that a digital version of the traditional school would be lauded as “blended learning”. (Holland 2017)
At Sanad Prep, for the past 10 years we have offered and cultivated the instructional coaching expertise to be able to create a unique blended learning experience for our students. Our curriculum is all web based content and instruction provided by K12, a virtual public school that is fully accredited. And our team of learning coaches work one on one with students to ensure that they each have personalized active learning experiences. The online curriculum coupled with our highly trained learning coaches and a safe enriching environment make for a winning combination, Alhamdulillah.
The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for models like Sanad Prep. And it has challenged us to improve, find new solutions and enhance the offering to our students. Let’s uncover the details of this transformative model through the incredible things being produced by Sanad Prep students!
Sanad Prep Students Collaborate
School closures and social restrictions have been hard on everyone, especially on the young children among us. Pre-pandemic, our students were given many opportunities to play together at the Learning Center. The Learning Coach for our youngest group, Faiza, would allow them to move and play in between lessons to give them breaks. So, when we went fully online we solicited feedback from all of our students asking them what they think would make their online experience better. Our youngest group wanted more play! So we turned to Google Jamboard to give them a chance to “play together”. Jamboard functions as a digital whiteboard that allows for collaboration. It can be used by business executives to plan strategy or high school students to make concept maps or even by first and second graders to create digital collages, like shown below. This is just one way we use Jamboard, we also turn it into a birthday message board anytime it’s one of our students or staff’s birthdays. It can also be an excellent tool for collaborating between at home learners and in- person learners. (Lyding 2021) At Sanad Prep we are all about finding solutions for our students, and in this case they just love to “Jam on Jamboard”.
Sanad Prep Students Create
Being inspired by the concept of “Use It or Lose It” from The Learning Coach Approach by Linda Dobson, Fareeza, our upper elementary Learning Coach, understands the importance of students being able to do more than just memorize facts or regurgitate information. She helps students connect what they’re learning to the real world by “creating”. As Linda Dobson mentions in her book, “And as your child’s learning coach you don’t concentrate on giving him more information instead you provide lots of opportunity to use the information he already received. The easiest and most effective way to do this is through providing lots of opportunity for experience and experimentation.” (Dobson 2005)
On any given day, you’ll find Fareeza’s students hunting around their homes gathering materials to create something based on what they’re learning in class. One recent project they worked on was Indian Miniature Paintings from the time of the Mughal dynasty. Students created their own version by drawing an elephant filled with colorful patterns and became Mughal artists in their own right. For the upper elementary students at Sanad Prep, learning becomes more meaningful when they create!
Sanad Prep Students receive Coordinated Learning Experiences
At the heart of Sanad Prep is our students. And because we are a personalized and intentionally small Learning Center, we really get to know the whole student, their personality, strengths and challenges. Sanad Prep Parents are an integral part of this relationship circle as they become a part of the Sanad Prep village. The inspiration that “it takes a village to raise a child” takes on a different life when the village dwellers chip in to do their part. Not only do parents have the confidence that their child is receiving a personalized learning experience, they have the ability to become a part of the process through active engagement and involvement in the village activities. Sanad Prep also offers opportunities to a third generation, the grandparents, to give back to the community. This may take the form of tutoring for math, science and other subjects. At Sanad Prep, we are also able to recognize and accommodate students who are beyond their grade level. By carefully considering their intellectual abilities, their emotional and personal maturity, and the available resources within the support system, we make recommendations for them to take advanced classes and or enroll within a gifted or accelerated program. For example, in Middle School we have two students who are taking both advanced Math and English this year as a part of an accelerated program. It is not always smooth sailing when a student decides to take advanced classes. Some critics of advanced classes have said that it slows academic progress. As one educator, Turner, has identified, “We also must pay close attention to student well-being, stress and anxiety as they balance these multiple demands in a changing world.” (Matthews 2019) This is what Ameena, the Middle School learning coach seeks to do. In fact the entire Sanad Prep team is very focused on knowing the whole child and providing support and direction as needed.
Sanad Prep Students Care
Sanad Prep is built on having adab and part of that is having genuine care and concern for others. We attempt to do this practically each week with our high school students. Every week a high school student presents a current event or real-world topic and discusses why their classmates should care about it. Cultivating an awareness of others and promoting empathy in the classroom has been proven to have many benefits such as creating a positive classroom culture and community. It also prepares students to become leaders in the wider community. (Owen 2015) The students choose a topic that is either current such as events presented in the news, either local or global, or relevant, especially as young Muslims living in America. This discussion facilitated by Ustadh Rehan allows them to talk about what’s going on in the world and what is meaningful to them. One of their Learning Coaches, Azad, has said that he appreciates this exercise as it gives him insight into what the students value and deem important. Some of the past topics include the avalanche in Uttarakhand, the Farmer’s Protest in the Punjab, the Presidential election and the attack on the Capitol.
This pandemic has taught us many things and stretched us beyond our imaginations! Aside from all the technological growth, we have pivoted and found solutions for our students not just academically but also socially and emotionally. Sanad Prep has always been focused on the mind, heart and soul of the children and families we serve. Under the leadership of Ustadh Rehan and Sis Attiqa we have ongoing reflections and discussions about how we can improve. This concept of purposeful reflection happens throughout our Learning Center from staff to students. One project that has been undertaken by our Middle School is to encourage all Sanad Prep students to write letters to their post-pandemic selves reflecting on the lessons they learned and continue to learn as we move through this phase. This project was inspired by an online article about another Middle Schooler in New Jersey whose Mom is a strong believer in reflection and introspection. (Cho 2020) Let’s end with a snippet from Jamal’s reflection.
Endnotes:
Cho, Julia (December 30, 2020) “A 12-Year-Old’s Letter to Her Post-Pandemic Self”. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/30/well/family/new-years-letter.html?smid=fb-share
Dobson, Linda (2005), “The Learning Coach Approach”, Running Press Book Publishers, PA, USA.
Holland, Beth (February 22, 2017) “Are We Innovating, or Just Digitizing Traditional Teaching?” Retrieved from: https://www.edutopia.org/article/are-we-innovating-or-just-digitizing-traditional-teaching-beth-holland
Lyding, Linnea (January 15, 2021), “6 Ways to Jam on Jamboard: Using the Digital Whiteboard in a Hybrid Classroom”. Retrieved from: https://www.edutopia.org/article/6-ways-jam-jamboard-using-digital-whiteboard-hybrid-classroom
Matthews, Jay (January 11, 2019), “Sometimes, advanced classes can slow a child’s progress”. Retrieved from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/sometimes-advanced-classes-can-slow-a-childs-progress/2019/01/10/82da3824-1465-11e9-b6ad-9cfd62dbb0a8_story.html
Maxwell, Clifford (March 4, 2016), “What Blended Learning is- and isn’t”. Retrieved from: https://www.blendedlearning.org/what-blended-learning-is-and-isnt/
Owen, Lauren (November 11, 2015), “Empathy in the Classroom: Why Should I Care?”. Retrieved from: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/empathy-classroom-why-should-i-care-lauren-owen
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