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PROJECT ON ROAD SIGNS
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The KG III / Mont III children at AMUNS were invited by to view a project on road signs prepared by the Grade II pupils at the Al Muntazir Boys Primary School on Wednesday 11th August 2010. Children were excited to visit “THE BIG SCHOOL”
At the Boys Primary School, pupils were warmly welcomed by the team of teachers who then led the children to the triangular area inside the building where the project was placed.
The students proudly showed off their talent and confidently explained about the road signs.
It was an educational trip for our children as the description of the road signs were clearly illustrated and it also reminded them to be careful while crossing.
Thank you AMBPS and keep up the great job!
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QUR’AN HIFDH COMPETITION
The AMUNS has been hosting the Qur’an Hifdh Competition annually for the past 3 years for the KG III / Mont. III children, so as encourage the children to spend their precious time reciting the Qur’an in this Holy Month of Ramadhan.
On 23rd July 2010, Muslim parents were sent a circular requiring them to assist and train their children in memorizing 12 suras out of which 65 children registered for this programme. These children have been practicing these suras since then.
The preliminary round was held on Friday 13th August 2010 whereby 36 students were selected to take part in the semi-finals which will be held on Friday 27th August 2010.
We appreciate the effort put in by the parents training and motivating their children throughout.
May Allah (SWT) reward them in the hereafter. Ameen!
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COMMEMORATING THE DEATH ANNIVERSARY OF BIBI KHADIJA (S.A)
In accordance to the Islamic calendar, the day of 10th Ramadhan is marked as the most sorrowful day for Our Holy Prophet (SAWW), the day he lost his companion and Lady Fatema (SA) lost her mother - Lady Khadijatul Kubra (SA), one of the personalities known for her generosity, perseverance, patience and sacrifices.
At the AMUNS we commemorated this event at assembly level whereby children were told a short life history on Bibi Khadija (SA) followed the KG III / Mont. III who used the Word Search to answer the questions.
This was followed by a question and answer session for the KG II / Mont. II children.
The activities not only highlighted on the important aspect of her life but also gave an insight on how devoted she was towards the religion of Islam.
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INTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES AT AMUNS
The Al Muntazir Week Celebration is carried out every year to Commemorate the birth of our Present Imam Al – Mahdi (ATFS). The theme for this year being “Promoting Education That Inspires”, had got the whole school engaged in loads of activities throughout the week.
The highlight of the week was the Inter-School programme for the 2nd and 3rd year children. Students from four different schools, Bilal Comprehensive School, Busy Bees Pre-School, Learning Ladders Pre-School and Lady Fatemah Nursery School were invited to our campus for the very first time to participate during the Al Muntazir Week.
The theme for the younger ones was ‘Colour Fun’. Teachers demonstrated colour mixing initially.
Later, children were let free to explore the colours on their own using ice-cubes, paints, coloured sand etc.
The older ones displayed their knowledge on ‘Our Beloved Country – Tanzania’ through various action rhymes and a drama depicting the lifestyle of the people of Tanzania.
It was truly gladdening to watch our students blend easily with their peers. All in all, it was an enjoyable learning experience for one and all.
The AMUNS would like to take this opportunity to express their appreciation to the schools who participated in this programme.
We salute their solidarity and hope to continue the goodwill in the future.
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BIG MATH FOR LITTLE KIDS
On Saturday 29th May 2010, the Toddlers wing was bustling with Parents for a workshop on Mathematics. About 40 Parents registered for the workshop.
The workshop was facilitated by the teachers of Toddlers explaining the development of Math Concepts in young children through the early childhood years till the age of 5 years.
The workshop enlightened the parents through the Principles of Counting that children discover as they explore the environment and interact with adults.
Activities related to concepts such as Serration, Sorting, Matching, Measurements and Patterning were laid out with explanations on how children develop and practise these concepts through play. With this understanding, Parents were toured to a section of how Math is taught at Toddlers during Block play, sand and water play, Dramatic Play, art activities, etc.
All these activities were demonstrated to give an idea to Parents as to how they can implement and encourage Math activities at home through simple activities.
The session ended with a small assignment for the Parents, whereby they had to create two Math activities from the limited open ended materials provided to them. The parents enjoyed working together in a small group. We got lots of lovely ideas from them!
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FRIDAY ACTIVITY AT UNION NURSERY SCHOOL
On Friday 7th May 2010, the pupils of KG III - Class A presented a lively item on ‘Wild Animals’.
Children who were dressed up in animal costumes came onstage and introduced themselves as the character they were representing.
They were then joined in by their peers and sang a beautiful rhyme which highlighted the whole act and left the rest of the children humming it all the way back to their classes.
BRAVO CLASS A!!
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SECOND YEARS’ FIELD TRIP TO THE MARKET
Young children need opportunities to explore the world around them, thus the KG II and Montessori II at the AMUNS visited the Kinondoni Market on Wednesday 21st April / Thursday 22nd April to learn about different “fruits and vegetables”.
Children were keyed up about their field trip and were eagerly waiting for the buses to arrive on these particular days. The 20 minute drive from the school to the market was full of excited chatter. Upon reaching the market, the classes led by their respective teachers went around looking at the fruits and vegetables on display.
The vendors were very co-operative and let the children touch and feel the fruits and vegetables. Children discussed the names, colors and also sang rhymes on fruits and vegetables.
Children were then accompanied back to the buses while some fruits and vegetables were bought for the children to taste at school. All in all, the trip was a great success and proved to be a great learning experience for the children.
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MOTHERS WEEK
The teachers and children of toddlers were very happy to receive the mothers for the “MOTHERS’ WEEK” programme held from 15th March to 19th March at the school campus.
The aim of the programme was to provide opportunity for Mothers to spend time with the child in the school as well as familiarize them with different activities done in school
A setup of different activity centres were organized, some of which consisted of making play dough, creating “treasures out of trash” by using junk materials like boxes, bottles, paper plates, sand, stones, seeds. There was a reading area and a cloth washing area too.
Mothers and their toddlers participated enthusiastically in all areas. The children had smiles on their faces as they showed off their talents to their mothers.
Each mother received a set of matching cards made by the teachers as a take home gift from their child.
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MILAD UN NABI
CELEBRATION AT
TODDLERS
On Friday 12th March, the Al Muntazir Toddlers Wing celebrated the birth Anniversary of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (S.A.W).
Each class presented an Islamic rhyme in the Assembly. The highlight of the programme was the model of the Holy Kaaba.
The teachers explained the children that the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) was born in Mecca where the Holy Kaaba is situated.
The children decorated the flags and since they enjoy celebrating Birthdays, they had a blast singing “Happy Birthday to Prophet Mohammed”.
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TODDLERS' PARENTS - TEACHER MEETING
The Toddler’s staff were happy to receive the Parents for Parents - Teacher Meeting on Friday, 5th March 2010. The meeting aimed at familiarizing Parents to Toddlers curriculum and sharing children’s observations.
This meeting also gave Parents an opportunity to exchange view with the teacher and learn more about their child’s growth and development.
The parents toured the class to view the activities and art displays. It was a very fruitful day for the parents and teachers.
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MONTESSORI WORKSHOP
The workshop held on Saturday 6th March 2010 began with a welcome speech by our Principal, Mrs. Jaffer who also highlighted the parents on a few administration issues followed by a health awareness talk by Pr. Karim Manji.
The academic journey began with Mrs. Sakina Fazel explaining about the number skills. The language part was done by Ms. Fatema Kudrati and Mrs. Zahira Jaffer who explained on writing and reading respectively. Mrs. Zohreen Merchant explained the General Knowledge topics taught in Montessori One through Montessori Three.
Briefing on the Montessori activities was done as follows:
Practical life- Ms. Anna Macha
Sensori-motor – Ms. Sanober Dhanji
Language – Mrs. Janeth Ulungi
Maths – Ms. Saima Waljee
Science and Culture – Mrs. Alifya Madan
Lastly, Mrs. Nasra Hashim highlighted on the extra - curricular activities carried out at our school and how these activities can benefit our young children.
Parents then visited the classes and got a chance of meeting the teachers and learning about their children’s progress.
We would like to thank all the Parents who regularly attend these workshops as they provide vital opportunities to learn about our teaching scheme, and we urge other parents to attend these programs for the betterment of their children.
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MILADUN NABI CELEBRATION AT NURSERY SCHOOL
The Al Muntazir Union Nursery School celebrated the birthday of our Holy Prophet, Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W) at the school campus on Friday the 5th of March 2010.
The whole school gathered in the assembly area where children began with the mass exercise followed by raising of the school flag accompanied by the recitation of Dua-e-Hujjat.
A couple of KG 3 children recited verses of Sura-e-Ikhlas with its translation. This was followed by a rhyme on our Holy Prophet’s life history – Born in Mecca, by the 2nd year students.
The first year children demonstrated on the teachings of our Holy Prophet through rhymes and dramatization.
The KG III/Mont. III children acted on the parts of a skit showing sayings of the Holy Prophet and dramatized a few morals taught by the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W) as well as a short rhyme.
Children then went back to their classes and continued with their normal academic routine.
All in all it was a great learning day with a difference at the Nursery School.
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TODDLERS GETTING ACQUAINTED
Painting! Pouring! Shapes! New Friends! Ohh so much FUN!
The first few weeks of school are crucial to setting an atmosphere where children feel welcome and comfortable. They meet new people and discover new things around them. Therefore, laying a foundation of a secured relationship between the caregiver and the child is vital for the success throughout the year. At Toddlers, the children are acquainted through various fun activities.
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BIBI SAKINA DAY
The Al Muntazir Union Nursery School commemorated the death anniversary of Bibi Sakina (AS) at the School Campus on Friday the
29th of January 2010.
The programme which involved 2nd and 3rd year children (KG & Montessori) commenced with the recitation of Sura-e-Ikhlas by our 3rd year children also translated it through a rhyme “Say HE is Allah the only one…...”
The KG III/Mont. III children then had a question and answer session based on the life history of Bibi Sakina (AS).
This was followed by a PowerPoint presentation by Sister Zahira Raza which highlighted the important aspects in the life of Bibi Sakina (A.S) and the hardship she had gone through after the martyrdom of her father Imam Hussein (A.S).
She emphasized on the good qualities Bibi Sakina (A.S) possessed and encouraged our children to try and follow her footsteps as much as possible.
May Allah (SWT) guide us with wisdom and enable our children to follow the right path. Ameen.
Our KG II/Mont. II children then presented a short rhyme in memory of Bibi Sakina (AS). The programme ended with the recitation of Dua-e- Hujjat followed by Salutations to our Holy Prophet (S.A.W) and the Aimmahs (A.S). Children then dispersed to their respective classes and continued with their daily routine.
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PARENT-TEACHER MEETING
The AMUNS PTC for the 2nd term was held at the campus on Friday 30th October 2009.
The classes were arranged with each child’s books piled orderly for easy access to the parents.
As the final assessments are now approaching, it is very crucial for the one to one meeting which was meant to update parents on their children’s progress at school.
The meeting also serves to strengthen the communication between home and school.
Parents started coming in as early as 7.30 a.m. to meet the teachers and discuss their children’s development in all areas of school life.
The Parent were briefed about their child’s academic performance and attendance, enlightened about their child’s participation in the extra - curricular activities and given tips on how they can enhance their progress.
An average of 87% of the parents showed up.
Books and educational material from Kilimanjaro Bookshop (School Bookshop) and Dar-es-Salaam Printers were kept on sale for the parents.
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TEACHERS MEET PARENTS AT TODDLERS
Taking the Parents-School Partnership to heights, the Toddlers Staff received parents on the 2nd of October 2009 to discuss the development of their child.
The Progress Report of the children that we update every quarterly was shown to the Parents. The child’s development is noted in Physical, Emotional, Social, Cognitive and Language developmental domains.
The Documentation containing children’s activities and photos was also shared with Parents explaining how the themes evolved in classrooms as children mastered the skills.
One of the highlights of the Parent-Teacher Talk was to work with parents in helping children get ready for the Nursery that they can cope with the bigger and more independent environment. Our aim is to ensure that we
facilitate a smooth transition into Nursery school.
An orientation trip to the Al Muntazir Union Nursery School is scheduled in the month of November for the children at the Toddlers.
3RD YEARS’ FIELD TRIP TO MLIMANI CITY
The KG III / Mont III children’s theme of the month is currency. Children have been taught about different notations of the Tanzanian currency and the use of money, therefore they were taken to the supermarket to get first-hand experience on shopping on the 12th / 13th of October 2009.
Upon reaching, children were encouraged to read the labels on the products and identify healthy food from unhealthy food.
Since they’ve learnt about different occupations a couple of months back, they were taken around to the butchery & bakery and actually saw the people at work with their appropriate tools.
Children were primarily explained on how things are purchased.
They were encouraged to calculate the totals of the items bought and also try and figure out the change.
Each child was then given the practical experience of paying for their chosen items at the counters.
All in all, the trip proved to be a fulfilling learning experience combined with a lot of fun.
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HEALTHY LIVING
With the focus on Healthy Living, the toddlers enjoyed the activities as ever during the Al Muntazir Week celebrations and little longer at Toddlers. The theme featured a lot of activities on nutritious food, physical workouts, hygiene and clean environment.
The children prepared and tasted healthy food items everyday during the week. The younger children painted the pictures and pasted the fruits and vegetables cut-outs as they familiarized with the names and colors of various fruits and vegetables.
The children had a lot of fun during the walk to the Union Sports Ground which followed by physical exercise on the ground.
The talk by Parents on ‘Healthy Living’ drew the most attention in all the classes. The children listened and responded to the Parents very enthusiastically.
We Thank the Parents for their continued support and contribution.
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IMAM E ZAMANA DAY
The school held a grand assembly on Friday 7th August to celebrate the birthday of Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s) which also marked the culmination of the Al Muntazir week. The theme for this year was “HEALTHY LIVING.”
The programme was graced by the presence of the President of Khoja Shia Ithnasheri Jamaat- Alhaj Anwer Dharamsi, Chairman of the Central Board of Education - Dr. Jaffer Dharsee, Mr. Fayaz Jaffer – a Board Member and Mr. Arif Remtulla - a Member from the Secretariat.
The assembly began with the recitation and translation of a few verses from Sura-e-Noor, after which Mrs. Jaffer, the School Principal introduced the guests and gave a concise enlightenment on the activities carried out throughout the Al Muntazir week.
The school flag was then hoisted by the guest of honour, followed by a march past by a few of the 3rd year children.
The Children were then briefed on the illustration of the school flag in the form of an interesting puzzle.
A message on the 12th Imam was delivered to the students and staff, followed by the salutations to our Holy Imam, which marked the end of the programme.
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BLOCK PLAY WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS
On Saturday 9th May 2009, Toddlers’ Wing was a vibrant place, as parents and teachers of toddlers, gathered for a workshop on Block Play. The overview workshop covered the development of block play in young children through the early childhood years and the use of blocks as a learning tool across the early childhood curriculum.
Registration Forms were sent to parents earlier during the week, whereby fifty percent of parents registered and attended the workshop with a lot of enthusiasm to gain ideas on how they can implement activities for block play with their child at home.
The teachers of Toddlers facilitated the workshop to enlighten the parents through the stages of block play and how children develop skills as they explore the set of blocks. They explained that when children play in the block area, they problem solve as they make their structures to represent the real world, they think the possibilities of using the materials and dramatize the function of their structure.
This interactive workshop was fruitful for both parents and teachers as it gave them an opportunity to discuss the observations of their children. It ended up with a short forum for Parents. We hope to have the same support and enthusiasm from ALL Parents with such workshops in future.
1ST YRS FIELD TRIP TO THE SUPERMARKET
At the Al Muntazir Schools, practical lessons are well incorporated in to the learning process of the children; hence children are taken on appropriately planned field trips in relation to the lesson that may be going in their respective classes to make their learning an innovative experience.
There was a lot of enthusiasm and elation in the air on Tuesday 12th May and Wednesday 13th May 2009 when the KG I and Montessori I children went on their very first very first field trip outside the School.
The children reported quite early to school in anticipation of their first day-out with their peers. On reaching Shoppers Plaza Supermarket, the students and staff were warmly welcomed and were taken around to observe the variety of fruits and vegetables available.
The children showed thorough understanding of the topic as they could not only name but also categorize fruits and vegetables. On their arrival back to school, they even tasted some of the fruits that they were given at the Supermarket.
As recapitulation, children drew pictures of the things they saw and presented an action rhyme on fruits and vegetables during the Friday Assembly on 15th May 2009.
OPEN DAY AT NURSERY SCHOOL
As part of the ongoing effort to help parents become meaningfully engaged in their children’s learning, the Al Muntazir Union Nursery School held a parent – teacher conference on Friday 8th May 2009.
These sessions give an opportunity to increase communication between the school and home, keep parents informed about their child’s progress and develop a plan for further progress. Educational Books and materials were on sale to parents.
The parents, this year, have shown keen interest in their children’s progress and 92% of parents attended; majority of them took the teachers’ remarks positively.
FRIDAY ASSEMBLY PROGRAM
During the Friday Assembly Program last week, pupils from KG III’s, Mont II’s and Mont III’s classes began the assembly with workout exercises. Thereafter, the school flag was raised with the children joining in the recitation of Dua e Hujjat followed by a march past by Class A children.
This was followed by recitation of Sura-e-Kawthar by Hussein Seguye of Class A and translation by Zahra Jaffer of Mont III A.
The highlight of the assembly was a presentation on sounds and letters by Mont II A. Children were asked the sequence of the letters after which each child came forward and sang a rhyme on the letter they were given.
During the 2nd years’ assembly, Class G presented an action rhyme on the “Ten Little Indians”. While singing, the sequence of numbers was practiced and backward numbers were touched upon.
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OPEN DAY
As part of the ongoing effort to help parents become meaningfully engaged in their children’s learning, the Al Muntazir Union Nursery School held a parent – teacher conference on Friday 8th May 2009.
These sessions give an opportunity to increase communication between the school and home, keep parents informed about their child’s progress and develop a plan for further progress. Educational Books and materials were on sale to parents.
The parents, this year, have shown keen interest in their children’s progress and 92% of parents attended; majority of them took the teachers’ remarks positively.
FIELD TRIP FOR 3RD YEAR STUDENTS
The Al Muntazir Union Nursery School organised a field trip to the Dar-es-Salaam Zoo for the 3rd year students on Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th April 2009.
It was a sunny day, just the right weather for the field trip. Since it was the first field trip of the year, the children were excited and were eagerly waiting to see real life animals.
They enjoyed the ferry ride and saw the number of buses, cars, carts, bicycles and people being ferried across safely.
On the way to the zoo, the children saw different types of trees, buildings, hospitals, people, cars and also a few animals.
The children reached the destination and were awed to see the animals so close and yet so free to roam around in their enclosure. They saw a variety of wild animals such as lion, leopard, zebras, ostrich and porcupine. They also saw farm animals such as a donkey, horses, camels, cows and goats.
When it was time to leave, the children had to be persuaded to get into the bus.
All in all, it was a very adventurous trip and the children had a lot to talk about.
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VEGETABLES ARE YUMMY!
When children play, they learn new concepts, vocabulary and problem solving skills in a natural and fun way. This is how the children at Toddlers learn every day.
The theme of Vegetables is the recent one in Class Rose. The theme emerged from the observation of children playing with the kitchen play equipments including pretending vegetables in the dramatic area.
Series of activities were implemented for the theme; it was fun and educational for the children as they learned the names, observed and tasted the Vegetables, all through play.
MOTHERS WEEK
“A Mother can always be counted on to give the best of everything…love, affection, happiness and lots of tender care”
Just before the mid-term break; Toddlers wing was filled with moms in the school to mark Mothers Week.
Mothers were invited to spend time with their child in school, and observe how he / she relates with the activities, creates master pieces, solves problem, enjoys reading, develops skills and has great time exploring the environment.
The activities reflected the daily curriculum plans at Toddlers, and during that week, the children did not only have teacher’s involvement but Mother’s also interceded in the daily program too.
We hope the children and their Mother had fun filled moments to cherish.
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MONTESSORI PARENTAL WORKSHOP
After a week of hard work and preparation, Montessori workshop eventually took place on Saturday 14th March 2009 at the AMUNS hall.
The workshop commenced at 9.00 a.m. Professor Karim being the guest of honour acquainted the audience on some issues regarding the health and hygiene of children.
Thereafter the teachers presented a wide range of activities; right from the practical life activities all the way to writing skills with the assistance of power point presentation, and video clips.
The whole idea is to assist parents comprehend Montessori principles of concrete to abstract and simple to complex, while giving the parents tips on how to help their children in each area. Furthermore, the variety of extracurricular activities at AMUNS was illustrated too.
At the end, parents were given a chance to visit the classrooms and discuss with the teachers about their children’s progress.
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ZAKIRA’S VISIT
On the 15th of January 2009, the Al Muntazir Union Nursery School was honoured to receive Zakira Kaniz-e-Zainab from India, who was here in Dar-es-Salaam to conduct the Muharram sermons.
The Zakira with a few ladies from Ladies managing committee and Mrs. Munirabai Dewji, a board member, were welcomed by the principal and escorted to the school hall. Once they were seated a few children marched and saluted the Imam Zamana (atfs)’s flag.
The program began with the recitation of a few verses from the Holy Qur’an by the 3rd years. The 2nd years sang an islamic rhyme on the tragedy of Kerbala after which a question answer session by the 3rd years followed. The program was enhanced by the talk show where by Montessori pupils gave a brief talk on the martyrs.
The Zakira then told an interesting story explaining the children about Allah (SWT)’s presence everywhere. She expressed her delight and appreciation to the teachers of AMUNS in strengthening the pupils Islamic values at such a tender age
The program ended with the recitation of Dua-e-Hujjat by all the pupils.
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TRIP TO UNION NURSERY SCHOOL
The end of year has approached and Toddlers wing is busy planning and preparing for the Year 2009. For children who are joining Nursery school from next year made the trip to see the Union Nursery School campus to familiarize with the new environment.
There was a lot of excitement as they saw the swimming pool, birds, rabbits and tortoises, and played in the playground. They came back with lots to say about their trip. “I saw rabbits” said MohamedTaqi from class Rabbit. Maisarah from class Duck said, “I saw a big swimming pool.” They drew their new school and took the drawing home to share with their parents.
One of the aims was to smooth their transition by introducing them to larger environment. Children toured the classrooms and met the teachers and older students.
They will surely settle into their new school with lots of enthusiasm after this very positive experience. We wish them the very best in their new school.
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TODDLERS ON AN EXCITING JOURNEY
On October 24, 2008 the children of Class Kitten and Class Chick made a trip to the Botanical Garden. There was much excitement along the way as we passed the ocean on our way to the garden. “Teacher, water,” said little Mihir.
At the garden, the children observed different colors and textures of the flowers. “Look, purple flower,” said Abeer. The excitement grew when they saw a peacock and ran after it until it was out of sight. They came back with lots of memories of the trip.
LET’S BE A DOCTOR
During a class discussion, Simran said, “My Papa is a doctor.” Amezia said, “My daddy is also a doctor.” And the discussion about doctors went on for a few days. The doctor set was added in the dramatic/pretend area to support the children’s new interest and inquiries. They pretended to treat the dolls and each other and learnt lots of new words and rhymes related to the theme of ‘Doctor.’
On Wednesday 22nd October, we took off to Dr. Rehmtulla’s Dispensary for a field trip. The children were delighted to meet a real Doctor and to observe real things which they
had been discussing and exploring in the class.
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MATH AT TODDLERS
When young children explore objects and their environment through various activities they gain experiences that form the necessary foundation for understanding mathematical concepts. These concepts help them make sense of the world around them and teach them to reason and problem-solve.
At Toddlers, children learn mathematical concepts as they sort, classify, compare quantities, balance blocks, observe shapes, differentiate colors and find patterns. The teachers build on the prior knowledge of the child as she introduces the concepts through various activities.
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Al Muntazir Union Nursery - Toddlers Wing
Welcome back to our second term of school year and to the families joining us this term, welcome to the Toddlers community at the Al Muntazir School. Each class is looking forward to making new friends and to a term of exciting, fun and playful learning.
We are celebrating Fathers week from 14th to 18th July. Any day during the week, fathers are welcomed between 11:00am and 11:30am to read a book or spend time with your child at school.
As we all know, actions speaks louder than words; during this term, we will be using ‘Jolly Phonics’ to teach the alphabet sounds with actions to the children and expose them to different objects that begin with the letter they are learning. The activities will be planned according to our observations of children’s needs and interests and aim at preparing them to join the Nursery level.
The early years are critical to developing a lifelong love for reading; it’s never too early to begin reading to your child and therefore, we will be introducing home library this term.
Below are highlights from the classes
As children are bonding with each other in the class; group activities for painting, printing and stamping are planned to encourage linking and socializing.
The days are also filled with exciting activities that begin with alphabet sound ‘a.’ The children tasted green, red and yellow apples, drew apples and sang a nursery rhyme ‘apples and oranges…..’ we will be extending from apples to many different fruits with other activities such as washing fruits during water play and adding fruits in our kitchen in the dramatic area where the children will pretend washing, cutting, and eating fruits while learning their names, texture and colours.
We are planning to introduce other words beginning with sound ‘a,’ we will be going on a nature walk to observe ants and during outdoor play; we will march in a line like ants. In this way, the children will learn about ants at the same time develop skills on balance and hand-feet coordination.
Similar to the activities with ‘a’, we will soon be starting sound ‘b’ and learn about colours and objects that begin with B.
Since the children are showing interest in construction and carpentry work at the dramatic area. We will extend it by adding blocks of wood and thick Styrofoam to encourage them to explore and construct larger projects.
Simultaneously we are learning about a frog since we caught one last week. The children are keen to observe the frog jump and eat insects.
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PROFFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP
Our 2nd PD workshop for the year 2008 was held on Friday 18th April 2008.
The teachers look forward to these workshops as they introduce them to various learning methodologies and strategies.
The Montessori section had a workshop on colour variation and magnetism. Miss. Anna Macha demonstrated activities that will help teachers introduce these concepts.
The teachers of the 1st year attended a workshop on threading and farm animals, which was conducted by Mrs. Nazia Abdulrasul and Miss. Celestine Simba.
A workshop on sounds and reading skills was held for the KG II teachers. The session was conducted by Mrs. Sabrina Khatau accompanied by Miss. Neelam Budha. The session included a variety of activities which were illustrated in their step by step usage.
The 3rd year teachers had a workshop on story telling. Ms. Fatima Peera and Mrs. Fatim Datoo who facilitated the workshop elaborated different methods of story telling such as dramatization, usage of story books, flip charts, puppets, flashcards and drawings.
After each workshop, the groups had a discussion and provided feedback about the activities demonstrated, taking into consideration the learner’s needs and age.
AN EXITING TRIP TO THE DAR-ES-SALAAM ZOO
The classes of K.G. II and Mont. II have been discussing about animals during the social studies lessons. Animals are an integral component of man’s life. While discussing this theme, we introduce the children to wild animals, domestic animals, birds and sea creatures.
This trip was organized keeping in mind the significance of offering a curriculum that integrates listening, doing and writing/ reading, with day trips to places of interest. This helps not only in retaining and understanding what they have learnt in group discussions with the teacher, but also enhancing their knowledge further.
Dar-es-Salaam zoo, located 39 km from Dar-es-Salaam City, has always been a favourite field trip spot for AMUNS kids. On the 14th and 15th April 2008 at around 8.15 a.m. in the morning, the K.G. II and Mont. II children left the AMUNS compound with their teachers and support staff for the zoo. The ride on the school bus took about an hour which was definitely worth it.
Once there, the children had a chance to see animals and birds they recognize and know those they do not. Among the various species of animals and birds we encountered were turkeys, pheasants, pelicans, flamingoes, ostriches and cranes. Not to forget rabbits, guinea pigs, crocodiles, chameleons, lizards, different types of mongoose, tortoise, porcupines, the civet cat, gazelles, zebra and a huge python.
The children learnt a lot and were delighted to come back to school by home time ready to share and tell about their very exiting excursion.
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MILAD-UN-NABI PROGRAMME
The month of Rabi-ul-Awwal holds the happiest event in the Islamic calendar – the birth of our beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
This joyous event was marked with a lot of enthusiasm and happiness at AMUNS. The school was colourfully decorated for the occasion.
The week of 24/03/08 – 28/03/08 was dedicated to mark this joyous occasion during which children recited rhymes about the Holy Prophet (SAW) and were given short talks on his biography during the morning assembly, they also prepared flags and coloured worksheets to mark the occasion.
On Friday 28th March, the Milad-un-Nabi programme was celebrated at school level in the hall. The programme started with the narration of Hadith-e-Kisa; The Event of the Blanket in English by Baqirhassan Virani, of Montessori III. This was followed by recitation of qasidas and poems by children from different levels and a talk on the birth and teachings of the Holy Prophet (SAW) by Kumayl Alloo of Class B. The highlight of the programme was a projected movie on the life of the Holy Prophet (SAW), with corresponding explanation to the children.
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PD WORKSHOPS
Professional development sessions for teachers are aimed at self-improvement through creative teaching thus leading them to use various teaching strategies and methodology.
One such session was held before we closed for the mid term break on Friday 14th March 2008. The session was held at the end of the working day from 12.30 p.m. to 1.15 p.m.
The Montessori professional development session was facilitated by teachers Sakina Sultan and Zohreen Merchant. They introduced a number of activities to teachers; such as teaching the child to sew, sieve and use chopsticks. The teachers then had a feedback of their discussions analyzing the various stages from the simple to the complex; taking into consideration the fast learners versus the slow ones. Finally a list was made of equipment that would be required to carry out these activities in the classes.
KG I teachers Naseem Khan and Fathiya Amin talked about an exciting way of telling story through dramatization and steps used in matching cards
Mrs. Arifa Mazaher conducted the workshop for KG II teachers on story telling since the practice of listening to stories allows children’s language and reading skills to grow. She demonstrated different ways of telling stories such as reading from a book, dramatization, using models and drawings. Mrs. Jaffer also shared her views and ideas on story telling and how to improve on this art.
The workshop for KG III teachers on reading and handwriting skills was conducted by Teacher Safia Mohamed. The information acquired from the workshop was substantial and the resources used were all applicable. The presentation was remarkably clear for all the members and the teaching strategies used were relevant.
Overall the workshops were informative and beneficial to all the teachers.
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Parental Workshops Begin…
Parental involvement is extremely significant for the academic advancement of a child. Education is an evolving process and parents need to stay informed and aware of the changing nature of literacy.
AMUNS had their first workshop for the parents of the K.G. I children, on 2nd February 2008. The workshop was conducted on a Saturday morning for two hours.
An impressive number of parents attended the workshop and were given a comprehensive picture of the subjects to be covered and the activities taught in order to develop the children’s skills. The school nurse then briefed the parents on child behavior.
Towards the end of the workshop, Professor Karim Manji highlighted on healthy habits and emphasized on nutritious food for healthy growing up process.
At the end of the workshop, Parents also had the opportunity to view the school and visit their children’s classrooms.
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The Toddlers’ Journey Begins
On Friday 11th January, the Toddlers’ staff welcomed children along with their families to an orientation to acquaint them with the school environment.
The parents were very excited as children met their caregivers for the first time, making them comfortable and less anxious for the first day of school.
The orientation was a good opportunity for parents and teachers to exchange useful notes as connecting with parents is a vital part of the program.
Parents were informed of the philosophy, program plan and the daily routine at Toddlers.
As children observed the parents communicating with the teachers, they got comfortable and engrossed themselves with the activities laid out in the classes and in the playground.
For most children this was the first time ever in a school. With responsive care that is provided at Toddlers, the children will soon be able to call it a place of their own.
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OPEN DAY – 2ND TERM 2007
Parents who attend Open Days at their child’s school take advantage of this extra privilege offered to them. What an inspiring sight it was to see 90% of these parents eager to meet their children’s class teachers.
They had the opportunity to go through their children’s books, see their reading material and art work. Teachers and parents discussed the child’s performance throughout the year and ways to help them improve.
That summed up the meeting for the day. We are indeed grateful to the parents for utilizing their precious time for the good of their children.
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TEACHERS MEET PARENTS AT TODDLERS
Taking our Parents and School Partnership to heights, the Teachers met parents individually throughout the school day between 8:00am and 12:00pm on Friday the 26th of November 2007.
One of the highlights of the Parent Teacher Talk was to partner with parents in helping children get ready for Nursery School. By focusing on developing skills essential in coping with the bigger and more independent environment, we aim to ensure that we facilitate a smooth transition into Nursery school.
An orientation trip to the Al Muntazir Union Nursery School is scheduled for the month of November for the children at the toddlers.
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Al Muntazir Week at UNS
The Al Muntazir Week is celebrated annually on the occasion of the birthday of Imam Mahdi (ATFS) who is the vision of the visionaries in history. For the ultimate salvation of mankind, he is the pole star of hope on which the gaze of humanity is fixed.
The theme of this year’s celebration was “Sports and extra curricular activities”, which was conducted throughout the week according to the allocated schedules.
The children expressed their delight in different ways by participating in inter-class sports competitions and writing pledges in creative ways. They also took part in question answer session and even recited beautiful rhymes during the program held in the school hall; which was marvelously decorated; on Wednesday 15th of Shabaan which was attended even by a few distinguished guests.
Friday 31st August marked the end of the weekly program that culminated in a colourful celebration with a flag raising ceremony of the beautiful Al Muntazir flag by the ex-chairman of the CBE Mr. Habib Virani along with the National flag of Tanzania. This was witnessed by a number of dignitaries accompanied by the CBE members.
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Skills under construction! Toddlers at work!!!
The new term at the toddlers has welcomed new children in every class. Making friends is the game the very young toddlers are getting good at. With days filled with fun activities, the toddlers have settled into the school routine in no time.
Seeing the children engaged in the learning centres has been very interesting, particularly the pretend corners in the classes. As toddlers act out situations and events from the past in the learning corners they are relating and thinking through the act. In addition they also develop language skills, imaginative skills, cooperative play and understand their own and others feelings.
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Mothers’ Day at Al Muntazir Union Nursery School
The children of Al Muntazir Union Nursery School marked the birthday of Lady Fatema (AS) on Friday 13th July 2007. Mothers’ Day was celebrated with great enthusiasm by the students who presented activities honoring the daughter of the Holy Prophet (SAW) while showing love and respect for their parents.
The teacher enlightened the children about the prominent personality and a lively assembly was conducted with poems and rhymes to mark the occasion.
The children were given worksheets where they had to make a pledge. The 2nd and 3rd years filled a promise coupon and wrote their resolutions. The other part of the worksheet was mostly to create emotional awareness of motherly bond.
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Field trips make learning fun!! KG III’s and Mont III’s visit the Arafa Islamic Centre and the Flying Horse.
On 11th and 12th April 2007, the K.G. III’s and Montessori III’s visited an Orphanage (Arafa Islamic Centre) and the harbour respectively, accompanied by their teachers.
In the spirit of caring and sharing, those who visited the Orphanage brought many items to offer the children.
It gave the students an insight into the lives of those less fortunate. They talked and played with the children and in the process realized that one doesn’t always have to give things to make someone happy. By spending time with some one, we can bring a smile on their face; we can make a difference in their lives.
Those who visited the Flying Horse received a very warm welcome from the staff. They were taken on a tour of the boat. The students’ excitement had no end when they visited the Captain’s room and saw exactly the mechanisms which steered the boat across the sea.
The staff also gave detailed explanations about the workings of the boat to which the children listened very attentively.
When back in class, as has been the practice, students discussed the trip with their teachers; what they saw and heard and lessons learnt.
previous activity dated on 9th April 2007 PD sessions in full swing!!
“Before holding them responsible for results, teachers must first and foremost be nurtured in their professional development….”
The professional upgrading of staff remains at the heart of Al Muntazir schools; in an effort to re-enforce the teaching – learning process. In order to enhance teaching skills, the Al Muntazir Union Nursery School organized a professional workshop.
The program was facilitated by the Principal of the Al Muntazir Boys Primary School, Mr. David Ogaja and a resource teacher, Mrs. Mushtaq. The topics covered included dealing with special needs children and enhancing teaching methodology.
This workshop provided teachers with an opportunity to raise and discuss educational issues, share experiences and learn from each other.
Previous activity dated on 26th March 2007:
COMMEMORATION OF THE DEATH ANNIVERSARY OF HOLY PROPHET (SAW) AND IMAM RIDHA (AS)
On the 28th and 29th 0f Safar, we commemorate the death anniversary of two great personalities like Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and Imam Ridha (AS). The Prophet of Islam was sent as a Mercy and Guide for all creation.
The months of Moharram and Safar are not only for mourning but also to take lessons from the lives of these reverent personalities.
At AMUNS during thes months the children are enlightened about the morals from the Tragedy of Karbala and the lofty character of the Ahl-ul- Bayt.
On this occasion, teachers talked about the Holy Prophet (SAW) and Imam Ridha (AS) in the assembly and during oral sessions in class.
The children were shown pictures of shrines and were briefed on the biography of the two noble personalities. A short quiz was carried out in each class and the older children were told to write a few sentences with their parents help on these grand personalities.
Previous activity dated on 19th March 2007:
In remembrance of the hardship Bibi Sakina faced before and after her father’s death, the IRE department of the school organized Bibi Sakina Day
For Imam Zainul Abedin and the women and children, the tragedy and suffering did not end with Ashura and Karbala. The month of Safar unfolded with fresh misery and torture.
In remembrance of the hardship Bibi Sakina faced before and after her father’s death, the IRE department of the school organized Bibi Sakina Day
One of the most important qualities emphasized in Islam is patience and Bibi Sakina, 4 year old daughter of Imam Hussein (A.S.) set an unforgettable example of patience for all of us to follow.
The program was conducted in the hall, commencing at 8.45 a.m. with Kumayl Alloo reciting the 99 beautiful names of Allah (SWT) followed by introduction, poems and quiz presented by students of different ages.
This was followed by a biography of Bibi Sakina and a slide show.
Be it her taqwa, hijab, patience or courage, this beloved daughter of Imam Hussein (AS) has played an amazing and vital part in the propagation of truth.
We pray that by creating an awareness of these qualities in our children, we will inspire them to follow in the footsteps of Sakina(AS).
INTRODUCTION OF IT CLASSES FOR 3RD YEARS
The year 2007 brought with it a new IT era for the 4 ½ – 6 year olds in K.G. III and Montessori III. Five new computers have been added to the library and each third year class has a computer session of 30 minutes.
During this session children learn and practice basic computer skills like typing their names on the keyboard, clicking the characters with the mouse, etc.,
Currently they are working with numbers and you can see that they love playing addition games on the computer.
Not surprisingly, fascinated by the vivid images, many students could add the numbers while they haven’t been taught addition in class as yet!
Happy learning!
Previous activity dated on 5th March 2007:
Team work- Parent teacher meet at Toddlers.
Getting to know your child’s caregivers!!
The toddlers staff were very happy to receive parents on the 26th and 27th of February for a parents meeting, between 11:00 and 11:30 in the morning.
The meeting aimed at familiarizing the parents to the toddler’s curriculum and learning goals set out for children, emphasizing on an active partnership between home and school being a very important part of the success to the program.
Other areas of the child’s growing and development were addressed briefly outlining how parents could help from home.
It was a fruitful day for the parents, caregivers and the children who were very happy to have their parents here. It has been just a little over a month since the beginning of the year and most children have bonded and made some friends by now.
This meeting also gave parents an opportunity to exchange views with other parents and meet or rather look out for the children whom they hear so much about at home from their own child.
Previous Activity dated on 24th Feb 2007:
Putting parents in the picture. Workshops at UNS
Most of the pupils in KG I and the new entrants into other have are settling down well. Parents are being notified about their children’s progress from time to time.
On 3rd February an Educational workshop was conducted by KG I teachers for the new parents. The workshop gave an insight on the methodology and content covering all subjects.
Parents were equipped with information to support their children’s learning and made aware of the phonetic system used as well as the activities to develop their fine and gross motor skills. Looking at the parents, attentiveness and participation, it seems they found the workshop interesting and informative.
During the session, Dr. Karim – Professor in Pediatrics at Muhimbili gave a benificial talk on health issues and their effect in the development of the child. This was followed by Q & A session by the parents.
On the whole parents walked out after 1 ¾ hour session very much satisfied.
previous topic: Welcome Back!!
On Thursday the 11th of January, the toddlers staff met and welcomed the new applicants over an orientation day, at the Toddlers wing
For most children, this is their very first step to a school environment; leaving home to come to a place they can call their very own.
Toddlers is a place where children will be discovering many things and meeting many more children, as they learn and share from each other.
The orientation day for toddler parents and their children was very exciting, as children got to meet their carers and other children, making them comfortable and less anxious on their first day to school- 15th January 2007. The parents and each class teams got to exchange useful notes over a very clam and enjoyable day as all the toddlers got busy and excited with the activities laid out in the class.
The toddlers’ staff look forward to seeing and welcoming all the children to school after the year end break.
previous topic: COOKING + CHILDREN = FUN
It’s important that you as parents find a suitable day and time whereby you will be a lot more accommodating to children messing to make cooking fun for all of you.
Make sure the work surface is at their level: Let your child sit on a stool or chair to reach the counter, or move the work to a lower table or floor, cleaning is easier then.
Dress the part: Tie a small apron or big towel around your child, or dress him in an old shirt. This not only keeps him clean, it adds to his sense of ceremony about the work at hand.
Be patient: Do not rush your child through the whole process. Its takes a lot of patience to not interrupt their struggles. Let the child ask for help. Besides sometimes they may just want to experiment another way of going abut it. We should not forget that the skills we have built on over the years as adults cannot be reborn over night. Practice makes perfect. It’s the process and not the product of the experience that is valuable.
Introduce your child to simple favorites: Making things your child likes to eat helps convey the idea that food is pleasurable and preparing it is fun. Easy, rewarding recipes include
Lemonade:(squeezing lemon, measuring sugar and pinch of salt should be fun). Another alternative is orange juice.
Pizza, Cookies and Cake:are the classics for children. This can be quite limiting with the power rationing at present, however, it could be a really fun and planned family activity on a weekend night with everyone involved including fathers and grandfathers in whisking, beating and baking. You could also plan for a big baked breakfast to enjoy your efforts.
Scrambled eggs and pancakes: children will love the mixing and besides a quick fix meal when you are hungry is an important survival toolkit.
Fruit salads: besides being healthy, this recipe will put some fine motor skills to test with the cutting, peeling and mixing
Show them how to measure: Even if your child can't fill a measuring spoon or cup on her own, you can show how it's done and let her do the pouring into the bowl or pot.
Give them the fun tasks: Let them squeeze lemons, sprinkle in cheese or spices, spread icing, crack eggs (be sure to wash hands after handling eggs)
Involve your child in table preparations: Things children and toddlers can do: Set placemats and carry plates (not the fine china to the meal table)
Make clean-up fun: Your child can help wash or rinse dishes, dry pots with a towel or sponge down a counter. Let him sweep up with a short-handled broom and dustpan. This teaches that cleaning up is also part of the cooking process
Supervise, of course: And handle anything to do with the stove, oven, or knives yourself
It would be really nice to hear from you about your cooking experiences and laughs with your children.
Happy Cooking
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