Suggested Readings on Modern Education for Muslim Teachers

In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

 The readings below are from a list produced by the Imam Zarnuji Institute and are based on suggestions given by a number of scholars, educators, teachers and professors who share a commitment to reviving traditional methods and approaches to education based on the models of classical Islam.

 Some books deal directly with education. Others are recommended for understanding the social forces that shape modern education and the lives of young people. The books that are highlighted indicate good starting points for your research and reading.

Adbusters Magazine. Published by the Media Foundation, Vancouver, BC. Quarterly

Adbusters provides a satirical critique of modern media and its influential nature on children, families, and society in general. This is an excellent teacher companion when looking to see the message in the medium.

Bloom, Benjamin S. and David R. Krathwohl. Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook 1: Cognitive Domain and Handbook 2: Affective Domain (2 vols.). Addison-Wesley, 1984.

Bly, Robert. The Sibling Society: An Impassioned Call for the Rediscovery of Adulthood. New York: Vintage Books, 1996.

Bly sees a breakdown of traditional values as a result of increase consumerism and the detrimental influences of television while blaming the baby boomer generation for their disrespect of authority (a increasingly intensifying trend). The height of the book is his exposition of a disturbing pattern in modern society: the ‘arrested development’ of the young – where children are spiritually abandoned to fend for themselves due to the breakdown of the family structure – and where adults cling to self-absorbed adolescent values. Ultimately this is a hopeful piece of work encouraging adults to take on the responsibility of adulthood.

Bibby, Reginald W. and Donald C. Posterski. Teen Trends: A Nation in Motion. Toronto: Stoddart, 1992

Bickman, Martin. Uncommon Learning: Thoreau On Education. Houghton Mifflin Co, 1999.

"It is only when we forget our learning that we begin to know," Thoreau wrote. Uncommon Learning comprises of Thoreau’s ideas and writings about education.

Coles, Robert. The Moral Intelligence of Children: How to Raise a Moral Child. Plume, 1998.

According to Coles’ theory on Moral Intelligence, children learn some of the most important lessons of life by observing and mimicking the behaviours of those around them – specifically parents & teachers. His theory goes beyond the teaching of moral lessons such as "you shouldn’t steal, or lie" and reaches a deeper level of consciousness. He also provides practical solutions for parents and teachers on handling situations where a child may be becoming distant to moral reasoning.

Spiritual Life of Children. Houghton Mifflin Co, 1991.

This insightful study of children’s ideas about God and religion is the result of Coles’ interviews with children from diverse background – Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Native American, etc. In doing so, Dr Cole is able to show that a child’s spirituality cuts across religious and cultural lines. An interesting read.

Gartner, Alan. Children teach children; learning by teaching. [1st ed.]. New York: Harper & Row. 1971.

Gatto, John Taylor. Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Education. Philadelphia: New Society Publishers, 1992.

An intense and damning critique of modern education from an award-winning New York City teacher, this book attacks the very foundation of modern educational methods and curricula. Essential reading.

Glazer, Steven, ed. The Heart of Education: Spirituality in Education. Putnam Books, 1999.

Education can and should be a far more meaningful endeavour than the accumulation of facts, figures, or skills, according to editor and educator Glazer. A collection of essays written by authors of a variety of spiritual and cultural backgrounds – Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, feminist, environmental – which addresses the book’s four core themes: The Ground of Learning, Identity, Relationship & Community, and Tradition & Innovation. The essays speak to the teachers, parents, and students alike allowing them to appreciate this articulate and convincing blend of spirituality and education.

 

Guterson, David. Family Matters: Why Homeschooling Makes Sense. New York: Harvest Books, 1993.

Guterson , a former high school English teacher, tries to dissect and defend schooling his own children at home since the 1970’s, while teaching his neighbours' children in school. Guterson weaves these theories and facts into his own life to support his contention that all parents – seen as the child’s chief educators – should have a wealth of choices when it comes to educating their children, and that school districts should foster and assist in these choices. He also ensures that his children were not isolated, but were instead exposed to a variety of activities, be they cultural, political, academic and environmental.

Hern, Matt Deschooling Our Lives: Education that Matters. New Society Publishers, Limited, 1995.

A provocative, practical response to the crisis in our schools, this book argues boldly for replacing compulsory schooling with a wide variety of home, neighbourhood, and community-based educational efforts. Hern examines how the day-to-day experience of school teaches subservience, deadens children's natural love of learning, undercuts their self-esteem, and limits independent thought. It gives an extremely accurate synopsis of the American education system.

Himmelfarb, Gertrude. The de-moralization of society : from Victorian virtues to modern values. New York: Vintage Books, 1996.

As the debate over values education grows ever more divisive, Himmelfarb reminds readers that values cannot replace virtues. Her idealistic views on the Victorians shows them as models of excellence, charitable, hardworking, bonded, intelligent, and responsible, without dwelling on the negative aspects of industrialism, ethnocentrism, or racial and sexual discrimination. Nonetheless, the wealth of facts she has accumulated is invaluable.

Hodgson, Marshall G.S., (1922-1968), The Venture Of Islam: Conscience And History In A World Civilization. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1974,

Since its publication in 1975, Hodgson, in this three-volume study, traces and interprets the historical development of Islamic civilization from before the birth of the Prophet to the middle of the twentieth century. Hodgson is particularly sensitive to cultural and literary issues and to the meaning of Islamic religious discourse.

Holt, John. How Children Fail. New York: Addison-Wesley, 1982.

First published in 1964, this book has helped two generations of parents and teachers understand what actually happens in the classroom; the dysfunction that typifies classrooms to this very day. Holt's astute observation of children and his insight into the destruction that a teacher can do helps to create awareness of what not to do. Required reading for all those involved in education.

Illich, Ivan. Deschooling Society. New York: Harper and Row, 1971. (Out of Print)

A comprehensive collection of essays, examining the nature of schooling that initially caused a stir in educational philosophy almost 30 years ago and continues to do so. This critique on public education in the U.S. is an essential for Muslim educators.

Keegan, Paul. "Quake Damage: The Real-life Impact of Violent Computer Games" Mother Jones Magazine, December 1999.

 

Koetzsch, Ronald E., Ph.D. The Parents’ Guide to Alternatives in Education. Boston: Shambhala Press, 1997.

Koetzsch provides a comprehensive index of alternative schools and their accompanying methods. It gives a quick and balanced assessment of current and alternative educational methods, ample resources (books, addresses, telephone numbers) and real-life examples for almost every alternative method of education in North America – from Waldorf to Montessori. An excellent and essential resource.

Kohn, Alfie. The Schools Our Children Deserve: Moving Beyond Traditional Classrooms and Tougher Standards. Mariner Books, 2000.

Teacher-turned-writer Kohn, an outspoken critic of standardized tests as a means of measuring educational achievement, criticizes the "aggressive nostalgia" that supports misguided reforms and a return to back-to-basic concepts in education. The overall message is a valid cautionary tale about the future of American education that deserves to be heard out by teachers, policymakers, and parents.

Lawrence, Jerome and Robert E. Lee. The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail. New York: Hill and Wang, 1972.

"If the law is of such nature that it requires you to be an agent of injustice to another, then I say, break the law." In 1849, the young Thoreau, philosopher, poet, naturalist, penned these timeless words in his Civil Disobedience. In 1946, Thoreau had refused to pay taxes to the government, which was engaged in the Mexican War. He condemned the war as unjust--a war never formally declared. For his courageous and unprecedented act of protest, he was thrown in jail. Now, Thoreau's action takes on a new relevance. This is an essential work for today's world.

 

Lewis, C.S..(Clive Staples), The Abolition Of Man. San Francisco: Harper, 2001.

Although Lewis’ book claim to be about public education, its central concerns are broadly political, religious, and philosophical. He accurately predicts the parallel development of two trends: (1) the loss of any objective transcendent moral standards; and (2) the ability of a scientific or political elite, through social conditioning and/or genetic manipulation, to affect the thinking of successive generations of the rest of us - the great unwashed. Lewis shows that the great moral principles are timeless and have been generally accepted by all civilized societies, at all times (until ours).

Llewellyn, Grace. The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get A Real Life and Education. Lowry House Publishers, 1998.

With the exception of a forwarding note to parents, this book is written entirely for teenagers, and the first 75 pages explain why school is a waste of time. A former middle-school English teacher, Llewellyn’s formula for making the transition from traditional school to unschooling – a learning method with no structure or formal curriculum – is accompanied by quotes on freedom and free thought from radical thinkers such as Steve Biko and Ralph Waldo Emerson. She insists that people learn better when they are self-motivated and not confined by school walls. Her underlying theme, "think for yourself," should appeal to many teenagers and the parents or caregivers of teens.

Lovejoy, Sharon. Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots: Gardening Together With Children. California: Workman, 1999.

Foster creativity outside, in your garden. Lovejoy understands how quickly young people will be turned off by inflexible rules, and instead encourages budding green thumbs to experiment and explore, while presenting them with nine concepts for theme gardens each based around a central theme – some edible with veggies and herbs, like the pizza shaped garden, and some aimed more at flowers. Each theme includes a list of plants for different zones and a garden-related project or two that brings new dimensions to history, nutrition, science, cooking, ecology or art for your kids.

Mander, Jerry. In the Absence of the Sacred: The Failure of Technology and the Survival of Indian Nations.

Sierra Club Books, 1992.

Mander goes beyond television (which he proclaimed as being dangerous to personal health and sanity in Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television) to critique our technological society as a whole, challenge its utopian promises, and track its devastating impact on indigenous cultures worldwide. The first half of the book is a wake-up call to the dangers of our unrestrained acceptance of technology, and the second half is sort of a Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee for the present day. An essential reading.

Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television. New York: Quill Press, 1978.

This book deals with the detrimental effects that television has on our children, our society, our culture and us. Recommended by many of our shuyukh, Mander’s classic provides clear reasons why the medium of television is flawed and the negative, destructive effect on the heart and mind of the viewer. Much of Mander’s critique has been given strength by numerous studies over the years.

Makdisi, George. The Rise of Colleges: Institution of Learning in Islam and the West. Edinburgh University Press, 1981

Montessori, Maria. The Secret Of Childhood, Ballantine Books, 1992.

Montessori describes the child with warmth and the exactness of a scientist. She also discusses the array of materials and techniques needed to release his/her learning potential with viewpoints taken from the child’s perspective. A good insight on how many teaching methods are not only ineffective but also harmful because they oppress a child’s natural desire to learn and create.

The Absorbent Mind. Henry Holt, 1995.

Although a difficult read for the first half of the book, Montessori offers an insight into her ideas and practices. The basis of her book is research conducted in the early 1900's, while writing about schools during the period between two World Wars. Some of her statements may seem outdated in this context, and subsequent research may have rendered some of her findings obsolete.

Nishitani, Keiji (translated by Graham Parkes with Setsuko Aihara.) The self-overcoming of nihilism. Albany : State University of New York Press, 1990.

Pearce, Joseph Chilton. Evolution’s End: Claiming the Potential of Our Intelligence. San Franscisco: Harper Collins, 1992.

Pearce, a scientist whose ideas were first considered radical but have now been widely accepted, explores how the effect schooling, television and alienation from family thwarts the incredible, innate creative power of children.

Magical Child. New York: Plume Books (Penguin), 1992.

Right from birth the human child has the sole objective to learn all that there is to learn about the world. In the West we tend to thwart this concern from the very start. Pearce’s book shows how to restore this amazing capacity for creative intelligence that is innate in every human.

Postman, Neil. The End of Education: Redefining the Value of School. New York: Vintage Book, 1996.

The foremost of today’s social critics, Postman’s books have for the last 30 years explored the effects of technology and the media on society. While you will note some repetition of ideas in his books, they are very readable and cover a wide range of ideas that are important for a Muslim educator to be keenly aware of. This book presents an alternative model for schooling that has its core purpose and narrative.

The Disappearance of Childhood. New York: Vintage Books, 1994.

Postman provides a fascinating historical perspective on the "invention" of childhood and how our society now may be in jeopardy of losing this long-standing concept. With the growth of electronic media and the move into the information age, adults have somewhat lost their control over information; consequently, the gap between adulthood and childhood has been narrowed. Children are exposed to those "adult" ideas and thoughts sooner now because of their access to the information (through television, internet etc..)

Teaching as a Subversive Activity. New York: Dell, 1969. (Out of Print)

Postman gives a provocative look at the nature of the classroom and how we educate our children using tests and tick boxes. A must read for teachers, parents and other educators.

Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business. New York: Viking Press, 1986.

Postman succinctly reasons why mass media can be harmful to your health. He delves into the psychology behind the commercials and the bias of mediums, specifically typography vs. television. This is a stimulating exploration of communication. Postman rightly suggests the reading of Brave New World to show us what can happen if we become truly enslaved to technology not by pain, but by pleasure.

 

Robertson, Heather-Jane. No More Teachers, No More Books: The Commercialization of Canada’s Schools. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1998

School administrators who are tempted to think that computers will be education's ‘right hand’ will find thus book thought provoking. The book has a distinctly Canadian flavor, but an international message. It is well worth a read.

Sweet, Lois. God in the Classroom: The Controversial Issue of Religion in Canada’s Schools. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1997.

Sweet takes on an important topic about the teaching of religion and God in the classroom (specifically to Canada). Sweet emphasizes that denominational schools are not necessarily the answer, but may be better than no religion at all. However, not including the spiritual/moral dimension of the child in schools is a neglected part of public education and one that must be addressed. A very worthwhile read.

Sanders, Barry. A is for Ox: The Collapse of Literacy and the Rise of Violence in an Electronic Age. New York: Vintage Books, 1995.

Sanders’ book goes to the heart of education by discussing literacy, and particularly how the loss of oral literacy, stories and narratives has led to a generation of young people unable to interact with each other meaningfully and unable to fully consider or understand "reality". Children have been robbed of their ability to experience meditative silence and instead fill their empty hearts and heads with images and noise. Drawing on a variety of traditions and fields of study to make his point, Sanders’ book is a powerful and poignant work.

 

Thoreau, Henry David. Walden and Civil Disobedience. New York: Penguin Classics, 1983.

Thoreau’s autobiographical account scorns the mass slavery of modern industrial society, and follows his most famous experiment in life: to live in solitude in a shack he builds himself on the edge of Walden Pond. This Robinson Crusoe existence, bare of creature comforts but rich in contemplation of the wonders of nature and the ways of man, is the classic protest against government's interference with individual liberty. The book is a profound statement and a refreshing and inspiring encounter with a fascinating individual in the history of letters.

Van Doren, Charles Lincoln, 1926. A History Of Knowledge : Past, Present, And Future Ballantine Books, 1992.

A concise one-volume reference to the history of ideas that is a compendium of everything that humankind has thought, invented, created, considered, and perfected from the beginning of civilization into the twenty-first century. Van Doren covers not only all the great theories and discoveries of the human race, but also explores the social conditions, political climates, and individual men and women of genius that brought ideas to fruition throughout history.

Zinn, Howard, 1922. A people's history of the United States : 1492-present. New York : HarperCollin, 1999.

The twentieth anniversary edition of the Zinn’s acclaimed "bottom-up" history of the U.S. tosses out sanitized history and hero-worship in favor of a man-on-the-street approach emphasizing the nation's great struggles for a fir wage, universal suffrage, woman's rights, racial equality, child labor laws, and health and safety standards.

 

Some Books Which Should Be At The Core Of Islamic Education

Al-Yahsubi , Qadi ‘Iyad Ibn Musa [trans. Bewley, Aisha] Muhammad: Messenger of Allah: Ash-Shifa’ of Qadi ‘Iyad. Madinah Press.

al-Zarnuji, Imam Burhan al-Din. [translated by G.E. von Grunebaum and Theodora M. Abel with foreword by Hamza Yusuf] Instruction of the Student: The Method of Learning. The Starlatch Press, 2001

Ibn Hisham, 'Abd al-Malik, d. 834. The Life Of Muhammad : A Translation Of Ishaq's Sirat Rasul Allah. London : Oxford University Press, 1955

Ibn Khaldun, 1332-1406.[trans. Franz Rosenthal.]. The Muqaddimah; an introduction to history, Princeton University Press, 1967.