Jannah Jewels #4: Secrets in Spain by Umm Nura

 



Here is another children's book review for my younger readers ;) Since this is a quick read, the review will be short, but I wanted to post this here since the book isn't up on goodreads yet! To read my reviews of the previous 3 books in this series, go here and click the titles.

The book description from the back reads: In the fourth book of this Series, the Jannah Jewels take readers along on their most challenging adventure yet, as Hidayah and her friends travel to magnificent Spain in hopes of finding the next missing artifact. 

In this book, a mysterious girl in a red dress travels back into time to help Jaffar. Who is this girl? Will the Jannah Jewels find the missing artifact before Jaffar and his gang?

Just like the other books in this series, this book is a quick short read. The author mixes in history and Islam to write these mini adventures. The book is mostly fiction with some true facts in between. I really like the illustrations and that lessons are taught, making it perfect for young readers. So, I think girls in elementary school would enjoy this book.

If you want to purchase this book, order a brand new copy from here to support my business :)

Prose Poetry

For my final writing course at uni. we learned about prose poetry. Below are my original attempts at such poems. In a few weeks, I will share the rewrites I did to a few of these poems for my final portfolio. Let me know what you think in the comments below!

 

Notes on Happiness

The time you most look forward to in your day. The feeling of joy that keeps you going. You are in a great mood. Ready to conquer the world (or simply your daily list of to-do’s)?

You get a surprise call and hear the voice of a loved one. You get lost in your conversation and talk for hours. Maybe something exciting and different is waiting for you in the mail. Was that item on your wish list? Great! They say a scent can bring you back to memories of times past. What scent brings you back in time? Even a compliment from a stranger makes your day.

The basic things in life can turn a frown upside down. Like mouthwatering and aromatic “thanksgiving day” style food. A long night’s rest, a healthy lifestyle, happy family and friends, being financially well off, or contentment of body, mind, and soul.

Are you happy?

 

What If...

Imagine if people had animal abilities! What would yours be? Would you use it for good or other means?

If you had a nose like a slippery shark, you could smell the faintest whiff of blood. Making your way to the bleeding victim, you help save a life!

What if you had the beady eyes of a hawk? Without taking your feet off the ground, you could know if a police is miles ahead, waiting to stop you for speeding.

If you were a champion runner like a cheetah, you could stop a robber from making an escape with bags full of cash. A natural born hero, you would be popular and loved.

What if you could camouflage like a chameleon? Blending in with wooded furniture or painted walls, you could eavesdrop in conversations you were never meant to hear!

If humans were more like animals, would life be easier, exciting, or exhausting?

In the Shoes of a Teacher

You have dreamed of being a teacher since you were a child and you finally get the chance. Your first day on the job is here! You are as jumpy as a little kindergartener. As you wait to welcome your new students to their classroom, you look around. You are impressed with the crisp new bulletin boards you decorated and can’t wait to hang up your student’s work. Twenty brand new sharpened pencils are waiting in a cup on your metal desk to be used, a woody smell surrounding them. RINGGGGG! The bell lets you know your time alone is up.

You look forward to going to work every day. Being surrounded by young souls takes years off you as they keep you on the tips of your toes. You spent long hours preparing detailed lessons and gathering materials to better teach your students. You go home feeling satisfied, knowing that you made a positive difference in a child’s life.

Half the school year is over! The initial excitement of running you own classroom starts to fade. You try to recall why you wanted to be a teacher in the first place. “Teachers change the world, one child at a time.” Your professor’s voice plays in the back of your head before you are brought back to reality. “Teacher, may I…” “Teacher, he said a bad word!” “Teacher, is it time to go home yet?” The little ones start to wear you down. You go home with a throbbing headache, dreading the mountain of papers waiting to be looked through. Pain relievers become your new best friend.

It is the last day of school! You count down the hours before summer vacation. Your students enjoy themselves at the goodbye party you threw them. As much as you are looking forward to sunny days on the beach and cold drinks with family and friends, the year wasn’t all bad. A smile spreads across your face as you think about how much your students have grown and changed. A few come up and give you goodbye presents, chocolate smeared around their lips. You give them a quick hug in return. RINGGGGG! The bell lets you know your time together is up.

Counting Days

The initial feeling of joy has finally faded. You knew this would happen eventually, like the 7 times before. Letting out a groan, you think of how you will survive. You realize you won’t have much of a personal life after long hard days of work and classes. A tear tries to escape your eyes as you try not to have a mental breakdown.

Blurry-eyed, you look at your bright yellow Post- it notes sticking to your wall. The number 32 stares back at you. Your heart beats a little faster as if running a marathon as you think about graduation. “You deserve this special moment as you stand amongst fellow graduates,” you’ve been told. You will finally have time to take a breath and enjoy life after so long. You could spend more time being a new aunt, entertain yourself staying up late watching movies, or go back to reading a book you can’t put down. Distractions would be welcomed and responsibilities would be pushed aside. Just for a while…

“Take it one day at a time” you tell yourself. You sigh as you head off to bed, marking another day conquered and more to come. Your head touches down on your personal cloud as you easily fall off to sleep. 

Booboo

“A baby changes everything…. except for their own diapers!” It has been 10 weeks since you’ve changed my life. Because of you, I went from an “aunt” to khalamoni*.

 

I look forward to coming home after an exhausting day to see you. You are already active like a volcano! As you twist and turn in my arms, I admire a gift from God. Those plump cheeks always beg for a kiss. I make silly sounds to listen to your baby music. Somehow, you can make a dimple in your right eyebrow appear with a look of curiosity.

 

You suddenly scream your lungs out, tiny tears escaping your eyes. Are you hungry? Do you need a fresh diaper? Are you tired? Did you imagine a scary monster? I pass my hand through your thin black hair to comfort you. As you lay in my arms, I gently rub your forehead up and down. Within a few minutes, your eyes begin to close.    

 

I close the nursery door behind me and hear a little laugh! I check on you and see a smile on your face, your eyes still closed.

 

* an affectionate (Bengali) word for aunt

 

Now What?

 

You’ve counted down the days until graduation on your planner. Now that it is here, you wonder if it’s all just a dream. You sit in a daze amongst other graduates, proudly wearing your black and orange gown. 

 

Fast forward 7 hours later when all the exciting partying with family and friends comes to an end. Now what?

 

Do you extend the fun by taking a vacation to Brazil? You imagine all the colorful and breathtaking scenes and exotic wildlife you have come to love thanks to Rio. You might even see a rare blue macaw!

 

Do you continue searching for a job, like a predator hunting its prey? After all, you did just go through what felt like centuries of studying and completing assignments to be financially independent.  

 

There is the option of going back to school as some have suggested. Scratch that! A minor earthquake in your head starts to form just at the thought of more sleepless nights.

 

You consider all your options as you get into your pajamas and head to the bathroom. As you brush and floss your teeth, you come to a temporary solution.

“I’ll worry about this in the morning!”

By the Pen by Ibrahim Jaaber

 

I mentioned Ibrahim Jaaber in a blog post a few months back (you can check that post here). I got his book of poems and wanted to do a quick review. It is a short book, but I wanted to share my thoughts on it.

This book has 11 poems by Ibrahim Jaaber. I personally like 7 of them. About 3 of them are available in video format on YouTube. For those interested in more video poems by him or to get an idea of his poetry, you can go to https://www.youtube.com/user/gijaaber/videos Many of the poems rhyme, which if you know my taste for poetry by now, I love rhymes. Some of the poems are a few pages long which I am fine with. Arabic verses from the Quran related to the theme of the poems are provided directly after each poem. The only negative thing that I noticed about By the Pen were the typos. They didn't take away from the content of the poems, so this wasn't a major issue.

If you are a fan of Islamic poetry or Ibrahim Jaaber, I think this book would make a great addition to your library. This is one of my favorite book of poems that I own! I gave this poem 5/5 stars. To order a copy of By the Pen, please go to http://www.amazon.com/The-Pen-Mr-Ibrahim-Jaaber/dp/1505500869

Student Teaching Journals 13 and 14

These are my last 2 journals from student teaching. I hope this was interesting to someone! For more info. on what these journals are and to read my previous journals, please click here http://sfraww.blogspot.com/search/label/Teaching

Week 13

My 8th and final observation didn’t go as well as I had wanted. Making an interactive math review was a good idea that would have the students excited to come up out of their seats and put a little spotlight on them. However, the technology started messing up from the start even though we had set everything up prior to my lesson. I had to just roll with it and the interactive part was out unfortunately.

Prior to my lesson, I had asked my CT what she thought of my review and she had said it looked good. I didn’t want to bother her and ask too many questions on every little detail of my lesson so I thought we were good to go. But once the lesson started, a lot of comments were made that lengthened the lesson and got the students focused on the teachers rather than the questions. Another teacher even told me that she felt there were a lot of interruptions and I should have been given the chance to teach my way since it was my observation and the comments that were made could have been said in a better way. For example, instead of having said “that is too confusing” my CT could have said, “or you could do it this way” and shown her way after letting me finish my thought.

Many of the questions were advanced and I was surprised that 3rd graders were being expected to know such math. When I took the benchmark before making the review and study guide, I decided to teach the students the way I solved the problems myself. I realized I need to think like a third grader. I wish my last lesson had gone well, but this is all part of learning!

Week 14

My days at the school are numbered and the students know it. Many of them keep asking me when I am really leaving, am I coming back tomorrow, where was I last Monday when I was absent, etc. A few of them even questioned me if I am their friend to which I replied that I am their teacher. It is amusing to see how much my presence affects them! I do hope they have enjoyed having me in their class and found me to be a helpful and caring person. 

Although I didn’t write the lesson plans last week, I still helped the students as much as possible. The students had three projects that my CT wanted them to complete by the end of this week and they managed it even with three days of PARCC testing! The students did oral presentations with their partners for a social studies project. They were able to present their drawings and knowledge of their southwestern states to the class. Of course they were nervous, but overall they did a great job! I think having students get used to standing and speaking in front of a crowd is a good skill to acquire from a young age. This will be needed in the future so the earlier they get to practice the more confident they can hopefully become.

During PARCC testing, I actually stayed with the 3rd grade students. One day I was asked to stay with the special needs children while their classmates were testing at a different time in the day. I tried to get some work done for my writing portfolio the other days while the students tested. Initially, I wanted to observe different grades, but I figured I would spend my remaining time with the students in their class, especially since they had some free time afterwards.

Updated Bookshelf "Tour"

 

I haven't done an updated book shelf "tour" post since my first one almost 2 years ago and thought now was a good time. To see my first "tour" (and how it has changed) you can go to http://sfraww.blogspot.com/2013/06/my-bookshelf-tour.html Like always, you can click on the images to enlarge them and again, I will try to list all the books on my shelf! All the books will be listed in green and the random items/books will be listed in pink.

 

Do you have items other than books on your bookshelf? Let me know what is on your bookshelf in the comments below!

 Shelf #1

 

Board games and big white paper for picture taking ;)  

Shelf #2 from left to right (mostly my Islamic (fiction) books)

I have 2 more things that belong on this shelf but others are borrowing ;)

 

Picture frame from Michaels with scrapbook paper inside

Silence (Echoes #5) by Jamilah Kolocotronis

Ripples (Echoes #4) by Jamilah Kolocotronis

Turbulence (Echoes #3) by Jamilah Kolocotronis

Rebounding (Echoes #2) by Jamilah Kolocotronis

 Echoes (Echoes #1) by Jamilah Kolocotronis

Footsteps (If I Should Speak #3)  by Umm Zakiyyah

A Voice (If I Should Speak #2) by Umm Zakiyyah

If I Should Speak (If I Should Speak #1) by Umm Zakiyyah

The Returned by Laurence B. Brown

The Eighth Scroll by Laurence B. Brown

Black Sheep by Nai'ma B. Robert

Far From Home by Nai'ma B. Robert

Box of business cards with random mini books on top

Sephora Fragrance Sampler "book" box (thought it looked pretty and like a book)

My Reading Journal

Ask Me No Questions by Marina Budhos (had her as a professor...)

Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah

Ten Things I Hate About Me by Randa Abdel-Fattah

Islam: A Short History (Modern Library Chronicles #2) by Karen Armstrong

 Speaking Skills Every Muslim Must Know by Zohra Sarwari

Powerful Time Management Skills for Muslims by Zohra Sarwari

In the Early Hours by Kharrum Murad

Poems from Guantanamo: The Detainees Speak by Marc Falkoff (editor)

By the Pen by Ibrahim Muhammad Heshaam Jaaber

Noble Brother: The Story of the Last Prophet in Poetry by Hesham Hassaballa

Many Poetic Voices, One Faith by Islamic Writers Alliance

Many Voices, One Faith II - Islamic Fiction Stories by Islamic Writers Alliance

Reclaim Your Heart by Yasmin Mogahed (2 copies)

Mickey Mouse snow globe from Black Friday shopping in 2011

 

Shelf #3 from left to right (mostly fantasy/scary books)

 

"If Friends Were Flowers I'd Pick You" bank (from a friend obv ;)

 Eragon and Eldest (Inheritance, #1-2) by Christopher Paolini

The Sisters Grimm: The Fairy Tale Detectives & The Unusual Suspects by Michael Buckley

Rise of the Evening Star (Fablehaven #2) by Brandon Mull

Fablehaven (Fablehaven #1) by Brandon Mull

Monster Madness (Nightmare Academy #2) by Dean Lorey

Monster Hunters (Nightmare Academy #1) by Dean Lorey

The Master of Misrule (The Game of Triumphs #2) by Laura Powell

The Game of Triumphs (The Game of Triumphs #1) by Laura Powell

 Rising Storm (Warriors #4) by Erin Hunter

Fire and Ice (Warriors #2) by Erin Hunter

Into the Wild (Warriors #1) by Erin Hunter

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter #7) by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter #6) by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter #3) by J.K. Rowling

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Harry Potter Companion Books #1) by Newt Scamander

Fire Star (The Last Dragon Chronicles #3) by Chris d'Lacey

Icefire (The Last Dragon Chronicles #2) by Chris d'Lacey

The Fire Within (The Last Dragon Chronicles #1) by Chris d'Lacey

The Silver Chair (The Chronicles of Narnia #6) by C.S. Lewis

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (The Chronicles of Narnia #5) by C.S. Lewis

Prince Caspian (The Chronicles of Narnia #4) by C.S. Lewis

The Lion. the Witch, and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia #2) by C.S. Lewis

The Hunt for the Seventh by Christine Morton-Shaw

Help! We Have Strange Powers! (Goosebumps HorrorLand #10) by R.L. Stine

Beware of the Living Dummy (Goosebumps HorrorLand #1) by R.L. Stine

The Beast from the East (Goosebumps #43) by R.L. Stine

Double Dare To Be Scared (Dare To Be Scared) by Robert D. San Souci

Eight Tales of Terror by Edgar Allan Poe

Shelf #4 from left to right

 

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much storage book box

Silent Mercy (Alexandra Cooper #13) by Linda Fairstein

The Da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon #2) by Dan Brown

Angels and Demons (Robert Langdon #1) by Dan Brown

Iron House by John Har

Firefly Lane (Firefly Lane #1) by Kristin Hannah

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

The Amulet of Samarkand (Bartimaeus #1) by Jonathan Stroud

The Map of Time (Trilogía Victoriana #1) by Félix J. Palma

We Are Not Eaten by Yaks (An Accidental Adventure #1) by C. Alexander London

The  Secret Kingdom (Chronicles of the Red King #1) by Jenny Nimmo

Darkside (Darkside #1) by Tom Becker

Magyk (Septimus Heap #1) by Angie Sage

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1) by Rick Riordan

Mister Monday (The Keys to the Kingdom #1) by Garth Nix

The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next #1) by Jasper Fforde

Dragon Slippers (Dragon Slippers #1) by Jessica Day George

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1) by Suzanne Collins

The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood and Co. #1) by Jonathan Stroud

Fairest (Enchanted #3) by Gail Carson Levine

Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

The Hobbit (Middle-earth Universe) by J.R.R. Tolkien

 

Shelf #5 from left to right

 

Some reference and self help books

random books

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

James and  Giant Peach by Roald Dahl  

Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl

Esio Trot by Roald Dahl

Matilda by Roald Dahl

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

The Witches by Roald Dahl dirt Beasts by Roald Dahl

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Aesop's Fables

Grimm's Fairy Tales

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll

It's Raining Pigs and Noodles poems by Jack Prelutsky 

Shelf #6 school/ teacher stuff

 

Pile of textbooks (to sell)

Pile of my college papers

Books and games for future classroom ia