THE VISION OF ISLAMIC EDUCATION

THE VISION OF ISLAMIC EDUCATION

The vision of islamic education is teaching about “islam” and “being muslim”. The purpose of islamic education is not to fiil our children’s mind with information about islam, but also to teach them about being muslim. Islamic education must focus on teaching values and emphasize issues of identity and it must emphasize and provide for training in leadership.

Several factors are essential for effective teaching and learning to occur, these factors are meaningful, integrative, value-based, challenging and active. They will support our purpose especially to achieve islamic education.

First, meaningful means student should feel the content of their curiculum is worth learning. Furthermore, students must be led to discover the larger connections between the knowledge and skills they are learning—rather than memorizing isolated bits of information. Especially as Muslims, our children must be trained always to keep their eye on the whole picture, or macro-view, whenever studying. This, in part, is the meaning of tauhid. Islamic teaching and learning must therefore focus on examining major themes and important topics, rather than superficial coverage of many different topics. This approach advocates that the Islamic Studies curriculum be structured coherently around the concept of powerful ideas.

Second, integrated means students must encompass and engage the whole child spiritually, emotionally, socially, intelectually and physically. In addition, Islamic teaching and learning should be integrative across a broad range of topics and in its treatment of these topics. It should be integrative across time and place as well as integrative across the curriculum.

Third, value based means islamic educations became powerful for character and moral development. Educators must realize that every aspect of the teaching-learning experience conveys values to students and provides opportunities for them to learn about values. From the selection of content, materials and activities, to the arrangement of the classroom, to class rules and management style, students are exposed to and learn values. Teachers must therefore develop a better awareness of their own values and how those values influence their behavior as role-models and what students ultimately learn from these experiences about themselves, about others and about Islam.

Fourth, challenging means students can examine, participate, work well about their challenge. Such activities and experiences will help foster the skills needed to produce competent Muslims who are capable of presenting and defending their beliefs and principles effectively.

Fifth, active means islamic students should demand a great deal from both the teacher and the student. The effective teacher of Islamic education must be prepared to continuously update his or her knowledge base, adjust goals and content to students’ needs, take advantage of unfolding events and teachable moments, and to develop examples that relate directly to students. Moreover, learning must be active by emphasizing hands-on and minds-on activities that call for students to react to what they are learning and to use it in their lives in some meaningful way.

These are the key factors of islamic teaching and learning. In summary, the purpose of islamic education is to prepare young men and young women are capable of carrying out this mission.