21st Century Leadership

1. To help them to thrive in a world we
know nothing about

4. What it is and what it can do

5. Based on two principles:
1. Responsibility for what you hold in trust
2. Accountability to One from whom
nothing is hidden
 Our global problems today are not due to
lack of resources but lack of accountability
Faith education
The cure for that is faith

6.  Accepting responsibility for others, adds
value to us. After all that is what we seek all
through our careers
 Enables us to rise above our base desires and
invokes the best in us
 Is the only way we have to leave a legacy of
honor
Responsibility
It takes courage to accept responsibility

7. 1. To the One who we represent – and
to Whom is our return
2. To the One who will reward those
who fulfill their duty
3. To the One from Whom nothing is
hidden
Accountability
WiiFM is a station everyone listens to

8. But that it is hugely
successful

10. What we need
When was the last time that you rewarded a
student for disagreeing with you?
Question Challenge Change

11. What we produce
We reward compliance and punish questioning
Accept
ComplyContinue

12. What we must encourage
But we demand conformity and
punish diversity
Imagination

13. What we must do
But we dampen and sedate
Provoke

14. Recognize the problem
and seek solutions

15. Our current design
We know – You listen and memorize
We teach random data (called facts)
We examine random recall during a
specific timeframe and ‘FAIL’ those who
recall the same thing 5 minutes later
That is exactly how you fill boxes
on an assembly line

16. Two key skills
Memorization
Regurgitation

17. Two suicidals
Thinking
Questioning

18. What’s teaching?
 Teaching is not about answering questions but
about raising questions – opening doors for
them in places that they could not imagine.
 Teaching is about teaching them the tools of
learning which will enable them to pursue
learning all their lives.
What do we do with those who ask
‘odd’ questions?

19. Teaching Science
 We teach science like we teach history – as a ‘fact’
course.
 Whereas science is not about fact at all but about
constant discovery. Science is about constantly
discovering how little we know.
 Science is not about answers but about learning to
ask the right questions, learning to analyze data
with a willingness to be proved wrong.
That’s why most children don’t open a
science book once they leave school

20. Teaching History
 We concentrate on dates far more than on lessons
learnt and ways of applying them in today’s society.
 History question: When was the Battle of Waterloo
fought; who was fighting whom?
 Not why; not what did that indicate about that
society and its implications in today’s society.
So they hate history and never read it
when they leave school

21. Teaching Math
 Children hate math, algebra even more. But
when did we ever hear of a teacher teaching
math as a problem solving tool?
 Or of teaching algebra as a tool to plan a
party?
Context gives meaning – but
we don’t link to context

22. Context of Math
 Math enhances ability in reasoning,
intelligence, decision making and abstract
analysis. But we only teach dry numbers.
 Math enables budgeting, judging and
assessment of business enterprises; it is the
basis behind computer programming, music,
art, graphic design, aeronautics – and a
million other highly interesting things.
But it’s interesting only in context

23. Our approach must change
The way we teach math – the majority
of students hate it, never use it to any
advantage and trash 12 years of learning
it as soon as they complete their final
exam.
So why should you study math at all?

25. Exams
Exams are the final nail in the coffin which
ensure that the child hates learning forever.

27. The Universe matters
 Our education system stinks. It is designed to
create mechanics – not learned people.
 So one can become an engineer without
reading any book other than his course
books and without any understanding of
anything except his little machine – as if the
rest of the universe doesn’t matter.
Or does it, really?

28. So does it all exist?
 All the treasure of human thought, ideas, discoveries,
experiments, reflections and imagination are closed to
him. He doesn’t even know that they exist.
 He lives a life of stress, doing his best with his very
limited understanding of life, trying to reinvent the
wheel, to discover solutions which others, far more
gifted and learned than he could ever be, have already
discovered and written about.
Is existence about being or about
linking to our history to leave a legacy?

30. Product design
 That is why we have idiotic product design
because the designer has no concept of
relating his design to the actual user.
 He is thinking in terms of his narrow area of
knowledge, not of the vast area of
application.

31. Challenges must
dictate design

32. Is designed to produce conformity
and compliance
It was created to reinforce feudalism
and produce obedient slaves

33. It was never designed for
democracy or to raise people
who think independently

34. Questioning, Challenging,
Creativity, Courage, Resilience

35. It needs a decent burial

37. Our Challenge
Prepare them for a
world that we know
nothing about
You signed up when you had a child

38. And start learning

39. Monitor yourself daily
 Start discovering, learning, enjoying.
 Start appreciating that the child is the best
thing that happened to you and every single
day try to become the best thing that
happens to him or her.
‘If you want to know what someone values,
see what they measure.’
~ Mikel Harry (Motorola, 6 – Sigma Quality)

40. You’re ushers – not teachers
 Teachers must never teach.
 They must be like ushers in a vast museum,
walking quietly with their students tiptoeing
behind them, opening one door after another –
letting them take a peek – and then handing
them the key to the door so that they can come
back in their own time and explore in detail.
Is every day exciting?

41. Give them the keys
 The teacher then takes them to another door
for another peek and another key. See??
 Imagine how exciting that is for the child!
 The teacher’s job is to give them the keys.
Teaching is about asking questions –
and teaching them to ask questions.

42. Ask questions
 Reward the best question
 The teacher who gives answers has failed. So
never do that.
 Let them find the answers and be prepared
for answers you didn’t ever think about
The best question is the one that left
you speechless

43. Teaching is about keeping the
excitement of learning alive all
lifelong.

44. A brief glimpse

45. Here’s how to do it
 Take the hand of a 4 year old and lead the
whole group to a tree.
 Then sit down under the tree and tell them,
‘Let me see who can get me a perfect leaf of
this tree.’
 When they all come back, brimming with joy
at their perfect finds – ask them if all the
leaves are the same, even though they came
from the same tree?

46. Then ask them…
Let them marvel at the fact that they
are all leaves from the same tree but
each is different.
Ask them, ‘Why do you think this
happens? What is Allah‫ﷻ‬ saying to us?’
Faith is not rules but to see the
Creator in His creation

47. Then let them feel…
Then pull out a seed of the tree you are
sitting under from your pocket.
Show them the seed and let them all
(every one of them) hold the seed in
their hand and explore it, texture,
shape, color and so on.

48. Open the door….
 Give them crayons and paper and let them
draw the seed.
 Give them a few more so that everyone has
their own seed.
 When they have drawn the seed, tell them,
‘Now look at the tree. Did you realise that
this tree was inside this seed? Can you draw
the tree inside your seed?’ Let them do that.

49. Teach genetics to 4 year olds
 Then tell them about genetics – yes to four year
olds – and explain how the tree was inside the
seed until Allah‫ﷻ‬ ordered it to come out.
 Explain the whole process of germination and
growth.
 Draw lessons from each step and show them
the glory of Allah‫.ﷻ‬
Explain how we are all similar

50. Do you really want to teach?
Of course that will make your own role
as teacher much harder but also much
more fun.
To be on top of the game you have to
read and prepare @ 1:4 – one hour of
teaching to 4 hours of preparation.
That’s why you need passion

51. Teaching is about learning.
 The kids will come back with answers to the
questions you planted in their minds.
 You will need patience and tact and wisdom
to deal with some of them.
 But you will have the joy of learning, of
having doors opened for you where you
didn’t know there were doors.
Be prepared to be astonished & transformed

52. Integrated teaching

53. Qur’anic method
ِ‫ت‬ْ‫اخ‬َ‫و‬ ِ‫ض‬ْ‫َر‬‫أل‬‫ا‬َ‫و‬ ِ‫ات‬َ‫او‬َ‫م‬َّ‫الس‬ ِ‫ق‬ْ‫ل‬َ‫خ‬ ِ‫ِف‬ َّ‫ن‬ِ‫إ‬َ‫آلي‬ ِ‫ر‬‫ا‬َ‫َّه‬‫الن‬َ‫و‬ ِ‫ل‬ْ‫ي‬َّ‫ل‬‫ال‬ ِ‫ف‬َ‫ال‬ٍ‫ات‬
ِ‫اب‬َ‫ب‬ْ‫ل‬‫األ‬ ِ‫ِل‬ْ‫ُو‬ِِ‫أل‬
َ‫و‬ ‫ا‬ً‫ود‬ُ‫ع‬ُ‫ق‬َ‫و‬ ‫ا‬ً‫ام‬َ‫ي‬ِ‫ق‬ َِ‫اّلل‬ َ‫ن‬‫و‬ُ‫ر‬ُ‫ك‬ْ‫ذ‬َ‫ي‬ َ‫ين‬ِ‫ذ‬َّ‫ل‬‫ا‬ُ‫ر‬َّ‫ك‬َ‫ف‬َ‫ت‬َ‫ي‬َ‫و‬ ْ‫م‬ِِ‫وِب‬ُ‫ن‬ُ‫ج‬ َ‫ى‬َ‫ل‬َ‫ع‬ِ‫ِف‬ َ‫ن‬‫و‬
ْ‫ق‬َ‫ل‬َ‫خ‬ ‫ا‬َ‫م‬ ‫ا‬َ‫ن‬َّ‫ب‬َ‫ر‬ ِ‫ض‬ْ‫َر‬‫أل‬‫ا‬َ‫و‬ ِ‫ات‬َ‫او‬َ‫م‬َّ‫الس‬ ِ‫ق‬ْ‫ل‬َ‫خ‬َ‫ك‬َ‫ن‬‫ا‬َ‫ح‬ْ‫ب‬ُ‫س‬ ً‫ال‬ِ‫اط‬َ‫ب‬ ‫ذا‬َ‫ه‬ َ‫ت‬
ِ‫ر‬‫َّا‬‫ن‬‫ال‬ َ‫اب‬َ‫ذ‬َ‫ع‬ ‫ا‬َ‫ن‬ِ‫ق‬َ‫ف‬
Allah said ‫ون‬ُ‫ر‬َّ‫ك‬َ‫ف‬َ‫ت‬َ‫ي‬َ‫و‬

54. Qur’anic method
A’al Imraan 3:190. Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the
earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs
for people of understanding.
191. Those who remember Allah (always, and in prayers) standing,
sitting, and lying down on their sides, AND think deeply about the
creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying):
“Our Rabb! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to
You! (Exalted are You above all that they associate with You as
partners). Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire.”
Allah used AND

55. Why this method?
 Islam recognizes that all knowledge is from
Allah‫ﷻ‬ and that the purpose of Islamic
education is to connect the people to
Allah‫.ﷻ‬
 So there’s no disconnect between Islam and
science and modern education
Provided it is taught holistically integrated

56. Project: Oceans
 Biology: Marine plants & animals
 Physics: Displacement floats ships
 Chemistry: Why is sea water salty?
 Geography: Navigation, Orienteering, sailing, Qibla
 History: Maritime history of nations, colonial domination, Muslim
Mariners
 Trade: Routes, goods, cultural & population change
 Tafseer: Qur’anic Ayaat relating to Oceans
 Fiqh: Mathaa’il related to sea water, food, travel etc.
 Hadith: Ahadith related to the sea
Living knowledge to be applied in context

57. Two Oceans
‫ب‬ْ‫ذ‬َ‫ع‬ ‫ا‬َ‫ذ‬َ‫ه‬ ِ‫ن‬ْ‫ي‬َ‫ر‬ْ‫ح‬َ‫ب‬ْ‫ل‬‫ا‬ َ‫ج‬َ‫ر‬َ‫م‬ ‫ي‬ِ‫ذ‬َّ‫ل‬‫ا‬ َ‫و‬ُ‫ه‬َ‫و‬‫اج‬َ‫ُج‬‫أ‬ ‫ح‬ْ‫ل‬ِ‫م‬ ‫ا‬َ‫ذ‬َ‫ه‬َ‫و‬ ‫ات‬َ‫ر‬ُ‫ف‬
ُ‫ج‬َّْ‫َّم‬ ‫ا‬ً‫ر‬ْ‫ج‬ِ‫ح‬َ‫و‬ ‫ا‬ً‫خ‬َ‫ز‬ْ‫ر‬َ‫ب‬ ‫ا‬َ‫م‬ُ‫ه‬َ‫ن‬ْ‫ي‬َ‫ب‬ َ‫ل‬َ‫ع‬َ‫ج‬َ‫و‬‫ا‬ً‫ور‬
Furqan 25: 53. And it is He Who has let free the two seas (kinds
of water), one palatable and sweet, and the other salt and
bitter, and He has set a barrier and a complete partition
between them.
How does this happen and where?

58. Project: Mountains
 Geology: Isostacy of mountains: Stabilizing effect
 Geography: How mountains effect climate
 Biology: Mountain flora & fauna
 History: How mountains affected history of nations
 Tafsir: Ayaat related to mountains
 Seerah: Mountain of Uhud
 Hadith: Ahadith related to mountains
Draw lessons from all of these
to connect to Allah‫ﷻ‬ & Aakhira

59. Selling lottery tickets is a job

60. Can you imagine not teaching?
Teaching must be a passion.
A teacher is someone who simply can’t
imagine doing anything else.
A teacher is someone who will not only
teach without pay but would pay to teach.
A teacher teaches for the joy of teaching

61. Does this excite you?
Only then can you light the lamp of the
love of learning in the hearts of others.
Teaching is to light the lamp of
knowledge and dispel the darkness of
ignorance.
Excitement is fear that anticipates a
happy ending

63. This happens before your eyes
every morning…

64. Please consider this…
Every morning a strange thing happens at
the gate of your school.
Parents come and hand over their most
precious assets to you without asking for
any guarantees for anything; for you to do
as you please with them for the next 6 – 8
hours.
And then?

65. Do you actively plan this?
 Are you conscious of this responsibility in
quite this way and do you plan for those 6 –
8 to become the best 6 – 8 hours of that
child for that day?
 What would you say if the teacher, who you
send your child to, planned to make those
hours the best hours of your child’s life?
Do you believe this is worth doing?

67. Abolish Exams
 Or at least have only open book exams.
 Random recall of random data at a specific
time of the day?
 And if they collaborate you call it cheating
and fail them.
In real life we call it teamwork.
That is the most insane thing to do
– so why do it?

69. Nail in the coffin
Exams are the worst evil that ever
happened to learning.
They are the final nail in the coffin which
ensures that the child hates learning
forever.
Think about what you want to test for

70. First of all your own
May you be the one to
illuminate the world
by igniting minds.