3.5 Learning and teaching strategies: the Islamic perspective

EIslamic education has an ideal perspective of learning and teaching strategies. Some of these strategies have been mentioned by early Islamic scholars of education (e.g. Al-Ghazzali, Al-Ghazzali, Ibn Jama'h and Azzarnuji). These strategies they mentioned serve as general guidelines for effective learning and teaching. In what follows, some of views of these scholars are summarized in relation to learning and teaching strategies:

Learning strategies:

Purifying the soul from impure traits and blameworthy characteristics because knowledge is the worship of

man's heart as well as the prayer of his inmost self and the oblation of his inward being before God.

Adopting a simple life of meditation and piety. The student should follow the identical requirements of an ideal

teacher: piety and devotion.

The student is responsible for keeping himself free from impure habits; the student with bad character and

manner would never benefit by any knowledge he may possibly acquire.

Seeking all aspects of learning.

Seeking knowledge gradually and striving towards the most important types of knowledge at every stage of

development.

Paying attention to the primary religious objects of knowledge, which is the Holy Qur'an and ahadith

(Prophetic sayings), is also part of the student's educational responsibilities.

3.5 Learning and teaching strategies: the Islamic perspective

Seeking the truth by using their minds to think and learn the truth, and not just relying on the teacher.

Demonstrating initiative and having no shyness about asking questions.

Maintaining an orderly lifestyle: a successful student is the one who organizes his timetable to include

studying, memorization, and drills. This duty will help a student build a sense of self-discipline which will be

useful later on for activity in the future.

While teachers should direct the efforts of the student, the student should take these guidelines and follow

his own individual paths to reach the truth.

The student should research every school of thought without depending on a particular philosophy or scholar,

in order to be fully informed.

A student's dedication to learning should be reflected by hard work and tenacity. The student should realize

that he will accomplish success only if he applies himself wholeheartedly.

Teaching strategies:

The teacher should willingly do a great deal to help a student needing assistance, and should welcome

student's inquiries.

3.5 Learning and teaching strategies: the Islamic perspective

The teacher should assume many roles in his student's lives, including advising or counseling students

outside of the regular classroom experience.

The Quran recommends education through the persuasive approach. This guidance can be done if the soul

is pure, the heart is open, and the intellect is good. Therefore, teachers must understand this as being most important in the education of children, and prepare the young ones for their psychological and social development.

Teaching needs to be supported by repetition. Whenever Allah's messenger spoke, he repeated the words

thrice, so that they might be fully understood.

Teachers should be discreet about asking students whether they understand the lesson - especially in front

of other students - because a student may claim to understand to avoid embarrassment in front of his classmates.

The teacher is not only that he should be a man of learning but also a person who appreciates the role of

stimulation in a class environment.

The teacher should be skilled in counseling and supervision. He should keep careful track of a student's

progress.

3.5 Learning and teaching strategies: the Islamic perspective

Teachers should also teach without expecting any remuneration for it, teaching what they can, but reminding

students that the object of education is to gain nearness to God.

The co-operation between the learner and his teacher and between the learner and his fellow students.

Co-operation is, in his view, the most effective way to attain the goal of the study.

The teacher should be honest with the students about their progress, and instruct only what the students are

capable of learning.

The teacher should practice what he teaches in order not to confuse the students, and to support their

knowledge with practice in order to inculcate the knowledge in student's minds.

As can be seen, the above recommended strategies can be described as moral, ethical and metacognitive steps for the learning and teaching processes.