By: Qorsho Hassan I was raised by a single mother who valued education and the deen (Islam), and so my childhood revolved around books, the arts and constant exposure to the vibrancy of the somali dhaqan (culture). In the beginning of 2004, my mother sat me down to discuss how I’d be sharing my room…
By: Sirad Shirdon 1. Becoming culturally responsive educators Somali parents are attempting to educate their children with a backdrop of discrimination targeted towards Muslims, English language learners, Black students and immigrants and refugees (Bigelow, 2010). As Vygotsky stressed it is important that we connect children’s social worlds to the classroom, as this will be a…
Sirad Shirdon In September, my two nieces began school at a local Montessori school, a far cry from their previous school: a charter school in Columbus with questionable educational quality. The charter school she attended, like many in North Columbus, has a large Somali student population. In recent years, Somali parents in the US…
Sirad Shirdon A few weeks ago, on the eve of the Muslim holiday Eid ul Adha, a kindergarten teacher inquired into the availability of related reading material. “Are there books about Eid?” she asked. Ms. M, the teacher, had prepared a book on Islam, to share with the students. “Of course, there are!” I exclaimed. Without…
The Somali Literacy Project 