Opportunity abroad! Language studies programs November 3, 2009

Foreign language studies opened many doors for me.  Initially when I declared a dual major in Spanish and Psychology it was because I had two loves.  I loved the  Hispanic/Latino culture. From the food to the music, the people and dances Salsa and Merengue, Flamenco, the Tango ANYTHING  Hispanic/Latino I loved it!

Anywaaaaayy that love inspired me to study Spanish throughout highschool and college. In my senior year I had the opportunity to study abroad in Mexico and it was an experience that truly changed my life.  It opened up doors to me and solidified my language study by imersing me in the language around the clock.

I have recently come across a few sites that are offering FREE opportunities for students (on various levels) to receive scholarships to study languages. I can not personally vouch for any of the programs or their political or religious affiliations etc. I am just passing the info along. But I think its a great opportunity if you are eligible then try and apply you never know where it can lead!  Check the programs out quickly because some of them have deadlines that are fast approaching.

Long live language studies!

Houtan Scholarship

Provided By: Houtan Scholarship Foundation

Deadline: Varies Type of Award:

Scholarship Amount: $5000

Awards Available: Unspecified

Website: http://www.houtan.org/

Description: The Houtan Scholarship is available to graduate students who have a working knowledge of Farsi and demonstrate an active interest in Iranian culture, heritage and literature. You must exhibit superior academic performance or a significant increase of performance over the course of your academic career to be eligible for this renewable award.

Applicable Majors: Middle Eastern Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics Near and Middle Eastern Studies

National Security Language Institute for Youth

NSLI for Youth is part of a multi-agency U.S. government initiative launched in January 2006 to improve Americans’ ability to engage with people from around the world who speak Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Korean, Persian (Farsi), Russian and Turkish. The Department of State, in cooperation with American Councils, AFS-USA, iEARN-USA, and Concordia Language Villages, awards full merit-based scholarships to high school students for participation in summer, semester, and academic-year language programs in countries where the seven NSLI for Youth languages are spoken. Programs immerse participants in the cultural life of the host country giving them invaluable formal and informal language practice and sparking a lifetime interest in foreign languages and cultures.

Language Scholarships
NSLI for Youth Scholarships cover all program costs, including round-trip travel to the program host city, tuition, educational and cultural activities, pre-departure and re-entry orientations, visa fees, room and board, and Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) health benefits.

Program Durations and Locations
Summer, semester, and academic-year programs are located in China, Egypt, India, Jordan, Korea, Morocco, Russia, Tajikistan, and Turkey.

Language Study and Cultural Immersion
NSLI for Youth scholars participate in intensive language classes (4 hr/day), homestays, and community service projects, embracing formal and informal opportunities for meaningful language practice with in-country counterparts.

Application Deadline: December 4, 2009
NSLI for Youth only accepts on-line applications. To apply go to: http://www.nsliforyouth.org/
Ask past NSLI for Youth scholars about their experience at the NSLI-Y Group social network: http://connect.state.gov/

Embrace Learning as a Lifetime Commitment!

Teacher Tamara

A Productive Muslimah November 3, 2009

Asalamualaykum everyone!

I’m sorry I’ve been away from the blogosphere!  Back to school preparations required me to be on active home school-teacher- mom duty!

However I have been working on many exciting and new projects for both TeacherTamara and SisterShine LifeCoaching. One project that I’d like to share was an interview with ProductiveMuslim.com

Tamara L. Redfern_Productive-Muslim-Interview

Enjoy the interview and check back often for more news about our upcoming projects and special offers for the month of November!

~ Tamara

Knock knock? September 15, 2009

Happy Eid!

Knock knock…..who’s there…Teacher Tamara’s wondering  ….Teacher Tamara’s wondering who?  Teacher Tamara’s wondering who’s out there reading this blog and what you all are planning on doing for the upcoming Eid celebration.

I can see we have many visitors from all over and I’d like to see how Eid is spent in different parts of the world.

A few simple lines:

1. Where are you?
2. What is the customary Eid celebration like?
3. What was your most memorable Eid?

Wherever you are and whatever you find yourself doing, enjoy it and make the most of it. Tomorrow is not promised!

Take care everyone!

Happy Early Eid!

Teacher Tamara

p.s.  SisterShine LifeCoaching is having a limited time FREE open membership! Sign up now only the first 50 subscribers are free!   Get your freebies this Eid!

Ramadan Revolutions September 9, 2009

Hellooo everyone!!!

I know I have been MIA (missing in action) for the past several weeks.  It hasn’t been without good reason though. In the latter part of July a random toothache turned out to need oral surgery.  Then it’s healing was followed by the end of summer and beginning of Ramadan preparations, culminating in the finalization of my summer growth project: the unveiling of a new website for SisterShine LifeCoaching Services (SSLCS) and the jump-start of  R² Ramadan Revolutions program!  R² is designed to support sisters in making revolutions (not resolutions) that will last from Ramadan and beyond.

Visit the new site by clicking the link at the bottom of this post and check out our new testimonials page to see what sisters have to say about the program and SSLCS overall.   Be sure sign up for FREE MEMBERSHIP to be among the first to know of upcoming events, interviews, offers and to access the ALL NEW SISTER’S SUN DAY BLOG on the website!!

Our Ramadan Revolutions program was a special unadvertised offer to sisters that were on SSLCS  mailing list. So if you missed out on that offer don’t worry just get on the list and you won’t miss anymore!

There will be an added incentive emailed to those of you who sign up within the next 48 hrs (by 12:01 am EST on Friday, September 11th)!

Don’t forget to spread the word to your friends and family!  All my facebookers and twitterers please add to your pages as well!

Looking forward to seeing you all on the other side!

Supporting Sisters Successes!

Committed to learning new ways to let my light SHINE!

Teacher Tamara

www.SisterShineLifeCoaching.com

 

 

p.s. just for fun there is a secret password question to gain membership to the site:

Q: What is the S3 Philosophy?

A: Supporting Sisters Successes!

Welcome Ramadan! August 21, 2009

Welcome Ramadan – by Zain Bhikha
Welcome o ramadaan
Your are honoured
O month of the qur’aan
It is ramadaan

O one who sleeps
Stand up and declare
The oneness of Allah
The oneness of Allah

O one who fasts
Stand up in prayer at night
And Allah will forgive
And Allah will forgive

Welcome o ramadaan
Your are honoured
O month of the qur’aan
It is ramadaan

O you believe
Give charity
For the pleasure of Allah
For the pleasure of Allah

O you who believe
Read the qur’aan
Every night of ramadaan
Every night of ramadaan

Welcome o ramadaan
Your are honoured
O month of the qur’aan
It is ramadaan

O you who believe
Look out for the night
Most blessed of all nights
Most blessed of all nights

O you who believe
Take hold of this night
And lament to Allah
And lament to Allah

Welcome o ramadaan
Your are honoured
O month of the qur’aan
It is ramadaan

O you who believe
At the end of Ramadaan
Don’t weaken your iman
Don’t weaken your iman

O you who believe
Give thanks to Allah
For the month of Ramadaan
For the month of Ramadaan

Welcome o ramadaan
Your are honoured
O month of the qur’aan
It is ramadaan

May You and your family have a blessed and peaceful Ramadan!

Teacher Tamara

The little engine that could August 1, 2009

 

The Mount Washington Cog Railway

 

“I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can”…

 
As the little engine trudged up the rugged mountain, he was afraid and doubted himself, but instead of focusing on his fear he challenged himself to believe that he could climb up that mountain side. Chanting to himself, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can”  each time he was afraid, he was slowly-but surely reaching his destination.

 

3 Step Process for Changing a Limiting Belief

IDENTIFY-CHANGE-ACTION

1. Identify the belief. (ex. I am too small to climb that mountain.  I am too old to go back to school.  I don’t have time to memorize Quran.)
2. Change what you say to your self about the belief. (ex I think I can climb that mountain.  I think I could return to school at my age others have done it.  Maybe I can memorize a little Quran in the mornings after fajr.)
3. Put your new belief in action. (ex Today I started climbing the mountain.  I registered for a class at the local community college.  While the kids were asleep today I memorized a short surah.)

National Blog Posting Month’s theme for August is “Tomorrow”.  By tomorrow I challenge every reader no matter where they are to identify and post 1 limiting belief they have.  Be brave! or post anonymously Come on little engines! I know you can do it!!  What mountains are you facing today?

Commit to a lifetime of learning!

Teacher~Tamara

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™.  All rights reserved.

 

Summer Memories July 28, 2009

Not sure if everyone can identify with these or not as some things are simply are culturally or hemispherically dependent /translation: it depends where you from and where your people from But I’d like to share a list of some of my summer memories.

1. icees- $0.25, $0.15, $0.10 made by the lady in the neighborhood who ran a little store out of the house (she happened to be my mom so I was the icee maker as well as the cashier)
2. The Puerto-Rican Festival (now politically correctly known as Latin American Pride? ) a mainstay in mostly northeastern states but Jersey and New York  do it big!  Our was a week long festival that was on my birthday week, began with a little miss puerto rico pageant and parade and ended in racial motivated fights on the last day- such a waste but :( unfortunate  and true. 
3. Going to the Jersey shore. Wildwood NOT Atlantic City. Only people who didn’t live in Jersey go to AC true Jerseans went to Wildwood
4. Blueberries! Hammonton, NJ is the WORLD’s largest supplier of antioxidant rich blueberries! Little known fact about the garden state!
5. COWTOWN- can’t describe you must google it for yourselves
6. Philly on the weekend
7. Floor fans in the window (before everyone got those little window sized fans ) y’all know what I’m talkin about here, don’t act too cute it’s summer time
8. Eating watermelon on the front porch with newspaper underneath you
9. Eating crabs on the front porch with newpaper underneath you
10. Not being able to eat watermelon or crabs in the house because they were too messy
11. Flies chasing you while you are eating watermelon and crabs on the front porch
12. Citronella candles that DO NOT work!
13. Sweating and attracting more mosquitoes while sitting too close to citronella candles that DO NOT work! 
14. Avon monopolizing and jacking the price of skin-so-soft products up once they realized everyone was using it instead of OFF!
15. Radios in the window
16. Loud music from the cars that ride by (with the booming system) sorry couldn’t resist that one.
17. Last day of school
18. Back to school outfit 
19. New book bags
20. Getting the bus/school assignment in the mail addressed: “To the parents of”
21. Seeing teachers in the mall/grocery store/movie theater/library and being shocked that they have on casual clothes (now I am the teacher kids get excited to see outside …I now understand that distant look in the teacher’s eyes
22. Staying up to watch the dawn of a new day all summer long.

The Garden State

Comment, Share, Enjoy!     Gotta go so I can catch the sun.

Commit to a lifetime of learning!

Teacher~Tamara

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™.  All rights reserved.

 I LOVE JERSEY!!!  Anybody guess what state T~T’s  from?

 

Routine things July 25, 2009

 

Ok I’m on this new thing this week of doing lists. National Blog Posting Month’s theme for July is Routines.
So I will attempt to continue my blogging the rest of this month using the list format as a routine. Simple enough. InshaAllah!

Ok today the theme will be Gratitude! 

First let’s start with the meaning of gratitude. Gratitude= a  grateful attitude!

Today I am grateful that:

1. My son’s toe was only slightly cracked not broken!
2. My family seems to be getting over the bout of summer colds
3. There was a cool breeze blowing tonight, no fan necessary
4. We had sufficient food and drink
5. My son is able to reflect on lessons learned
6. The company of good friends near and far
7. Good fathers and the memories they create
8. Burnt cookies that still are edible
9. Good neighbors that will let you borrow a needle and thread or a spot on their floor to crash
10. An unstuffed nose ( even if it’s only one side) appreciate what you have!

ok that’s my top ten today.

Enjoy people and have a great day or night wherever you  are!

OOH Click on my new subscribe link! The first heading on the right at the top of the page ———-> to subscribe to Teacher Tamara’s posts via any reader or email! 

Commit to a lifetime of learning!

Teacher~Tamara

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™.  All rights reserved.

35 things to do! July 22, 2009

I had a birthday this week and I usually think of things that I can do to improve myself for the next year.  It’s kinda like a mid year evaluation for the New Year’s resolutions.  This year I am going to go from the top of my heart and just share with you my top 35 list of things to do:

1. Trust others more
2. Be less opinionated
3. Focus Forward
4. Keep promises to my children
5. Dance with my children
6. Sing with my children more
7. Eat out less
8. Seek solitude
9. Enjoy the moment
10. Worry less about the opinion of others
11. Pray more
12. Pray for my friends more often
13. Ask Allah for what I NEED not just what I want
14. Be content
15. Accept criticism openly
16. Seek growth work
17. Help others
18. Do unto others…
19. Support my dh
20. Be more active
21. Fast frequently
22. Read the Quran Daily
23. Memorize more Quran
24. Go to bed earlier
25. Exercise early in the morning
26. Give away some clothes
27. Buy from my grocery list
28. Seek first to understand
29. Live for now
30. Prepare for Tomorrow
31. Ask for forgiveness
32. Take care of unfinished business
33. Get closer to Allah
34. Love unconditionally
35. Forgive

A little harder than I thought but Alhumdulillah it’s written.  Anyone share any of my goals for next year or like to comment please feel free. I am open

Take care and have a lovely evening, day, morning! God Bless you.

T~T

oh one more 

36.  Accept others where they are.

Commit to a lifetime of learning!
Teacher~Tamara
© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™. All rights reserved.

Ready, Set, Write! November 21, 2008

Here is a mind clearing activity I do with my writing students. It can be about a specific topic or free-styled. You can give it a time limit or leave it open ended. It’s also a great slumber party game for the little girl in all of us!

Today I want you to share 10 things you really like that most people don’t know!  Don’t make it more difficult than it has to be! Okay?

 In 60 seconds or less some things I really like but most people don’t know are:

1. Post-it notes of various shapes and sizes especially the unique ones! Not just the regular yellow squares. The most unique one I saw was a footprint.

2. Emoticons 

3. learning new words sometimes I will read the dictionary (shhh)  

4. going to the library!

5. The Libary of Congress!!! A must see if you are ever in the DC area

6. butterflies

7. sunflowers

8. the color pink

9. clouds

10. looking into a starry night

 

Reflection: the best thing about this list is that the only thing on here that costs any money are post-its the rest are all free!

Ok now your turn….

What’s your list look like?  READY, SET, WRITE!

Making Maghrib Magic Mindset November 25, 2008

A dear sister recently emailed me asking me for advice about keeping up with her salat.  Here is a technique that I have used and have coached with before that has seen wonderful results.

I like to call this one a making maghrib magic mindset for fun.  Just like lots of us have these mp3 players we also can have our “m4″ for our prayers.

If making salat on time has ever been an issue here is a quick tip that has worked wonders for me.  I sit down and go over my prayer pattern. I see which prayer I excel in and then to apply it to all of my salat. For example, I was taught that maghrib only has a small window of time so we shouldn’t delay. Alhumdulillah, this belief is ingrained so when I pray maghrib 90% of the time I don’t mess around. 

 

Now with isha its the opposite.  When everyone else goes to pray, I am usually in the kitchen cooking or cleaning up and I put the prayer off until later. So I have been trying to apply the ”m4″ prayer theory to my isha and so far when I do it works well.

 

What little tricks or tips do you have that help you keep your salaat?

Please share we all can use the blessings!

 

Shining out!

 

Teacher~Tamara

 

She Got Game! February 14, 2009

 

Great summer day. Neighborhood barbecue/birthday party.

Live drummers playing. Basketball courts.

Somehow the girl in us had had enough that day. She wanted out and badly. So in the wide leg dress pants, white long sleeve tee, floral printed headscarf and pale green abayah the game began. First we just aimlessly threw the ball at the net, nervously laughing at our silly selves. Then the “I used to play in college” (Umm Daniel) and the “I come from a family of female athletes” (Teacher~Tamara) came out.

Her name was Umm Daniel and we both were in the park with our sons letting them get out some energy.

We were just in town visiting friends and didn’t know anyone there but it was too nice of a day not to play outside.

The kids ran races, played on the swings, slid down the sliding board, monkey bars etc…

While we did the Mom thing. Holding melting icecreams. Politely chatting about nothing. Fanning flies and mosquitoes. The Mom thing.

Sneakers in the car? Basketball in the trunk. 

Ice creams in the trash. Game on. 

Drums beating. Park crowded. Hot summer day.

Muslimah Moms ballin’?  Priceless.

We left town that day -just visiting, but Umm Daniel if you are out there thanks sis. 

You Got Game!

Shining Out!

Commit yourself to a lifetime of learning!

Teacher~Tamara

 

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara.  All rights reserved.

 

Lesson learned March 27, 2009

 

“This won’t take long, I just wanted to …” she stated softly. 

It was half an hour before magrib and the phone rang. I had just starting browning the ground beef for the tacos and was running back and forth between the kitchen and the phone.  We had just spoken to each other  earlier that day and in passing she mentioned something about a mutual friend. That was basically the jest of the conversation.

SubhannaAllah, a conversation simple and commonplace, yet holding such understated importance. 

She said she wanted to apologize for involving me in her shortcoming of complaining about another believer.  As believers we have to be reminders for each other.  Masha’Allah as soon as she apologized it made me think wow maybe I should apologize too, was I wrong for listening?

Maybe if we actually picture ourselves actually biting that person or think what if we were sitting by and watching passively as someone had their flesh eaten maybe it could help us be stronger and say let’s stop right now before things go any further.

 Some of the lessons I learned here:  

1. No one is perfect, yet the best of us are those who uphold righteous behavior. This is an excellent  example of how to implement this in our daily living. One of the bests way for us to improve ourselves is to self critique (within reason) and increase in the things that will bring us closer to Allah and to decrease in those that will not. 
2. Admitting a mistake not only helps you learn but it helps others as well.When this sister (whom I already admired for her adab/character) MashaAllah, called and apologized to me, it reminded me that I too as a listener had a responsibility as well.
3. Passive backbiting and gossiping is still a sin. How many times have we made the excuse of just listening to someone vent? Is this a valid excuse? Honestly it varies on the situation however if there is no solution to be sought by speaking to another person about the problem or situation then most times it doesn’t lead to much more than backbiting and gossip.

So yes, I was wrong for listening and even more wrong for adding any comments to the conversation. A simple good deed can lead us down the path to paradise and a simple bad deed can lead us towards the hellfire.  May we all be led to the paradise. Amin.

Oh and alhumdullilah I did learn one more thing, later in the week when I was in a similar situation I was able to say let’s stop before we go any further! So alhumdulillah, I learned from that mistake. 

May Allah bless that sister for being courageous enough to stand up and declare truth even against herself. She is an example for many.

As Muslims when we say the shahadah we are accepting an amanah with Allah (swt) that we will not intentionally harm our brother or sister Muslim and that we will uphold upright behavior. GOSSIP and BACKBITING hurts in this life and the next. It does not build or strengthen our sisterhood or our ummah. May Allah forgive us all and help us all to change ourselves. Let’s strive to implement this oft-repeated ayat of Quran:

Q:13:11

Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves.

May we all be helpers to one another in the path and way of Allah!

 

Commit to a lifetime of learning!

Teacher~Tamara

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™.  All rights reserved.

 

Secrets to Success Mini-Series April 4, 2009

Hidden Beauty by Tamara L. Redfern

 

 SubhanAllah,we plan and Allah plans and surely He is the best of planners.  As Allah would manifest for the month of April, the SIS series will be postponed. InshaAllah we will return in March with a great interview with an intriguing sister.

  MashaAllah, so far there has been lots of positive feedback on the SIS series.  In additon there have been questions on the key to achieving personal successes.  InshaAllah for the month of April in the place of a featured sister, I will run a Secrets to Success mini-series. 

 The aim of this mini-series is to cover several of the top principles of success and to open discussion in the area of achieving personal success by offering real-life examples and solutions.  That  is where you the reader comes in,  you can have your very own personal questions addressed simply by clicking here and typing in your question. Of course any personal details will remain confidential.

InshaAllah throughout the month I will choose the most often repeated themes and issues and offer practical advice for working through the situation.  The authors of the selected questions will be given an opportunity for a free coaching session at SisterShine LifeCoaching.

We will begin the mini-series with DEFINING PERSONAL SUCCESS.  The best definition for success is one that comes from within you.  Only you can truly judge if your goals and aspirations are enough. Other people looking at your life can only judge by their own paradigm or concept of success.  As we grow and mature experiencing more of life, we will go through several of our own beliefs and definitions of success.

Often our concept of success has changed yet we have not reconciled that within ourselves.  Take a few minutes and ask yourself  the following questions to see how you definition of personal success may have changed over the years.

1. Am I living the life I had planned to live 10 yrs ago?
2. How is my life different than I thought it would be?
3. Am I satisfied with what I currently am doing with my life?
4. What do I want to be doing with my life?
5. What would I be doing right now if I had nothing to limit me?

Please share your answers in the comments or reply here  and we can get the ball rolling!

Commit to a lifetime of learning! 

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™.  All rights reserved.

Be Committed:Secrets to Success Strategy#2 April 16, 2009

Roqaya Al Gassra

Don’t Quit

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don’t you quit.

 

 Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow–
You may succeed with another blow.

 

 Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor’s cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out–
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit–
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.
- Author unknown

 

 

My entire life it seems has been framed by this poem, as I am typing this post I just remembered one of the first places I’d read it was in my childhood living room over two decades ago! I do believe my mother was my first self-help guru! MashaAllah, I know she has always been a source of inspiration.
So what’s the big deal behind this not quitting thing anyway? Why is it so important? It’s all about commitment. Commitment is what’s going to keep you at it when, not if the going gets tough. Commitment is… knowing that your goal or desired result is worth the effort and being faithful enough to dedicate yourself to seeing it through.

As you are coming to know, Teacher Tamara loves a good equation! (I really enjoyed algebra in school) so here is our commitment breakdown.

Knowledge+Effort+Faith=Commitment.

To really get a good understanding of what we are talking about here we need to clarify our own working definition of each term.
1. Knowledge of what you want-ex. Your goal
2. Exerting the required effort to reach completion- ex. Your actions
3. Being faithful believing that your goal will be achieved- ex. Seeing yourself reaching your goal

~Working it out ~Going the extra mile ~Raising the bar ~Pushing the limits ~Reaching for the stars

BEING COMMITTED to your goal is essential to achieve success in any endeavor. Like the athletes who push father and strive harder to do their personal best in the Olympics, we are our own measuring stick. We can only truly compete and win against ourselves (jihad an nafs–the struggle of the self). True struggle and true success reside in the same place – inside ourselves.

 
What are your thoughts on commitment and success?

 

Roqaya Al-Gassra

 A  picture is worth a thousand words…

 

Commit to a lifetime of learning!
Teacher~Tamara

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™. All rights reserved.

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Success Strategy #3:Don’t let ‘em steal your joy! April 27, 2009

Don't Let 'Em Steal Your Joys! T. Redfern

 

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

Author Kent Keith (source RecoveryEmporium.com)

 

My grandmother used to always say “Don’t let ‘em steal your joy” and that phrase has kept me positive and moving many days when it seemed like  someone really was trying to steal my joy.  It reminds me of a major life lesson No one can take from you what you are not willing to give away.

As the wonderful words of wisdom above have detailed no matter what you do there will always be someone somewhere who may be unhappy with it, may not like you for it, may want to tear it down, and may want to cause you harm. Don’t let them steal your joy, do what Allah swt has inspired you to do and do it to best of your capabilities keeping in mind it was never about them anyway.  

Success Strategy #3- Don’t let them steal your joy! Strive to do good for the sake of Allah and Success will be yours!

Commit to a lifetime of learning!

Teacher~Tamara

What’s your ripple like? June 26, 2009

by Adam Hart-Davis

 

 

 A stone skims over the top and lands centered in a body of water. The ripples extend with each passing moment until they reach the watery edge. Every creature within has been affected by the rippling water…affected by the stone…affected by the hand that threw it.

 Just like a body of water we have the capacity to be a medium. One stone thrown into our day can immediately affect not only us and our small circle of influence but it can immensely affect any and everyone around us. Creating a continuous momentum that can be lead back to one event.

The single hand throwing a stone is life. One can never be sure what life will throw at us. However we have the capacity to choose. We either allow the stone to cause a wonderful ripple effect of charity, happiness, love and good tidings or we use it as an excuse to perpetuate wrongs that have been done unto us, to seek revenge or to gloomily sulk around.

Focusing on the future and passing along a good or dwelling in the past and missing the opportunity at hand. Either path we choose we are a means of carrying a message. Our ripples have the ability to emit positivity and beauty, blessing others with their presence or they can simply be a disturbance unto others spreading negative energy. The choice is ours.

Teacher~Tamara

Commit to a lifetime of learning!

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™.  All rights reserved.

a little bit goes a long way July 5, 2009

A Red Red Rose for You! by Tamara L. Redfern

Compassion, Courtesy, Kindness, Sweetness, Happiness, Love, Ice cream (well maybe not ice cream) a little bit of most good things can go a long way.

Holding the door for someone behind you while sharing a smile. Picking up something for someone that they accidentally dropped. Helping a neighbor do chores for free. Paying a minimal toll for the car behind you. Small things that add up to a lifetime of good and happy moments.

Allah says in the Quran in Surah Al ’Ankabut ( the Chapter The Spider):

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَنُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنْهُمْ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَحْسَنَ الَّذِي كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ (29:7) : 29:7 (Y. Ali) Those who believe and work righteous deeds,- from them shall We blot out all evil (that may be) in them, and We shall reward them according to the best of their deeds.

Like rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens,  bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, wild gees that fly with the moon on their wings small deeds are a few of my favorite things. InshaAllah they will help us all grow and attain ultimate success in this life and the next.

What are some small deeds that you like to share with others? Let us know and maybe we can learn a few new habits.

Commit to a lifetime of learning!

Teacher~Tamara

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™.  All rights reserved.

July Weddings July 6, 2009

by J. Groff

Summertime is made for celebrations and family gatherings but there is just something special about a July wedding.

 There  have been 3 wedding celebrations in the past 3 days! MashaAllah I LOVE WEDDINGS!!! I can not express the beauty and joy of witnessing  a bride celebrate one of the most special days of her life. It’s a heartwarming experience and it always brings back lovely memories and joy of every wedding I have attended.  

My love affair with weddings officially began at age 6.  My mom’s best friend was getting married and I wore a  pink miniature cinderella wedding dress. It had little pink roses on the sash around the waist and down the front. Sewn into the hem were small bells that softly tinkled as I swished and danced around and around. If you ask me what my auntie was wearing that day I honestly could not tell you because on that day, in my mind, I was the bride.

Since then I have been swept off my feet by every love story-romantic-wedding movie there has been. Off the top of my head some of my favorites were: 7 Brides for 7 Brothers, The Sound of Music (nice wedding scene at the end), The Best Man, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, My Best Friend’s Wedding, and my favorite to date -27 Dresses (who in their right mind could resist being in 27 weddings!!! ooooohhhh just the thought gives me goosebumps!!)

Family, friends and neighbors all come together to celebrate and welcome the new couple. The little girl in the princess dress who dreamed of being bride has finally had her moment to shine and become the Queen Bride. Beautiful.

May Allah bless and protect the newly formed couples! Don’t you just love weddings?

Committed to a lifetime of loving weddings

Teacher~Tamara

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™.  All rights reserved.

Use what you got to get what you want! July 7, 2009

$17,500 Nintendo game

Good Morning! I am up and at ‘em nice and early trying to keep up with my new growth project of daily blogging for an entire month (see NaBloPoMo page on the right for more info).

Something that caught my eye this morning was an article on the front page of Yahoo! that lists this rare 1990 Nintendo game selling for $17,500! As the old saying goes “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”.  Amazingly enough there can be an unlimited amount of extra cash awaiting you inside your closets drawers and old toys stored in the attic, basement or garage. Even if you don’t have a rare item that can list for $25,000 (like this was on Ebay) you can still manage to find a few items here and there to sell, trade or consign which can all add up to money in the bank.

Other ways of getting more for less can be found on recycling sites like freecycle.com. You can find treasures keep and use or sell them. The only limit is your imagination  Remember a penny saved is a penny earned!

Anyone else have other ways to generate some easy cash with a little investment of time?  Every little bit adds up!

Commit to a lifetime of learning!

Teacher~Tamara

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™.  All rights reserved.

Fly! July 8, 2009

Fly!

With broken wings she tried to fly

Her aim was straight, the goal so high.

She’d seen the others glide and soar,

far, out and over the ocean’s shore.

She too wanted to spread her wings

and do all sorts of magnificent things.

But in her mind she was stuck in the past

and could not move beyond the looking glass.

Although her wings were healed and well,

           she still relives that day she fell.

She only rememebers the pain of flying

when her wings and her spirit were broken from trying.

If only she would break out and try

she’d see that her only limit was the sky.

~Tamara L. Redfern 7/8/09

Commit to a lifetime of learning!

Teacher~Tamara

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™.  All rights reserved.

 

 

Got a Growth-Project? July 9, 2009

got growth?

 My latest new word is “growth-project”.  Simply put a growth-project is anything that is contemplated, devised or planned that stimulates or motivates one to develop from one stage to the next.  The words challenge and opportunity are synonyms for a growth-project. 

My latest growth project is daily blogging with NaBloPoMo group. I am using this as in exercise to develop my creativity and discipline in writing.  I wish to push my writing to the next level.

3 questions:

1. What’s your latest growth project?

2. What will it help you to develop?

3. In what ways do you hope to grow from this?

Post and let’s discuss ways to keep on going and growing!

Commit to a lifetime of learning!

Teacher~Tamara

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™.  All rights reserved. 

 

 

 

Glass Slippers July 11, 2009

AARRRGGHH!

That was the sound that Cinderella made as she raced against the clock striking 12 midnight. 

Her curfew was up, all of the smoke would disappear and  she would be found out. 

I know this sound well it’s the sound of the last ditch effort. The “I’m giving it all I’ve got sound no matter what the outcome”.

Well, my clock struck 12 at the end of a very long and exhausting 48 hrs and I didn’t get to post until 12:40 am the next day. So I missed my NaPoBloMo guideline…

But hey, this is real life.  I will continue to post daily (inshaAllah) and meet my intended goals. Part of growing is persisting.

GROWING =KEEP ON GOING!

Besides Cindy left her glass slipper behind and it lead to her happily- ever- after-all  so who knows…

 

Commit to a lifetime of learning!

Teacher~Tamara

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™.  All rights reserved.

What kind of _______ are you? July 11, 2009

Here’s a quickie! It’s a writing prompt that can help students and writers get their creative juices flowing. It can be left open or you give it a theme. For example:

If you were an animal what kind of animal would you be and why? If you were a fruit what kind of fruit would you be? etc. Simple right? Great. All of you writers and students of life you ready? Get set and go!

#1. If you were a tree what kind of tree do you think you would be? Why does this tree describe you best?

I will post my answer tomorrow. Let’s see if you can guess it. (Look around my blog and you might get a hint).

Looking for some really creative answers here!

Commit to a lifetime of learning!
Teacher~Tamara
© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™. All rights reserved.

Answers: What kind of _______are you? July 12, 2009

Yesterday’s post asked the question:

If you were a tree what kind of tree do you think you would be? Why does this tree describe you best?

Here is my answer:

If I were a tree I would be a fruit bearing tree and the tree that comes to mind first for me is  a date-palm tree. In Arabic the word date is tamar.  Tamara is the name I received at birth and after I converted to Islam I found out that the name also had an Arabic root so I didn’t feel compelled to change my birth name.

I feel a sort of admiration towards the date-palm tree because of its ability to withstand the extremes of a desert climate and still be able to yield fruit.  Its an inspiration to watch it stand tall with its branches full of dates. I also like that there are palm trees all over the world and although some produce fruit and others don’t they still  have similar characteristics. It’s like they are family members.  Plus when they are netted to collect the rippened dates they look like sisters on a serious shopping mission!  Who doesn’t love a shopping spree?

So my tree would definitely be a date-palm. What’s yours?

Commit to a lifetime of learning!

Teacher~Tamara

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™.  All rights reserved.

 

The A train July 13, 2009

…the ticket read  Sat. June 13, 2009   -9:00 am  -train A   -gate 23.

Sana had the itinerary and scheduled time that Muslimah would be arriving.  It had been so long since they had seen each other, at least 5 years. But now they two former roommates were getting together for a sisters only weekend getaway!

It’s 9:05 Saturday morning and Muslimah is waiting at gate 23. She waits… 15 mins passes… a 1/2 hour… 30 mins finally an hour passes. After waiting an hour Muslimah calls Sana “I’m at the train station waiting for you is everything ok?”  Sana replies ”I’m at the train station too waiting for you now! Where are you? I thought your train was coming at 9?”    Muslimah says “I’m at gate 23″  to which Sana replies “Gate 23! What are you doing there? That’s where the A train deboards you should have been on the B train!”   ”Sana did you get my e-mail with the itinerary? It said A-train gate 23.”  “Yes I know”, Sana replied “but I thought you would be on the B train, that’s the train I would have taken.”

Muslimah was trying not to be infuriated with Sana. This was a typical example of their drama during college. She loved her friend dearly but there was always some major communication difficulties between the two. 

Sana thought that her way was the best way and couldn’t figure out why everyone else had such hard time seeing that!

What is the overall issue that we see here?   Leave your answers and then on Thursday, July 16th  I’ll post my thoughts.

Commit to a lifetime of learning!

Teacher~Tamara

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™.  All rights reserved.

 

Olive branches July 14, 2009

In ancient times olive branches were used to show that one of  two warring armies were willing to surrender and settle peacefully.  From this practice we have derived the saying  ”to extend an olive branch” to settle disagreements and fights. It takes a lot of courage to be the one who steps forward and chooses peace and it’s not a sign of weakness but of a strong and commendable character trait. 

Today choose to take a step toward conflict resolution in your life. Call up that friend or family member and humbly extend the olive branch. Apologize for your part in the disagreement and even take more than your share of the blame.  One simple action may repair a decade old rift. 

With the best of intentions your courageous and unselfish action may reap innumerable benefits for future generations.   And Allah is the best witness to what we do for His sake.

Commit to a lifetime of learning!

Teacher~Tamara

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™.  All rights reserved.

(Back on track) The A train pt 2 July 18, 2009

In part 1 of “The A train” we read about our sisters Sana and Muslimah who were meeting each other at the train station. Sana was arriving on the A train and Sana knows this but decides to wait for Muslimah at the B train. This type of habitually inconsiderate behavior is typical for Sana and in her mind she thinks that her way is the right way and can’t understand why others don’t feel the same.

The point that I wanted to make was very simple. Sana no matter how hard she tries has difficulty meeting people where they are (literally and figuratively). Unfortunately for Sana and especially Muslimah, Sana seems to be suffering from some sort of psychological block. It may be as severe as narcissism (which requires a professional diagnosis) or a character flaw that makes Sana believe she is really helping her friends with her behavior.

I would like to know: How do you handle the Sana’s in your life? If you were Muslimah what would the rest of the conversation be like? Would you sweep it under the rug or confront her head on?

Commit to a lifetime of learning!
Teacher~Tamara
© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™. All rights reserved.

Breaking the Chains August 23, 2009

I’m not really sure how many of you all are old enough to remember Roxanne Shante -hip-hop music’s 1st female MC-however this story BEGGED to be told and shared.  This is some real breaking the chains that bind and moving along. Shine on Sis!

Teacher Tamara

Rapper behind ‘Roxanne’s Revenge’ gets Warner Music to pay for Ph.D

BY Walter Dawkins
SPECIAL TO THE NEWS

Updated Sunday, August 23rd 2009, 1:07 PM

Watts/News Roxanne Shante was a young rap star. When the music stopped, she didn’t miss a beat. 

Related News

Articles

Roxanne’s revenge was sweet indeed.

Twenty-five years after the first queen of hip-hop was stiffed on her royalty checks, Dr. Roxanne Shante boasts an Ivy League Ph.D. – financed by a forgotten clause in her first record deal.

“This is a story that needs to be told,” Shante said. “I’m an example that you can be a teenage mom, come from the projects, and be raised by a single parent, and you can still come out of it a doctor.”

Her prognosis wasn’t as bright in the years after the ’80s icon scored a smash hit at age 14: “Roxanne’s Revenge,” a razor-tongued response to rap group UTFO’s mega-hit “Roxanne, Roxanne.”

The 1984 single sold 250,000 copies in New York City alone, making Shante (born Lolita Gooden) hip hop’s first female celebrity.

She blazed a trail followed by Lil’ Kim, Salt-N-Pepa and Queen Latifah – although Shante didn’t share their success.

After two albums, Shante said, she was disillusioned by the sleazy music industry and swindled by her record company. The teen mother, living in the Queensbridge Houses, recalled how her life was shattered.

“Everybody was cheating with the contracts, stealing and telling lies,” she said. “And to find out that I was just a commodity was heartbreaking.”

But Shante, then 19, remembered a clause in her Warner Music recording contract: The company would fund her education for life.

She eventually cashed in, earning a Ph.D. in psychology from Cornell to the tune of $217,000 – all covered by the label. But getting Warner Music to cough up the dough was a battle.

“They kept stumbling over their words, and they didn’t have an exact reason why they were telling me no,” Shante said.

She figured Warner considered the clause a throwaway, never believing a teen mom in public housing would attend college. The company declined to comment for this story.

Shante found an arm-twisting ally in Marguerita Grecco, the dean at Marymount Manhattan College. Shante showed her the contract, and the dean let her attend classes for free while pursuing the money.

“I told Dean Grecco that either I’m going to go here or go to the streets, so I need your help,” Shante recalls. “She said, ‘We’re going to make them pay for this.’”

Grecco submitted and resubmitted the bills to the label, which finally agreed to honor the contract when Shante threatened to go public with the story.

Shante earned her doctorate in 2001, and launched an unconventional therapy practice focusing on urban African-Americans – a group traditionally reluctant to seek mental health help.

“People put such a taboo on therapy, they feel it means they’re going crazy,” she explained. “No, it doesn’t. It just means you need someone else to talk to.”

Shante often incorporates hip-hop music into her sessions, encouraging her clients to unleash their inner MC and shout out exactly what’s on their mind.

“They can’t really let loose and enjoy life,” she said. “So I just let them unlock those doors.”

Shante, 38, is also active in the community. She offers $5,000 college scholarships each semester to female rappers through the nonprofit Hip Hop Association.

She also dispenses advice to young women in the music business via a MySpace page.

“I call it a warning service, so their dreams don’t turn into nightmares,” she said.

Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons said Shante is a shining role model for the rap community. “Dr. Shante’s life is inspiring,” Simmons said. “She was a go-getter who rose from the struggle and went from hustling to teaching. She is a prime example that you can do anything, and everything is possible.”