A thorough, one‑stop overview of Engaging Muslim Students in Public Schools (EMSIPS) — its objectives, structure, the six parts, standards alignment, and outcomes. It also serves as the reference document schools and districts can use to review EMSIPS for CEU and relicensure credit.
Engaging Muslim Students in Public Schools (EMSIPS) has been taken by 7,000+ educators in the United States. It has been conducted in person at the University of Washington, Ohio State University, and Hamline University, and endorsed by the school of education at Hamline University — adopted as part of their English Language Learners (ELM) in the Mainstream Project, a multi‑district partnership designed to build competency in in‑service educators serving immigrant, refugee, and English Language Learner students. Hundreds of schools representing over 200 school districts and organizations have approved EMSIPS for continuing‑education credit for their staff. Upon completion of the online program a certificate of completion is issued.
This course increases teachers’ background knowledge and cultural competency of Muslim students. It provides teachers with narratives and perspectives currently absent in educational curricula and practice — usable to engage Muslim students in academics, honor their heritage and identity, and push them toward academic achievement and exemplary indicators of Standards of Effective Instructional Practice. This includes concrete curricula material specifically designed and researched to connect with and draw upon the background knowledge of Muslim students.
The online format measures intake via state‑of‑the‑art tracking of video watching plus ongoing quizzes. The course — six modules and 39 videos — cannot be progressed through without video watching being tracked and scoring 85% proficiency on assessments. For in‑person trainings, attendance is taken and written reflections are completed in lieu of these measurements. In both formats, educators submit a plan of implementation of new strategies following research‑based action‑research guidelines.
Abraham Education sends follow‑up Likert‑scale surveys, requests participants submit results of action research, and conducts phone surveys of participants.
Educators learn the cultural background and knowledge of Muslim students so they can design activities that let students explain language and cultural context to peers — essential for meeting learning needs (Danielson, 2013) — and draw on the teaching strategies and academic structures of mosques.
Educators analyze research on the experiences of Muslim students in America and other Western countries and learn how religious/cultural practices can be used as an asset in the classroom.
Educators bridge background‑knowledge gaps and prepare for further study of Islam and Muslim cultural backgrounds — a fuller understanding of one of the most misunderstood religions followed by a fifth of the world.
Educators design a specific lesson or unit plan and may opt into an Action Research (AR) project, coached and supervised by Abraham Education, culminating in a five‑section APA paper over one semester with at least two data/analysis cycles, evaluated against a comprehensive rubric.
Educators complete an electronic intake reflection. In person, attendees discuss takeaways every 50 minutes; online, they reflect on video lessons and complete quizzes between videos.
By learning students’ backgrounds, educators nurture positive relationships and honor identity, gain culturally relevant tools, and build a unit/lesson centered on positive narratives Muslim students relate to.
Abraham Education sends follow‑up surveys, requests action‑research results, conducts phone surveys, and invites participants to livestreams and follow‑up questions months later.
Educators learn the religious backgrounds of Muslim students, build on prior knowledge, connect real‑world experiences to new contexts, honor cultural identity, and acquire pedagogical tools, literary resources, and narratives that increase engagement — while exploring the intersections of race, identity, and religion in 21st‑century classrooms.
Educators build on the religious/cultural knowledge and mosque‑based academic styles (particularly reading scaffolding) that students are accustomed to, treating student backgrounds as educational assets that engage students.
Educators acquire pedagogical tools, resources, and narratives and design specific lessons/units that practice culturally relevant pedagogy and bring absent narratives into the curriculum.
Educators create an emotionally safe, supportive environment and use literary works featuring relatable Muslim characters that encourage engagement.
Educators reflect on their teaching, create a lesson/unit, professionally bridge communication gaps, and may complete an Action‑Research follow‑up — serving as leaders in researching this topic on their campuses.
High‑quality instruction is culturally relevant and engages students; principals can encourage instruction relevant to Muslim students’ lives and needs.
Principals can identify strengths and weaknesses and give staff feedback on their efficacy in engaging Muslim students.
With a solid understanding of Muslim beliefs and practices, principals better develop strong relationships with Muslim students, staff, and families.
Principals learn the specific accommodations Muslim students need and develop positive, culturally sensitive relationships that support student wellness.
Principals identify resources such as this training and advocate for policies that address the needs of Muslim students.
Danielson, C. (2013). Rubrics from the Frameworks for Teaching Evaluation Instrument. The Danielson Group. https://www.danielsongroup.org/framework/
Mills, G. (2007). Action research: A guide for the teacher researcher (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.
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