How Khan Academy helped me...

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I wrote this story to share with Khan Academy on their Share your story page. I submitted this story yesterday, but I haven't seen it on their page yet. Maybe someone will read and approve it before publishing it... Anyways, I decided to publish it on my blog. Initially, I had thought of writing a few lines, but the finished story turned out to be over 350 words long. So of course, I had to publish it here. If I find that this gets published on Khan Academy, I'll share the link here as well. So here you go...
I am a homeschooler from Pakistan, and I usually study by myself. I am sixteen years old, and  am doing O levels as a private candidate. I took a lot of help from Khan Academy while studying Maths, and was delighted to see that Sal Khan could make even the most complicated concepts understandable and easy in his videos.

Here in Pakistan, people think that kids can't study by themselves, and even homeschoolers think that they need some sort of assistance or help. There are tutors everywhere and for every grade, to 'teach' children. Homeschoolers as well as school going children rely heavily on these teachers, who come to teach them and charge heavy fees for it.

My parents believed that I did not need any such tuitions, and that I had enough potential to study by myself. I took a lot of help from Khan Academy while studying Biology and Mathematics, and gave the exams for these subjects back in May. I achieved As in both the subjects!

I am really grateful to Khan Academy for being there for me, and for all the other learners out there in the world. People often ask me how I studied without taking any help from tutors or teachers.  I tell them about Khan Academy, and that while it is there, there really is no need for tutors, especially in Maths.

Math teachers often bore their students, make them fearful of Maths and a large number of students suffer from Math Anxiety. I am glad that in Khan Academy videos, it was exactly the opposite. I learned to love Maths even more than before, realized that it is something that we can all relate to, and felt that a Math problem is not something to fear, but in fact, something to treasure.

I'd like to thank Sal Khan and the whole Khan Academy team for doing all this for us. Thank you so much! I hope that more students continue to benefit from Khan Academy, like I did, and realize that they can study by themselves when there are so many resources like Khan Academy to help them.


Thank you.

Comments

  1. Najia24 September 2017 at 05:31

    Salam Fatima, Nice to read your story. I took O Level Add Math exam a long time ago and studied by myself as the course was not offered at my school. At that time there was no such thing as homeschooling or Khan Academy. I did almost every problem in the recommended book and was high achiever in the country. Later on a special Math teacher shared an interesting secret with my class that I will share with you. You can work as hard as you want but hardwork will take you only as far. Special honors come to those who seek duas from people around them. So work hard and take lots of duas.
    All the best and lots of duas

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fatima Salman Siddiqui14 October 2017 at 08:39

      Wa'alaikum assalam Najia. Thank you for your lovely comment.
      Of course people can study by themselves and achieve any goals they set for themselves if they put themselves to it if they work hard enough. And before Khan Academy came, people studied by themselves and still excelled, so it isn't impossible. I just believe that Khan Academy is a very useful resource and I felt obliged to write a review on it.
      Thank you for the advice. Duas of well wishers and sincere friends do help you in life.
      Thanks.

      Delete
  2. Kenza2 October 2017 at 12:15

    Hey Fatima, this is a really compelling story! It's interesting how it started with only a few lines but then expanded to over 350 words of an excellent insight into this amazing site!

    I love how you described yourself, your environment and the learning experiences you had. I couldn't agree more - Khan Academy was a great influence to me as well! As another mostly self-taught home-schooler Khan Academy helped me thoroughly through mathematics and Sal's videos explain each and every topic with the best methods and additional advice! The site's motto, "You can learn anything" and the video that accompanies it is truly inspiring and most definitely something I would recommend to all students, whether they are a member of school or studying at home.

    Another concept you mentioned there, about Math Anxiety, is SO true! It's something I notice frequently in the home-schooling community when the parents/guardian don't know how best to teach maths or have never actually passed it before themselves. My parents have recommended Khan Academy to those people and others and I know many of them have benefitted from it! :) (We also donated to KA!)

    I hope this was published on their page and if so, do let me know! Keep learning! :D
    (Congrats on your maths and biology results too!! <3)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fatima Salman Siddiqui14 October 2017 at 09:21

      Hey Kenza! Yes, but I think that this story is certainly not enough to tell what Khan Academy actually is. I mean, with all your academic records, badges to motivate you to go further, mastery challenges to master any certain skill in Maths, practice questions, quizzes, articles, and countless other facilities. I haven't even mentioned that in the story.

      Yes, you are absolutely right! Khan Academy has been of so much to so many homeschoolers, and I know how helpful it can be because I've spent so many hours days before my exams trying to understand things in Maths. Yes the site's motto is very motivating and inspiring itself. The motto also contradicts the very notion of Math Anxiety, and I think that anyone who has watched a few videos at KA wouldn't have any Math Anxiety left in them. My parents have also recommended it to people in our circle who have shared these problems.

      I haven't found it on their page yet, but I do hope that this gets published. :D
      Thanks! Btw, how did your papers go? I hope they went well too. :)

      Delete
  3. The Sub-Domain12 October 2017 at 03:14

    This is such a good story! I liked how you kept it simple at first, but got more complex! Please check my blog. It's called my sweet story dunya.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fatima Salman Siddiqui14 October 2017 at 09:23

      Thank you Umm Muhammad! I will check out your blog as well.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous2 November 2017 at 05:25

      I am a girl of 9. I am logged in under my mom's account. My brother's name is Muhammed. Hence, my mom calls herself Umm Muhammad. I am a homeschooler and I love your blogs and your sister's blogs as well!

      Delete
    3. The Sub-Domain3 November 2017 at 23:26

      I changed my account. Daydreamer365

      Delete
    4. Fatima Salman Siddiqui4 November 2017 at 00:56

      Okay. :)

      Delete
  4. Nayaab Faysal17 January 2019 at 11:29

    Fatima , im Mohammad Abubakr age 9 from Riyadh Saudi Arabia. im in grade 4 and im using khan academy too. It is helping me and my younger brother Mohammad Umar who is 8 years old. im new to your blog. i'll read more soon as my mother not allowing us to use laptop more.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fatima Salman Siddiqui18 January 2019 at 07:53

      Hey Abu Bakr, nice to hear from you! I'm glad Khan Academy's been helping you. It is a wonderful resource. :D

      Delete
  5. Aman Diaries11 November 2019 at 21:40

    Assalamualaikum Fatima , I m mother of a son who is in grade 1 . I m going to homeschool him . I was really afraid to start . It's a fear actually that any decision from me today should not ruin my son's Future tomorrow. BUT you and some other homeschoolers are brightening examples of our society. DUAS for you Success in every field of life. I hope I can homeschool him properly and successfully.
    I need Khan academy was also helpful for me in Economics and it will be for all homeschoolers and regular school students insha Allah.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hafsa Batool15 February 2022 at 05:13

    Aoa Fatima,
    You wrote right about Khan academy and the people around us ( I am from Pakistan) Actually I’m also in o level and started homeschooling from this grade before this I was in school and all my friends were surprised when I told them that I am starting homeschooling. They used to ask that how will you study Maths, Economics or other subjects. I told all of them about Khan academy( as I was using it before) but they say that it’s impossible to study by yourself and I told them its possible to study by yourself but if you want to….
    And I am also searching for some homeschoolers in Karachi ( I live in Karachi) so that I can have some freinds all time available like me…😁so can you tell some clubs or places for homeschoolers….

    ReplyDelete
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