Moder Patshala—a Bangladeshi not-for-profit in Philadelphia—was founded in 2004 by Ali Zaker and Najneen Kabita to assist Bangladeshi-American students and their families fulfill their American dream through proper education. The organization is committed to providing all students with the necessary tools for academic development. ‘Moder Patshala’ means ‘our school. ‘
Tutoring and Homework Help
Since 2004, Moder Patshala has been running an after-school program for Bangladeshi American students in the West Philadelphia area to support students’ academic success. Many volunteers from the Bangladeshi community support students with their homework in various subjects. Since 2012, students from local universities and other professional educators have joined in helping children succeed in school. The tutoring program runs from Monday through Thursday from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm for students in grades K-12.
English as a Second Language Class(ESL)
English Language learners face many problems as they begin to build their new lives in a new land. Moder Patshala provides mostly newly arrived immigrants who have not yet acquired the required language skills to benefit fully from the instruction they receive in school, the extra support, and the help they need to adjust to a new school system and environment. Moder Patshala offers English as a Second Language classes for both the fall and spring semesters. Students between ages 5 to 14 years are invited to participate. Graduate students lead the classes from the University of Pennsylvania’s TESOL program.
Creative Writing Workshop
Children are naturally creative. Moder Patshala’s goal in offering a Creative Writing workshop is to harness that ability and help children express their innovative ideas through writing stories, poems, or short plays. The goal is to help immigrant students further develop their writing skills and ability to meet the demands of the school curriculum. Young students aged 8 to 13 are invited to participate in the workshop.
Book Club
Curiosity is an intrinsic human quality. The goal of Moder Patshala Book Club is to stimulate the curiosity of young children and help them discover the wider world through books. The book club is divided into two sections: the Advanced Book Club and the Intermediate Book Club. A professional educator leads the Advanced Book Club, and a student leads the Intermediate one.
Indoor game
Moder Patshala organizes indoor games for children during holidays and school break periods.
Business Hours
The program runs at various times.
Team
President and Founder: Ali Zaker
General Secretary: Mohammed J. A. Khan
Co-Secretary: Mahmud Iqbal
Treasurer: Abu Jafar Bhuiyan
Co-Treasurer: Nurunnahar Khanm
Education Director: Dr. Faruq Siddiqui
Program Development Director: Emily Sadler
Community Outreach Director: Abul Hasan
Communication Director: Masum Siddiquee
Youth Leadership Development Director: Ishaque Ibrahim
Graduate Resource Director: Mohammed Arman
Co-Graduate Resource Director: Maimoonah Khanam Zaker