About Us

What is Hadiqa Sakina?

For over 20 years, Sakina Binterik has taught children and adults all kinds of subjects, as a homeschooler, teacher, tutor and public speaker. The whole time she has been crafting her own educational resources to enhance all her lessons. A convert to Islam since 1996, Sakina has consistently studied both Islam and Arabic and has homeschooled her 8 children. From the very beginning, she made her own resources less out of necessity than utter joy!

Based out of her home in Ottawa, Ontario, Sakina launched Hadiqa Sakina to bring together all the subjects she publishes resources for, and for the first time, offer them in print, shipped or delivered to your door!

History of DIY School Stuff

In 2006, she and a business partner founded Al Tilmeedh Publications, launched after the release of the Arabic alphabet picture book, 'Al Alif Baa'. From the vocabulary and original digital artwork she made for the book branched out hundreds of reading, writing and vocabulary games for learning and teaching the beautiful Arabic language.  At the same time, she uploaded to different PDF download sites for teachers printable toys and games for English, math, and the sciences.

For 11 years of being a teacher-author on Teachers Pay Teachers, she collected all her best-sellers.  As she kept teaching in the city in a variety of different educational centers, she prepared many useful and unique resources for teaching mathematics, geography, science and English language. For the last 8 years, she has shared on her Ramadan Ready collection free during Ramadan a whole set of juz-by-juz story resources for Muslim families to engage with the Quran during our best month.

Now in Print Too!

Hadiqa Sakina is Sakina's Garden, a space online where parents and teachers alike can come to find the best and most useful printables or hand-made resources for teaching all the subject above. With a focus on Arabic and Islamic Studies, the website collects all her best work in a wide variety of subjects. Now for the first time, she will build up the site to offer all her work in printed and manufactured format, so it's even easier to benefit from her teacher-tested games, cards, lessons and unique worksheets.

Methodology of Gaming

Even before her training in the dynamic 'Whole Brain Teaching', she has used games, toys and other hands-on materials, influenced by the Montessori method and brain science as well as Islamic and secular pedagogy: when learners have fun, they excel!

Her further studies into teaching students with dyslexia have expanded her approach to include several ways for students and teachers to interact with her lessons. As usual she is always open to suggestions and product ideas. Just send her an email or a request via her social media to ask her to develop something for your classroom or homeschool lessons.