RabaTEENS is a nurturing space for deep and meaningful Islamic spiritual mentorship with compassionate and caring mentors. We design fun, creative, and positive educational experiences to help teens grow confidently and comfortably into their faith.



Class Description


Read Like Sherlock invites students to become stronger, more confident, and more thoughtful readers by learning how to approach texts with curiosity and purpose. Inspired by Sherlock Holmes’ powers of observation and Mortimer J. Adler’s How to Read a Book, this five-week class will introduce practical strategies for reading beyond the surface. Students will learn how to identify an author’s main ideas and purpose, recognize important details, ask thoughtful questions, distinguish claims from supporting evidence, and evaluate arguments with greater understanding.

Through discussions and short reading exercises, students will practice approaching books, articles, and other texts like reading detectives, looking for clues, questioning what they encounter, and developing informed conclusions rather than simply accepting information at face value. These skills can support students across school subjects, independent reading, and future academic study while helping them become more confident and independent lifelong readers. 



Class Outline


Week 1:  The Case of the Curious Reader: Becoming a Reading Detective

Students will learn what it means to read actively and approach a text with purpose. They will practice observation skills by identifying the basic elements of a text, including its topic, structure, and the author’s purpose. 


Week 2:  Following the Clues: Uncovering the Author’s Message

Students will learn how to identify an author’s main ideas, key points, and supporting details. They will practice examining a text closely to uncover meaning beyond the surface. 


Week 3:  The Evidence Room: Analyzing Arguments and Ideas

Students will investigate how authors build arguments by examining claims, evidence, and reasoning. They will learn to ask critical questions and evaluate whether an author’s ideas are well supported. 


Week 4:  The Great Debate: Engaging with Different Perspectives

Students will practice thoughtful discussion by comparing ideas and considering different viewpoints. They will learn how to disagree respectfully, clarify their understanding, and develop their own informed conclusions. 


Week 5:  The Master Detective’s Toolkit: Becoming an Independent Reader

Students will bring together the skills they have developed and apply them to unfamiliar texts with greater confidence and independence. They will reflect on their reading process and create a practical approach they can use when analyzing books, articles, and other written materials. 

Class Activity Materials

Notebook and writing materials 

Required Book

None 

Class Day & Time

Fridays, 5:00 - 6:00 PM Central Time 

Session dates: September 18 - October 16 

Students must attend Zoom live sessions. Classes are NOT recorded.


*Enrollment into the RabaTEENS program is on a per-student basis. If two (or more) students are planning to attend a class together by sharing a screen, each student will need to enroll for class individually. 

**RabaTEENS programs are for girls aged 12-17 ONLY. Students are required to be 12 already in order to join any of RabaTEENS programs.

Certificate of Participation

Certificates of participation are available upon request.

Refund Policy

No refunds are issued once the session begins. 

Read Like Sherlock

Meets once a week for one hour (5-week session)

Instructor

Anse Dr. Sana Ahmed

Anse Dr. Sana Shireen Ahmed has completed her Ribaat Teacher Certification through the Ribaat Academic Institute. She is a doctor who works as a “disease detective” investigating outbreaks and has authored public health articles. She enjoyed combining her learning with travel, having studied Arabic in Egypt and tropical medicine in Peru. Anse Sana has taught elementary- aged students sira and basic tajwid at the Islamic Society of Northwest Suburbs and is a Ribaat volunteer. She loves spending time with her four sisters, journalling, hiking, and raising plants. She lives in Illinois with her husband.