5. RAMADAN & EID: IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE AWARE OF RAMADAN, WHICH IS A MONTH OF FASTING IN WHICH MUSLIMS FAST FROM SUNRISE AND SUNSET. THE EXACT MONTH ACCORDING TO THE CALENDAR CHANGES EVERY YEAR BECAUSE ISLAM FOLLOWS A LUNAR CALENDAR. FOR THE CURRENT YEAR OF 2013, RAMADAN WILL BE IN JULY. WHEN RAMADAN DOES FALL DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, TEACHERS SHOULD TRY TO PROVIDE ANOTHER AREA FOR FASTING STUDENTS TO BE DURING LUNCH TIME. THEY SHOULD ALSO BE ACCOMMODATING DURING PE CLASSES. EID IS A CELEBRATION AFTER THE MONTH OF RAMADAN AND ALSO HAVE THE HAJJ (PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA). THUS, MUSLIMS CELEBRATE TWO EIDS PER YEAR. AGAIN, DUE TO THE LUNAR CALENDAR, THE EXACT DAYS OF EID WILL CHANGE. TEACHERS NEED TO MAKE ALLOWANCE FOR MUSLIM STUDENTS TO MISS THESE DAYS. IF THERE ARE TESTS OR PROJECTS DUE ON THE DAY OF EID, PERHAPS MUSLIM STUDENTS CAN BE GIVEN AN EXTENSION OR DO IT BEFORE EID. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR EID TO BE CELEBRATED FOR 3 DAYS, SO THIS MUST ALSO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. 4. MODESTY & GENDER RELATIONS MUSLIMS PRACTISE MODESTY IN THEIR DRESS (LOOSE CLOTHES, HIJABS, ETC.) AND ALSO DO NOT MIX FREELY WITHIN THE GENDERS. TEACHERS NEED TO BE AWARE THAT IF PE CLASSES AREN'T SEGREGATED, SOME MUSLIM STUDENTS WON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE PARTICIPATING. ALSO, IF ASSIGNING MUSLIM STUDENTS TO GROUP, TEACHERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT IF THE GROUPS ARE MIXED IN GENDER, AGAIN, SOME MUSLIM STUDENTS WON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THESE CONCERNS ARE SEEN MORE IN THE INTERMEDIATE GRADES AND NOT SO MUCH IN PRIMARY/JUNIOR. 3. MUSIC THERE ARE CERTAIN MUSLIMS WHO BELIEVE THAT MUSIC IS NOT PERMISSIBLE UNLESS IT IS USING PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS AND/OR THE HUMAN VOICE. HOWEVER, THERE ARE DIFFERING OPINIONS ON THIS AND YOU MAY FIND THAT SOME MUSLIM STUDENTS DON'T HOLD THIS BELIEF. AGAIN, IT IS ENOUGH TO BE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, IN CASE IT COMES UP IN YOUR CLASSROOM. 2.. DIET IN TERMS OF DIET, IT IS ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT MUSLIMS DO NOT EAT PORK OR DERIVATIVES OF PORK. SECONDLY, SOME MUSLIMS WILL ONLY EAT HALAAL MEAT (SIMILAR TO KOSHER). LASTLY, MUSLIMS DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL AND AVOID ANYTHING CONTAINING ALCOHOL. 1. PRAYER & ABLUTION MUSLIMS PRAY 5 TIMES A DAY. 1 OR 2 OF THESE PRAYERS MAY FALL WITHIN THE SCHOOL DAY. AGAIN, THIS IS USUALLY MORE SO IN THE INTERMEDIATE GRADES AND ABOVE. DURING THESE TIMES, STUDENTS WILL NEED A QUIET AREA TO PRAY FOR 5 MINUTES OR SO. ABLUTION REFERS TO THE RITUAL CLEANSING BEFORE PRAYER. MUSLIMS ARE REQUIRED TO WASH HANDS, FACE, ARMS, FEET, ETC. IN THIS CASE, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR MUSLIM STUDENTS TO HAVE A PRIVATE WASHROOM (IF POSSIBLE), SO THEY ARE NOT CAUGHT WITH THEIR 'FOOT IN THE SINK.' HOWEVER, IF THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE, PERHAPS EDUCATING FELLOW CLASSMATES WOULD BE AN OPTION.