SEASON 1 | EPISODE 15 | SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT

SEGMENT I | Respect, Acceptance and Love for Muslims in Ramadan, Tips on Intellectual and Mental Wellness for Teens II

Music Copyright and Attribution 

1. “On My Way” by Kevin MacLeod. This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US
2. “Inspiration” by Ethan Tay. February 20, 2021 (Sydney, Australia). This work is an original contribution by the artist for the ASK Trio About Wellness podcast.
3. “Pro Wellness” by Ethan Tay. March 9th, 2021 (Sydney, Australia). This work is an original contribution by the artist for the ASK Trio About Wellness podcast.
4. “Sounds of Nature” by Syazana B. Mohamed Sani. January 4, 2021 (New York, U.S.A.). This work is an original contribution by the founder for ASK Trio About Wellness podcast.
5. “Birds and River Flow In The Spring ” by Syazana B. Mohamed Sani. April 17, 2021 (New York, U.S.A.). This work is an original contribution by the founder for ASK Trio About Wellness podcast.

Co-Sponsors

Hardi Kamsani and Azman Repin (M. S.)

Hosts

Azimah Azman, Azfar Azman and Syazana B. Mohame  d Sani (M. S.)

Volunteer Contributor

Hardi Kamsani (Audio Editing) 

Scriptwriter | Producer | Director 

Syazana B. Mohamed Sani (M. S.)

ASK Trio About Wellness podcast is a production of ASKtrioWello LLC (New York).

Disclaimer

The information provided in the ASK Trio About Wellness podcast is for educational purposes only. You should consult your doctor, specialist or personal trainer for advice on your physical wellness goals before you plan to follow any of the suggestions or recommendations in this podcast. 

All Rights Reserved ©ASKtrioWello LLC 2021.

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TRANSCRIPT

Hello! Hola! Marhaba! 

WELCOME to the ASK Trio About Wellness podcast! Join me, Syazana Sani and the Astro Duo, Azfar Azman and Azimah Azman, your hosts from New York. Let’s strive to educate, regenerate and elevate family institutions through optimal productivity and wellness education, one episode at a time. 

ARE YOU READY to listen to inspirational stories of trust, respect, acceptance, integrity, love and social responsibility from multicultural families and special needs communities? Sit back, relax and be inspired by the awesome people that we highlight in the first segment of the podcast…

SEGMENT I | Respect, Acceptance and Love For Muslims In Ramadan

[Azfar] Welcome back to the ASK Trio About Wellness podcast! This episode is co-sponsored by Hardi Kamsani and my dad, Azman Repin. Thank you and may God bless you.  

[Azimah] Hello! May peace be upon you!

[Syazana] You are listening to the fifteenth episode of the podcast with me, Syazana, and the Astro Duo: Azfar and Azimah. 

What did we talk about in segment one last week?

[Azimah] We talked about what made us happy and how to show you care for special needs communities.

[Azfar, Syazana]  Excellent recall, Azimah! Hmmm. 

Let’s continue with two more ways you can show that you care for our special needs communities. They all need your support whether they have down syndrome or are autistic people or children with global development delay like our co-host, Azimah.

👉🏿 Buy things you need from stores or restaurants owned or run by special needs communities; or

👉🏽 Donate your money to organizations and companies that advocate and support special needs communities.

In New York alone, there are many options available. Let’s just name a few in this month of April: 

The first one is the Self-Advocacy Association of New York State (SANYS.org). It’s a not-for-profit organization founded and led by people with developmental disabilities for people with developmental disabilities.

[Azimah] What do they do?

[Syazana] One of the main things they do is Self-Advocacy. Self-Advocacy means speaking up for yourself, making your own life choices, learning about your rights and responsibilities, living the way you want to, and respecting the right of others to do the same.

[Azimah] Ohhh! I see!

They also ask that NYS continue to invest in independent and affordable housing options for people with developmental disabilities, fund meaningful daytime activities including employment as the first option and other options provide new, creative and rewarding opportunities. 

They also promote the awareness, understanding and exercise of fundamental rights and work to help people with developmental disabilities understand the unique ways that their rights may be challenged. 

They provide training and resources too.

For more information, check out their website at https://sanys.org/

Next week, we’ll highlight another organization that supports special needs communities. 

For now, let’s continue with our gratitude journal. Remember: gratitude has a positive impact on your emotional and mental wellness. 

[Azimah] Let me start with what made me happy this week...our special guest, the blessed month of Ramadan, is here again!

[Syazana, Azfar] Yes, our family is happy to welcome Ramadan! Oh yes! Alhamdulillah. Praise and thanks to Allah, the Almighty God.

[Syazana] Hey! Do you remember going to the school library during lunch recess in Ramadan? 

[Azfar, Azimah] Oh Yes!* Yeah!!! I could choose to go to the library instead of the cafeteria during lunch recess. 

[Syazana] And for gym classes, you were allowed to do light exercises only, right?

[Azimah, Azfar] Yeah!!! Woohoo!

[Syazana] One of God’s blessings that our family is grateful for is to live in a community where there is respect, acceptance and love shown to people of color and people of other faiths like us Muslims. It means a lot when the school community pays attention to our needs especially during Ramadan when we fast from daybreak to dusk without even a sip of water. 

By the way, if you’re curious to know, Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. 

What is the most common question the kids get asked in school? You probably guessed it: 

Why do Muslims fast in Ramadan?

[Azimah] I’m fasting because I want to be a good Muslim girl. Fasting is a great blessing. When I’m fasting, I can understand how poor people feel when they have no food or money to buy anything.

[Syazana] Great answer, Azimah!

[Azimah] Are we going to share any good feedback from our listeners today?

[Syazana] Yes, we will! Here you go! You can read it out loud, Azimah.

[Azimah] Okay! Let me read it. This feedback was from Mrs. Sue Bernd. Hey! She’s my former teacher from middle school!

Feedback on Premier Episode #1

“Excellent! I was impressed at how professional the whole podcast was. Nice work!! Azimah sounded wonderful! I’m proud of Azimah and impressed with all you have done! Great job to all of you!”

[Azimah] Awww! 

[Syazana] Hey! There’s another feedback from her on episode #2...

Feedback on Episode #2

“I enjoyed listening to your second podcast. I could picture Azimah as I listened to her speak. Of course it was fun listening to her talk about our class! I hope we can all be in person again. 

I found Azfar’s comments about Singapore education interesting. When I taught in Chappaqua, we often learned about methods used in Singapore as best strategies. I am pleased that the Azman family experience has been so positive.”

[Azfar] Woohoo!

[Syazana] Believe it or not, we have a third feedback from Mrs. Bernd!

[Azimah] Feedback on Episode #11

“You really captured the playful spirit of Azimah in the podcasts. I love it!

                                            [Mrs. Sue Bernd, Saratoga Springs, New York]

[Syazana, Azimah] Awww! Mrs. Sue Bernd is simply awesome! Thank you so much, Mrs. Bernd! You’re awesome!

[Azfar] Thank you and may God bless you!

[Azimah] Yeah! Mrs. Bernd is amazing! I love her so much! 

[Syazana] If you’ve enjoyed our podcast, please send us your feedback via email to [email protected] or write a comment in the Podbean Podcast App & Player. It means a lot to us and keeps us motivated to produce more episodes for the podcast.

[Azimah] So, everyone, send us your feedback and comments!

[Syazana] We’re also raising funds for the production of the podcast. Please consider making a one-time pledge of any amount via check to ASKtrioWello LLC at 15 Trieble Avenue, Suite 5 PMB 299, Ballston Spa, New York 12020. If you’re listening from out of the U.S.A., you can also transfer your pledge amount via PayPal to https://paypal.me/asktriowello. 

[Azfar] Become a patron and select a monthly pledge of $1.99, $4.99, $9.99 or $99. You’ll gain access to exclusive patrons-only premium content and enjoy member rewards according to the amount pledged. To make a pledge, visit our Patron Page at https://patron.podbean.com/asktrioaboutwellness now.

Please check out the show notes for more details.

Next week, we’ll answer more questions about Ramadan and why Azimah loved Mrs. Bernd, her former teacher, so much!

[Azimah] Stay tuned to the next episode to find out more!

~ End of Segment I ~

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SEGMENT II | Tips on Productivity and Intellectual Wellness For Teens (Part 2)

Coming up next…

In the second segment of the podcast, we’ll learn about productivity and the nine dimensions of wellness—physical, emotional, environmental, spiritual, social, intellectual, mental, occupational and financial wellness—so we can survive and thrive in this unpredictable world. 

[Syazana] Once upon a spring, in the village of Ballston Spa, New York, there lived two high school Muslim Asian teenagers, Azfar and Azimah, and their loving parents. One day, Azfar’s good friend came to visit them with his pets...

[Cat Videos Hello, Cloud! and Hello, Oreo!]

[Azimah, Azfar] Awww! They’re so cute!Oh yeah! Can we watch the cat videos again! I miss those kitties! 

[Syazana] We can watch the (cat) videos again later (after our recording) okay?

[Azimah] Okay!

[Syazana] It’s so fun and entertaining to watch cat videos! Cloud and Oreo belonged to one of Azfar’s friends. Azfar became a cat sitter for a couple of days.

In segment two last week, we gave some study tips to prepare teens for upcoming tests and exams. Azfar had mentioned that you could watch cat videos when you’re taking short breaks from studying. 

And we promised that we’ll share useful tips from the book “Learning How To Learn: How to Succeed In School Without Spending All Your Time Studying -- A Guide for Kids and Teens by Barbara Oakley (Ph.D), and Terrence Sejnowski (Ph.D) with Alistair McConville. 

When you take a short break to watch cat videos, you’re using a technique mentioned in this book: to switch your brain from “Focussed Mode”, which means you’re paying attention, to “Diffuse Mode”, (which is) when your mind is relaxed and free. Use the Diffuse Mode Tools as rewards after being on “Focussed Mode” when you’re stuck in your learning or revision. 

What’s another tip, Azimah?

[Source: https://barbaraoakley.com/books/learning-how-to-learn.]

[Azimah] Learn to do a picture walk!

[Syazana] Instead of going through your textbook page by page, do a “picture walk” when you start a new chapter. Look at all the pictures, captions, diagrams, section headings, bold words, summary and questions at the end of each chapter. 

Then take a notebook and take notes, answer questions and make doodles or drawings. For me personally, I’ve been doing this and improved over the years.

[Azimah] Hmmm. It’s like watching a movie or drama trailer before watching the full movie or drama! 

[Syazana] Yeah! You can also imagine yourself checking out the Google Map before going on a road trip. 

What’s the next tip, Azimah?

 [Azimah] Try the Pomodoro technique

[Syazana] The Pomodoro technique is simple. First, shut off all distractions: phone, TV, music etcetera. Find a quiet place to study when you won’t be interrupted and use noise-canceling earphones, earmuffs or earplugs. Set the timer for 25 minutes or up to 45 minutes as what we recommended last week. Get going and focus for the set duration. When time is up, reward yourself and use a “Diffuse Mode” tool in addition to watching cat videos or listening to music during your break. Examples are play a sport or exercise, dance, cycling, drawing or painting, meditating, praying and even sleeping.

What’s another technique mentioned in the book?

[Azimah] Boost your reading power with Active Recall

[Syazana] Yes! The three key steps to powerful reading are 

1. Use the “picture walk” technique;
2. Read with care; and 
3. Use active recall

[Azimah] How can I try “active recall”? I heard you mention the word “recall” in segment one earlier, right?

[Syazana] Right! Active recall means bringing an idea back to mind. That’s why at the start of a new episode, I often ask the question “What did we talk about last week? (This helps to boost your reading power from reading the scripts to bring the ideas discussed in the previous episode back to mind in a new episode.)

The critical part is to check on what you can recall after reading a page or chapter of your textbook. Ask yourself: What are the key ideas on the page? Play the ideas back in your mind. Say them out loud. Don’t just reread the page over and over again. Don’t underline or highlight big amounts of text. Got it?

[Azimah] Yeah! Sort of!

Next week, we’ll share more tips from this book!

[Azimah] Yeah! So stay tuned for more tips in the next episode!

~ End of Segment II ~

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~ End of episode ~

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