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Advice from the experts

HeronBridge College launches High Performance Centre and Swimming Academy

As a commitment to the school’s investment into sports and sports development, HeronBridge College officially opened its High Performance Centre and Swimming Academy on Friday, in partnership with Gauteng Aquatics and USN. Starting with Pre-Prep children, HeronBridge will be working closely with Gauteng Aquatics and Learn to Swim, to teach swimming from an early age. “It is so important to build swimming confidence in South Africa” said Anton Jordaan, Gauteng Aquatics President, at the launch on Friday. “It is from here that the basic building blocks for swimming athletes are built.” Talking of confidence, a group of HeronBridge swimmers were treated to a training workshop on Friday by Rocco Meiring, SA Olympic Swim Coach and coach to Olympic gold medalist Tatjana Schoenmaker. As mental ability is crucially linked to physical ability, Rocco took the students through Tatjana’s journey of making it to the Olympics and the passion, sacrifice and determination that was required to do so. Another crucial building block to high performance is nutrition, and HeronBridge is very excited to have USN on board as partners in school sports nutrition. “Sport is becoming more and more professional at a school level” said Heinrich Hurter, USN Sport Nutrition and Training Specialist, “conditioning, recovery, psychology, and (the often overlooked) nutrition are the key pillars to building high-performance athletes. It is vitally important to educate before you supplement.” “The launch of the High Performance Centre is a great leap in taking HeronBridge’s sport programmes to the next level” said Ofentse Moeng, Head of Co-Curricular Development and Vision in the College. “With the caliber of coaches that we have on our faculty, many of whom are internationally and nationally accredited, as well as our new partners, we can only grow from strength to strength.”

November 23, 2021

8 Tips To Support Your Teenager Making Their College Decision

Leaving high school to pursue higher education is a big decision in a teen’s life. There is a lot of anxiety around finding the perfect program at the right college. Your teen will need support from you through the process, and it can be difficult to understand how to help them and know what support they need. Here are the 8 best tips to offer the most beneficial support you can during this stressful period. 1.Be supportive of their decision. This goes without saying, but it’s worth repeating. Whatever your teenager decides, they need to feel like you are on their side and will have their back, even if you don’t necessarily agree with their choice. If you want to help your teenager make the best decision possible, then supporting them 100% is the most basic thing you can do as a parent. 2.Ask for advice Encourage your child to talk to their school guidance counsellors about your teen’s after high school plans. They can offer your teenager good advice on what colleges to consider applying for as well as financial aid and scholarships. This is part of their job, so talking to them is important to helping narrow down your college options. 3.Plan for future priorities As a parent, the end goal of studying at college is for your teenager to have decent career opportunities. It can be difficult for your teen to plan and decide what path is right, with all the choice that will surround them at school. Help them explore the different career options they have within their current choice of major and see what is available. 4.Allow for your child to grow and change. College is a time of major growth and development for your teen. It can be hard to let your child and change but it’s a necessary part of growing up and supporting their growth and change is important to your evolving relationship with your child. Allow for big changes to happen and be their anchor and safe space to come back to when things feel overwhelming. Plan ahead for these changes with your teen before they leave for college. Try choosing a college that is more flexible about things like changing your major. 5.Talk about finances for college. College is without a doubt expensive, so it’s important to talk about the affordability of college with your teen, in detail about how they will afford their studies. If your child needs to rely on part-time work to help pay, then tell them so. If they will need loans and scholarships to afford University, then discuss the options and pick the one that fits the best for everyone. 6.Help them find the college that fits their personality. College isn’t only about the academic side, it’s also about the location and study environment. If your teenager is active and outgoing, sending them to a small school in the country could adversely affect their studies and mood. When considering a university, remember to consider their personality and temperament and factor that in when choosing a college. 7.Don’t pester or nag your teen. It’s tempting to want to know all the details about your teen’s impending college decision. Trying to pressure a commitment or decision will only add more stress and tension to your relationship. While it’s important to help them stay on track, remember to encourage not take charge and tell them what they are doing. They will thank you for the freedom you gave them and the endless support you provided in a very stressful time, rather than pestering them and nagging them decide. 8.Visit the college After you have narrowed it down to a few choices, it’s best to plan a visit to the final contenders and see first-hand how living and studying there would be for your teen. These are the 8 best tips for helping support your teen in deciding on college. These tips will help the transition go smoothly and reduce stress.

November 22, 2021

R20 million in bursaries available at The Knowledge Trust Education and Career Expo on WhatsApp

South African matriculants, school leavers and students can register now to attend The Knowledge Trust Career Expo, hosted for the first time entirely on the WhatsApp platform. Expo visitors who have completed the expo’s career guidance journey, unlock access to apply for the more than 140 bursaries, valued at over R20 million. They also have access to more than 20 education institutions, who will be hosting stands at the expo, as well as a wide variety of career guidance, learnership and job opportunities. The expo, which runs for three months focusing on different topics each month, can be accessed for free by South African youth. For November, the theme is Education and participants can register to connect with educators, training providers and organisations who sponsor young talent. The expo features a variety of pathways across six different expo halls: business and management; media and communication; science, technology, engineering and maths; health and wellness; tourism and hospitality; and arts, humanities and education. For the current Matric cohort, the event’s ground-breaking use of the WhatsApp platform enables them to easily co-ordinate browsing the virtual education and employment expo halls with their study and exam timetables, from home, simply via their devices. For school-leavers and students, it enables them to scout for serious study opportunities, bursaries and sponsorships without incurring any travel spend or major data costs. In addition to accessing the bounty of bursaries, participants have the option to apply for Standard Bank student loans via the WhatsApp bot. Young South Africans can register here to access The Knowledge Trust Career Expo on WhatsApp. Jaryd Raizon, Africa Director of The Knowledge Trust says, “This expo was designed for youth as a free tool they can explore within the comfort of their homes. At a time when so many other events have been disrupted due to the pandemic, it was vital to provide youth with access to career guidance, education and job opportunities, at scale through affordable technology. At the same time, ensuring Matrics and school-leavers are not further compromised due to COVID-19.” JobStarter, a career coaching platform, is one of the partners at The Knowledge Trust Career Expo. Executive Director, Marguerite van Niekerk highlights why learners and students should participate: Learners and Matrics – “Taking the first step to planning for your future can feel rather daunting, even frightening. To know what your next step should be, you need to know what options are available to you because it is important to match your skills, interests and values to study and career pathways that work well for you. Career Expos like this one are important tools for you to use to discover what’s out there in the world of work and to explore options that suit you. You are likely to gain insights into careers you haven’t known about or considered.” School-leavers and Students – “The job market is constantly and rapidly changing, and so are the skills-sets that employers need. The Knowledge Trust Career Expo will provide you with wonderful opportunities to gain insights into different industries and a deeper understanding about your interests, skills and values. It’s an experience that helps you understand who you are and what you have to offer, which is a crucial first step in your job-seeking journey. This, in turn, helps you create a better CV and stand out in interviews.” Van Niekerk concludes, “My top tip is to explore every booth in every hall. Don’t follow your preconceived ideas about study or work that might interest you. Keep an open mind and check out all the options. You never know what you might learn about yourself or the world of work that could shift your career trajectory in more fulfilling and rewarding ways.” Unilever’s LevelUp initiative is an exciting feature of the expo this November. The youth empowerment programme will give expo participants access to training modules that will enable them to strengthen their CV as well as build their skills and experience. LevelUp teaches the basics of personal branding, helps to develop digital skills and offers a range of activities that promote work-readiness. Lisa Andrews, HR Director Talent & Organisation at Unilever says, “Collaborations and partnerships are critical in growing and developing Africa’s youth and we are proud to partner with The Knowledge Trust on such an innovative and purpose driven initiative” Registration for The Knowledge Trust Career Expo via WhatsApp is free here

November 12, 2021

Why does reading matter?

Why do we tell children to read? Why do we always tell children that reading is beneficial for them? And is it even true in this digital age? Does reading novels actually help older children in any way? Does reading to younger children have identifiable benefits? And, finally, does reading really matter in any way? Yes – reading is vital, life-changing and stimulating for some very important reasons. Let’s take a look at how reading assists children in their everyday lives, and then look further to see how it can give them an overall fulfilling, rewarding life. Books help children develop vital language skills. In children, reading skills do exist, but they need to be developed. Learning in school, and later on at university requires advanced levels of reading. No reading SKILL equals no advancement in the university of life. Whatever path you want to follow in life, be it academia, sciences or even entrepreneurship and the arts, you need reading skills. And to cope with life as a normal functioning adult, reading skills are of utmost importance for everyday use. People studying futurology have hailed the death of the written word as imminent. However, the exact opposite has happened. With the advent of the internet and the overload of information that we are bombarded with every day, reading a vital skill that everyone wants to acquire as fast as possible. Skimming and searching through copious amounts of information as fast and as accurately as possible is a valued skill. Paperless does not mean without the written word. You can read the same report in many different ways, formats and presentations at the click of a button. A couple of written words today can cause an international uproar in minutes. In order to understand what you read, other skills are also necessary, such as critical thinking, evaluation, anticipation, and moderation. Without these skills, reading would not mean much at all. The more children read, the better they become at reading. Yes, it’s true. If children enjoy what is being read to them, the more interested they will become in doing as much as possible to fine tune and develop their reading skills. This means they will be fully capable adults with access to all information anywhere they choose. It is also important to enjoy the activity of reading. If it takes you out of your life and introduces you to other worlds, thoughts, places, and things, then you are the richer for it. When a child struggles to read, it will continuously be an emotional obstacle. So, it is important to forge a positive attitude towards reading as early as possible. Children who read frequently will develop enquiring minds and become more interested in becoming avid readers themselves. If you read out loud to children, they become familiar with grammatical styles and expression. Through this, they learn to speak better and develop a greater understanding of how to express themselves verbally. Through this they are also able to pick up on empathy as they read stories through the eyes of different characters. They learn to identify similarities and differences between themselves and various characters. The list goes on. Children who read a lot regardless of whether it is newspapers, the internet, books or magazines are exposed to a greater range of new and interesting vocabulary. They do not have to understand the actual word as most times they can work it out from the context of the sentence and next time they see it, they will have learned something without even realising it. Reading aloud also helps children with the pronunciation of words as they link the word on the page to the word that is being spoken – this is true even if they cannot yet sound out the word themselves. Reading is an amazing experience. It can open up a whole new world to children, enhancing their lives with places, things, and descriptions they have never heard of before. Reading also brings a completely new world to a child – whether it is factual, scientific or simply for self-interest. There are so many resources available from which children can read, that if they take to it and realize how useful it can be, then, literally, the world is their oyster – there is no end to what they can read and access. It would be a magical experience for them. Reading will open up a whole new understanding of humanity, and its history from all over the world. And nowhere is it more obvious that we live in a “global village” than when thinking of this in relation to children growing and developing their hungry minds. Aspects such as peaceful coexistence throughout the world and concern for humanity are all by-products of reading. Children will learn these things through the reading of non-fiction books, and other materials that are set in other periods of time, in other countries and cultures. Books bring a real live world into the life of a child. Through their imagination, they can go places and feel things without any consequences. They don’t have to answer to anyone. They can travel with their minds and meet all sorts of unsavory or popular characters who they can revisit, whenever they feel the need, by simply rereading the book. Discovering a sequel or other stories by the same author is even more exciting. Lessons in life skills such as problem-solving, cause and effect as well as conflict resolution and learning about accepting responsibility for your own actions are all explained and contained between the exciting pages of novels. Mystery stories or investigations into plots can all challenge young minds to solve theories – and then feeling terribly pleased when they do it correctly as it unfolds in the book. Furthermore, their confidence is given a great boost. Everybody knows that children copy what they see and hear from the world around them. There are plenty of children’s TV programs that leave much to be desired

November 9, 2021

SA learners celebrate World Space Week with Rocket Launch

So far, 2021 has notched up three successful civilian space journeys, ushering in a new era of space travel and igniting the imaginations of the younger generations across the globe. With new possibilities and opportunities in space transforming our perspectives of our galactic horizons, there’s an exciting energy to World Space Week this year, which is being celebrated internationally from 4 to 10 October. Hundreds of South African learners who participate in the I-Innovate programme implemented by Sakhikamva Foundation have been engaged in a range of World Space Week learning activities, including linking learners to experiments aboard the International Space Station through the renowned ExoLab programme. I-Innovate CEO, Trisha Crookes says, “This is the world’s largest space event with activities taking place in more than 95 countries. We wanted to give South African children the opportunity to join in this celebration of science and technology to learn more about how exploring space can inspire and improve the lives of our youth.” Highlights of the local event included a virtual talk and engagement with a veteran NASA astronaut and the hands-on launch of rockets at the Cape Academy of Mathematics, Science and Technology. I-Innovate partnered with leading global IT service provider, Tata Consulting Services (TCS) which has sponsored the SA World Space Week activities. “This has been a wonderful opportunity for our learners to explore science, technology and space, and be part of a worldwide pioneering movement,” says Nikhil Dabhole, HR Head of TCS South Africa. “Exciting space-related activities engage learners in STEAM learning, igniting their interest as they see the real-world value of science, Mathematics and technology. It’s the opportunity for young people across the range of South African communities to become inspired when it comes to the subjects that are driving transformations in our world.” Pilot and founder of Sakhikamva Foundation, Fatima Jakoet says, “Today was the launch of the Sakhikamva Space Agency for the Youth (SSAY) and it was wonderful to work with learners from our space programme which started in July this year at the school the Cape Academy of Mathematics, Science and Technology. The focus was on teaching them to build the rockets and giving them the opportunity to propel their own water rockets, which travelled between 20 to 25 metres high. A wonderful, hands-on way to both celebrate World Space Week and ignite a love of space and a curiosity about space travel. We are looking forward to launching a variety of rocket types with our rocket club.” The virtual talk with NASA Astronaut, Gregory H. Johnson was held at Goodwood College. Johnson piloted two famous space flights, the first of which delivered a logistics module and equipment to the International Space Station. Crookes says, “We’re excited that the learners were learning through sharing experiences. They not only got to hear the amazing, adventurous stories that Gregory Johnson had to share and listen to what truly resonated with them, but also had the opportunity to have their own voices highlighted by exhibiting their own inventions, innovations and ideas related to satellite theory, astrobotany and rocket theory face-to-face with an astronaut. To have conversations with a real astronaut and to be part of the team conducting their own rocket launches, has made the possibility of a career in science, technology and even space, much more tangible to them. We want young South Africans to be a part of the next generation to explore space.”

October 14, 2021

Preparing for final exams – emotional stress advice for learners and parents

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions to daily life. Learners from Grade 1 to matric had to transition to online learning literally overnight when the hard lockdown began in March 2020, finding themselves disconnected from routines and support systems. A year and a half later, learners are still coping with these challenges as they prepare for their final exams. “Under normal circumstances, learners who may have prepared well for their exams can become overwhelmed by stress,’’ says Ms Nomalungelo Ntlokwana, the acting Director of Emthonjeni Student Wellness at Nelson Mandela University. “We can expect learners to show increased levels of stress and anxiety during these times, due to the challenges associated with lockdown,” says Ntlokwana. According to Ntlokwana, below are a few tips for learners to manage exam stress: Be prepared – start early and don’t cram everything in the night before Go with the study method that suits you best Work through past exam papers or example questions Take breaks – spend your time in between sessions doing physical activities Rest often – get enough sleep, especially before exams Know times, venues, procedures and what you can take into the exam venue Arrive well before the exam start time It can be equally distressing for parents to see their children go through exam-related stress. Many parents fail to comprehend the levels of anxiety and depression facing the learners of today, and can help by providing support at home. Here are five ways parents can support their child during exams: 1. Prioritise mental well-being Identify triggers of stress and feelings that cause fear and anxiety with your child. Help them deal with negativity by finding ways of coping with these feelings, so that they can regain focus and confidence. Ensuring that your home is a calm, productive, and supportive space in which your child can learn can make a big difference. 2. Proactively manage stress Be aware of the early warning signs, which can include lack of sleep, loss of appetite, and being easily distracted. Emphasise the importance of having a healthy mind and help your child to proactively relieve stress by taking regular breaks and even interacting with friends. 3. Promote a healthy lifestyle Studying for exams requires time and effort, but it should not be to the detriment of your child’s health. Ensure they get enough quality sleep and physical exercise, even if it’s walking the dogs around the block. Cook healthy meals, keep nutritional snacks in your pantry, and reduce screen time as much as possible. 4. Set realistic expectations As a parent, you want your child to do well, but it is important that your expectations – as well as your child’s own expectations – are realistic. Discuss what their goals are for the exams and help map out their study plan, so that they can get a sense of the desired expectations. 5. Be an example Keep cool and stay calm – this is the best way that you can manage your child’s stress. Be sure to take care of your own mental health too, as this will enable you to show feelings of care and understanding, and support them to effectively deal with their challenges. In these difficult times, it is vital to tackle challenges together with your child. By ensuring your behaviour and responses offer support, as opposed to creating conflict, getting through exam time can be so much easier to navigate.

October 7, 2021

What to do if your child’s educational needs changed over the past year

Over the past year and a half, the pandemic threw the educational journeys of learners into disarray. Many schools responded with mitigation measures that resulted in a variety of impacts and outcomes on learners. At the same time, the educational needs of many learners have also changed. Learners that seemed to be in the right place and on the right track at the start of the year are now finding that this may no longer be the case. As parents start considering their children’s educational options for next year, they must be aware of a variety of different offerings which may provide a better fit for their children’s current situation and needs. Education experts say that there are options available to learners requiring more tailored or niche offerings or environments. “Many parents often do not consider the idea that they have alternative choices instead of remaining in an environment that no longer serves their children to the degree it did before,” says Desiree Hugo, Academic Head at ADvTECH Schools, SA’s leading private education provider. She says the past year and a half has taken a tremendous toll on parents and students in various ways, and that many students who performed well and were doing well emotionally and developmentally before, are now struggling, necessitating the consideration of alternative approaches or specialist interventions. Dr Jacques Mostert, Academic Manager at Abbotts College, says whereas a child’s school and academic experience may have been suitable for them and made sense before, that may no longer be the case. “It could be that the environment changed because of the last year’s experiences, that the needs of your child have changed, or both. Where learners are no longer rising to their potential, particularly in the wake of observations over the past six months, and where mid-year reports indicate there are areas requiring attention, parents should review the existing conditions and, if need be, make changes in consultation with professionals,” Dr Mostert says. He says some learners may require smaller class sizes with more individual attention, a learning environment with a more rounded approach, mental and emotional health assistance, a less structured setting, or specialist support to ensure they overcome challenges and realise their potential in future. But making a move requires an understanding of what alternatives are on offer, he says. ASSISTED LEARNING Dr Greg Pienaar, Principal at The Bridge, South Africa’s leading assisted learning school, says that over the past year, parents may have noticed their children present with needs not seen before, such as ADHD, ADD, dyslexia, mild autism, or anxiety. Children also might have been through illness or trauma which affected their academic progress. “Many children of average and above-average intelligence face these kinds of challenges and require an environment with an understanding of and response to neurodiversity. Few mainstream schools, especially in the current environment, are in a position to provide the focused yet comprehensive support these learners require to perform to the best of their ability and become confident, empowered and self-actualised,” he says. “So if you have noticed or have had confirmed challenges that would require therapy, coaching, greater individual attention or the like, it is worth considering a school which will help your child deal with and overcome these challenges while continuing their academic journey.” ONLINE SCHOOL Some learners were fortunate enough to attend schools that could provide a high-quality online offering during lockdowns and continue the curriculum without interruption. Most of them were happy to return to in-person schooling when the time came. Some realised that the online learning environment was more suitable to their personality and needs and may now be considering a permanent move to online homeschooling. The consideration of online homeschooling has also become a reality for many families reviewing their futures and who may be considering a move elsewhere but would like to keep their child’s routine intact should circumstances change. “If you are considering homeschooling, you must do your homework thoroughly before choosing a curriculum provider, as the quality of offering varies substantially across the board, and so do outcomes,” says Colin Northmore, Principal at Evolve Online School. “Of course, it is non-negotiable that parents investigate the registration and accreditation status of an institution. That is not enough, however, as a school must also be able to show that it can provide the highest quality of academic excellence online, while supporting the integrated development of a child through providing ample interaction with peers and educators,” he says. Online learning that merely provides a paper-behind-glass style curriculum makes it extremely difficult for students, especially young ones, to get deeply involved in and excited about their learning journey. “So when deciding on an online homeschool offering, prospective parents must enquire about the efficiency of the technology and the logistics of an offering, as well as whether they will have access to qualified educators to step in and assist them should the need arise,” Northmore says. NON-TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS Dr Mostert says setting out on a new path may mean simply allowing a learner to continue within a differently structured and more nurturing environment. “If things are not going well for a learner, and parents are starting to get concerned about their current trajectory, it might be worth looking for a high school that will allow a learner to continue within a setting focused on progressive academic improvement. “Every student can develop and achieve academic success, but if you are feeling overwhelmed and in a rut, it is not easy to lift yourself out of this space or even to see the way forward. For these students, an environment that focuses on progressive academic improvement and individual support, instead of strict rules related to, for example, hair and uniform regulations, can mean the difference between continued sadness and success.” This time of year, in general, is an excellent time to review the educational options for the year ahead after reviewing progress and development over the previous six months. In 2021, that is more true than ever, says Hugo. “As we have

September 13, 2021

SACAP TEACHERS’ WEBINAR SPOTLIGHTS TEEN IDENTITY AND SOCIAL MEDIA

When it comes to social media and the youth, there’s no shortage of dire warnings and cautionary tales. Parents and teachers are all but hard-wired to view social media through the lens of threats and risks, and there’s little to provide balance and insights into how our teens can and do use social media and internet platforms for good. Social Media and Adolescent Identity is the topic for an upcoming SACAP (South African College of Applied Psychology) Teachers Webinar which will be hosted by Academic Dean and Counselling Psychologist, Dr Jaclyn Lotter. The free, one-hour webinar, to be held on Saturday, 18 September from 10h00 to 11h00 invites South African teachers to join the conversation and gain a deeper understanding into the appeal of social media, and the role it can play in supporting teens as they navigate their way towards adulthood. Dr Lotter says, “When we don’t fully understand something new and how it is being used, we have a fear-based response. It may seem quaint nowadays, but in the times of mass installation of telephone networks, there was a backlash at the potential threats this new technology could unleash on society, especially our vulnerable youth. Of course, there are risks, and awareness is so important. On the other hand, millions of young people are engaged safely over social media, and there are benefits too. As teachers understand this, they become far more effective at helping their teen students use social media in safe and responsible ways.” Dr Lotter points out that social media opens up a myriad of spaces for adolescents to find diverse communities where they can test out aspects of their burgeoning identities with minimal risks. For instance, teens grappling with non-heteronormative identities can connect to guidance and support that simply may not be available to them in person. “It also doesn’t necessarily have to be that serious,” says Dr Lotter, “Sometimes, young people want to explore sub-genres of music or youth activist causes or counter-cultural arts in safe, maybe non-committal ways as they build their identities. There’s far greater scope for this via the internet and social media.” The webinar will also explore the concept of digital citizenship which is very much part of the younger generations’ lives but did not exist in the youth of teachers and parents. Dr Lotter says, “Here we are talking about a set of skills including critical thinking, and a range of behaviours that help teens navigate the digital world in safe and wise ways. We’ll be highlighting the conversations that can happen in homes and classrooms that promote the development of these skills and empower our young generations because we can offer them meaningful guidelines about how to get the best and give their best through their online activity.” Teachers who join the free SACAP webinar will benefit from insights and practical tips including: Understanding media and social media literacy and how to include this learning in conversations with teens; Developing school social media policies that protect teens while also promoting development; Assisting teens in leveraging social media for positive impact such as the Greta Thunberg effect when it comes to responsible social activism; And, promoting mindfulness around social media use and screen time habits Join SACAP to explore this thought-provoking theme by registering here for free or go to www.sacap.edu.za/events/ Teacher’s Webinar – Social Media and Adolescent Identity Saturday, 18 September 10h00 to 11h00

September 13, 2021

Preparing our children for school or preparing school for our children?

“What if we prepared schools for children, instead of preparing children for schools? What would that look like?” I resonated with this question popping up on my social media feed the other day — many others did too. Who wouldn’t, right? Yes, why don’t we redesign our schools around the needs of our children? Consider some of the intrinsic needs a child may experience during school: physical and emotional safety, time to play, physical movement, creative expression, agency, inspiration, meaningful conversations, respect from adults and classmates, authentic human connection, empathy — indeed, how about simply a pervading celebration of life? Imagine a schooling system designed to meet such needs. Human beings are social animals: what we learn happens in community — by engaging with each other. With classmates, with teachers: internal shifts of a student’s understanding are stimulated through exploring and sharing ideas (and feelings about them). Imagine an educational ethos that conceives of learning as collaborative inquiry being normal in our society? Instead of conceptualising education around the individualised acquisition of facts and concepts, imagine purposefully acknowledging the broader reality that learning occurs across a multiplicity of “intelligences” or “literacies” Even if we don’t intend learning to happen that way, it always will. We are holistic beings, and learning is a whole-body, whole-brain experience. And this means learning will be most effective when multiple literacies are valued and celebrated. Multimodal learning is more enjoyable, helping achieve genuine understanding (rather than simply getting the correct answers), self-motivation (instead of the external motivation of tests) and self-initiative (instead of passive reproduction of facts). When education is done well, a child excels across multiple literacies — both where he/she is customarily strong as well as weak. The issues that hit the media — like high school initiations, intense exam stress, a pervasiveness of bullying, incidents of racism or sexism, and so on — are mere sirens of a deeper problem. At its core, there is a covert violence within the mass schooling system, as we know it. How can it not be so when “the child is being prepared for school” and not the other way around? Imagine a network of schooling communities that commit themselves to exploring ways of infusing empathy into our schools. Marshall Rosenberg, founder of the Centre for Non-Violent Communication, alerted his students to the covert violence that lies concealed in the way we relate to each other, including the way we have been accustomed to being educated. Rosenberg alerted us to various examples of covert violence in the way we communicate. Hiding or suppressing our true feelings and needs, neglecting to genuinely listen to the feelings and needs of others, making demands instead of requests, imposing rules and punishments instead of making agreements with others … Most of us have been schooled in this violent sort of communication culture: much unlearning is needed for a school community to acquire an ethos of empathy and non-violence. The democratic ethos of mutual respect between adults and children can be an adjustment for many teachers. But imagine a movement across schools where this is the case. Where we agree to remember the importance of listening to each other — properly. To hear everyone’s feelings and needs, and for everyone to be invited to express their own. An ethos where everyone remains open to what is alive in each other and themselves, from moment to moment. So let’s change the system, yes? Not so easy! Unfortunately, there is invariably a profound resistance to changing the system. Established schools struggle to meet these needs as it would require escaping the established conceptions of a “good school” within those communities . The communities of these schools are accustomed to ideas of a good school that go back generations. Established schools need their traditions. While I understand the inertia of well-established schools, I find it tragic how brand new schools fail to leapfrog over the intrinsic problems in the system. In South Africa, the public companies have created an abundance of new, for-profit schools that are invariably reproductions of the conventional system. Clearly our society colludes in the problem. We want what we know. We know the system is dated. The World Economic Forum (WEF) has alerted us to the new requirements for employability in the 21st Century — “character qualities” of curiosity, initiative, persistence, adaptability, social & cultural awareness and leadership, as well as “competencies” like critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration. This constitutes a new curriculum. Parents are beginning to recognise the need to create opportunities for their children to achieve these requirements outside school if the school doesn’t teach them, or to seek out a school that does. So much about the conventional school system emerges from a mindless obedience to traditional school rituals. Frequent testing with punitive consequences; a competitive win-lose ethos in both the classroom and the sports field; isolated archipelagoes of classrooms; rigid silos of schooling grades; disconnected school subjects that discourage cross-context learning: none of these are necessary to achieve the academic outcomes needed for a child’s future. None of them are intrinsically educational. None of them serve the WEF’s character qualities and competencies for the twenty first century. None of them serve to satisfy a child’s intrinsic needs mentioned above. And all of them are integral to the conventional schooling system. In Ancient Greece, people had three conceptions of time, and each represents a different sort of schooling system. We have Kronos (the time of the clock), Aeon (the time of eternity) and Kairos (the time of the moment). The conventional school orients itself firmly around Kronos: the timetable, the school calendar, the lesson plan. Then there are the deschoolers — the dispersed community of parents homeschooling (and “unschooling”) their kids. They orient themselves around Aeon time. And then there are those schools that endeavour to achieve the seemingly impossible, (and Madiba reminds us it always “seems impossible until it’s done”) and orient themselves around Kairos. That is: remain constantly adaptable to the moment: play the Kronos

September 1, 2021

How Can a Second Language Help in My Career or My Child’s Future Career?

Even within our 4 walls at home – the world has become large and accessible. It is no longer the reality that everyone speaks our language or everyone is from our background. The world is changing and progressing and we are more aware of globalization now more than ever. With technology developing as it is – we can be on one corner of the world communicating and doing business with someone in separate countries and different time zones. This means that many businesses are able to stretch out from those in their immediate proximity and the target audience is now international! How does an additional language help me in my career? Most simply – you have a skill that others around you do not have. Not only that – you will be a lot harder to replace. The most important thing about having an additional language is to think of your intention. There is no reason to think that learning Thai for example will help advance your career if you do not work for a Thai company, you aren’t planning on doing business with Thai businesses, or you aren’t planning on immigrating to Thailand (this is not saying that if you have a passion for Thai you shouldn’t learn it! Opportunity may come knocking in many ways!). You should think about what your career is – what your dream company is – and if that company is a foreign country, a foreign country, or if you know they are looking to do business with foreign companies. Immediately this will set you out from other candidates who do not have this additional skill that could seriously help the company with many of their foreign liaisons. What level do I need to be for it to be useful in my career? This is more difficult to answer – most likely most companies won’t really need someone who is just conversational in a language (though the thought is always appreciated!) however – being completely native probably also isn’t extremely needed. The sweet spot would be at a high intermediate level. It would also be good (if possible) to know what sort of company you are working for. If you are working in an import or exports company, knowing vocabulary and the sort of business questions and relations required to do this job would be sort of essential knowledge to know that otherwise wouldn’t be done in a course unless explicitly requested. Let your teacher know this is the sort of field you are going into and would like to do as much vocabulary and grammar etc associated with the field you are planning to work in. What about qualifications? Even if you do not know the field you are going into or what to know – or even if you are learning a language just for the joy of it – You should get some sort of certification behind you to prove you are actually the level you say you are in your application. It can be very difficult to prove to potential employers that you are able to do what you say you are able to do especially if they do not speak the language themselves to “test” you. How can this be done? Well, most simply is doing it either at school or if your tertiary education allows you to also study it. The main thing to remember here is that these qualifications may differ from international standards and may not hold the same weight as some internationally recognised qualifications. Alternatively – Fluent Panda offers courses where you can study towards an internationally recognised exam hosted by various embassies. These courses will prepare you for these international exams. The exam is externally marked and upon passing an exam, you will be issued with a certificate that is INTERNTAIONALLY recognised and certified by the various embassies. The test is also usually the same around the world so you will be tested at an international level. These tests are based on different curriculums as each country follows a different curriculum. Europe follows CEFR whilst places like Japan have their own grading system known as the JLPT. Usually – there are multiple exams to take (Beginner, intermediate, advanced etc). to prove your level of fluency. How do these exams help me? Most notably – these exams open the door of opportunity to different countries. By passing one of these exams – you immediately have an internationally recognised qualification that is recognised WORLDWIDE – not just in one or two countries. It is an indisputable certification to prove your level in any given language. Furthermore – the certification does not expire and can be valid throughout your life without worry of needing to renew at any point once received. These exams are also sometimes required when applying for passports when wanting to immigrate. Including this qualification with your passport submission is sometimes required by embassies for them to have evidence of your ability in the national language of the country you are immigrating to. These qualifications and skills do not only assist in your career but opens many international doors for general options throughout life. How to get started? Contact Fluent Panda for their course times and outlines. State that you are interested in taking the exam and we will help providing you with all relevant curriculum material as well as a teacher that is familiar with the exam in question and understands the different levels that have to be achieved. Fluent Panda has over 32 languages on offer – guaranteeing something for everyone and helping pave the way for future careers!

August 25, 2021

Can Adults Learn an Additional Language?

We already know that learning anything is easiest as child. But does that mean it is impossible for adults? Of course not! It is never too late to start learning! Our biggest barriers at learning a language as an adult can be attributed to a number of factors – such as not enough time or feelings of shyness or embarrassment. As an adult – our main set back is that unlike a child – we now have to focus on learning and also have a number of adult thoughts and emotions that we want to express outright. However, these are mere mental blocks and with a little perseverance can be overcome! How long does it take to learn an additional language? This is a question we offer get – and the short and simple answer is that it is unanswerable! Learning a language is not something that can be quantified – even in your home language – most likely you learn something new about it each day. It is also not easy to say “how long will it take me to be conversational?” because these are all averages. It is also highly dependent on the target language – are there new alphabets and phonetics to learn before getting to learn the language itself? These all factor into the length of a language When you see a course that says “it takes 2 months to complete this course and then you will be at X level” – what happens if you don’t pass? Then is it your own failure or the teacher’s failure? None. Learning something as fluid as a language is something that depends on you as an individual. If you study everyday and expose yourself to various other materials in your target language after your class lesson – naturally your ability will develop a lot quicker than if you only attend class and do not practice or expose yourself out of class – it is both the same amount of work – but your approach to it determines how you progress through the material. Unfortunately – language is a patient game. It is something that if you decide you want to become fluent in – you shouldn’t put a time limit on yourself – why make something long term pressured? The most important thing to define for yourself is what your goal in learning this language will be. Is it to advance in your career? Is it for immigration purposes? Do you want to just be conversational in another language? Once you clearly know what your goal is – set your sights and work towards it. Once achieved, it will be easier to decide if you are still interested in learning the language or actually you feel you have progressed enough and going any further will be unenjoyable. That sounds bleak – does that mean I shouldn’t learn another language if the road to fluency is rife? Of course not! The joy of learning a language is exactly that! It’s that feeling of progression and the feeling of communication and the breakthroughs – it’s the thrill of hearing someone else say something in a different language and understanding them. This is what connects us. The most important thing when learning an additional language is to decide WHY you are learning that language. If you are learning due to a passion, a love, a goal, greater opportunities, immigration, a holiday – WHATEVER the reason – as long as there is a MOTIVATOR that is enough to learn a second language. Because the thing about languages – is that it requires determination. Your motivation will lead your determination. The main thing to remember when learning a language in adulthood – is that it is much like any skill you need to start from scratch – before you can make an omelette – you probably should learn how to cook an egg first – and build from there. Maybe you won’t be able to express your thoughts and feelings immediately – but if you can begin by introducing yourself and your name – you have a basis to build on. There also is something to be said that as wonderful as fluency is – is it what you need? Would you ever need engage at a fluent level? The main thing should be that you are ENJOYING learning the language and seeing your progression. What is the best way to learn a new language? There are many schools of thoughts and ways to argue this – but something that everyone can agree on is the best way to learn a new language is through IMMERSION. You need to IMMERSE yourself in the target languages language, culture, show, music, books, media, ANYTHING. Even if you don’t understand everything – the more exposure the better! It is always said that you will learn quicker if you move to the country where the target language is the main language. Why? Because this FORCES you to engage in that language. You can no longer rely on your experience or knowledge of your home language – you quite literally have to figure out how to communicate. And this is where linguistic breakthroughs happen. Naturally not everyone can up and leave to a country every time they want to learn a new language (though we wish we could!) so the most important thing is to try and expose yourself to as much of your target lesson as possible. Ask your teacher for exercises to do at home – or a recommended show – or a popular band. The most important thing is working on the language everyday – even if just for a couple of minutes. The good starting point for every language is to be sure you understand their reading and writing system so that you can start reading texts and understanding their phonetics as soon as possible. This may be difficult with languages like Mandarin, but practice those characters given in class everyday until they

August 18, 2021

Things to look for when considering a school | ask the tough questions

While academics are often seen as the hallmark of any good school, a pupil will not achieve to his or her potential unless they are encouraged, believed-in and supported. At the outset, you should look for a school that will nurture and care for your child as a first priority, one that meets your child where they are at and encourages growth of their whole selves. A good school, a school worthy of your child will have teachers that go beyond the terms of a contact of employment. They will be women and men of character, who have empathy and a deep sense of commitment to the young people in their care. They should be people that take on the education of your child as something honourable, exciting and challenging, and will strive to give of their best in growing each and every student in their charge. Here is a simple tip: When scheduling a visit to a prospective school, ask when breaktimes are and plan your visit so that you have your feet on the ground at break. You can tell everything about a school from breaktimes: A snapshot of the sense of community; the way pupils engage with each other and their elders; and how happy, settled and included pupils are from how they act and behave when they are in the social times between lessons. Ask about the school’s support programme for the emotional wellbeing of the pupils. What systems do they have in place to provide for the pastoral care of the young people? Don’t ask about their Matric pass rate, but rather ask them about how they respond to a pupil who they see sitting alone at breaktime. Ask the Head taking the tour for a specific example of when he or she has made a decision that has put the wellbeing of a child as a matter of first priority. Put the Head on the spot. You need to know that the school you are handing your daughter or son to will look after your daughter or son. Ask the Head how they respond to teenagers who are programmed to challenge the system. Ask what they do specifically to ensure everyone feels welcome, everyone feels included, everyone feels supported and everyone feels deeply cared for. Most good schools will tell you about their academic performance and will showcase their top achievers and that is good. These pupils have done well. But what about the pupil who has improved their mark significantly and who has achieved a passing grade for the first time? What about the pupil who battles to make friends? What about the pupil who has a home life that is impossibly difficult? What about that precious child who just needs someone to believe in them? Ask the Head these questions because schools are not just about a few. They are about the many. Schools are so much more than places of academics and sport. They are places where learning happens and where lives are shaped and grown. They are places where untapped potential is tapped and where the individual within the group is seen and matters. Come and talk to us at HeronBridge about the care we will take of your daughter or son. Come and ask us these difficult questions and have a listen to how we approach education in a way that is creative, affirming and inclusive. Come and listen to what it is that we do that allows us to provide an education second to none. By Simon Crane | Deputy Head, HeronBridge College

August 17, 2021

Should My Child Learn a Second Language and When?

One of the magical things about children is their incredible ability to learn without even trying! There reaches an age where suddenly it seems you may have done the most minuscule thing and notice your child has picked this up. The same can be said for children and languages! So, just why are children so good at learning? The main attribute to this is a child’s neuroplasticity – more specifically – the brain being malleable! Although neuroplasticity can occur throughout our lives, children naturally have the most plasticity due to all the neurons making and forming new connections and thus being able to make those connections and stores in the brain much simpler than perhaps an individual over 25. What this malleability allows is for children to basically have an unlimited hard drive with almost very little effort (an ability we all wish we could keep into our adulthood!) The most rapid time for learning is from 2 years until around 10 years old (that is not to say that the brain stops being neuroplastic, just that it is less likely for you to create new connections organically without you focussing on this). It is during these sweet years that once a skill or ability is learned, the brain is able to remember it well into adulthood, easily pick up the skill again, easily grasp similar concepts and the like as the brain has already experienced this skill and more importantly, made the neural links to tap into when necessary. How does learning multiple languages work in children? There is a myth that learning multiple languages at a very young age causes confusion in a child. This is not so. A child can develop and learn multiple languages (and we really mean multiple – this is not restricted to one or two languages) simultaneously whilst growing up – and often leads to greater ability to codeswitch (the ability to switch between speaking one language and another language interchangeably). Why is this? As a child – when we are learning multiple languages – we learn it at the most fundamental basic level – which is by NOT having the ability to translate from a home language. This means – when speaking, a child does not need to first decide which language they want to respond in, and then translate from their home language, because they do not have one yet! They are developing crucial neural links without needing to draw from a reference, that being their home language! The key to teaching children languages is repetition in the target language as often as possible. Why is it better to learn a language as a child vs. as an adult? This is not to say that it is impossible for adults to learn a second language – it most definitely is! But it is unarguable that children are able to pick it up easier. Why is this? It can be attributed to 2 factors. The first was touched on above, as a child – everything we learn is new – that is the foundation of our experience and learning – so those make up our fundamental references – and if you do not have any references, you have to form a new one in order to learn that concept. Conversely to adults – we already speak a language fluently. Our thoughts and words are moulded by that language. So when we are learning a new language – we immediately want to make it relatable by knowing the translations of words. We don’t learn a word as a definition, we learn a word as reference to the word we already know in our language. This will lead us to need to translate in order to speak a second language vs. a child learning naturally and fluidly the definitions of multiple words in multiple languages without the need to translate. The second reason goes back to neuroplasticity. As an adult, although we still have some neuroplasticity, it is not as malleable and extreme as that of children. Our neural networks are pretty much formed and unless we really focus and study that topic, turning new knowledge into long term memory can be difficult. More interestingly, the language centre in our brain decides “ok – this is what we need to know for this language!” when we start learning a new language as an adult, our brain needs to decide where to store this information (our hard drive is no longer unlimited!) and will then decide that the place where the new neural connections will be made will be in the already existing language centre. Effectively, deleting some words that we may have previously known to make space for the new language. This is why most people who become fluent in a second language as an adult, may suddenly find they forget something in their home language that previously they knew. In children, this is not so! That neuroplasticity is so ready – that when the information is coming into our brains for language – the language centre then MOULDS to the number of languages that the child is learning – so instead of forgetting some things in a home language – a child is actually able to store up to double without it affecting either language conversely! Further to this – the brain at a young age is able to say “hey! There are different languages out there – maybe we should keep some neurons available if we ever encounter more” and thus bilingual children are able to learn a new language even as adults. What age should I start teaching my child? The simple answer is – from birth! As parents we mould our children’s experiences and starting to speak in multiple languages from as young as possible will only allow that malleability to really excel and grow. For formal lessons, here at Fluent Panda Language School, we recommend putting children in our kids classes from as young as 4 years old.

August 11, 2021

Hey moms and dads, did you know…?

85 percent of a child’s brain development has already taken place by the age of six. Children who participate in quality pre-school education reach higher levels of education, are less likely to drop out of school, and have lower chances of needing learner support later on in their school careers. Children aged three to five are in the crucial stages of developing self-regulation; learning how to focus, wait, and control their impulses. While these skills are built on into adolescence, the critical building blocks are formed during their early years. Children form attachment styles between the ages of two and three. This means that children need a safe and caring environment to learn how to interact and behave around others, paving the way for relational attachments later in life. During the early years of life, children have a natural curiosity to explore the world around them. Through play, they participate in nature’s way of learning, picking up on cues and experiences in their everyday. While children will continue to learn naturally, introducing young children to organised instruction outside of their family context supports their ability to learn both soft and hard skills. In a loving, creative and intentional environment, children are given more opportunities to develop their cognitive, physical, social and emotional skills which lays a solid foundation for future learning and school readiness. Enrolling your child into pre-school can be a big decision, but starting early helps your child to “learn how to learn” as they spend time in the classroom and on the playground, learning from their peers, their teachers, and their own experiences. A good-quality pre-school that allows for all the above to happen is one that puts the social and emotional wellbeing of a child at the forefront, includes perceptual motor development, a rich language environment and activities that stimulate cognitive development. At HeronBridge Pre-Preparatory, we provide a happy, safe and encouraging space for children, aged two to six, to grow and develop. All of our teachers are specialists in Early Childhood Development which means that while children spend the day “playing” their activities are specifically designed to facilitate learning in a way that is relevant and age-appropriate to each child. To find out more about HeronBridge, and why we believe in laying a solid foundation for learning through Pre-Prep education, visit our website www.heronbridge.co.za or book a tour on 079 508 7436.

August 10, 2021

Matric 2021 – How to Survive and Thrive

Join SACAP’s free Matric Student Study Hack Webinar Facing the challenges of writing matric this year? One of the best investments of your time will be taking out just an hour and half on the morning of Saturday, 14 August to join the experts at the upcoming SACAP (South African College of Applied Psychology) webinar. Taking a whole-person approach, the panel will include leaders in their fields who will teach you the all-important hacks you need to not just survive matric but thrive. The SACAP Student Study Hack webinar will offer tips and practical tools so that you can identify the study approach that will work best for you, learn simple ways to use diet and physical activity to boost your well-being and perform at your peak, and easily put in place strategies that will keep you motivated, on-track and positive about getting through your matric experience. Registered Counsellor, Kirsten Harrison who has a special interest in higher education as well as trauma, points out that writing matric today is a lot more pressured than it used to be, and this year’s cohort is under additional stresses brought about by the global pandemic. She says, “It’s a life-changing time, writing these final school exams marks the end of the school era, and the anticipation of a different life ahead which is filled with uncertainties. There’s a demand to perform at your peak in the midst of a storm of expectations, hopes and fears. The good news is that you don’t have to be at the mercy of all this. There are practical ways that you can manage your matric experience and putting these strategies into practice brings about growth and competence in facing challenges in life. In essence, getting through your matric exams is not just about the marks you achieve at the end; it also provides day-by-day opportunities to develop your personal self-mastery.” During the webinar Kirsten will highlight how repetitive learning is not enough to pass matric and she will unpack the importance of finding the study approach that best works for you. Learning about the different study approaches empowers you to learn more about how you learn best. Kirsten says, “Some of the short-term benefits to planning one’s study approach include increased focus, less anxiety-provoking thoughts, more effective use of your study time and increased confidence in how you approach exams. There are longer term benefits too, in that you will have a more positive experience of studying and writing exams which will help you achieve your goal grades going forward into higher education.” Setting yourself up for success in the matric exams is not only about the actual studying you need to do. Nutrition expert, Robyn-Leigh Mentor knows that you can’t think well if you don’t eat well. She will share top diet hacks and advice on how to buy healthy and delicious food on a budget. Qualified Biokineticist, Joshua De Hahn will explain how movement is a powerful tool that helps both your body and brain and give you practical tips on how you can use movement to boost your mind. You’re going to need more than higher levels of physical self-care to get you through matric challenges, you’re going to also need emotional stamina and resilience. Jogini Packery is a Counselling Psychologist who is passionate about youth development, and she will be talking about setting expectations and coping strategies – essential tools to help you manage your matric experience and prepare you for life after matric. Jogini says, “It’s important to understand that having a positive attitude towards your matric studies and exams is not about pretending it’s all going to be peachy and rosy. It’s about having the coping strategies to deal with the inevitable stresses that enable you to settle your emotions and focus on what needs to be done next. Jogini explains that we all have innate coping strategies that help us feel better in tough moments, but not all coping strategies return us quickly to a balanced state – they can lead us to being distracted or avoidant at a time when what we really need is to get back on track as quickly as possible. Learning how you cope in the face of adversity, and finding better ways is part of the matric journey. Jogini says, “You need to constantly reevaluate what is working for you and what is not. Mental agility and flexibility are at the core of resilience. If something that we are doing is not serving a healthy purpose, then we need to set healthy boundaries.” Becoming more aware of your emotional and physical states is also vital as it helps you to more quickly identify when you are not coping so that you can avoid a downward spiral into anxiety or hopelessness. Reaching out to your support system when you are feeling overwhelmed is taking a brave, strong step towards recovering, problem-solving and doing better. The one and half-hour webinar will include a Q&A session so that you can get into the conversation with the experts and your peers. Join SACAP’s Student Hack webinar on Saturday, 14 August 2021 from 10h00 to 11h30. Registration is free and you can sign up here. How to support your Matric child holistically Lean in? Stay away? It’s not easy knowing how best to support your child through the inevitable stresses of writing their matric exams. It’s an experience that can be as challenging to parents as it is to students, and you might need to be managing impacts on other family members too. As parents, you have a pivotal emotional support role to play and the experts at the upcoming, free SACAP (South African College of Applied Psychology) Parents’ Guide to Matric Support webinar will give you a holistic approach to not just surviving but thriving through your child’s matric experience. Getting the balance right between giving support while enabling your child to own their study and exam process can be tough, especially if we’re witnessing our child

August 10, 2021

Practical tips for developing your child’s social and emotional skills

As children grow and develop, certain milestones are used as a basic measurement tool. When they are babies, these milestones tend to be more physical in nature: is your child sitting, smiling, crawling, saying simple words? As children get older, parents and teachers look for things like reading and language skills, understanding numbers, catching a ball, tying shoelaces. The more a child grows and begins to understand the world around them, the more complex developmental progress becomes. They start to develop an understanding of relationships, who they are, how certain things make them feel and the consequences of their actions. As parents, it is our responsibility to help our children to grow into well-rounded and socially adept adults. We need to equip our kids with the skills to live successfully in the ‘everyday’, as good and kind human-beings who are able to think critically, cope when things don’t go as planned, and improve the lives of those around them. After living in a global pandemic for the past year and a half, social and emotional learning is now more important than ever. While normality has been turned on its head, our children have had to cope with things that even we, as adults, are finding incredibly difficult. The teachers and educational psychologists at HeronBridge College developed the GROW programme in the Preparatory school to focus on social and emotional learning as part of the school curriculum. GROW presents activities that encourage children to use their internal resources, question how they think about certain things, whether their actions are kind – to others as well as themselves – and walks them through coping mechanisms for moments of anxiety and stress. The curriculum in the GROW programme is flexible and changes depending on the specific needs of the children in each grade. Last year, as children faced the new challenges presented by the pandemic, GROW was adapted to respond to the anxieties that they were facing and assisted them with tools to navigate this space. Megan-Lee Spence-Ross, Educational Psychologist & Head of Learner Support at HeronBridge, offers the following activities to support social and emotional learning at home: Invent a heart-powered super-hero Ask your child what they believe to be their special ‘heart power.’ This could be kindness, generosity, caring for others, positivity, etc. Then carve out some time to talk about why this makes them special and what they would do with their super-power. Take it to the next step by drawing their super-hero, giving him/her a name, creating an outfit and presenting them to family with a story. This activity helps children to conceptualise and vocalise what makes them unique. Creating a super-hero allows them to look inward in a fun way that is relevant to them, and using their super-power for good encourages empathy. Make a worry jar For children that need help coping with anxiety, this is a great exercise that provides a tangible way to verbalise and control their worries. Find a glass or plastic jar, give your child some colourful paints or stickers and help them decorate it, and then label the jar. Work with your child to write down all their worries on strips of paper, place them in the jar for safe-keeping, and schedule ‘worry time.’ During your set ‘worry time’ – which can be after school or in the afternoon, but not right before bed – allow your child to open the jar, add some worries to it, or take some out to talk about with you. Use open-ended questions to help guide your child’s thinking, encouraging them to find solutions to their problems. To help your child learn the skill of compartmentalising, stick within a given timeframe for ‘worry time’. Having an end to this dedicated exercise also allows your child to move forward, even if something is bothering them. If your child finds that worries creep in during the day – as is natural for many of us – have them write it down and save it for worry time. You might find that your child doesn’t want to worry on a certain day, or has none – celebrate this – and even better, if something is no longer causing anxiety, find it in the jar and throw it away. Find the gifts Whether your family has been in a self-imposed lockdown, school has been closed, or parents have been working from home, work with your child to find the ‘gifts’ in your ‘pandemic situation.’ Ask your child to snap some pictures or make a video of the things that they have enjoyed or found special. This could be something as simple as being home with beloved pets, sleeping in late because of online school, or afternoon bike rides with dad. By shifting the focus onto positive things, children are encouraged to create their own narrative in a space or time that might be very difficult for them. You might find it helpful to print out the pictures and stick them on your child’s bedroom wall as an encouraging reminder of the things that they find joy in. Whatever tools you choose to assist your child in growing their social and emotional skills, the most important thing is to be there with them, actively engaging and showing them your love and care. Sometimes our children have feelings they can’t explain – that’s okay, so do adults – be their safe space and journey with them on figuring things out together.

August 5, 2021

TESOL – What is it and do you need it?

TESOL (Teaching English to Students of Other Languages) or TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) is a teaching certificate that qualifies you for teaching English to speakers of foreign languages. It is a course that allows anyone, regardless of their previous qualifications or fields, to have the ability to teach students – with the main requirement being that you are a native English speaker. However, is this qualification worth it and what should you choose? Important TESOL information Largely, the TESOL certification is very unregulated – with anyone able to advertise and offer TESOL courses without it being regulated or without them having an accredited TESOL course. This can lead to many people joining a course and receiving a certificate that is NOT internationally recognised. When choosing the TESOL course, try look out for the following: Pricing. Does it seem too good to be true/much less than any other services provided? Proper accredited TESOL courses do not come cheap – most of the time certificates have to be sent from overseas to South Africa and externally moderated before being granted. Accreditations. Ask the service provider who they are accredited with if you can’t find any details and check if the company is an actual TESOL course accreditor. This is very important as most times this is what foreign employers will look for. A certificate that does not have any accreditation or standing will seem very unreliable to future employers regardless of how good the course was. Beware of pop-up courses or schools. You should only consider TESOL institutes that have had a good number of students who recommend the course and that has been around for some time. It is not to say that there are no new schools that are accredited, but always be sure they are correctly accredited! Try choose the 140 hour course over the 120 hour course. The difference between the 2 is simply that the 120 hour course is JUST assignments and course materials. It does not include any teaching practice. The 140 hour course is the same content, but includes the extra 20 hours of teaching practice. This is generally better received by employers as they know you then have some sort of experience in a classroom vs. none. What are the prerequisites to studying TESOL? This varies from institution but most institutes require at least a matric certificate. You need to have completed high school studies in order do TESOL. The second pre-requisite is that you are a fluent / native English speaker. It should however be noted, that when applying for a job overseas, TESOL alone will not usually be their only pre-requisite. Most international schools in addition to TESOL also require completion of a tertiary education degree – at least an undergraduate degree but some also require up to honors level. Be sure to check with the program / country / place you are seeking employment at all the requirements they have. Naturally, if you are planning on teaching, a teachers degree or qualification is favoured over others. Who should get a TESOL degree? This is a difficult question to answer but in general it is best for people who are looking to immigrate to a foreign country. In this respect it is useful for matriculants or graduates who aren’t sure if they want to stay in South Africa, or for adults who are looking to relocate but are worried about finding employment overseas with their current qualification / job. If you are planning on staying in South Africa, TESOL will not be as useful a qualification and it will be very difficult (not impossible) to find a teaching job just on TESOL alone. This is the general rule with any English-speaking country. There will always be exceptions, but it is not the rule. This is because TESOL is to teach non-english speakers English – it won’t qualify you to teach any other subject locally or abroad. For people wanting to immigrate to non-English speaking countries, particularly European and Asian countries, then TESOL is an exceptional way to get your foot in the door of employment with many countries requiring TESOL as the main requirement for employment. Of course – it does always help if teaching is also a career path you are interested in pursuing. In general, the certificate itself never expires once passed – and as it is an internationally recognised qualification, if you have a young matriculant or graduate in your family, the course is worthwhile in helping them have foreign opportunities in addition to their qualifications. Why study TESOL with Fluent Panda? If you’ve decided TESOL is for you, then the next step is to register – and Fluent Panda Language School offers one of the best TESOL courses for the following reasons: INTERNATIONALLY ACCREDITED. Our TESOL courses are internationally accredited by the TESOL committee based in the United Kingdom. Certificates are internationally sent and assignments are externally moderated. This has led to many our students being granted jobs in foreign countries easily. 120 and 140 HOUR COURSES AVAILABLE We offer both the 120 hour and 140 hour course in order to complete your certification. IN CLASS OR SELF STUDY OPTIONS AVAILABLE Fluent Panda allows you the choice – you can choose to self study the course material and hand in assignments in your own time or have a teacher led class where the material will be taught to you FLEXIBLE STUDY HOURS We are aware life is busy and not everyone is able to commit to a 120 hours or 140 in class in order to complete their course. This is why we offer self study options where students can learn the material in their own time with certification being granted upon completion and marking of assignments. FURTHER STUDYING AVAILABLE In addition to this, Fluent Panda also has accredited courses in Business English for those requiring it for their employers or further self-development.

August 4, 2021

No mid-years? No problem. How to make the best of extra Matric teaching time

The Matric mid-year exams normally provide a valuable opportunity for Grade 12s to get in the right frame of mind for their all-important final exams later in the year, and for them to get a good idea of how far they’ve come and how much ground still needs to be covered. However the Department of Basic Education has announced that the Matric mid-year exams will once again fall away this year as a result of the impact of Covid, lockdowns and other mitigation measures, to allow for additional teaching time so that Matrics can complete the whole curriculum. An education expert says while it is unfortunate that Matrics will once again lose the opportunity to write an official mid-year exam as a result of our current circumstances, Matrics can, with the right approach, turn this negative into a positive and use the extra time to their advantage. “Unfortunately, like the Class of 2020 before them, the Class of 2021 are again facing the most important year of their school careers under very difficult and unusual circumstances,” says Nola Payne, Head of Faculty: Information and Communications Technology at The Independent Institute of Education, SA’s largest and most accredited private higher education provider. “As pointed out by Minister Angie Motshekga, many Grade 12s would have lost as much as 60% of teaching time this year, on top of the fact that they didn’t finish last year’s curriculum. Additionally, they also had to sacrifice holiday time to make up for lost teaching days. All things considered, it is clear that this year’s Matrics are again under a lot of strain, and being called upon to perform to the best of their ability under rather difficult circumstances,” says Payne. However there are ways in which they can mitigate the impact of their circumstances, and ensure they make as much as possible with what they do have available before sitting for their final exams later this year, she says. “It is important to realise that you are not alone, and that it is okay to not feel okay all the time. But then also to make the choice that you are going to do the best that you can with the resources and support you do have available, and even to get a little creative in the process,” says Payne. STEP ONE: MAKE THE BEST OF TEACHING TIME “Get as much as possible from your contact classes, and be sure to do all you can to grasp key concepts. If you don’t understand something, keep asking for assistance and clarification until you do. If you are studying at home and you find there is something you don’t understand, keep a list of questions to ask your teachers when you are back in class again. “Don’t just move on to the next thing and think you are going to come back to challenging work later – steadfastly build on your knowledge so that you can continue with confidence.” STEP TWO: TAKE CARE OF YOUR MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL WELLBEING Matric is a tough year even under normal circumstances. This year’s Matrics didn’t only have to face the unprecedented challenges of last year, but have now had to contend with an environment filled with uncertainty, unusual requirements such as masking and interrupted teaching time, and fear of the future for close on a year and a half. “Unfortunately, things didn’t return to normal at the strike of midnight on December 31 2020, and the tough times continue to this day. The events of the past year have left their mark on the psyches of all, and Matrics should understand that it is okay to not be okay given the circumstances. “So if you are feeling overwhelmed or anxious, recognise and acknowledge this fact, and reach out to a trusted adult for support and assistance. Try to look after your physical wellbeing as much as possible, by getting enough sleep, fresh air, and exercise if you are up to it. When things get too much, take a timeout, practise deep breathing, and return to the task at hand when you are feeling better.” STEP 3: GET CREATIVE WITH YOUR LEARNING Payne says that even though most Matrics in South Africa won’t be writing their mid-year exams, anyone can still set up their own mock exams – alone or with friends. “Make a fun activity of it, by getting past exam papers from your school library, your teacher or online, and simulate an exam environment. Sit down with your clock and all the supplies necessary, and pretend you are in fact writing an exam within the allotted time. “This will give you a good framework from which to proceed with your learning, because you’ll be able to see whether you need to work faster, get a feel for the different formats of questions, and also insight into which work requires additional attention. After completing the paper, you and your study partners can go over the questions together, which is an additional learning opportunity.” STEP 4: FIND AND USE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Last year, and continuing this year, the national and provincial education departments ensured that they loaded a host of additional resources on their websites – from exam and study tips to past papers and other resources. Additionally, the public broadcaster regularly schedules lectures which can be viewed for free. “Look further than just your own province’s website and see whether you can find additional resources on the websites of education departments in other provinces,” says Payne. “There is also a myriad of videos on YouTube which can assist with those subjects or concepts in which you need additional help.” STEP 5: KEEP THE END GOAL IN MIND Things are tough right now, and the circumstances not ideal for performing at your best. However, by keeping the future in mind and connecting that to your daily efforts, you’ll be able to keep the momentum while building on the small victories of each day, says Payne “Always remember what you are

July 15, 2021

Grade R – 12 textbooks and teacher’s guides

Optimi Publishing provides lesson material and books to over 150 schools. Here’s how Optimi Publishing can help you save time and money. Our books include the outcomes for each lesson. Our teacher’s guides include the annual planning for the year. Our assessments have already been moderated and can be used as is. Our lesson material allows learners to complete the work in their workbooks, saving money on printing costs and buying extra workbooks. Optimi booksfor Grades R to 12 Optimi Publishing develops lesson material for the Optimi Group including study guides, workbooks, and additional aids, with thorough teacher’s guides to facilitate learning. Our range of books are suitable for use in school or at home and covers a wide range of CAPS-aligned subject content for the Foundation-, Intermediate-, and Senior Phases, as well as further education. Development Over the years, we have refined our development processes and learned what works best for our learners. Our benchmark study- and teacher’s guides are based on the latest insights from the learning sciences. A team of education specialists, teachers, moderators, editors, and designers ensures that every aspect of the learning journey is considered. Our material provides learners and teachers with individualised guidance and empowers them to achieve their learning goals. What makes our books unique? Year plans to guide and track individualised learning, which allow learners to work at their own pace Easy-to-each daily lessons for the whole year, with easy navigation through lessons Comprehensive explanations of concepts in simple language Strategic use of colour, pictures, and graphs to reduce cognitive load Relevant content with real-life examples Learning activities are aimed at making progress visible and mastering content Interactive and practical activities that make use of everyday objects to help learners master concepts Exercises to test learners’ knowledge application and reasoning Activities during and at the end of each lesson to prompt reflection and recall Activity types are mixed to include both recent and older subject matter Language subjects include texts for comprehension exercises, speeches, and reading The teacher’s guides for Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy include step-by-step calculations and answers Get in Touch with Optimi Publishing [email protected] 087 405 2244

July 8, 2021

When to start applying at universities abroad

Matric students who want to study in the United States and United Kingdom next year need to start preparing their applications now. With global admission trends showing a record increase in applicants for the class of 2025, students competing for places at top universities abroad will be facing a tough admissions environment. “When it comes to applying to top universities, there’s no such thing as being too prepared. Ideally, you should give your application at least an 18-month lead time, but matrics who are only starting to think about their applications now, still have a chance of gaining admission – provided they stick to deadlines,” says Rebecca Pretorius, Country Manager at Crimson Education, a global mentorship company, which focuses on building the candidacy of high school students wanting to study at top-ranked universities in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. According to data collected by Crimson Education, the 2020/2021 admissions season saw applications to universities increase by 30%. In the US, new standardised test policies meant that SAT(Scholastic Aptitude Test), and ACT (American College Testing) scores were not required for even Ivy-league schools, resulting in a huge jump in application numbers. At the same time, universities saw a 7% drop in admission rates overall, due to the number of students who had deferred their offers as a result of COVID-19 in the previous year. With the extension of test-optional policies at top universities, turbulent admissions are predicted to persist into the 2021/2022 admissions cycle. With applications for international universities opening as early as August, students need to be mindful that the application process for studying abroad takes up a lot of time. “A key component of the application process is deciding which universities to apply to. In between juggling Grade 12 exams and activities, and making decisions about courses, majors, and future careers, students will also need to sit for admissions tests, write personal statements, supplementary essays, and in some cases activity lists,” says Pretorius. Pretorius breaks down an admissions roadmap for US/UK admissions in 2022, for those who haven’t started yet: May 2021 – Familiarise yourself with the application process and research the universities you want to apply to. You should have a good idea of the various, course, accommodation deadlines, and fee requirements. July 2021 – Finalise your course and university choices and start your personal statement and essay writing. Secure your letters of recommendation from your teachers. June to September 2021 – Register and prepare for standardised admission tests including the SAT, the ACT for the US, the BMAT (BioMedical Admissions Test) for UK Medicine courses, and LNAT (Law National Aptitude Test) for applications to UK Law, among others. October 2021 to November 2021 – Submit applications to Oxford/Cambridge and UK medicine courses, and Early Action/Early Decision applications for US universities. December 2021 to January 2022 – Submit your Regular Decision applications by 1 to 15 January. Prepare for personal/video interviews which take place between January and March. December 2021 to April 2022 – Get your results! Once you’ve received your offer from a university, get the paperwork ready, apply for your student visa, book your flights, and you’re off! Through a team mentorship model, Crimson connects learners with admission strategists and tutors to assist them with the complex application process for overseas universities. In 2021, over 800 Crimson students received offers to the top 10 UK universities, with over 2 200 receiving offers to the top 50 US universities. Crimson offers regular online workshops and webinars to provide local students with information on how to apply internationally. For more information, visit www.crimsoneducation.org/za.

June 28, 2021

Choosing Agricultural Sciences & Agricultural Management Practices – everything you need to know

In a brand-new blog series, we will be exploring the various subjects offered by Impaq in the FET Phase (Grades 10 – 12). We spoke to education specialist Janet Zandberg and Impaq alumnus Carla Botha to learn more about Agricultural Sciences and Agricultural Management Practices as subjects. Agricultural Sciences vs Agricultural Management Practices While choosing subjects in Grade 9, many learners are unsure of the difference between Agricultural Sciences and Agricultural Management Practices. We asked Zandberg to explain the differences between these two subjects below. Agricultural Sciences “Agricultural Sciences (AGS) is a science,” Zandberg says. It is the study of the relationship between soils, plants, and animals in the production and processing of food, fibre, fuel, and other agricultural commodities with economic, aesthetic, and cultural value. Zandberg says that Agricultural Sciences is a subject that can be used when a learner wants to go to university to study for a bachelor’s degree or a diploma. Agricultural Sciences contains content such as: soil sciences, basic agricultural chemistry, animal nutrition, animal reproduction, and genetics. Agricultural Management Practices “Agricultural Management Practices (AMP) is a more practical subject,” Zandberg explains. It is the study and application of production, economic, and management principles used in the cultivation, transformation, and marketing of food and other agricultural products. Learners who take Agricultural Management Practices must complete a practical assessment task (PAT) on a farm for 40 hours in Grade 10, 11 and 12. Agricultural Management Practices contains content such as: crop production and management, animal management practices, plant reproduction, farm planning, and production management. “If a learner loves farming and animals, Agricultural Management Practices is a better choice,” Zandberg says. farming is a possible career option, Agricultural Management Practices will be the best choice,” Zandberg says. “For further study, Agricultural Sciences will be the best choice,” she adds. Life is better on the farm Carla Botha, who has been studying through Impaq since Grade 1, says that she had no doubt about the subjects she wanted to choose when making subject choices in Grade 9. “For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a farmer,” Botha explains. When she learned that Impaq offered two agricultural subjects in the FET Phase, she was overjoyed. “When the time came to choose my subjects there was no doubt that I would take both,” she adds. Completing her practical assessment tasks in Agricultural Management Practices was the highlight of Botha’s school year, three years in a row. “Getting to document every aspect of ‘my farm’ was so much fun. I had an excuse to take over 500 photos of everything farm related,” she explains. Botha also enjoyed the depth of the lesson material when it came to Agricultural Sciences. “The knowledge I obtained helps me in my everyday work,” she explains. Also read: How to easily complete practical subjects through home education What you plant now, you will harvest later Both Agricultural Sciences and Agricultural Management Practices requires hard work to complete the subjects successfully. “In both subjects, learners will have to put in a lot of effort,” Zandberg says. Agricultural Sciences Zandberg advises learners to only take Agricultural Sciences if they plan on going to a university or college for further training. “It is a challenging subject and must not be underestimated,” Zandberg says. Botha agrees and says that she had difficulty with the chemistry aspect of the subject in Grade 11. “This was my first encounter with chemistry, and I dreadfully struggled to master this part of the subject,” she explains. While taking Mathematics with Agricultural Sciences is not compulsory, Mathematics will be a requirement if a learner wants to study BSc Agricultural or Veterinary Sciences after completing Grade 12. Top tip: Ensure that you know what the requirements are for further study at tertiary institutions. Also read: How to change a learner’s perception of difficulty to achieve success Agricultural Management Practices Zandberg explains that if learners take Agricultural Management Practices, they will need access to a farm to complete their practical assessments tasks (PATs) successfully. “Learners must be part of the practical activities on a farm or an active production enterprise for at least 40 hours per year,” Zandberg says. A farmer or veterinarian must assess the PAT. If the assessor is a farmer, the farmer must have been operating the farming enterprise for at least five (5) years. If the assessor is a veterinarian, their qualification, practice number, and the number of years they have operated their practice must be submitted along with the PAT. Botha says that with Agricultural Management Practices, she did not struggle with the lesson material as it was her favourite subject. “There were a few of the assignments that were out of season for my area, Vanrhynsdorp in the Western Cape, and it brought forth a bit of a challenge but nevertheless it was fun,” Botha explains. Top tip: Ensure that you have access to a farm when choosing Agricultural Management Practices as a subject. Leaders in the field Agricultural Sciences and Agricultural Management Practices prepares learners for entry into further studies for a possible career in a variety of fields (pun intended). Typical career paths for Agricultural Sciences include: a veterinarian or veterinarian assistant, agricultural researcher, soil researcher, a career in animal or plant studies, and a biologist. Typical career paths for Agricultural Management Practices include practical work such as: farming, farm management, managing different plant crops, and caring for farm animals. Working in acres, not in hours Since Botha graduated as the top Impaq learner in Agricultural Sciences and Agricultural Management Practices in 2019, she has been working as a farm manager. “My focus has primarily been on animal health and reproduction,” Botha says. She, however, has ambitions to become a mega farmer. Also read: Life after matric – guiding your child during this next chapter Her advice to other young aspiring farmers is to work hard every day. “Use as many previous papers as possible when studying and use more than one study method

June 24, 2021

14-year-old mental health advocate Jess Robus shines a light on youth mental health in her inspiring debut book

A FEW SLIVERS OF LIGHT A collection of poetry By Jess Robus With a maturity that belies her 14-years, vibrant Jess Robus is already a singer, songwriter, debater and musical theatre aficionado. On 3 June 2021, she added ‘published author’ and ‘published poet’ to those accolades, with the release of her debut book A Few Slivers of Light, now available for purchase online on Amazon, on her own website or via PayStack. A Few Slivers of Light is a beautifully-written, vulnerable and emotive collection of poems of a teenager’s journey with anxiety and depression. Author Jess Robus hopes she will inspire other teens and young adults to speak up about their struggles and to reach parents who might have children experiencing these challenges. With May having just been Mental Health Awareness Month and June being Youth Month, there is no better time for Jess to release her poetry collection for the world to see. Starting to write poetry at the tender of age 8, Jess chose this medium as a means for her to process the world around her. Jess explains; “I’ve always loved writing, and poetry in particular I’ve found to be a very engaging medium both from the perspective of the reader and the writer. It’s an art form that can so eloquently capture emotions and thoughts and enables me to deal with them and process them constructively. Publishing this book is a way for me to share my struggles and recovery and hopefully show others that they are not alone.” Award-winning author & poet, Raashida Khan has written the Foreward to the book. An excerpt of that Foreward captures the essence of the book; “A few Slivers of Light is more than a collection of beautiful and evocative poetry. It is a revelation. An insight into the psyche of a young woman walking her journey of life while dealing with challenges, both internal and external. Jess Robus displays insight and talent that belie her young age. Her writing journey mirrors her personal journey so that as readers, we are drawn in and are captured by the turn of phrase, use of words, and interesting take on writing style. The imagery used in her descriptions are sometimes startling, but always concise and targeted. Jess fearlessly invites us to experience her thoughts, feelings and emotions in the most intimate way. That takes courage and is inspiring to see in one so young. As readers, we are more than observers being given a glimpse of the depths of despair and heights of triumph. The poems speak to the heart, mind and soul of the reader, taking us into deep recesses of our own consciousness.” Mental health and awareness around it is very important to Jess. She went through a two-year depressed anxiety spiral and has witnessed the struggles that her friends and fellow teenagers have experienced with their own mental health. Her poetry book as well as some of her music, chronicles her own journey of accepting and constructively dealing with the challenges she has faced. With A Few Slivers of Light, she gets to share her story and reassure others that whatever they may be going through, they are not alone. Jess is often asked what motivates her to put her thoughts into poetry; an unconventional medium for teenagers. She responds; “In terms of self-expression, poetry is honest, raw and real. It can truly capture the emotions of a moment and in doing so helps me to recognise them, express them and deal with them.” Jess had her guests captivated at her book launch held in Johannesburg on 3 June. Family, friends and members of the media were mesmerised as she shared her poetry with the group. This captivating teenager showed maturity beyond her years as she answered question after question by convenor Raashida Khan and then the audience. Says Jess; “It was really such a wonderful experience to get to share the book and my thoughts with people and to see how many are passionate about normalising discussions about mental health. If I can reach just one person and let them know that their feelings are real and valid and that they are not alone, then this book will have accomplished its purpose.” Jess concludes; “I’m so excited for my poetry to be out in the world and for people to have the opportunity to read it. I’m hopeful they’ll find some meaning from it.” A Few Slivers of Light is self-published, and now available for purchase online on Amazon, via Jess Robus’s website or via PayStack Follow Jess Robus on Social Media Website Instagram Facebook YouTube Wattpad JCDuValier For interview and photo requests, please contact Collett Dawson from The CoLab Network on [email protected] Publicity Photographs courtesy of Vivid Images Photography

June 23, 2021

How to cope with school closures amidst the third wave

As the number of COVID-19 cases continues its upward trend, more stringent lockdown regulations could follow, including the closure of schools and a return to more regular remote learning. Several schools have already taken the step to start closing partially or fully amid community or localised outbreaks. In addition, many parents may be taking their children out of school in a bid to protect themselves. For many parents, especially homeschoolers, this is familiar territory by now, but for others, they may need some extra advice on how to cope with learning at home. We look at five tips on how to cope with school closures. Talk about the current situation Firstly, have a conversation with your children to make sure that they are calm and understand what is going on regarding the current situation. By now, many children may have a better grip of this situation. However, it’s still important to try to reduce any possible anxiety while also communicating that learning will now occur at home for the next few weeks. Also read: How to help a child struggling with (coronavirus) anxiety Supplement learning with e-learning If your child’s school has handed out learning packs, make sure you have them on hand. If possible, look through the lesson material and search the internet to see if there are ways to supplement the learning topics with e-learning. There are many providers out there who offer free e-books. One local South African example is this e-book library from Optimi Classroom, which consists of 45 000 free e-books Stay organised Being organised is critical. Make a schedule that you and your children agree to and stick to it. You don’t have to follow a strict timetable to complete academic work throughout this period, but having a plan does help. If you need assistance with setting up a timetable, we have put together this simple daily schedule to guide you and your children with staying on track during school closures. Bear in mind that you might not be able to stick to a timetable if someone in your household is sick, needs to return to work, or do other activities. Your child will then have to adapt the schedule and complete the academic work at another time. However, even loosely sticking to a timetable will help everyone know what is expected while ensuring that learning takes place. Also read: Ten tips to help you cope with school closures Exercise It’s also critical to ensure your children engage in physical activities such as playing in the garden or even going for walks. You can add playtime into your timetable as a reward for completing academic work. Apart from this, you can also encourage your children to participate in hobbies or even certain extracurricular activities, where it is deemed safe from a social distancing perspective. Also read: Why exercise is important for good academic results Hire a tutor Finally, if you feel you need extra help and resources, look to credible homeschooling providers out there that follow the CAPS curriculum. Homeschooling providers, such as Impaq, can offer a structured approach to learning and guidance on what to teach and when. Learners can also continue their learning journey at home amidst school closures when registering with a home education provider. Plus, you do not have to do it alone. There are independent tutors across the country who can meet virtually to help guide you and your children during this time. Calling in a tutor is also a great option when you have children in multiple grades or at different levels; the tutor can work with one child while you help another. In addition, tutors are also a valuable resource for more challenging subjects, especially in the higher grades. by Louise Schoonwinkel, MD of Optimi Home

June 18, 2021

They’re back! How to make the best of (Covid-safe) Open Days

In coming weeks, several higher education institutions will again start hosting on-site Open Days following the virtual events held last year during the height of the Covid pandemic. But although these events will once more be held in-person, prospective students are urged to register as soon as possible, given that numbers will be limited due to Covid safety regulations. “Those who are serious about furthering their studies next year, and are investigating all their options regarding what the best qualification will be for them, and where they should study, will benefit tremendously from being able to attend these Open Days,” says Peter Kriel, General Manager at The Independent Institute of Education, SA’s largest and most accredited private higher education institution. Kriel says it is more important than ever before to carefully consider one’s options, given how the world of work has changed in the past year, and also because Covid and lockdowns really highlighted which institutions were able to continue delivering the highest quality academic excellence without losing academic days. Prospective students attending Open Days should specifically ask the question about how the learning experience was maintained during the lockdowns, says Kriel, given that it is not out of the question that there may be disruptions to in-person teaching again in future. “The days are long gone where Matrics and those who want to pursue a post-graduate qualification had to do little more than sign up at any university for a popular or traditionally prestigious degree. Anyone who wants to go study now, must ensure they are very clear about the connection their chosen qualification will have to real-world opportunities in a few years’ time, as well as the institution’s ability to continue in the face of external challenges,” says Kriel. He says the first step prospective students need to take, is to find the websites of respected private or public universities and higher education institutions, and then find details of upcoming Open Days. Then they need to register to attend at a number of institutions, so that they can compare their experiences of the campuses and their various offerings before making a decision. “The point of Open Days is to help prospective students make informed choices. Furthering your education is a significant investment of money and time, so the more you do your research before you embark on your future path, the more likely you are to make a success of your studies,” he says. While much of the investigations into further studies can be done online, attending Open Days gives young people the opportunity to speak to Student Advisors face-to-face, to view and experience campus facilities, to get a taste of campus life, and to speak to current students. Usually, Open Days include career and qualification guidance, campus tours, overviews of sport and social activities, and residence options. Kriel says those who are still uncertain about what path they want to pursue, can gain some clarity by speaking to Student Advisors. “They will be able to help you match your passions and strengths to those qualifications – some of which you may not yet even have heard of – that will put you on a path to a successful career in future. “Very importantly, you also need to ask Student Advisors about the role work-integrated learning plays in the institution’s qualifications, because employers today need to see that a new appointment is able to get the job done from day one, and won’t need months of training to align their academic knowledge to the actual day-to-day demands of the job.” Open Days also allow prospective students to get a broad overview of careers and career opportunities, as well as the details of the logistics that lie ahead should they decide to apply. “Matrics should not leave the decision about what to study and where until after their exams, or, even worse, until after they receive their results next year,” says Kriel. “Open Days provide a great, fun, and non-pressured opportunity to explore your options, and clarify and commit to the road ahead. Getting your plans for next year out of the way sooner rather than later will go a long way toward relieving your anxiety about the future in coming months, which will leave you with more of the mental and emotional energy you’ll need to make a success of your exams.”

June 11, 2021

Choosing a school — does size matter?

At this time of year, many parents are considering which school is the best fit for their child as they move from pre-primary into their primary school years. Ultimately, it is about the right fit for your child, as well as your personal views on educational methods, differences in ethos from school to school, and differences in facilities and services provided by the school. Covid19 has seen an increase in homeschooling and cottage schools as some parents opt for a smaller school environment. Some children thrive in a more intimate space, while others prefer the more traditional school system. Kairos School of Inquiry believes that, when life at school is happy and meaningful, children are able to go out and have a positive impact into the world. Based in Parkview, Gauteng, Kairos is a proud member of “small school movement”. They provide a full primary school service from Grade R to Grade7, and graduates flourish in a wide variety of mainstream, upmarket high schools around Joburg. Currently accommodating 42 children, Kairos will always be a small school, growing gradually to 80 in the future. Along with its ideals around its unique mix of Nonviolent Communication (NVC), inquiry based learning, integrated studies and whole-brain learning, Kairos enjoys the advantage of being small. Kairos head teacher ,Marc Loon , offers some insight into choosing a small school for your child. “Choosing a small school comes with advantages and disadvantages. Certainly, the economy of scale of a large school creates more choices of in-house extramural activities, and a small school requires more involvement from parents compared to larger schools. Fortunately, there are many significant advantages to compensate for the disadvantages,” says Marc. He offers four advantages of sending a child to a small school. 1. Relationships between children Small schools create closer relationships between people. When everyone knows everyone, the consequent emotional safety nurtures self-assurance. There is an inevitable friendliness in the social atmosphere. Also, in a small school, children are obliged to befriend children different to themselves, improving social skills such as tact and awareness of difference (unlike the norm of grade-specific friendships and social cliques in large schools). “At Kairos, friendships between grades are the norm, since everyone is implicitly pressed to get along with everyone else,” says Marc. “Moreover, tensions and conflicts are more easily addressed and resolved in a small school. This in turn brings about improved self-awareness in individuals and deep social harmony in the school community.” 2. Teacher-pupil relationships A similar principle applies with teacher-pupil relationships. Every child knows each staff member, and sees them as full human beings, not merely a repository of knowledge and test results. Teachers know each child in the school, the implications of which are educationally significant: all teachers can contribute collaboratively to a deep understanding of each pupil — including their whole school experience as well as their biographical background and home context. “Although some parents prefer the anonymity of the latter, this deeper knowledge of our children’s lives invariably enhances the educational effectiveness of the classroom,” continues Marc. 3. Systemic innovativeness and flexibility A small school means sudden changes are more possible than in a large school, for any change will affect fewer people. Taking advantage of opportunities that present themselves at short notice has huge educational value. “Our flexibility has been essential to much of our educational success in general, for innovations such as, inter alia, our ‘Rosses’ school currency and the associated weekly Market Day, our annual Cardboard Challenge, Partner Projects, our Pop-Up School days, our whole school birthday blessings and many other incidental experiences. These types of innovations would normally need to be planned long in advance in larger schools, but we can adapt easily to the need at the time. A small school enables us to be open to opportunities at hand, and maintains innovativeness as a sustained aspect of our small school,” says Marc. 4. Greater individual agency Linked closely with our innovativeness and flexibility, a small school also implies greater agency for individuals — both teachers and pupils. From a purely statistical perspective, each individual is a more significant member of the community than in a larger school community. Kairos’s size (combined with our particular ethos) allows teachers and pupils to consider new possibilities for innovation. The self-confidence, initiative and personal sense of agency children are encouraged to acquire in a small school such as ours has profound educational value for their futures. Acquiring such qualities are intrinsic to a small school, and such qualities are particularly relevant to the future requirements of society. In 2016, the World Economic Forum embarked on a study of what competencies and character qualities will be important for students to acquire in preparation for the rapidly changing society of their adulthoods. The “competencies” and “character qualities” are more likely acquired in a small school environment than a large one. “Certainly, it is not guaranteed that all small schools will achieve these educational objectives, but a small school community makes it more likely. In a large school, certain individuals will shine above the rest for reasons related to their academic and sports performance, or their innate capacity for social leadership. In a small school, everyone tends to shine — the particular “genius” in each individual child tends to be more noticeable in a small school community. And when the community values qualities in an individual, those individuals tend to value those qualities in themselves too,” concluded Marc. Admissions for 2022 are open. If you would like a tour, or more information, please contact Kairos on 011 646 6221 or [email protected].

June 2, 2021

Youth Month: Tackle Illiteracy One Book At A Time

With June being Youth Month, READ Educational Trust encourages all South Africans not to turn the page on our children’s fundamental freedom to learn and access to reading and literacy. For READ Educational Trust, a non-profit organisation that has spent nearly four decades promoting literacy among the poorest of the poor, this month is all about sharing in the love and value of books and empowering Early Childhood Development (ECD) caregivers with the tools required to teach little ones how to read with confidence. 1 Children who have never been exposed to the magic of books might perceive reading as boring, mundane, and futile. They don’t realise the beautiful impact that reading has on their brains, lifestyle, and future. READ is determined to change that. While you can’t judge a book by its cover, you can play a tangible role in shaping a child’s success by teaching them how to read and, in turn, cultivating a deep love for literature and books. And this starts at grassroots. Learning to decipher the code of how we use symbols to represent spoken language is a big part of why children go to school. They learn the distinctions between “b” and “d,” or “p” and “q.” They read about pirates, pigs, and pixies, as well as earthquakes and igloos, as they advance from letters and syllables to words and sentences. The possibilities are endless once children have “cracked the code”. This is the delight of being initiated into the world of literacy.2 As famed children author, Dr. Seuss so simply put it, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” Whether you were a fan of Alexander And The Terrible, Frog And Toad Are Friends, or Fantastic Mr. Fox, when you were a child, there’s no doubt that your favourite book helped to shape your creativity and imagination in some form or another. Books open doors into dreams of a world without limitations, and those dreams can inspire action to change the world as it is. Aside from magic in the act of reading itself, benefits of early reading habits for children include :3 Supported cognitive development Improved language skills Preparation for academic success Increased concentration and discipline Improved imagination and creativity Cultivating a lifelong love of reading While one would think that being able to read and write in today’s modern world is little more than being able to breathe, this is sadly far from the truth. More than half (58%) of South African children do not learn to read fluently and with comprehension in any language by the end of grade four, according to nationally representative surveys. A staggering 29% are completely illiterate.4 READ has successfully addressed some of these issues over the years, thanks to the implementation of ECD Programmes that assist caregivers, educators, and principals of ECD Centres in overcoming our country’s challenges. READ also provides practical training, hands-on support, and valuable resources that have been highly effective. The need, however, is both dire and vast. It takes time, dedication, a well-designed formula, and creative resources to instil a reading culture. A collective effort can change the face of South Africa. The only way to succeed is for governments, non-profit organisations, big businesses, and private individuals to stand together and do all they can to combat illiteracy by actively promoting and funding reading and educational incentives. What better time to act than during Youth Month? The message is loud and clear: Reading is fun, relevant, exciting, and has the power to transform lives! If you give a child a book and gift them with the skills to read it, you are giving them not just the world, but the universe, which is infinite in possibilities. Visit http://www.read.org.za/ to find out more and join the conversations on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/READEduTrust/, Twitter: https://twitter.com/READEduTrust, Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/read_educational_trust/.

June 2, 2021

Top universities seek ‘supercurricular’ students

South African students with dreams of studying at top universities abroad are swapping out traditional extracurriculars for ‘supercurriculars’ – activities that explore a student’s main area of interest and show a real-world impact. With steep competition from every corner of the globe, investing time in activities that go beyond normal schoolwork, both in and outside of the traditional classroom, can help local students to stand out among the best when applying internationally. “The ‘super’ in ‘supercurriculars’ talks to both achievement level and choice of activities. It’s important for students targeting top universities to not only have activities in their field of interest, but also high-level achievements on a national and even international level, in order to be competitive enough for spots at top universities, particularly in the United States,” says Rebecca Pretorius, Country Manager at global mentorship company Crimson Education. Ivy League and equivalent universities expect more than top grades and standard extracurriculars. “While academics remain a priority, students need to understand that all candidates applying to these universities have top marks. Supercurriculars give students an opportunity to demonstrate aptitude in key subjects, show commitment to their area of interest, and highlight their achievements at every level,” says Pretorius. Taking significant coursework outside of the local curriculum, such as additional A-level subjects or Advanced Placement (AP) courses, can help local students meet the expectations of admissions officers at Ivy League and similar top universities and compete with other international students. Students can also look at conducting independent research in their chosen field. “Overall, students should aim for depth, not just breadth. This means putting their focus into one or two main activities, and three to four secondary ones. South Africa has a strong culture of doing a wide range of extracurriculars. While a well-rounded list of activities is good, local students have room to improve when it comes to picking extracurriculars in their specific field of interest and looking further than traditional school activities,” says Pretorius. Beyond the classroom and the sports field, students can apply for internships or job shadowing opportunities, take online courses that interest them or teach them new skills, read books in their subject field, or implement an innovative leadership project. Putting in many hours of volunteering or participating in community service projects, while valuable, is less important than a focused effort to run an independent initiative that shows measurable change. Crimson Education is a global EdTech company which focuses on building the candidacy of high school students wanting to study at top-ranked universities in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia/NZ. Through a team mentorship model, learners connect with admission strategists and tutors to assist them with the complex application process for overseas universities. Crimson, which launched in South Africa in 2018, offers regular information evenings and workshops around the country. For more information, visit www.crimsoneducation.org/za.

May 21, 2021

Education interrupted : time to talk about the future of our children

It is easy for middle- and upper-class South Africans with access to schools that can accommodate social distancing and Covid protocols to begin to believe that, on the whole, except for the inconveniences of screening, masks and sanitation, education is returning to normal. However nothing could be further from the truth, an education expert says. “Those of us with means are called to focus on the cost – the long-term cost and impact – to the children in South Africa. It is not dramatic to say that for most of the children ‘regular’ schooling has yet to resume,” says Dr Felicity Coughlan, Director at The Independent Institute of Education, SA’s largest and most accredited private higher education provider. Dr Coughlan says that while schools and educators are doing the best they can, often with limited resources, too many children, including those in reasonable well-resourced public schools, are still attending school on a rotation basis instead of full-time, because of space constraints and the inability to ensure social distancing. “It is understood that children learn less when stressed and that in periods of social and civil unrest they are impacted not only by their lack of access to school, but also by what happens when they are at school and the ongoing and pervasive sense of uncertainty.” This is where all our children are impacted. The learning conditions all children face are not optimal for the confidence and calm needed to learn best. “We have a collective responsibility as society to think about and act upon this situation,” she says. Some of the challenges we face are less obvious than others. On the matter of masks, for instance, science is very clear that they are a major weapon in the fight against infection, but this is not coming without cost. “The experience of smiling and seeing the smiles of others is not just an emotional one – it changes the way our brains work as it releases hormones of pleasure. Smiling and seeing the smiles of others physically protects us against stress and its effects. Just not seeing the smiles of your classmates is a daily cost to children,” says Dr Coughlan. “Learning mathematics is another example. It is a cumulative process and missing a step has long term consequences. If you are only at school three days out of five or every second week, there is no consistency in the learning process. Schools are being innovative and restructuring so much of what they do to cope with this, and they need to be commended for it, but each solution we put in place in these times has a cost and consequence.” Dr Coughlan notes that to address the lack of in-person teaching time, some schools are using the hours children are at school in this disrupted manner to focus intensively on Maths and languages. “This is understandable, but there is a social cost to relegating social subjects to at-home learning,” she says. “Others are sending a great deal of work home which is fine if you understand the work to start with, but if not, that only compounds the problem. Others are making their teachers available for hours each day to respond on WhatsApp to children – depriving exhausted teachers of recuperation time. None of this is negligent and none of this is motivated by anything other than a desire to do the best possible. “The problem is that the best possible is simply not good enough for two reasons. One is that it is contrary to what we currently understand about the way people best learn and interact. This would not be so serious if these were solutions to short-term problems only. Sums and smiling – these seem such trivial issues that we can deal with when things return to normal. And therein lies the problem – these are just indicators of what makes us effective as humans. In our complicated world where what was, is never going to come back, they are anything but simple or trivial.” Dr Coughlan says we are not going back to a pre-COVID world – even if the vaccination programme does work, future pandemics are not the matter of doomsayers only. And even if we are eventually able to smile at each other again at school without masks, the experience of being deprived of the some of the essentials of human engagement is already etched in our bodies and our psyches. “We are already a violent and disconnected society plagued by poverty and despair. When we overlay that with the long-term impact of this current anxiety, the educational disruption of all our young people, a faltering economy and a global world reverting to nationalistic tendencies, the future is truly frightening.” Dr Coughlan notes it is common cause that counselling services and professionals are reporting increased loads. “Are we just going to add these numbers and the increased rate of youth suicide to our statistics of living in the pandemic? Are we just going to lower our literacy and numeracy expectations even further? Or can we work collectively to fill the gaps and fix the fissures? “We have to ask ourselves – as corporates, as parents, as the public broadcaster, as provincial departments and as universities – what role can we play to ameliorate the impact of this pandemic on the sums and smiles of all our children? We have long had an unequal playing field for South Africa’s less privileged children. Not only has the gap widened but the nature of the impact of this pandemic has put pressure on all parts of all systems all the time.” Approaching halfway through our second year of the pandemic, your average ten-year-old, even those who are at school every day, still is not actually at school pursuing their educational journey in the way we know it needs to be, she says. “Humans are ingenious – if we want to, we can figure it out. We need to listen with care and respect to the

May 19, 2021

Interested in a Finance Career? Here are seven great choices to consider!

Even if you’ve never worked in the industry, you might have a general idea of what a finance career looks like. Most people imagine people in suits, screaming numbers at the New York Stock Exchange. While that’s one career area, there are many others to explore, both inside and outside of investing. Before deciding which financial career to pursue, it makes sense to explore some of the alternatives. If you have a financial (or related) degree, consider the classes you enjoyed most and what aspects caused a few premature grey hairs to appear. The truth is that finance careers attract a lot of talent. And to stand out from the crowd of applicants, you’ll have to pick an option that plays to your strengths and interests. Online job aggregator Adzuna rounded up 7 of the widest-known financial job titles to help you understand your options and explore the possibilities! Top Finance Career Options #1 Accountant Average Salary: R445,821 per year Accountants interpret, examine, and maintain financial records to prepare financial and tax statements. They also find ways to reduce costs and increase profits by advising on business decisions. Although most entry-level auditors aim to land roles with big accounting firms, that’s not the end-all and be-all. All industries need accountants. Accountants can work for government, universities, and businesses across all fields. Auditors have a keen eye for detail and excellent problem-solving and analytical skills. They need a deep understanding of general accounting principles, practices, and laws, which they obtain through an accounting or related degree. #2 Credit Analyst Average Salary: R542,308 per year Credit analysts, as the name implies, analyse credit and financial data of companies and individuals to determine their risk factors for extending credit or loans. These professionals complete loan applications and analyse other financial data like income growth to determine a loan’s profitability. Although credit analysts primarily work for banks, they can also be employed by mortgage, investment, and insurance firms. If you have strong decision-making and critical thinking skills along with an analytical mind, this might be the right finance career for you. You’ll also need to be great at researching and have strong communication skills to back up your bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or any other related field to land your dream job. #3 Personal Financial Planner Average Salary: R309,603 per year Personal financial planners help individuals set up and work toward their financial goals. This includes educating them on investments, managing their portfolios and monitoring their finances. These professionals can work for banks and investment firms, and they can also be self-employed. Unlike financial advisors, financial planners form long-term working relationships with their clients. This means they need strong intrapersonal skills and have to be certified as professional financial planners. Along with investment knowledge and analytical skills, financial planners also need an entrepreneurial mindset to build and expand their client database. #4 Risk Specialist Average Salary: R680,000 per year Working for investment banks, mortgage, insurance companies, and corporate lenders, risk specialists use quantitative and qualitative approaches to analyse risks. These risks are related to existing and prospective investments, earning capacities, and the success of companies. These professionals must have the ability to spot problems before they arise. They also need inductive, deductive, and mathematical reasoning skills. In most cases, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree in economics, math, or finance to get your foot in the door of this industry. #5 Quantitative Analyst Average Salary: R572,667 per year Quants develop financial products that financial firms rely on to price, trade, and calculate risk for any tradable financial assets. Quantitative analysts can work for a variety of employers, including investment banks, depository banks, fintech companies, and trading firms. It goes without saying that quants need high-level math and reasoning skills. This work field is abstract and requires these professionals to spend more time behind their computer screens instead of interacting with colleagues. Entry requirements include a master’s degree in a quantitative field like finance, math, stats, or economics. #6 Actuary Average Salary: R717,408 per year Ever wondered who is in charge of evaluating probabilities and risks associated with car accidents and property damage? Actuaries! They use math and statistics to calculate costs related to events like these that form the building blocks of models like insurance policies. Although actuaries generally work for insurance companies, they can also work for investment firms and banks. This field of work is predicted to grow 18% by 2029. With relatively low-stress levels (compared to most other finance career options) and high average wages, becoming an actuary can help you build the perfect work-life balance. But to get in, you’ll need strong math and reasoning skills along with a degree in actuarial sciences, finance, accounting, or a related field. #7 Investment Banker Average Salary: R573,257 per year Investment bankers primarily deal with raising money for companies and governments through public offering, stocks, bonds, mergers, and venture capitalism. Average salaries might be high, but so is the level of stress associated with these roles. To land a job as an investment banker, you’ll need a finance or economics degree or another quantitative or business-focused degree. You will also need a master’s degree in finance and an internship. The good news is that if you have all of these qualifications, you could be earning MUCH more than the average salary. Investment bankers can earn salaries upward of R2 million per year if bonuses are included in the picture. Making the Right Choice To pursue jobs with the highest probability of success, you have to consider the role’s demand. Time spent uncovering the most exciting opportunities can be time saved working a job that just doesn’t fit. Different finance careers require different skills and come with vastly different working environments. Pick one that aligns with your interests and abilities. Every company in almost every industry needs the help of a finance professional. You can find a financial job by tapping into your professional network, leveraging the power of social platforms like LinkedIn,

May 19, 2021

Tech in our schools – goIT Challenge announces 2021 winners

After a successful launch last year of the goIT Challenge in South Africa, Tata Consultancy Services and STEAM education specialist, Sakhikamva Foundation have brought together 455 learners from nine high schools to participate in the worldwide school’s technology programme. Students were tasked with coming up with app ideas to solve real-world problems in their own communities, and six finalist teams had the opportunity to pitch their ideas to the judges on 5 May. The six 2021 SA goIT Challenge finalists were: WO-MEN created by Sinenjongo High School team – an app promoting gender equality and the acceptance of gender diversity which includes a conversation platform to highlight the impacts of gender inequality ‘Hope Away from Home’ created by Get Ahead College team – an app aligned to the #zerohungerworld Sustainable Development Goal that enables small food donations in one’s own neighbourhood EVOLVE created by Goodwood College team – an app offering physical workouts, healthy eating regimes and positive mindset texts to enable people in under-resourced communities to benefit from healthy body and mind education and support W.A.S.H. created by another Goodwood College team – an app to connect people in rural and homeless communities with nearby sources of clean drinking water and sanitation facilities ‘Building Confidence Lifestyle’ created by Modderdam High team – an app to help users improve self-image, self-esteem and self-motivation so that people in under-resourced communities are more empowered to live healthy and successful lives ‘Study Room’ created by Valhalla High team – an app that provides educational video resources to help boost learning among young people who are struggling to access classroom learning Founder of Sakhikamva Foundation, Fatima Jakoet says, “What we have seen in this second SA goIT Challenge is young people expressing their abilities to be problem-solvers who can contribute to a better world. Participants had no trouble identifying real challenges that they experience and see in their communities, and then align these to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. They got the opportunity to grapple with how technology offers the world opportunities to solve these problems in innovative ways that can also be brought to scale through tech platforms. The goIT Challenge gave them a rare opportunity to build their 21st Century skills, and it was wonderful to see how much they relished this and rose to the occasion.” The SA winners of the 2021 goIT Challenge are: First Place: WO-MEN app created by the Sinenjongo High School team (each team member received a tablet) Second Place: W.A.S.H. app team from Goodwood College (each team member received a drone) Third Place: EVOLVE app team from Goodwood College (each team member received a robotics kit) Over more than a decade, the TCS goIT Challenge has been rolled out in North and South America, Asia, Australia, the UK and Europe. In 2020, TCS expanded this footprint by bringing the innovative 21st Century learning programme to South Africa. Nikhil Dabhole, HR Head of TCS South Africa says, “We congratulate this year’s winners of the goIT Challenge and commend the finalists and all other participants. As an IT service provider, we are committed to providing opportunities for schools to bring their learners, educators, and school communities together in an exciting and relevant tech education programme. The goIT Challenge is a way to strengthen communities today, by empowering their own digital innovators of tomorrow. These participants are building their skills to contribute to the workforce of the future, and engaging with tech is vital to their education.” South Africa lags significantly in bringing a coding and robotics curriculum to schools, which means that a generation of our children is falling behind in developing the skills most needed by the changing 4IR world. The goIT Challenge brings tech to the forefront in schools and gives SA children a hands-on experience of how innovation can solve real-world problems.

May 7, 2021

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