Advice from the experts
Parenting Hub

Making the most of time: To save for education

If you’re planning to save for your child’s tertiary studies, doing so early is the best way to do it.   The exciting news of welcoming a child into the world changes your life, and time can go by so quickly. Planning for tertiary education costs early, will make all the difference to affording the best education and opportunities available. You generally have at least 18 years to save towards university costs as a new parent. So, let’s assume for a 4-year bachelor’s degree, you’ll need as much as R85 000 per year for university tuition alone. This added up seems staggering, but will be more manageable to achieve over time, thanks to compound interest (provided you start saving early).  It is important to personalise your goals to know where you are going. One way is to define which university you are most likely to send your child to so that you can better quantify your savings goal. It might be difficult to picture it now, but this will allow you to more accurately ensure that your level of monthly savings matches the future costs of tertiary studies, to avoid a shortfall. It is important to note there is a large disparity between university costs in different provinces. The cost of residence or accommodation should you want your child to attend a university out of town should also be defined as this can be more than double the cost of tuition, which changes the savings requirement dramatically. There are a few key savings vehicles to consider using for these savings: 1. Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA).This has the benefit of allowing you to save up to R36 000 per tax year (capped at R500 000 over your lifetime) without any taxation on the growth of the investment. So this mean you’ll pay no tax on interest, dividends or capital gains. This should be in your name and not your child’s, as you could be removing their right to have their own TFSA later in life, due to the contribution maximum limits. 2. Discretionary unit trust or ETF (Exchange traded fund)This is similar to a TFSA, but without the tax benefits. This should be considered if you are already using a TFSA in your personal portfolio. An ETF is an alternative to a unit trust fund, and usually tracks an index. 3. Endowment / Sinking fund policy.This should only be considered if you are already using a TFSA in your personal portfolio and your marginal tax rate is above 30%. As it is estimated that education inflation runs at around 9% per year, it is imperative to invest your money in the selected vehicle above in a high-growth portfolio that will target long-term capital growth at inflation plus 5% to 7% per year. This type of mandate should invest the majority of your savings in local or offshore shares. As you will be investing monthly, you gain the benefit of rand cost averaging (averaging your entry into volatile stock markets), which will smooth your return over time. As always this advice is assumptive and generic and you should always work with a Certified Financial Planner® to tailor a financial plan to your unique circumstances, and consider the appropriate investment mandate and tax structure that may impact you. Alexi Coutsoudis, CFP at PSG Wealth Umhlanga Ridge

September 10, 2020
Parenting Hub

Grade 9’s: let the 3 P’s guide you when choosing your subjects

Choosing the subjects they will sit for during the National Senior Certificate exam three years from now is an important and challenging task facing Grade Nines at the moment, because this combination of subjects will influence their choices down the line, and impact on performance and motivation over the next three years and beyond. Therefore Grade Nines should, with the help of their parents, guardians, teachers and outside experts, give careful consideration to the factors at play before settling on their final subject combination, an education expert says. “Trying to cover all your bases taking into account all eventualities can become quite confusing, particularly if you don’t yet know what you want to do after school, so we advise Grade Nines to consider the holistic 3-P approach when weighing the pros and cons of various subject combinations,” says Dr Gillian Mooney, Dean: Academic Development and Support at The Independent Institute of Education, SA’s largest and most accredited private higher education provider. She says Grade Nines are required to select at least seven subjects on which they will be tested in Matric, four of which are compulsory: Home Language, Second Language, Maths or Maths Literacy, and Life Orientation. The balance then, are elective subjects, and should be chosen after careful consideration. “When considering your options for this balance of subjects, you should take into account your Passion, your Performance, as well as the Potential options available to you in future,” she says. PASSION Dr Mooney says one of the benefits of the current situation, where much work is done independently at home by learners and therefore without peers or teachers influencing perceptions, is that learners will be able to get a better idea of which subjects they are passionate about. “If you find yourself drawn to a particular subject, or that you have a natural feel for it, that’s a definite sign that you should consider it as part of your subject choice bundle. Of course it may be that you are good at something but have no idea how that can translate into a possible career down the line. “In that case, it would be a great idea to approach career centres and student counsellors – online for now of course – at higher education institutions, and discuss with them potential fields in which this subject may play a role. That will have the double benefit of revealing careers you may not have been aware of, as well as providing a boost of motivation to commit to doing even better because now you know where your passion might take you in future.” POTENTIAL Even if you already have an idea of what you want to study after school, you should still leave as many doors as possible open to allow for a change of heart later, and that is where so-called ‘gateway’ subjects enter the picture. “Certain subjects such as Maths and Science allow you to keep your options open, as many areas of further study require them. If you are one of the many who struggle with precisely these subjects, it may be worth keeping only one of them so that you can focus your efforts,” says Mooney. “The aim is to ensure that your choice positions you well to pursue as wide a range of qualifications as possible, that will allow you to demonstrate a well-rounded foundation when you leave school.” Mooney adds that learners struggling with a particular subject now because of the changed circumstances of lockdown should not just give up and walk away from it. “Things may be harder now, but it is worth persevering and getting additional help if necessary,” she says. PERFORMANCE It is important to also include subjects that will boost your Matric aggregate, Dr Mooney says. “Because of the greater academic demands at higher education level, and the limited space at public universities and private higher education institutions, admission to higher education is performance-based – meaning simply that those with better marks stand a better chance of landing a space. “So it makes sense to choose one or two subjects which will boost your aggregate and improve your chances of being accepted into the higher education institution and qualification of your choice,” she says. Mooney says although our current environment is challenging due to Covid-19 and the resultant lockdowns, Grade Nines should still look to the future and focus on what they can do now to broaden their options in future. “We don’t know what the future will look like, not in the short term nor the long term. Yes, we are facing unprecedented challenges, but with that, we will also be facing new opportunities and different ways of doing in future. Where in the past the road after school was pretty standard for many, who opted to pursue historically prestigious degrees without giving it much thought, the world of work has been changing and will change dramatically. “So be sure you are aware of emerging careers, and that you position yourself in such a way that you’ll be prepared for the workplace of the future, not the workplace of the past.

August 25, 2020
HeronBridge College

What is being lost in the arena of online classroom teaching?

The need for co-curricular activities in a digital world As our national lockdown ticks by it is reasonable to assume that schools are well into their 70th day of actual remote teaching. Taking breaktimes into account, a 6-hour school day multiplied over 70 school days and it is reasonable to assume that pupils in South Africa have just been exposed to their 420th hour of facing a screen instead of a teacher. Quite possibly that is also 420 hours of sitting down in an isolation bubble at home with 70 less breaks, assemblies and opportunities for corridor conversations, all while being away from friends with no discernible end yet in sight for the intrinsically social teenager. A number of healthy things have been removed and a fair number of unhealthy things inserted into the life of today’s young person, and it is fair to say that we do not yet know what long-term effect this will have on them. One is painfully aware that this is also the unique problem of a minority of South African school pupils who have the privilege of being taught online. In a typical school day, children have time together in the morning before school. During the day they repeatedly get up, push their chairs in, leave classes and walk to the next class. They engage with others during this in-between time, bounce off each other during breaks and experience a physicality and a social landscape during the offered co-curricular program which has now been lost and is not due back anytime soon. What happens between lessons and what happens outside of the classroom is often where the real learning happens. This is the place where behaviours and EQ is acquired. Mark Twain said, “I never let my schooling interfere with my education.” The difference between school and education is the difference between formal lessons and all the things that happen outside of those classrooms. The informal part of the school day, the part that has now been abandoned, is where social norms are acquired. These outside classroom times are where we learn to turn-take in conversation, where we learn to stand-up for ourselves and where we learn to stand-down. While academic programmes are vital to the educational development of today’s young girl or boy and tomorrow’s high-functioning adult, what is learned outside the classroom is often just as, if not more, important. So how can this gap be plugged? What can schools do to mitigate and ameliorate this lack? Part of the answer lies in the maintaining of a synchronous and live co-curricular programme. While the arena of competitive sports cannot be replicated, many of the components of the traditional co-curricular offerings can be. Certainly, an environment where social engagement can happen while being complemented by the physicality of skills-training is achievable online. Schools need to bookmark this. Allowing co-curriculars to fall away is non-negotiable in a school that has the capacity and resources to offer this. Not only as an extension to the school day, but for the sanity and reprieve that physical learning and healthy competition offers to young people. Ofentse Moeng, Head of Sports’ Development at HeronBridge College says that co-curricular needs to form part of the school timetable – just as it would on a normal school day. “It is completely possible to run sports’ and cultural practices as they would normally have run and have these sessions focus on physical skills acquisition while generating a place where this can be done online together.” And so, if hockey practice would normally be on the astro on Mondays and debating on Thursdays, it can still be on Mondays and Thursdays at home, with the coach and full team. The emotional, physical and mental well-being of young people is intrinsically bound to the participation in a co-curricular programme, especially today. The hardest part of lockdown is the isolation, for a generation for whom isolation is an anathema. Mr Moeng continues by drilling into the focus of these online practices. “Our sessions have been dedicated enrichment sessions scheduled once a week. This was also a prime opportunity to have external specialists such as nutritionists, professional coaches and players drawn-in for virtual engagements with our pupils and coaches.” Schools are places where learning happens, both inside and outside the classroom. It is about all components working in harmony to produce an environment fit for learning and which is worthy of the young minds that experience it.  Allowing co-curriculars to be the collateral damage of the coronavirus is unacceptable in our educational framework. Young people are losing more than we realise. By Simon Crane, Deputy Head of HeronBridge College High School

August 18, 2020
Parenting Hub

Minding the Gap – Matric to international universities

South African matriculants who wish to study at universities overseas will be able to enroll in a bridging programme, for international universities, as of January 2021. Reddam House is the first and only local educational institution to offer the International Foundation Year (IFY) – a modular bridging course between a matric qualification and the first year of an international university.   The partnership is between Inspired Education’s Reddam House and Northern Consortium UK (NCUK) – a consortium of leading UK universities dedicated to providing international students with guaranteed access to universities and helping them succeed when they get there.   Other schools under the umbrella of Inspired Education in Africa offering the IFY, includes Brookhouse in Kenya, having done so for over a decade.  The qualification is designed with university partners and students are taught in small classes, in their own country, before beginning their undergraduate course.  Sheena Crawford-Kempster, MD  of Reddam House says, ‘Even though we offer an internationally respected curriculum up to matric level, an additional foundation qualification affords students a valuable bridge during the seven months prior to studies in the northern hemisphere. Should a student pass the course, they are guaranteed a place at an NCUK affiliated university. ‘The cornerstone of our schools’ education is to ensure that students are adequately equipped to meet life’s challenges in a globally competitive world. We are proud to partner with NCUK to take that one step further by offering a syllabus to mind the gap between matric and the first year of university study. ‘The IFY bridging course will initially be offered on site at Reddam House Constantia in Cape Town and Waterfall in Gauteng. Both campuses are well-located to serve the main metropolitan population and we will welcome our first students in January 2021’.  To be accepted for the IFY course at Reddam, students require a University exemption in their National Senior School Certificate (awarded by State or IEB).  The UK university year begins in September, which is ideal for South African matriculants who receive their matric results at the beginning of January. The IFY bridging course is seven months – from January to July, ending prior to commencing studies in the UK in September.  Successful candidates are guaranteed entry to a group of universities in the UK, as well as Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA.  NCUK’s CEO, Professor John Brewer says, ‘NCUK has been establishing education partnerships since 1987 and these have led to tens of thousands of success stories amongst our Alumni.  This partnership is an extension of NCUK’s provision within Africa, which has been in place for over 16 years and we are very much looking forward to welcoming ambitious and talented students from across South Africa onto our NCUK programmes and ultimately to our partner universities around the world.’  ‘Reddam House demonstrates all of the crucial attributes that NCUK demands from any partnership: Quality education in an optimal learning environment for students which will guarantee access to over 4 000 degrees across the global NCUK University network. ‘We recruitstudents from over 100 nationalities each year and 90% get into their first choice university. Since 1987, NCUK has helped over 30 000 international students gain access to leading universities and we are extremely proud of our track record.’ NCUK offers excellent student integration support and prospective students are able to interact with current and previous students.  The list of student testimonials is long and from all over the world. Closer to home, two testimonials say it all.  Nigerian, Ayomikun Sonuga who studied a BA (Hons) in Communications and Media at the University of Leeds, says, ‘NCUK is fantastic! Studying abroad has exposed me to various types of cultures and enabled me to become more independent.’ Kenyan, James Kairu Kneya, MEng (Hons)  Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bristol. ‘The greatest achievement I’ve had would be receiving my NCUK results.  This opened doors for a whole new myriad of opportunities, beginning with university.’ Crawford-Kempster says, ‘It’s our first year of offering NCUK and we anticipate an intake of around 20 students, which means subject modules will be limited. At this stage there is a great deal of flexibility, as NCUK  insists that there are minimum figures, per academic module, to enable students to enjoy a positive learning environment with good levels of peer-to-peer interaction. ‘The minimum requirement is score of 5.0 in The International English language Testing System (IELTS),’ explains Crawford- Kempster. ‘The vast majority of students will have achieved this so we are looking to implement English for Academic Purposes for Proficient Users (EAPPU) which will further develop a student’s academic English while providing  them with the proficiency in English Certificate required for visa purposes. Students can demonstrate this equivalency in a number of ways but an online test, taken at Reddam, can be used to determine this, giving students an almost immediate result and at a very low cost – this streamlining the enrolment process’. Crawford-Kempster says there are ‘discussions to introduce a pure science route for Medicine and Medical Sciences.’ Teachers will be externally approved by NCUK, based on their academic qualifications and teaching experience. Training and support will be provided between NCUK academics and Reddam House colleagues, if required. Scholarships are exclusively available for enrolled NCUK students across the network. Some are based on academic merit, others are automatic. Full guidance and support, with applications, will be provided by NCUK’s Student Support Team during a student’s time on the IFY. Reddam will be hosting info-webinars for interested students, parents, school heads and counsellors. For further information contact [email protected] or go to http://reddamhouse.com/ncuk

July 31, 2020
Parenting Hub

Lockdown lessons for futureproofing education

Online learning has provided many South African students with the opportunity to stay on top of their schoolwork during the Covid-19 lockdown. This has shifted the responsibility of learning from teachers and schools, to students and families. With the planned phasing in of the school year, following on from Covid-19 restrictions, the lessons learned from lockdown will influence education moving forward. “This is an opportunity to use this time to relook at the way we do things; to determine the good things we want to keep and the things that aren’t working that we should stop doing,” says Rebecca Pretorius, country manager for Crimson Education, a university admissions support consultancy. Pretorius believes that schools will continue with forms of blended learning for the foreseeable future. “The lockdown has forced the education sector to rethink its strategies for remote and digital learning going forward. By using distance learning tools, we’ll see students, teachers, parents, and carers develop new skills to communicate and collaborate differently.”  She highlights some of the valuable lessons from the lockdown that parents and students can carry forward as schools return:  Individualised learning: School classrooms are designed to go at the pace of an average student, not considering individualised learning styles and pace. Those learning online are working at their own pace, covering additional work, and using newfound time to learn new skills not previously covered in class.  Digital literacy: A major part of the shift in education is the integration of technology. Digital literacy is an essential skill moving forward. With social media completely embedded in their lives as a way of both communicating, accessing, and putting out information, learning online is a way to build safety into their everyday online usage. Flexibility in the curriculum: Students and families have seen the value of a flexible education approach with students able to work at their own pace; cover additional work, focus more on their interests and passions, and even take more challenging subjects and curricula. Schools, businesses, and institutions then that can support this approach will be well positioned for the future. The role of teachers: With students being able to gain access to knowledge, and even learn a technical skill, through a few clicks on their phones, tablets and computers, the role of the educator in the classroom and lecture room is redefined. The role of educators will move towards facilitating young people’s development as contributing members of society. Crimson Education will launch the local arm of their online high school in September. The Crimson Global Academy will help students meet their individual needs and achieve their full potential through the internationally recognised, academically rigorous A-level qualification with, world class teachers; small classes; synchronous learning; flexible class scheduling; one-to-one support, and a wide variety of examination and testing options.   With a presence in 30 cities, the company launched in South Africa in 2018. Crimson supports students applying to universities in the US, UK, Europe and China. They also offer regular webinars with experts, former Ivy League admissions officers, and Crimson alumni on a range of relevant admission topics. For more information, visit www.crimsoneducation.org or [email protected].

July 31, 2020
Parenting Hub

Grade 12s : the 3 factors to consider when deciding on future studies

The world looks very different today compared to when the Matric Class of 2020 entered their final year of school six months ago. Covid-19 and the resultant lockdown have caused much upheaval for this year’s Matrics, not least in terms of the way their educational journey has changed. But while much of their experience is different for this year’s Grade 12s, one thing has not changed – the need for them to decide what they will study and where when they progress to higher education next year. “Your journey might seem tough right now, and the future uncertain. But although things are different, you must continue to work towards realising your dreams, and this includes weighing your options carefully before deciding on the best course of action for you, for continuing your education in 2021,” 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. Payne says the process and considerations involved in making higher education decisions have changed as a result of the way the world has changed, and Matriculants and their parents need to take that into consideration. “For example, in previous years, we would advise students to attend Open Days at various institutions, visit campuses to speak to student advisors and faculty staff, and connect with current and former students. It goes without saying that this physical legwork is no longer an option in the form that it used to be in the past.” The good news however, is that quality institutions will now be hosting Virtual Open Days, which allow prospective students to actually ‘visit’ more campuses, and give them quicker access to advisors by scheduling online appointments. Additionally, some institutions will allow on-campus visits, by appointment. “In addition to getting a feel for institutions via online meet-ups, the considerations for determining the quality of offering and an institution’s ability to provide seamless, sustainable education have also irrevocably changed in recent months,” Payne notes. She says when considering higher education options now, prospective students have to assess the following 3 factors: THE ABILITY OF AN INSTITUTION TO PROVIDE A SUPERIOR ONLINE OFFERING As many students realised during lockdown learning, a good contact education does not necessarily translate to a good online education, says Payne. “This means that historic ideas of what made a good, ‘prestigious’ institution have been turned on their head. You have to ensure that any institution for which you opt will be able to offer a superior education regardless of delivery method. So this year’s Matrics are, for the first time, able to get a real insight into how institutions actually managed to do this over the past few months, regardless of whether they are a public university or private higher education institution.” Payne says some of the questions to ask in an effort to determine an institution’s competence in terms or their online offering, include:   Whether the institution has an online learning platform, How the institution uses the platform for teaching and learning, How lecturers teach using the online platform, What students are expected to do on the online platform, What resources students need for online learning; and What statistics show in relation to attendance, submission of assignments, and student progress during lockdown. “Obviously if an institution doesn’t have an online platform, or if their online platform did not effectively support the continuation of learning, one should think twice about opting for such an institution going forward,” Payne says. “So be sure to interrogate all your choices to get a clear sense of what they did for their existing students these past few months, how they assisted those students whose circumstances required additional support, and whether their students were able to adapt to the new environment.” AN INSTITUTION’S FOCUS ON WORK-INTEGRATED LEARNING A focus on work-integrated learning and industry alignment was important in the past, but now it is more important than ever, says Payne. “Given the massive loss of jobs in the wake of Covid-19 and global lockdowns, opportunities are going to be limited in coming years. When hiring picks up again, employers will want to be very clear that they are appointing graduates who are able to do the job and not just have paper credentials to show for their time at university. “This means that you should ask of institutions how their curricula are connected to the real world of work, how closely they work with industry to ensure you engage with relevant, updated learning material, and how work-integrated learning is incorporated in the curriculum.” The additional benefit of work-integrated learning, is that this also provides students with a portfolio of evidence upon graduation, which gives them additional collateral during the job hunt, Payne says. THE REGISTRATION AND ACCREDITATION STATUS OF AN INSTITUTION AND QUALIFICATION One thing that has not changed, is the need to ensure an institution is properly registered and accredited, Payne says. “Bogus colleges and qualifications have been a challenge in South Africa in the past, and one expects unscrupulous operators will continue to prey on the most vulnerable in future. This is why you need to start considering your options now, and not leave your decisions about your future too late, when you might be desperate to further your studies but find yourself with fewer options. “Give yourself sufficient time to investigate the institutions and qualifications that interest you, so you’ll be better positioned to investigate them thoroughly, and weed out those which will cost you time and money without providing the required return on investment.” Payne advises Matrics must start investigating their options without delay, and to spend a little time every week working on their higher education checklist. “At this stage, you may not yet be sure what you want to register for, or how to connect with institutions. But the fact is that higher education continues, and good institutions will have the systems and advisors in place to help you on this exciting journey – you just

July 31, 2020
Parenting Hub

Tips to keep schools clean and students and teachers safe

When schools are back – albeit staggered over the rest of the year – it is critical that school management teams have plans in place to keep their staff and learners safe from the coronavirus. “They must develop this plan, implement the plan, and make sure they maintain the plan,” according to Emma Corder, Managing Director of industrial cleaning manfucaturer  Industroclean. Schools across the country have varying degrees of access to proper sanitation and other assets needed to protect learners. It might certainly be a daunting prospect for any school principal to try and prevent the spread of the coronavirus if, for example, the school does not even have access to running water. Corder says there are thankfully basic safety measures that can be implemented almost anywhere, which she recommends. The essential first step she says is to stick to the basics.  “This being hand hygiene, correct mask usage, respiratory etiquette and physical distancing.” When it comes to smaller children, it might be less easy to remind them to not share their lunch, stationery or even climbing structures, playgrounds swings and slides.” Unfortunately, the above is just the basics and schools are going to need to develop a checklist that they can abide by on a daily basis. General engineering and administrative measures need to be implemented, to ensure that all classrooms have proper ventilation e.g. cleaning of air-conditioners with correct filter installed beforehand, or during school hours all windows are opened. All schools must have a dedicated isolation room; this is needed should a pupil or staff member show any symptoms of Covid-19. “I strongly recommend that all staff and teachers be put through the correct training to make sure they understand and properly implement health measures. They will need to be intimately familiar with the basics such as the difference between cleaning and disinfecting a surface, as well as the safe disposing of any potentially hazardous medical waste,” adds Corder. But there is also a responsibility on all parents and caregivers to ensure students are fully prepared, by creating a “Covid-19 Back to School Pack”. The use of a big sized pencil box is perfect to pack two clean masks, pack of wet wipes and hand sanitizer. It’s also advised that the learners take their own water bottles so as to not fill them at the school or use public water taps, and especially to not drink directly from the mouthpiece of a tap. Remember the three best cleaning practices: Prepare for cleaning and disinfecting. Correct PPE for cleaning Use all chemicals correctly Cleaning equipment must be clean e.g. mop sleeves must be soaked in cleaning solution before being used. Disinfectants should be freshly prepared and NRCS registered. Do the Job. Top to bottom from clean to dirty. For normal cleaning use the spray and wipe method. And colour code all cleaning materials to prevent cross contamination. End of Task Dispose of dirty water and waste according to safe procedures. Wash and dry all equipment before storing it in a clean space. Dispose of all PPE wear before washing up. “If headmasters or members of staff need any assistance or have any questions about measures that are planned for a school, they must get in touch with the Departments of Health or Education immediately. Proper disinfection and preparation must be completed, before learners return,” says Corder. 

July 17, 2020
The Speech Bubble Co

Language Stimulation is a Piece of Cake!

Fun, easy and practical ways to stimulate your child’s language development by a speech therapist and mother. We find ourselves in a situation, where our children are with us for a longer duration than the school holidays. In discussion with other mums, many are making the best of the current situation. We need to focus on the positives with an attitude of gratitude. Children learn a great amount from observing others and is especially true when it comes to language learning. Your child’s vocabulary increases at a rapid rate. An average 2-year-old has a vocabulary of 50 words while a 4-year-old has a vocabulary of over 1000 words. Your child may use phrases which you or other family members commonly say – even if it is not in the correct context. For example, my husband and I switch from speaking English to Afrikaans when we don’t want our 4-year-old to understand what we are say. When she recognizes that we are speaking a different language, she says “Asseblief!” with great excitement. This is most likely due to “Asseblief” being the most common Afrikaans word that we use. If the thought has crossed your mind, “I wonder how I can stimulate my child’s language development without going bananas”, we present to you a recipe for success. Read until the end where we share with you a detailed explanation how to incorporate language stimulation while making a quick, simple and easy chocolate cake. This recipe is tried and tested – a definite winner in many homes. In the end, you may also say that language stimulation is indeed a piece of cake!  Each child may not have the same morning routine but we all do the same activities daily. These include waking up, brushing teeth, having breakfast, taking a shower and getting dressed. Let’s examine each routine activity in greater depth. The main idea is to incorporate language stimulation in your routine so that you do not need to set aside specific time in the day. Let’s be honest, many of us don’t have free time or extra mental energy to add on to our daily routine.  This does not mean that you need to be talking to your child the whole day. Use meaningful and language – rich sentences with a goal in mind. If you aim to teach your child their colours, let learning occur without making the process seem like a chore. Read further for fun, easy and practical ways to stimulate your child’s language while going about your normal daily routine.  Waking up Upon awakening, your child may come out of his or her room in a range of moods. A typical child aged 4 years old may not remember exactly what day it is hence it would be beneficial to speak about the day, date etc. If your child is anticipating a certain date – explain how many sleeps / days more to go before a particular date or day of the week is reached e.g. Today is Wednesday, 4th September, tomorrow is Thursday 5th September and then it will be Friday 6th September and the day after will be Saturday 7th September. Use your fingers to count how many days away the anticipated date is – you can count forwards (Saturday is 3 days away) and backwards (tomorrow will be 2 days away and Friday will be 1 day away).  For your child/ren to visualize the days of the week, a better option is to make your own monthly calendar and change the date each morning with your child/ren. Basics to include are days of the week, dates of the month, name of the month, year, season and weather. A ready-made DIY magnetic calendar is available online from www.thespeechbubbleco.co.za There are innumerable benefits of using a calendar or visual schedule which include: Understanding concepts before, after and sequence of events. Enhance mathematics skills (counting forwards, backwards, addition, subtraction). Learning days of the week and months of the year in a practical manner has great meaning and will be remembered easily. Note – some experts believe that the ability to understand how many days there are from now until an event in future will only be fully understood when a child is between the ages of 7 and 10 years.  Brushing teeth From personal experience with my 4-year-old daughter, getting her to brush her teeth is a hard nut to crack. I often need to butter her up by making teeth brushing seem exciting or explaining to her the consequences of not brushing teeth. While in the bathroom with toddlers, the concept of colours can be taught in a meaningful way. A basic colour chart can be stuck on the mirror. The adult chooses a particular colour and the child says what other items in the bathroom match the chosen colour. Since the child’s mouth, the toothbrush and the toothpaste are essential components of teeth brushing – colours related to these can be emphasized first e.g. your teeth are white, what else can you see on your body that is white, what else in the bathroom is white. Having breakfast Mealtimes are exciting for many reasons – many people are together which means food & fun. The excitement can begin before everyone is seated. Ask your child/ren to assist in preparing meals, setting the table etc. Duties can be assigned according to their ages. For fussy eaters, studies have shown that if children participate in the preparing of food, they are more likely to eat it. While chocolate cake isn’t a common daily breakfast menu, our 6 Minute Microwave Cake at the end of this article will provide much fun for the whole family – many husbands have made it independently too! The concept of time can be paired with meals and visibility of the sun. By this we mean, breakfast is associated with the beginning of the cake, lunch in the middle of the day and dinner after the sun has set (i.e. when it is dark).  Taking a shower / having a bath During summer months, we may shower twice a day, while in winter – once a day is sufficient. With children, they may often require

July 10, 2020
Nasreen Cariem

Back to school with a difference

As the lockdown curtain slowly begins to rise, endless thoughts and emotions engulf our minds. There is an overwhelming urge to return to life as we know it, coupled with the uncertainty and disappointment in our minds regarding the rhetorical question, ‘Is this how it’s always going to be from now on?’  ‘For how long will we continue having to wear masks?’ ‘When will social distancing end?’ There is an overwhelming need to feel the certainty of safety, from that which we cannot see and cannot feel.  The terms Covid 19 and Corona virus seems to remain on our minds all the time as we all try to create a life as normal as abnormally possible for ourselves and our children under extremely abnormal circumstances. Some have already begun re-exploring the outdoors; malls are starting to fill up once again. Although it can be understood that being under lockdown has affected all of us in so many ways.  This includes having a natural need to enjoy the outdoors and start doing ‘normal’ activities of daily living once again which excludes being at home. With the South African regulations of level 3 of lockdown settling in, there seems to be a slight sense of excitement yet an undertone of fear and loss. This is coupled with a stronger sense of understanding and acceptance of the notion and magnitude of the fact that we are living within a pandemic. Is this advisable though to start going out again? Whilst the need for nature’s best source of vitamin D is long overdue for all of us, it still is not safe for us to go out to public spaces where we are among so many people gathering. Social distancing and physical distancing will still be a compulsory requirement for months to come. Regardless of whether others are doing it or not, hospital wards are filling up, infection rates continue to be on the rise and more and more deaths are being reported daily. We live in an era of self-gratification, where we want what we want and we make sure that we get it. Now that we do not have control, it is so important that we do not let our feelings of frustration and helplessness result in us losing sight of the bigger picture, which is that we have to continue to practice short term sacrifices for our very own long term benefit. New Zealand has managed to combat the virus by maintaining adequate social distancing and isolation. If they can do it, so can we South Africa! This needs to be regarded for ourselves and especially for the sake of our most vulnerable ones, namely our elderly and our children especially as we prepare them for the next phase, school reintegration. Some schools have recently begun with the phasing in of children getting back to school for the first time since lockdown, much to the dismay of parents. Although studies in China and Russia have shown that children are at low risk of fatalities of this disease. How do we know that our kids will be safe and will not contract the virus?  The sad reality is that we do not know. Therefore we can only ensure that we maintain the regulations of social distancing and required precautions so that we are able to enjoy a meaningful quality of life with our children as well as our parents and grandparents long term, as opposed to short term gains and possibly not being around long enough to live a fulfilling life due to a virus. So how do we protect our kids who will have to go to school? Here are a few tips I have put together to enable as far as possible comfort and safety for our children:  Begin with the mental state of mind: It is vital to ensure that one’s children remain calm and collected. This can only be achieved by parents remaining calm, despite how difficult this may be. Ensure that children are able to express their fears and emotions about returning to school and be there to comfort them Knowledge is power: Parents have to ensure that children are adequately informed and educated regarding the necessary precautionary measures to help them feel in control and more at ease regarding being at school. These measures include the constant wearing of masks, not touching their faces, constantly sanitising and maintaining a constant 1.8 metre distance between them and other children.  A good suggestion is taking double precaution with a regular mask as well as a shield mask, as children can easily forget not to touch their face and that is where the shield mask being worn over the regular mouth and nose mask comes in handy. It is also important to remember that the Covid19 virus is also spread through touching the eyes, nose and mouth with a contaminated hand as well as should saliva droplets simply through conversation enter the eyes. Hence enabling your child to wear the face shield is important. If possible, single seated desks are extremely important to enable distancing between children. If not possible, then it is imperative where possible that partitioning be placed between children in double desk seating. Ensure that your child has a pocket sized sanitizer with them to ensure that they are constantly sanitising themselves.  Limit the handling of money for your children by ensuring that you have packed adequate lunch and healthy snacks for your children in their lunch bags. It is important to remember that should you or your child touch a surface which has been previously been handled by a virus carrier or even sneezed upon by a virus carrier, it can result in you or them contracting the virus. If your child or a member of your family has tested Covid19 positive, please ensure that they remain at home in isolation for at least 2 full weeks or more. Try to arrange with teachers for work to be typed and handed in online, thereby

July 2, 2020
Parenting Hub

Four ways to boost your academic portfolio during lockdown

Schools across South Africa opened on June 1 in a phased approach, starting with grades 12 and 7. However, strict social distancing measures will prevent most sporting and cultural extracurricular activities from taking place, and some parents may decide to keep their children at home altogether. Students who have set their sights on top universities, both locally and overseas, must demonstrate innovation in order to stand out and build impressive application portfolios.

June 30, 2020
Parenting Hub

Managing Matric in a time of turmoil

For the majority or learners, Matric is the most challenging year of their school careers – even under normal circumstances. The current circumstances facing the Class of 2020 are unprecedented, and have caused massive upheaval and uncertainty on top of the challenges they would ordinarily have faced. Even so, there are ways learners can adjust and respond to ensure they still make a success of the year, an education expert says.

June 26, 2020
Advtech Group

Teaching remotely: less is more

The temptation to do it all as if it is possible to maintain the pace and volume of contact education remotely must be resisted, an education expert says.

June 19, 2020
Parenting Hub

Matric mid-year exams: create your own lockdown stimulation

Under normal circumstances, Matric mid-year exams provide a valuable benchmark from which to launch the final push towards the finals. Because of the Covid-19 lockdown, there will be no official mid-year exams this year, but learners should still aim to re-create their own exam experience at home as this provides valuable practise and insights, and an opportunity to improve their performance later this year, an education expert says.

June 18, 2020
Advtech Group

Lockdown learning: how to maintain a positive environment

South African families are going through tremendously challenging times as most continue to stay at home during the country’s extended lockdown. While it is not yet clear when schools will start to re-open, thousands upon thousands of learners are working hard to stay on top of their educational journeys, while those parents who can do so are still working from home. External pressures combined with fear and anxiety about the future are taking their toll on parents who are, at the same time, tasked with ensuring their children don’t fall behind. These, and other factors, are exacting an undeniable emotional toll in homes during this time, an educational expert says.

June 12, 2020
Parenting Hub

THE IMPORTANCE OF LEARNING AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

The incentive for learning any additional language is distinctive to every household. However, in the South African context, given the vast social, cultural, historical and practical benefits, isiZulu is a great language to choose and learning it has many advantages and benefits.

April 29, 2020
Crawford International

Uncharted Waters – Education

Navigating through uncharted waters during this stressful time is very overwhelming for many of us and leads to anxiety and sleeplessness. Keep in mind that this is new territory for teachers, parents and our children. Find peace in knowing that we are all in the same boat. Steer your ship into calmness when there is a storm and choose the rules of your ship together as a family.

April 24, 2020
Crawford International

Parents’ Role in the Online Learning Journey

As we start our online learning journey, there are so many things to consider. Schools are social environments and as such function on the interaction between all the role-players, the pupils, parents and the staff. This has been disrupted, so we are working hard at ensuring that everyone remains positive and embraces whatever may come our way.

April 15, 2020
Parenting Hub

2020 MATRICS: PROCRASTINATION IS THE ENEMY OF PERFORMANCE

“Looking at the year from the vantage point of January, Matric finals seem a long way down the road, and eight months feels like ample time to get to grips with your work before you have to sit for your finals,” says Natasha Madhav, Senior Head of Programme: Faculty of ICT at The Independent Institute of Education, SA’s largest private higher education provider.

March 27, 2020
Parenting Hub

ESSENTIAL STUDY HACKS FOR DISTANCE LEARNING STUDENTS

With all eyes directed at 2020’s first-year students as they start their journeys at various tertiary and higher education institutions across South Africa, it is also important to remember those tens of thousands of students who are starting out on a learning journey of another kind — studying from home via distance learning, an education expert says.

March 17, 2020
Parenting Hub

Teach your child to learn independently with these useful tips

The human baby is born with an innate curiosity and a seemingly insatiable need to learn. Toddlers and young children seem to find anything and everything interesting and they never run out of questions! Why is that…? How does…? Where is the…? What is…..? They are also determined to ‘do- it-by-myself!’ In fact, they insist on it!

March 2, 2020
Seriously Addictive Mathematics

Are you Serious about your child’s future?

With an automated future ahead of us, the workplace will require a different way of thinking with an emphasis on problem solving, through mathematics as a vehicle, we can cultivate this skill in children from an early age.

February 24, 2020
Parenting Hub

GREAT MATRIC RESULTS? ENSURE YOU FIND A GREAT HIGHER ED INSTITUTION TO MATCH

With South Africa’s Matric pass rate at an historical high, many thousands of learners are in the unexpectedly happy position of having received a Bachelor’s pass, and therefore qualifying for further study. Those who didn’t make provision for this eventuality, may now find themselves in a situation where they no longer need to settle for their Plan B, but can in fact go for Plan A – realising their dreams of pursuing a degree – but with no place at university yet.

February 7, 2020
Parenting Hub

Back-to-school blues? Here’s what you can do…

Holidays are like cats! They creep into your lap for a cuddle and just when you start feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, they jet off to some unknown place, leaving you feeling disappointed and perhaps a little cold! Is this not true of these school holidays? They crept in, had a cuddle and left – just like that!

January 16, 2020
Parenting Hub

GRADE 11s: 3 MONTHS, 3 FLEXES TO SET YOU UP FOR MATRIC SUCCESS

Although the focus is firmly on the Matric Class of 2019 currently writing their NSC exams, their successors in Grade 11 are also now heading to exam rooms across the nation, and they should not underestimate the importance of these assessments, an education expert says. “The last two years of school should not be viewed in isolation. Rather, Grade 11 should be approached as the foundation upon which Matric success is built,” says Peter Kriel, General Manager at The Independent Institute of Education, SA’s largest and most accredited private higher education provider. “So any idea that your performance in Grade 11 doesn’t count, and that you can chill and make up for it next year, should be discarded,” he says. “Apart from the obvious benefit of doing well in these exams, it should be kept in mind that these marks can be submitted to gain provisional access to public universities or private higher education institutions, which means you can get in the gates before the flood of applications come streaming in next year,” he says. Kriel says although the thought of getting the exams over with and then taking a well-deserved break in December will no doubt be appealing to Grade 11s at this stage, there are 3 things they can take care of during the next 3 months which will see them start their final year of school with a distinct advantage over their peers, and with optimal chances of ending Matric on a successful note. 1)     DO AS WELL AS POSSIBLE IN YOUR EXAMS “As mentioned before, your Grade 11 results can be used to gain provisional access to university,” he says, “which means that your performance could mean the difference between having a wide range vs a restricted range of options. “But more than that, if you put in your best effort now, and invest in getting to grips with the study methods that work for you while ditching those which do not, you’ll start to get a good idea of your current capability. If you find that, despite your best efforts, you don’t do well, you’ll know that something needs to be tweaked or adjusted going forward. “However not putting in your best effort, means that you will enter your Matric year not understanding your potential, so the lessons you could have learned during these exams will have to be learnt during your final year at school, when you could have directed your focus to something more productive.” 2)     REVIEW YOUR RESULTS & STRATEGISE Kriel says the next step, after the exams are done and the results are in, is to honestly assess your situation. “Did you do your best? Could you have worked harder? Could you have worked smarter? Are there subjects that you know are going to need extra attention, or even extra resources in the form of, for instance, tutors or supplementary materials? “The key here is to look at how you performed, and your experience writing these important exams, and then use that information to plan your final year. Sometimes, if you identify serious red flags, it may even be necessary to consider your subject choices. But keep in mind thatonly one subject can be changed in Grade 12, and it must be done within a few weeks of school opening.” 3)     SORT OUT THE UNIVERSITY ADMIN Too often, the decision about what to study and where is left until way too late, because it seems like such a straightforward thing to decide and apply, says Kriel. “Nothing could be further from the truth, however. Choices about qualification and institution are major ones, which will have a substantial impact on your life after school, and your future prospects. “These are not decisions that can be left until June next year, and then you wake up and start to scramble to secure a place somewhere, anywhere. That is an ineffective approach and a potentially costly life and financial mistake, not to mention the fact that you simply won’t have the time or energy to do the groundwork next year,” he says. Grade 11 learners should therefore take a week or so timeout to rest after their exams, but then get to planning their post-school life. “The benefit of doing it now, during your holidays before you enter Grade 12, is that time is on your side. So you will be able to do extensive research about the job market and opportunities in the field or fields that interest you. You’ll be able to visit campuses and speak to career counsellors, you’ll also likely find careers and qualifications you’ve never even heard about. “Doing proper research now means you’ll be able to make an informed choice about your future, and, should you come to a decision, you’ll be able to get the extensive and exhaustive admin of the application process out of the way. Then on to Matric where you will start out on your strongest foot, and without the mountain of planning and additional stress that will be waiting for those who decided they’ll cross these bridges when they get there next year.”

November 19, 2019
Parenting Hub

How to study for Languages

Many learners place very little emphasis on studying for a language exam – after all, we use language every day so how difficult can an exam be, right? Wrong!

November 5, 2019
Parenting Hub

Environmental Education

Education in any realm is important for changing oneself as well as the community in which we live. Education is the only way that people can build the knowledge to affect any change. I am not merely referring to the learning of facts and theorems but more critically, learning how to effectively question, explore and think about issues, change one’s mind (and the minds of others), innovate and create.

October 30, 2019
Parenting Hub

Brands on-board to help SA families build bursaries for school

As any parent knows, when it comes to affording quality education for our children, we need all the help we can get. Escalating school fees, continual costs of uniforms and many extras make educating our children a significant, long-term family expense. Quality education features high on the UN’s list of 17 sustainable development goals, and South Africa is a signatory to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which recognises the vital role that education plays in improving lives.

October 28, 2019
Abbotts Colleges

Choosing Life Sciences in High School

The study of the Life Sciences gives important insight into disease processes and allows the development of novel therapeutic and innovative medical devices, thereby directly improving human health. Life Sciences also enables an understanding of the environment and the other living species with which we share the earth. This knowledge guides conservation efforts and helps us to save our shared planet.

September 27, 2019
Load More

Sidebar Image

Sidebar Image

Scroll to Top