Education - Parenting Hub

Leading Educational Advice from Wingu Academy

Advice from the experts

15 Research Based Study Tips to make Learning Easier this Term

The new school term has started, and many parents are already wondering if there’s anything they can do to make learning a little bit easier for their kids. You’re in luck! Here’s 15 research based study tips that will positively impact learning: 1.Self-explanation. Come up with explanations, in your own words, of to-be-learned concepts or ideas. Rather than solely relying on exact provided definitions (for example, from lectures or textbooks), create your own, while still making sure that they are accurate. 2.Use a timer. Set a timer for 20 – 25 minutes, and start learning… When the buzzer rings, take a five minute break… After two to three repetitions, take a thirty-minute break. Repeat! 3.Interleaving. When studying, instead of focusing exclusively on one concept or subject at a time, alternate between them. For example, if you are studying subject A and subject B, rather than practice only A on one day and only B on the next, you can practice both on each day by switching back and forth between them. 4.Dig deeper. It’s hard to remember a string of facts and figures if you don’t push further. Ask questions like Why? and How? It’s called elaboration. Elaboration helps you combine new information with other things you know. And it creates a bigger network in your brain of things that relate to one another. That larger network makes it easier to learn and remember things. 5.Books are still best. Research suggests that traditional print materials still have the upper hand when it comes to studying. It has also been found that students required more repetition to learn new material if they were reading on a computer screen versus reading printed material. 6.Be the ‘teacher’. Research shows that students have better memory and recall abilities when they learn new information with the expectation of having to teach/explain it to someone else. Studies also suggest that students are more engaged and will instinctively seek out methods of recall and organization when expected to take on a “teacher” role. 7.Exercise help learning. The benefits of exercise on the brain have been well established in the fields of health, fitness, and psychology. Studies show our brainpower gets a boost following even a short workout. According to Dr. Douglas B. McKeag, breaking a sweat shortly before cracking the books can make you more alert, open, and able to learn new information during your post-workout study session. 8.Reading and re-reading is not studying. Reading and re-reading textbooks merely lead students to thinking they know the material better than they do since it is right in front of them. Rather use active recall: closing the book and reciting (and explaining) in your own words everything you can remember up to that point to practice long-term memorization. 9.Test yourself. Take advantage of old exam and test papers available as practice tests/exams. You can get a sense of different testing styles and become familiar with how the information might be presented on the real test/exam day. A 2011 study found students who tested themselves with a practice test/exam after learning the material, retained 50% more of the information a week later than their peers who did not take a practice test/exam. 10.Don’t overlearn. Once you’ve been able to cycle through your work without making a mistake (or too many mistakes), you may feel a sense of satisfaction and call it a day, or you may feel a charge of adrenaline and be tempted to continue studying the same material. Research suggests it is better to take a break or move on to something else, instead of overlearning. 11.Stop multitasking. Multitasking is a myth. You may think you’re killing two birds with one stone by texting or quickly checking your Facebook page while studying, for example, but you’re actually forming poor study habits. It’s also not useful having your phone on silent but often checking if there’s any new messages, or looking at your phone every time it vibrates to indicate a new message. According to researchers, so-called “multitasking” extends your study time and ultimately may damage your grades. So when you’re studying, switch off your phone completely and put it somewhere out of sight. 12.Sleep is crucial for learning. There’s even a term for it: sleep-learning. As the memory-consolidation process does its best work during slow-wave sleep, your brain could be getting both the restoration and reactivation it needs during its time of rest. So don’t even think about studying through the night instead of getting in some much needed sleep. DID YOU KNOW that, according to certain researchers, reviewing study materials before bed can help you brain learn, even in your sleep? 13.Stress hinders learning. UC Irvine researchers found that stress lasting as briefly as a couple of hours can engage corticotropin-releasing hormones that disrupt the process of creating and storing memories. Taking study breaks, exercise, or drawing a few deep breaths will help your studying if they lower your stress levels. Also, planning ahead by means of a study schedule, will greatly reduce anxiety about not having enough time to study. Remember, break down large chunks of work into smaller sections and plan your study time accordingly. 14.Learning styles Learning styles are a hotly debated topic. Researchers and learning experts debate and question the concept of learning styles; some even go so far as to say they don’t exist. The overall conclusion is this: Despite the amount of work on the subject, scientists have found “virtually no evidence” to support the concept of learning styles, though they left the possibility open to further investigation in years to come. If you have found a way that works for you, great, but if not (yet) – it would be recommend you don’t go out of your way to try to make your material or the way you learn fit a specific style because it may not be worth the time or effort. 15.A change of scenery impacts learning and concentration abilities. Psychologist Robert Bjork and many learning specialists suggest that

August 6, 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

The Wonderful New way of Learning

Traditional approaches to education are no longer relevant in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. With the pace of change accelerating in the 21st century, a key requirement to thrive is lifelong learning and the ability to acquire new skills quickly. How can “learning to learn” and the ability to be continually reinventing oneself be fostered in children from a young age? It starts with recognizing that the world is changing faster than ever before. To prepare children for the future, parents need to be forward-looking and re-access the type of education that your child needs in this day and age. In today’s world of artificial intelligence, robotics, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, you must prepare children for uncertainty and promote agility and adaptability. This requires a reorientation from early childhood education through to university. It means encouraging flexibility rather than specialization. Parents and children need to completely reimagine education. Instead of learning to memorize facts and figures, students need to “learn how to learn” and how to solve problems. They should be allowed to learn independently, which means that changes are needed at every level. We must infuse things like entrepreneurship into the curriculum because with the disruption we are experiencing in society, many individuals will need to be able to create their own jobs. We may end up in a world in which people are more likely to be autonomous contractors rather than having a secure job that lasts for a lifetime as our parents and grandparents had. We need to completely reframe the system of education based on where the world is going, instead of repeating the same failing patterns that are no longer applicable in the new world we are living in. Education has always been seen as merely the first twelve to fifteen years of your childhood, It needs to be re-identified as a lifelong opportunity, as we truly never stop learning. Working on projects for real organizations, going out into your community, and understanding real-life challenges that people are facing helps you to shape your learning into experiences that you will benefit from throughout your life. These experiences cannot be learned from a textbook but rather by looking at the world head-on. Education has historically been what one can call “Just in case education”, which gives you all kinds of facts and figures just in case it may become relevant to you. But today what we need is “just in time education,” which has three main characteristics: It never stops. Education is lifelong, we always hold the opportunity to learn. It is focused on learning how to learn and learning how to solve problems. You learn independently outside of the traditional classroom, you learn from projects, from playing, from mentors, from experiments, and in a variety of other ways. Instead of giving students a menu of academic disciplines, we should rather present them with a menu of problems and challenges that the world is facing. So, when we ask students to declare a mission and not a major, we are saying: “Pick a problem you want to solve and build your learning around that.” It is about giving a purpose to learning and not just learning for learning’s sake. It is about creating problem solvers because problem-solving will always be relevant even as the world changes. When a machine makes your job obsolete – if you are a problem solver, you will still have relevance in the world. How can your child be his or her own teacher? From the moment a child is born, they have a raging desire to learn, and we believe that if you just follow their lead, provide them with a rich environment, give them the undivided time and attention of the people who care about them the most and encourage their efforts, they will not only learn but exceed all expectations Students have the capability of teaching themselves which makes teachers unnecessary for independent homeschooling. Kids are born with a love of learning. And strategies like repeated testing and flaunting failure stifle a child’s desire to learn The secret to motivating your child is to always let them know that how great you believe they are and remind them that they have the potential to achieve anything. At Syllabis Learning we strive to ensure each student has everything they need within their grasp, creating an environment that enables the child to reach their full potential. We provide all you need to give your child a safe and secure learning environment. We offer a guided program, a roadmap of studies to meet each child’s learning objectives. All our content is written and developed by qualified teachers and curriculum experts. Syllabis Learning offers a refreshing new choice to the learner of the digital age.

August 3, 2021

Choosing Mathematics & Mathematical Literacy – everything you need to know

In our blog series, we will be exploring the various subjects offered by Impaq in the FET Phase (Grades 10 – 12). We spoke to education specialists Lientjie Young and Kimberley Britz to learn more about Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy as subjects. Mathematics vs Mathematical Literacy While choosing subjects in Grade 9, many learners are unsure of the difference between Mathematics (MAM) and Mathematical Literacy (MAL). We asked Young and Britz to explain the differences between these two subjects below: Mathematics “Mathematics deals with theories and abstract concepts that are not necessarily encountered in everyday life,” Young explains. “It is a study of numbers and shapes and the relationships between them,” she adds. Simply put, Mathematics is a language that attempts to describe the world in abstract terms that can be modified and, therefore, often simplified in this language. Topics include: Algebra Basic calculus Statistics Geometry Trigonometry Mathematical Literacy “In contrast to Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy deals with conventional real-world situations,” Britz says. “In short, it is an ‘everyday’ kind of Mathematics, as there is a direct connection between Mathematical Literacy and everyday life,” Britz adds. Topics include: Budgeting Interest calculations Profit and losses Break-even points Data handling Divide and conquer In the FET Phase, Mathematics is a compulsory subject for South African learners. However, learners may choose between Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy when making their subject selections in Grade 9. Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of each subject: Mathematics “Mathematics is one of the most important subjects [to consider taking] for university degree purposes,” Young explains. Many university degrees, particularly in the natural sciences and commerce, require Mathematics. Mathematics can be very difficult for many learners, but it can also be very beneficial in many areas related to cognition, such as problem-solving. “As learners of Mathematics are provided with the opportunity to develop their [various cognitive skills], it can become challenging in a number of ways,” Young says. She adds that the need for additional assistance, such as a tutor, may be required to help the learner master the subject. Read more: How do I choose a tutor for my child? Mathematical Literacy “Mathematical Literacy enables learners to use numbers to solve real-world problems and equips them with the ability to interpret and critically analyse everyday situations,” Britz explains. She adds that depending on the career path chosen, it may be more challenging for learners who choose Mathematical Literacy to get accepted into specific university degree courses such as medicine or accounting. However, this does not mean that Mathematical Literacy is not a valid subject choice, particularly for learners who are more artistically or linguistically inclined. With Mathematical Literacy, learners are still very much able to pursue fruitful careers if traditional STEM fields are not right for them. Limit breakers So, how do you know which subject is right for you? Young and Britz provide a few factors to consider below: Consider your other subject choices “When making your subject selections in Grade 9 and deciding whether to choose Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy, consider your other subject choices,” Young advises. Mathematics is compulsory when taking Physical Sciences and highly recommended when selecting the following subjects: Accounting Agricultural Sciences Information Technology Engineering Graphics and Design Life Sciences However, Mathematical Literacy is suitable for most arts and social sciences subjects such as Hospitality Studies and Visual Arts and often benefits learners who choose these types of subjects. Explore your study options “Learners should also ensure that they know what the Mathematics requirements are for further study at tertiary institutions,” Young says. “As said earlier, taking Mathematics with Agricultural Sciences is not compulsory, but if a learner wants to study BSc Agricultural or Veterinary Sciences, Mathematics will be required,” she adds. However, Mathematics is not required for degrees such as an LLB (law) or BEd. (Bachelor of Education). Therefore, learners are encouraged to do their research about their chosen study field before selecting Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy in Grade 9. Ensure that you understand what is expected of you “It is vitally important for learners to understand what each subject entails before making their choice,” Britz says. “Both subjects require hard work, and learners should ensure that they have all the support they need to master the subject,” she adds. Learners are encouraged to talk to Impaq’s education specialists to see how their attitude towards mathematics and their previous marks in the subject will determine their choice and what additional support they may need. Also read: The importance of practice in your learning journey 2 ∞ & Beyond Your future career choice will undoubtedly affect your subject selections. Therefore, it is essential to explore career options in the different fields before making your choice. Mathematics Mastering a subject such as Mathematics will allow you to apply your knowledge in many fields. Mathematics plays an important role in fields such as: Medicine Genetics Agriculture Engineering There are also many job options for individuals with a qualification in Mathematics. These include: Investment risk and performance analyst Supply and demand planner Teacher or lecturer Business analyst Research statistician Mathematical Literacy Mathematical Literacy, on the other hand, will prepare you for real-life problem solving such as: Budgeting Purchasing property and other assets, including bond repayment amounts, transfer fees and legal fees Calculating income tax Reading and interpreting statistics in everyday life These are valuable skills to master for your future financial life and to help you find solutions to everyday problems. With Mathematical Literacy learners can go on to specialise and succeed in a wide variety of fields that do not require ‘pure’ Mathematics, such as: Teaching, academia, and instructional design Advertising and marketing Law and legal practice Writing and publishing TV, radio, and film Politics and advocacy Choosing between Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy is a big decision, so ensure that you do your research and make the best choice for you! You might also want to consider completing an online career questionnaire to help you identify your interests and skills.

July 30, 2021

Why Homeschool with Syllabis?

From the moment a child is born they have a raging desire to learn, and we believe that if you just follow their lead, provide them with a rich environment, give them the undivided time and attention of the people who care about them the most, and encourage their efforts, they will not only learn, but exceed all expectations. We are all a product of our schooling experiences and in teaching our children we sometimes unwittingly make the same mistakes schools make. Schools arrange for kids to fail. Do you remember how the teachers always caught your mistakes and rarely, if ever caught your successes? And what about tests? Tests are given to reveal not how knowledgeable we are, but how ignorant we are. The school system is set up so that no matter what you do, you lose. Kids are born with a love of learning. And strategies like repeated testing and flaunting failure stifle a child’s desire to learn. If you want a kid to hate something – be sure to point out all the ways in which he doesn’t measure up. Don’t you agree that most of us avoid doing things that we don’t do well. On the other hand, when we do something well, people notice and give us praise. Our reaction to their praise is believing that we are good at it, and with this boost in confidence we are ready to do it over and over again. Success produces high motivation! The secret to motivating your kid is to always let them know that how great you believe they are and remind them that they have the potential to achieve anything. At Syllabis Learning we strive to ensure each student has everything they need within their grasp, creating an environment that enables the child to reach their potential. We provide all you need to give your child a safe and secure learning environment. We offer a guided program or roadmap of studies to meet each child’s learning objectives. All of our content is written and developed by qualified teachers and curriculum experts. Syllabis Home Education offers a refreshing new choice to the learner of the digital age. Our component based learning plans empower students of all ages to successfully complete a home based education in a distance learning like environment. It is like having your own virtual school right in your hands. The curriculum consists of a blended mix between online lessons, textbooks, study plans and practical projects and assignments. We present study material to the learner in a simple, concise and understandable way and we provide tangible, creative and technological materials to enhance the learning experience. Our educational material is flexible and easy to use. Give your child the independence they crave, as they progress at their own pace, and because very little parental assistance is required, our curriculum works great if you’re homeschooling more than one child. Our curriculum gives the child the freedom to be flexible. Self-paced means student-paced and Syllabis students have the ability to work as much as they want every day, which aligns perfectly for a successful homeschooling experience. We provide everything you and your child need to make is easy to be and stay organized and on top of your learning objectives. Homeschooling is a most suitable way to raise and educate children. Trust the children. Trust yourselves. Embrace the magic, after all the magic is in the child.

July 29, 2021

How to support your family during a crisis

What is a crisis? Crises are pronounced adverse life events typically accompanied by some type of loss. A crisis can include a death or accident in the family, a parent losing their job, or violent crime. Sometimes, even good things – like a new marriage or a pregnancy – can feel like a crisis because of the associated stress and how these events change a person’s life. How children react to a crisis Children are very perceptive and will notice when there is something ‘wrong’ in the family. Depending on a child’s age, they may not be able to verbalise their feelings. Consequently, children may present with behaviours that are not standard for them. During a crisis, it is important to keep an eye out for behavioural oddities such as: Aversions to stimuli that previously did not bother them Disturbed sleep or nightmares Diminished interest in school and other activities Poor concentration Age regression (acting younger than they are) What parents can do for themselves As the saying goes, you cannot pour from an empty cup: parents cannot help their children unless they help themselves. Here are some tips on how you, as a parent, can look after yourself during a time of crisis: Focus on the most significant and pressing responsibilities. By concentrating on what is essential and paying less attention to less important things, you will not burn yourself out trying to ‘do it all’. Determine what you can and cannot control. By focusing on the things you can control, you will be able to reduce your stress. Practise self-care. Although self-care is something we should always be practising, it is imperative during a crisis. Take an hour to read your favourite book, have a luxurious bath, or treat yourself to a delicious snack. While self-care might feel unnecessarily indulgent, it is crucial for helping you keep calm and to keep your stress in check. Read more: Parental self-care Make sure to reach out and connect with loved ones. Humans are inherently sociable creatures, and no man is an island. Keep in contact with friends and other family members, as they are a vital source of support during a crisis. Keep loved ones informed of the situation, and spend time with them when and where possible. Respect that people deal with crises differently. Some people are more openly emotional than others; some find it more challenging to cope with stressful situations – be mindful of the different personalities in your family. Do not expect everyone to recover at the same rate, and remember that healing is not linear: there will be ups and downs. Be easy on yourself and your family. Allow yourself to recognise and express your feelings. Ignoring them will not make them go away, and trying to repress your emotions will backfire in the long term. Give yourself the necessary time to grieve and heal. Acknowledging your fears and anxieties is good not only for your emotional wellbeing but also for your children’s wellbeing as they will see that it is okay and normal to have and talk about these feelings. What parents can do for their children Above all else, during a crisis, children need to feel safe and know that they have people in their life on whom they can rely. They will need reassurance, understanding, support, and acceptance. You can help do this for them by: Talking openly about the situation with your child. Share accurate but age-appropriate information about the problem, do not keep them in the dark. Use simple language and avoid sugar-coated metaphors. Answer their questions but refrain from giving them details they do not need. If you do not know the answer to a question, be honest and let them know you will try to find out. Being positive. While it is important to be honest and realistic, be optimistic and tell your children that you are dealing with the situation and expect things to get better. Reassure and encourage them, but do not make false promises. Listening to children. Too often, parents brush off or invalidate their children’s concerns, but you must tune in to their feelings and take them seriously. Take time to ask them how they are feeling and if they would like to talk about their feelings. If they are non-verbal or unsure how to verbalise their feelings, encourage them to draw, write, or use toys to ‘tell a story.’ Read more: Supporting your child’s emotional intelligence development Helping children socialise. As mentioned, parents need external support from loved ones, and so do children. Facilitate contact with people with whom you know your child likes spending time and feels comfortable, whether this is a best friend, an aunt, or anybody else! Read more: You’ve got a friend in me Spending extra time with children. Children might feel the need for extra attention from caregivers during a crisis, so be sure to give it to them if that is what they need. Do a fun activity together (like watching a family-friendly movie), or take some more time putting them to bed. Ask them what you can do for or with them that will make them feel better. Most importantly, for both parents and children, try to stick to your routine as much as possible. Predictable routines help children feel safe, and giving them – and yourself – things to do will give all of you a feeling of control. Make sure you and your children eat well, exercise, and get plenty of rest, where possible. Read more: New normal, new routine If you are concerned about your wellbeing or that of a family member, seek professional help. A general practitioner can refer you to a psychologist or counsellor specialised in trauma and distress. By Jacqui Smit

July 23, 2021

Our “talking textbooks” help learners engage with their studies

Excom provides the following textbooks: EMS Grades 7 – 9 Accounting Grades 8 and 9 Life Orientation Grades 8 to 12 Business Studies Grades 10 to 12 Learner books are available in English and Afrikaans in both printed and e-book format. Talking textbooks Our ‘talking textbooks’ help learners become active participants in their learning journey. ‘Bubbles’, which are short online lessons, are embedded in our textbooks. The lessons expand on the concepts being taught in class with additional examples and explanations. Learn more about our ‘talking textbooks’ below: All our books are in colour and make use of contemporary case studies and examples. Content is updated regularly Content is developed by experts in their relevant fields, including examination panel members, senior examiners, and moderators. The EMS and Life Orientation ranges follow the CAPS curriculum, and the Business Studies range follows the SAG (IEB) curriculum. All our books have a corresponding educator’s guide. Excom Business Studies workbooks Online learning has become more important than ever, and these workbooks are the ideal tool for learners to manage their learning and ensure they cover essential theory. The framework format is based on the short questions learners can expect in examinations and allows them to plan their answers to fit the available space. Help your learners make the most of their study time – buy Excom textbooks and workbooks today.

July 21, 2021

Put a pin in using plastic this July

Plastic is part of our everyday lives. And while it is undoubtedly convenient, it is unfortunately very detrimental to the environment, as much of it is designed to be used briefly, but it lasts forever. While some plastic can be recycled, most ends up in landfills or in the ocean, where it takes hundreds of years to break down, if it ever does. Plastic has a terrible impact on marine life. It finds its way into the stomachs of fish and marine birds, and, now, even humans who eat seafood are ingesting small amounts of plastic as a result. Plastic is not biodegradable, and, consequently, it clogs up the stomachs of animals who eat it and pollutes our waterways and land. If we don’t change our ways drastically, there could be more plastic, by weight, than fish in the sea by 2050. Luckily, there’s a growing movement to solve the world’s plastic problem, and you can be a part of it. In fact, this month, participants across the globe will be doing all they can to reduce their use of plastic, all in the name of Plastic Free July®! What is Plastic Free July®? Plastic Free July® is an annual global movement that encourages people to reduce their plastic consumption for an entire month. What started from humble beginnings in 2011 has since attracted the masses, with an estimated 326 million people joining in last year. The campaign, which aims to inspire people to consider their everyday plastic usage and make small lifestyle changes, shows how everybody can help to reduce the impact of plastic on our planet. Getting started While the number of plastic items being produced these days is practically never-ending, there are four items that make up the bulk of our plastic consumption: plastic bags, water bottles, takeaway coffee cups, and plastic straws. By eliminating these items and replacing them with reusable versions, we can make a huge dent in our plastic use. That said, the thought of reducing plastic consumption can feel totally overwhelming because plastic is just about everywhere! The key is to start by focusing on one small change at a time. Take note of what plastics you are using on a daily basis, and slowly pick one at a time to substitute. For example, commit to eliminating the use of one item – be it plastic water bottles, cling wrap, plastic shopping bags, Ziploc bags, single-use coffee cups, disposable makeup wipes, or straws – for a week. If it goes well, you can expand the number of items you do not use and increase that list throughout the month. Even if you manage to reduce your plastic consumption by only a small amount this July, adopting any of these habits in your day-to-day life is an excellent step towards decreasing your plastic consumption. Plastic free during the third wave Some plastic use, such as personal protective equipment (PPE), is inevitable amid the pandemic. But there are steps every household can take to minimise the impact of these single-use plastics: Disposable plastic face masks pose a huge environmental risk – it is estimated that they are produced on a similar scale to plastic bottles, approximately 43 billion per month. But, unlike plastic bottles (of which 25% are recycled), there is no official guidance on mask recycling, meaning masks will end up polluting our environment. So, switch to reusable fabric face masks to reduce plastic waste. The World Health Organization (WHO) advises that fabric masks can be used by the general public under the age of 60 and those who do not have underlying health conditions. Ditch the plastic gloves. The use of gloves by the public in public spaces is not a recommended or proven prevention measure, according to the WHO. Swap single-use hand wash for a bar of soap. Anything with a plastic pump mechanism is difficult to recycle, and it will either end up being burned or sent to a landfill. If you already have one, you can reuse it by buying liquid refill soap or simply swap it for a bar of soap. Get the kids involved Although many adults are taking action to leave behind a cleaner planet for the next generation, it is also important for children to get involved in these efforts. By teaching them the importance of eliminating plastic and seeking out other options early on, it will help them adopt new, more eco-friendly habits that they will carry into adulthood. Watch a documentary: an easy and effective way to teach children (and adults) what plastic is doing to our environment is to watch a documentary on the topic, as it helps people visualise and more fully understand the issue. (Some documentaries can upset sensitive viewers, so be sure to choose one that is age appropriate.) Host a clean-up: the environment is already full of plastic litter. So, why not get your children to host a clean-up in your area? They can meet up with their friends and see how many bags of litter they can pick up. It is a great way to reduce plastic in the environment and protect local wildlife. Make something from scratch: a big part of going plastic free is figuring out how to make homemade replacements for things you would normally buy in plastic packaging. There are a number of fun projects for children to try, such as baking their own bread or making yoghurt. Another great idea is to turn some seasonal fruit into jam. Try beeswax wraps: beeswax wraps offer a reusable, compostable alternative to single-use plastic wraps. They can be bought or made at home, so get your children involved in turning a piece of their favourite fabric into a DIY beeswax wrap – there are great tutorials online. Upcycle and save: upcycling is a fun and clever way of turning something old into something new. There are endless ways to upcycle plastic. A fun suggestion to help your children upcycle and save is to turn plastic

July 16, 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

Quanta Books

Quanta is your at-home physical science teacher. Top universities across the country use the Quanta Books series What makes the Quantaseries unique? The content is divided into bite-sized ‘quanta’; each quantum contains a crisp and to-the-point summary of a specific topic enriched with hints and tips, followed by an exercise containing numerous questions on the subject. The series addresses three essential aspects that are often overlooked when studying Physical Sciences: Practice: The series contains hundreds of exercises (mainly from national examination papers from 1990 to 2012), and examples from the Department of Education, to help learners practise their skills. Catering to all learners: The content targets both the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Many learners are ‘right-brained’ learners, who either get bored in Science class or who battle to understand the abstract concepts. The DVDs, which accompany the books, contain cartoons, animations, and demonstrations that enable the ‘right-brained’ learners to visualise difficult and abstract concepts. Detailed explanations: The back of the book includes a memorandum with step-by-step answers to all the questions. The answers to the multiple-choice questions are also fully explained! *All our books are available inboth Afrikaans and English. Get in Touch with Optimi Publishing optimipublishing@optimi.co.za / 087 405 2244

July 14, 2021

PARENT SURVIVAL KIT – ADHD

Most parents would never ignore their child’s broken bone or obvious signs of physical injury. Yet, when it comes to a child’s mental state and someone tells you that your child has ADHD or that your child needs medication! Panic sets in. You are not sure what all of it really means. However, what you do know is that you definitely are not keen to medicate your child. However, you are told that without meds your child is likely to make limited academic progress. So, where to from here? All is not lost Your child will be ok! There are many paths to follow, but having ADHD is definitely not the end of the child’s world. It is unfortunately a fact that if you take no action whatsoever, then your child is likely to battle more than they should at school and during their life. Courses of action The first port of call is to find a deep understanding of exactly what ADHD is? Well, it relates specifically to concentration and focus issues. The ICD-11 states that it is “a persistent pattern (at least 6 months) of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that has a direct negative impact on academic, occupational or social functioning.” The ICD-11 further states that the onset of these symptoms occurs prior to age 12 years, typically by early- to mid-childhood. One of the questions that is often asked is: Is there a correlation between intelligence and ADHD? Research has shown that there is no major correlation between ADHD and intelligence, but children with ADHD are often more adventurous, more likely to be entrepreneurs…, more likely to “think out of the box”, but they will battle with formal, long-term study environments. Most adults work with their ADHD, whether they know it or not, they are likely to choose jobs where they have freedom of movement and don’t always have to rely on a structured environment in order to succeed. Symptoms The actual symptoms as observed by a teacher in the classroom are: Inattention Non-completion of tasks in the allocated time Loss of focus General problems with concentration Self-focused behaviour Interrupting Problems with patience Emotional turmoil Fidgeting Problems playing quietly Avoidance of tasks Daydreaming Trouble getting organized Forgetfulness Do we see these symptoms at home? Most of the time our children are playing or are involved in an activity which they want to be involved in: gaming inside, playing a game outside or doing something relatively passive like watching TV or a series or something similar. When we are able to observe our children attempting to complete a focused task like studying or homework tasks, that’s when we are likely to see some of the ADHD symptoms. If there was anything positive about the complete lockdown, we had in 2020, it was that we as parents we got to see our children’s actual classroom behaviour. If we were able to see their online behaviour, then we were extra lucky. In most instances many parents had the opportunity to observe that their children battle to stay focused and/or complete a task, even though their teacher may have advised them of the situation before. What about medication? Which meds should we use? “I have come to the conclusion over a number of years that the possible side-effects as discussed on the medication pamphlets are not always exactly the same for everyone. I believe that each child (person) reacts differently to medication in their systems. From absolutely no side-effects at all, to other debilitating side-effects.” Should we use stimulant medications? Should we use Long-Acting medications (8 hours)? Should we use alternative prescription medication? Should meds be part of the solution at all? “Well, my advice is to use whatever meds your Paediatric Neurologist or Paediatrician recommends, but to stay in close contact with the medical professional. They need to know how your child is reacting, and how to alter and possibly prescribe something else if necessary. Remember, medication is always a last resort, and when the time comes to use whatever medication, the medical professionals prescribe for a better and healthier way forward.” Toolkit A Parent Toolkit that could assist you along the way is as follows: A formal assessment by a Paediatric Neurologist (if possible, otherwise a Paediatrician), including questionnaires for the child’s teacher, as well as your input as a parent, and an assessment at some stage of the process by an Educational Psychologist. Understanding that it is a neurological condition. Creating structure, boundaries, and an appropriate environment for learning at school and home. Correct school placement if possible (small classes, and an understanding teacher). Close liaison with the child’s teacher, medical professionals, and all therapists. Medication if recommended by the child’s teachers and therapists, and prescribed by a suitable medical professional. Your child is exceptional and most likely will achieve great things throughout life. Your job as a parent now, is to understand your child and assist wherever you can to help them on their journey to greatness. By: Dr Greg Pienaar, Principal at The Bridge Assisted Learning School

July 13, 2021

10 Notable People Who Were homeschooled

In an age where more students are receiving an education and graduating than ever before it is interesting to take note that education is finally evolving into something far more exciting. Along with the education of teachers, learning tools and teaching techniques have also changed significantly with the digital revolution. There is finally a drive to incorporate technology, mobile devices, and independent learning into the student curriculum. If the thought of homeschooling concerns you then perhaps reading about 15 notable people who were homeschooled will begin to change your view on independent learning and this revolutionary method of schooling. Thomas Edison Thomas Edison is one of the most famous and productive inventors of all time with almost 1000 patents in his name, including the electric light bulb, phonograph, and motion picture camera. He became a self-made multimillionaire even though he was considered a difficult child at the school he attended so at the age of 7 his mother removed him from school and taught him at home. Alexander Graham Bell Bell was homeschooled until the age of 11 before enrolling in a traditional school. Despite his poor grades at school Bell went on to be a noted inventor and held more than a dozen patents. Albert Einstein Although he was named time magazine’s “Man of the Century,” Albert Einstein was not an “Einstein” in school. The Nobel Prize-winning physicist, famous for his theory of relativity and contributions to quantum theory and statistical mechanics, dropped out of high school at age 15 to continue his education independently. Teddy Roosevelt The 26th US president, leader of The Rough Riders and inspiration for the teddy bear, Teddy Roosevelt was born to a family of fourteen children. Roosevelt and his siblings suffered from a variety of physical ailments, and as a result, were home-schooled. The children were taught by their mother, aunt, and a French governess, who did a fantastic job: Teddy was admitted to Harvard in 1878. Abraham Lincoln The remarkable 16th President of the United States known for leading the nation during the civil war and abolishing slavery is a product of homeschooling. History books did not lie when they said he was raised in a poor household by loving but unfortunately illiterate parents. Unlike the parent or private tutor-led homeschool method we know today, Lincoln had to teach himself how to read and write while also supporting his family. Proof that independent learning does rely on someone else teaching you. Leonardo da Vinci The artist behind the legendary paintings Mona Lisa and The Last Supper was a homeschooler! Da Vinci went down in history not only as a great painter but also a polymath with extensive knowledge in various fields like biology, math, architecture, and engineering. This renaissance artist was taught English, writing, and math by his father. Agatha Christie This famous mystery novelist was homeschooled by her father. She taught herself to read at just 5 years old. She wrote some 75 novels, including 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections. Christie is perhaps the world’s most famous mystery writer and is one of the best-selling novelists of all time Maria Sharapova Although she was enrolled in a prestigious school at the age of 9, Maria Sharapova and her parents decided that home learning was the best choice for the athlete t continue her journey to becoming a famous tennis star. Sharapova is a brilliant example that independent learners can become well-rounded and emotionally intelligent people. Emma Watson The bright and fearless Hermoine Granger in the Harry Potter series, as well as one of the highest-paid actresses of all time, Emma Watson was homeschooled for most of her adolescent years. Watson had to be educated by a private tutor on set along with her co-stars as she started acting professionally at age 10. Watson earned her degree in English Literature in 2014 from Brown University. Taylor Swift Singer-songwriter and ten-time Grammy award winner Taylor Swift was homeschooled from the age of 14. She chose to learn independently to accommodate her touring schedule. Homeschooling has become a popular option for numerous celebrities to allot more time to grow their showbiz careers Choosing to homeschool your kids might feel like an all-too-eccentric route to take, but you’d be surprised to find that your child is actually in good company if you choose to set him/her off on this specific path of alternative learning.

July 12, 2021

Homeschool like a pro with Impaq

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed everyone’s lives, perhaps none more so than parents. Mothers and fathers who were once accustomed to dropping off their children at school and letting the professionals take care of their education now have to contend with teaching their children themselves. And, while homeschooling may seem like an impossible challenge for many parents, Impaq makes it easy! For over 19 years, Impaq has been the largest and most experienced home education provider in the country, with more than 28 000 registered Grade R – 12 learners in 2021 alone! Here’s how Impaq can help you homeschool like a pro: 1.Uninterrupted learning The third wave of the coronavirus (and, particularly, the spread of the delta variant from India) has meant that many schools have had to close their doors once again. School closures will undoubtedly harm children’s education and will almost certainly set it back. With Impaq, education setbacks are no concern – education and examinations can continue as usual! With Impaq’s distance learning model and support services, you never need to worry about compromising your child’s education. Read more: How to cope with school closures amidst the third wave 2.Quality lesson material Because our content and resources are CAPS-aligned, and because we are registered with the South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute (SACAI), Impaq learners can go back to traditional schooling at any time if need be and, upon completing matric, they receive a National Senior Certificate (NSC). Foundation Phase (Grades R – 3) In this phase, the curriculum focuses on four main principles critical for a young child’s development: critical thinking, problem-solving, step-by-step guidance, and letting learners develop and learn at their own pace. Learners study Mathematics, Life Skills, and a Home Language (Afrikaans or English) throughout the entire phase and will take on a First Additional Language in Grade 1. Parents can also use the Foundation Phase Maths Kit and Cami EduSuite to help their children with Mathematics, Reading, and Literacy. Read more: Foundation Phase: The Fundamental Building Blocks for Learner Performance Intermediate Phase (Grades 4 – 6) During this phase, learners study six compulsory subjects: Mathematics, a Home Language, a First Additional Language, Life Skills, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences and Technology. Learners develop a sense of independent learning as they master a broad range of skills and abilities. Senior Phase (Grades 7 – 9) In the Senior Phase, learners continue with the compulsory subjects from the Intermediate Phase. Natural Sciences and Technology are now two separate subjects, and learners also begin studying Economic and Management Sciences and Creative Arts. Life Skills is now studied at a higher level and known as Life Orientation. By the Senior Phase, learners have developed self-management skills and should have more say in the structure of their academic schedule. Learners can now start using Optimi Publishing’s Excom Books in selected subjects designed to assist them on their learning journey. FET Phase (Grades 10 – 12) In the final schooling phase, learners select three subjects often colloquially known as ‘matric subjects’ in addition to the four compulsory subjects (Home Language, First Additional Language, Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy, and Life Orientation) for a total of seven subjects. Impaq offers a wide variety of over fifteen elective subjects, from Physical Sciences to Tourism. Learners can also use Optimi Publishing’s Quanta series, which is designed to assist learners studying Physical Sciences. Read more: Career choices: How to help your child make their subject selections in Grade 9 3.Unparalleled resources and support Unlike many other homeschool curriculum providers, Impaq realises that there’s more to teaching than just lesson material. That’s why, in addition to our quality CAPS-aligned lesson material for Grades R – 12, we offer our learners and parents plenty of supplementary teaching and learning resources like facilitator’s guides, planned schedules, assessment elements and services, and more! Our online platform allows parents to capture marks, generate reports, and monitor their child’s progress. The Optimi Learning Portal gives learners access to video content, quizzes, and online classes in selected subjects to help them prepare for assessments. Impaq also has education specialists who can assist you and your child on your learning journey and answer any questions you might have. If need be, parents can also employ the services of independent tutors to help them facilitate learning. Read more: How do I choose a tutor for my child? Impaq also offers Bible Education (Grades R – 9), isiZulu (Grades 1 – 4), LEGO® Robotics and Coding (Grades 1 – 5), and Resolute Robotics (Grades 7 – 12) as additional subjects typically not offered at other schools. Virtual open days If Impaq sounds like something that would work for you, join one of our virtual open days from 20 – 22 July 2021! Webinar Date Time Register here Grade R – 3 Open Day Tuesday, 20 July 2021 16:00 – 17:00 Register here Grade 4 – 9 Open Day Wednesday, 21 July 2021 16:00 – 17:00 Register here Grade 10 – 12 Open Day Thursday, 22 July 2021 16:00 – 17:00 Register here If after joining our virtual open days, you have decided Impaq is right for you, be sure to join the Impaq family when registrations for 2022 open on 1 September 2021! By Jacqui Smit

July 9, 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 optimipublishing@optimi.co.za 087 405 2244

July 8, 2021

Glenoaks Remedial and Special Needs School A look into our Assisted Learning Stream

In the heart of Kensington, lies a hidden gem. This gem is Glenoaks Remedial and Special Needs School. As a strong establishment of 52 years in remedial and special needs support, Glenoaks offers a unique and comprehensive educational experience for any child who presents with wide-ranging barriers to learning. The school has a specific stream dedicated to learners with special educational needs. This stream is run by a team of dedicated teachers and therapists who are passionate about special needs and strive for each child to reach their true potential. The GOAL (Glenoaks Assisted Learning) Stream caters for learners from the ages of 6 to 14 years, who have special educational needs which inhibit them from learning in the ‘traditional classroom’. Our learners are unique, inspiring and present with a variety of different and individualistic learning styles. Even though they cannot cope with the pace and complexity of an academic curriculum, neither in a mainstream nor in a remedial classroom, they are able to learn within our supported environment – this is because we focus on what our learners CAN do! Each of our learners have differing areas of strengths. Some have promising potential in one or two subject areas but demonstrate functional abilities in other areas and some of them demonstrate strengths with tasks of a practical nature. A placement in the GOAL stream allows for teachers and therapists to work on enhancing the learners’ strengths whilst developing their skills in areas they find difficult without having to abide by a pre-determined curriculum that may not be suitable to their learning style or needs. Our learners all benefit from repetition, positive reinforcement, and reduced time pressure, aiming at developing skills within their levels of ability. At present we have a Junior, an Intermediate and a Senior GOAL Stream class. These classes are divided according to a child’s age and ability. Our class sizes are between 5 – 7 learners, and the younger classes have a classroom facilitator. This allows for individual attention and support throughout the day. We also have a multi-disciplinary team consisting of psychologists, occupational, speech and language and remedial therapists, as well as facilitators, all working together to ensure that no stone gets left unturned when it comes to your child’s educational needs. Subjects in the GOAL Stream include life skills, activities of daily living, cooking, supported reading, home management, current events and world knowledge, basic administration skills, computers, drumming, library, sport, social and emotional skills, Occupational Therapy groups, Speech-Language Therapy and communication groups, social skills groups, work experience groups, and arts and crafts. We also work on individualised numeracy and literacy programs with each of our learners. Our classroom themes are all-encompassing themes and many of our activities are ‘out of the box’ to best support learning needs and styles. Older GOAL Stream learners have many opportunities for project-based learning in preparation for in-house work experience. Our core focus for these learners includes developing their life skills, and functional mathematical and literacy skills so that they can be productive and contributing members of society, whether it be within independent or sheltered working environments. Our school has a warm and nurturing environment. Please spend some time looking at our website, and make an appointment if you wish to come and see our gem of a school! The staff at Glenoaks take inspiration from each child as well as their families, and this poem written by a mom who was asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability, has made us look at special needs differently. It’s like this… Welcome to Holland Written by Emily Perl Kingsley When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip – to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make your wonderful plans. The Colosseum, the Michelangelo David, the gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting. After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome to Holland.” “Holland?!” you say. “What do you mean, Holland?” I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy. But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay. The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to some horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It’s just a different place. So you must go out and buy a new guidebook. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met. It’s just a different place. It’s slower paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around, and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills, Holland has tulips, Holland even has Rembrandts. But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy, and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life you will say, “Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.” The pain of that will never, ever, go away, because the loss of that dream is a very significant loss. But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things about Holland.

July 7, 2021

Impaq Stars: Shingai Mawire

As part of our Impaq Stars series, we chatted to medical student Shingai Mawire to learn more about his learning experience with Impaq and how Impaq has helped set him on the path to success. He also shares his advice for fellow Impaq learners. Why did you and your parents decide to do home education with Optimi? We decided to make the switch to homeschooling because of the educational freedom and flexibility it allows. With homeschooling, I could work more quickly through assignments and subjects that I understood and spend more time on challenging subjects, such as Physical Sciences and my favourite subject, Life Sciences. Optimi Campus Lynnwood offers tutorial classes with facilitators for subjects with which learners might struggle. These classes would function as regular ‘school classes’, adding to the knowledge we had already acquired through self-study (homeschooling). I found these to be a beneficial addition to my learning career. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Do you have any hobbies you particularly enjoy? Yes, I have many hobbies! Firstly, I’m a massive football fan. I love watching and playing the sport (I play as central defender). If anyone had asked me at five years old what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would have said, ‘I want to be John Terry or Frank Lampard’. Read more: Can homeschoolers take part in extracurricular activities? I also enjoy writing – I am a poet and an author. I wrote multiple poems throughout high school (FET Phase), and I have been writing a book about human behaviour due to the influence of past events. It explains how every human behaviour is a reaction to a person’s childhood and upbringing. Additionally, I enjoy volunteer work. During high school, I would volunteer at hospitals and old age (retirement) homes, including the Medifrail clinic in Equestria, Kalafong hospital in Pretoria West, and the Louis Trichardt old age home in Danville. During your learning journey, did you meet other homeschoolers? Yes, I met a lot of other learners at Optimi Campus. It was easy to ‘click’ with these learners as we shared a similar and quite remarkable journey. Read more: You’ve got a friend in me What did you like most about Optimi Campus? I particularly enjoyed how the Optimi Campus facilitators were always ready to help us during the lockdown. Online classes and Zoom sessions were organised, and these extra resources came in handy. I could email any of the facilitators, and they would organise additional classes where possible. I had more Zoom classes when and where possible with the Life Sciences facilitator in particular. The campus manager was also of enormous help, as she would listen to our concerns. How has Impaq helped you follow your dreams or career aspirations? Will you be studying at university? After completing matric, I was accepted into my first year of medical school at Dnipro Medical University in Ukraine in Europe. My course will begin in September this year. I think the most significant way Impaq has helped prepare me for university was how I learned to self-study and got a feel for the lecture structure due to the facilitator classes I attended at Optimi Campus. Impaq and Optimi Campus also taught me how to be organised (the facilitators would stress the importance of managing our work). Read more: Teaching kids how to plan Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I see myself as a medical graduate studying further to specialise as a cardiothoracic surgeon. I envision myself being employed by the NHS (National Health Service) in the United Kingdom when I am fully qualified. Additionally, I hope to create a mobile clinic that offers medical advice to lower-income areas for free. Do you have any tips for other homeschooling learners who would like to follow the same path as you? Yes: natural talent will help make you a good student but working hard will always take you the extra mile, so I recommend putting in the work! I also recommend homeschooling because the beauty of it is that it allows you to explore what you are really good at and what you love. So, focus on what you love, and you will achieve your goals and dreams! For more information on Optimi Campus, go to https://optimicampus.co.za/. By Jacqui Smit

July 2, 2021

The Myths and Facts about socialisation and homeschooling

The socialisation myth was born out of a misconception of what it means to be homeschooled. Many critics, educators, and parents still believe that homeschoolers hit the books at 9 am do schoolwork until 4 pm, and spend the entire day alone and isolated from the rest of the world. This notion, of course, is quite uninformed! This topic of the effect homeschooling has on socialisation has been one of the most heavily researched issues for years now. People still have trouble conceiving how or if a child can develop optimal social and emotional skills when homeschooled. These concerns are almost always goodhearted but usually said from a position where people assume that the conventional way of schooling is the only way, and have done very little research on the subject. These assumptions arise from a variety of misconceptions and If you’re thinking about homeschooling, this article can help you understand the myths and facts about socialisation and homeschooling. Let us first understand the definition of socialisation. Socialization is (1) the activity of interacting with other people through which (2) the process of internalizing occurs. We internalize norms, rules, appropriate behaviors, values, ideologies, basic attitudes, self-image, and everything else that’s culturally dependent. Children do not always respond well in large groups of 20 or 30, where peer pressure is high and kids feel the need to look and act the same way as their counterparts. Learners find themselves surrounded by rivalry, competition, and ridicule. Large groups of children become noisy and result in kids becoming nervous and over-excited. Learning becomes difficult and this is when behavioral problems develop. Does this sound like an environment for healthy socialisation? Dr. Raymond Moore, an author of over 60 books and articles on human development, who has done extensive research on homeschooling and socialisation says this in his book, The Hurried Child, “The idea that children need to be around many other youngsters to be ‘socialized, is perhaps the most dangerous and extravagant myth in education and child-rearing today.” After analyzing over 8,000 early childhood studies, Dr. Moore concluded that, contrary to popular belief, children are best socialized by parents – not other children. A homeschooler knows she is part of a family unit that needs, wants, and depends on her. She does not have to follow the crowd or continuously be compared to her peers. By interacting with her parents and siblings she has a greater opportunity to build confidence, self-respect, and self-worth. The result is an independent thinker who isn’t influenced by peers and is self-directed in her actions and thoughts. Children need time to dream and grow and find out what it is they love to do. This is something few children enjoy today as they spend the majority of their time at school trying to fit into the same mold as every other student, never given the freedom to be an individual with their own set of needs. They are never alone at school, and their after-school lives are packed full of activities, as well. Homeschoolers have a wonderful opportunity to spend more time on the things that drive them and by joining sports clubs and group programs in their community they can enjoy all forms of socialisation. Socialization, like learning and life, takes place every day. How you interact with your kids – and how they watch you interact with the outside world – teaches them all the social skills they’ll need to know. Stop worrying about socialization. It’s a “problem” that never existed!

July 1, 2021

Play Sense launches winter holiday program for pre-schoolers

South Africa has a long winter school holiday over July, when the harshest, cold weather is usually at its peak. With SA’s third wave of the pandemic on the rise and more lockdown restrictions, families are mostly planning to batten down the hatches at home. That’s going to be a particular challenge for parents of pre-schoolers who have to adapt to a homebound, indoor existence. Having your little one home for the entire holidays can be daunting when the opportunities to ramble and play outside are so limited, and many parents are wondering how they are going to cope. Award-winning early childhood education specialists, Play Sense are coming to the rescue this winter with a free four-week holiday platform, Play Box, which will guide South African parents and their pre-schoolers through an enriching, connected time. The winter holiday program, aimed at two- to four-year-olds is easily accessible on-line, so parents around the country can sign up and tap into an array of professionally developed resources that will give them structure for their day and loads of fun content. “The winter holiday program artfully blends on and off-line so parents can choose what works best for them,” says Play Sense CEO and Co-founder, Meg Faure. “Each holiday week has a lovely learning theme, and every day there are two fresh activities that ignite imaginations and enable sensory play, which is so important for this age group. We have also included optional zoom sessions with our best-loved online teachers who are experts at engaging interactively with little ones on-screen.” The beauty of Play Box is that parents are empowered to proactively share in their child’s development, and it gives them unique opportunities to experience their child learning through play like they do in their pre-school environments. Lara Schoenfeld, Play Sense’s Co-founder and Director of Education says, “It’s a simple, straightforward way for parents to access early childhood education content this holiday. It’s a simple free registration to Play Box with no need to access any additional platforms or go through a range of logins. It’s so interesting for parents to get these first-hand insights into how their child responds to different learning materials and activities, and the whole experience fosters deep parent-child bonds.” Play Sense is a SA trailblazer of a unique home environment micro-playschool model based on the development of super-skills, such as creativity, self-regulation and executive function, through imaginary play. Play Sense learning programs are developed by occupational therapists and qualified pre-school educators to meet the specific needs of toddlers, who are arguably, in the most exciting development stage of human life. Play Sense offers both off and on-line playschool programs and are adept at getting the best out of both high-touch and high-tech. “What many parents will appreciate in the Play Box holiday program is that it gives them a structure,” says Faure. “Week by week they will journey through the fun worlds of the Jungle, MyTown, Dinosaurs and Bugs. This is the answer to parents wondering what they are going to do to keep their little ones occupied. As parents ourselves, we know how to make it easy for others to access well-developed activities and to be smoothly guided through a learning by play experience. The real spin-off benefit is that your child is going to delight at connecting with you this way, and day by day, your heart will fill up as you see how you are making a wonderful difference for your child.” Here are some activities you and your little one can expect from Play Box this school holiday: Imaginary play ignites your child’s language, social and emotional skills development The Jungle-theme week includes going on a safari. Using language and props that are easily found around the house your toddler will be engaged in an imagined scenario. Imaginary play is one of the most powerful ways toddlers learn, and by facilitating this activity, parents will improve their skills to facilitate other fun games to play with your child around the house. Sensory play develops your child’s motor skills, cognitive reasoning, language, creativity, and imagination The Bug-theme week includes creating the amazing butterfly lifecycle using play dough, one of Play Sense’s favourite toys. This extra sensory activity will spark other ideas of the magical worlds and scenarios you can create together at home using simple and inexpensive materials. Creative play encourages your child’s cognitive and language development, as well as motor skills The My Town-theme week will explore different human roles and includes engrossing art activities. Your toddler’s creative activities from working with paint to create pictures to building Lego walls is more about the creative process than the end product. Movement play develops your child’s language and gross motor skills while having so much fun The Dinosaurs-theme week includes lots of enriching music and movement play. Movement play activities are not only designed to develop your little one’s body sense but is perfect for setting off fits of giggles and having silly fun together. The Play Sense Winter holiday Play Box is available from 28 June to 28 July 2021. The program is accessible for free, and you can register here.

July 1, 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 collett@thecolabnetwork.com Publicity Photographs courtesy of Vivid Images Photography

June 23, 2021

The importance of developing organisational skills from a young age

Developing organisational skills is important in holistic child development, and a key step in their path towards independence and academic success. Children are capable and competent and will respond to the opportunity to be organised, an education expert says. “Organisational skills help children create order in their environment and the world, and they feel empowered to take on increasingly more complex tasks as they build on this foundational skill,” says Desiree Hugo, Head of Academics at ADvTECH Schools, a division of Africa’s leading private education provider. She says parents can progressively start introducing organisational skills into the everyday lives of their children by making it a fun and empowering experience. Essential to this introduction is ensuring your child has good role modelling, and this is easily done by parent and child preparing for the school day before bed time. Ensure school uniforms are prepared, school bags are packed, lunch boxes are ready to be filled and plans for collection from school are discussed. Involve your child in these preparations and give them the responsibility of participating in the organisation of their day and space. Leave early in the morning to avoid traffic congestion, and prevent your child becoming anxious by late arrival. The impact of arriving late will be affect the child’s settling in and learning throughout the day. “Teaching, modelling and allowing the child autonomy to practice these essential skills have a significant and long-lasting impact on a child’s ability to succeed throughout their academic career; since these are essential life skills and they are the foundation to building a child’s ability to feel prepared, and ready to learn and engage in the classroom. Hugo says that all children are unique, and while some may have an innate drive to organise their environment, others may be quite content to let chaos compound around them. These differences in personality may very likely translate to schoolwork and responsibilities at home as well, she says, so organisational skills should be encouraged and introduced in an age-and personality appropriate way from a young age. “Your average preschooler isn’t going to be keeping a diary or to-do list, for instance, but they can understand, develop and share routines at home and in the classroom,” Hugo says. “Teachers can help students stay on track by following a general schedule each day. Maintaining structure in the classroom supports students to establish a schedule and remember what is expected of them. Structure in this second year of Covid is important, given that most children in South Africa still have a disrupted educational experience, so where possible, structure helps alleviate some of the impact of this disruption by providing a measure of certainty and predictability.” She says at home, chores such as cleaning up toys, putting away clothes and helping set or clear the table – or whichever recurring chores arise within the home environment – are good ways to teach children the methodical approach to following directions and focusing on a task. “Establishing an after-school routine for having lunch, planning their work timelines, and completing homework promptly is also helpful, not just academically, but it provides a sense of structure and achievement.” Hugo says that parents can help their child on their organisational journey by creating a nurturing environment conducive to learning and developing important foundational skills, but always believing in the competencies of their child. “With the right encouragement and approach, children will gradually start to build organisational muscle, and be proud of their contribution within the home and at school.” Playful family time is essential and co-creating games are interactive. An exciting way to introduce new concepts – particularly to an otherwise reluctant child – is to turn it into a game, says Hugo. The LEGO Foundation www.legofoundation.com and UNICEF www.unicef.org share useful elements of playful pedagogy and these online platforms offer playful learning ideas, materials and strategies for schools and families, which can support organisational thinking. “As academic demands start to grow, children may experience challenges setting priorities, making plans, sticking to a task and getting things done. These skills become increasingly important as your child moves through different grade levels. Many people think of organisational skills as the ability to keep things in order, but it is much more than that – it sets a child up for success and enjoyment of their learning journey.”

June 18, 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

30 Brilliant Reasons to Homeschool!

Thinking about homeschooling your kids? Or perhaps you have already made the decision to homeschool? This could be due to various reasons, some of which may include wanting to remove your kids from a negative school environment, to protect them from bullying or giving them the freedom to learn in a progressive way that may be more appropriate for them. An environment where creativity is nurtured and celebrated, a method of schooling that better prepares your child for his or her future. Here are 30 reasons you should consider homeschooling your child: Your child can learn at his or her own pace. Your child can create their own curriculum. Your child can learn a wider variety of subjects. Learning can happen anywhere and at any time. When they are done work for the day, they have free time to focus on things they enjoy. Your child will learn valuable life skills. Your child’s creativity can be nurtured and celebrated. Your child’s work is not done for mastery, not for a grade. It is easier to accommodate your child’s specific learning needs. Your child can learn in the way that suits them best. Your child won’t fall through the cracks. There will be less peer pressure to deal with. Children learn to challenge assumptions and think for themselves. Your kids will have more time to play. Homeschooled kids grow to become independent thinkers. You can limit the opportunity for your child to be bullied. You can ‘shelter’ your child from negative influences like drugs and sex for longer or until they are older and can handle things better. Your kids can relax and be themselves and be free of the pressure to conform to the masses. Children become empowered when their ideas are heard and validated. Family bonds become stronger as your family will spend more time together. Kids are able to learn in a safe and supported environment. School can be taken outside, or anywhere for that matter. Kids are more confident. Kids learn time management skills, a valuable skill to have. Your child will not have to wait for everyone to reach the same level before moving on. Children get to be themselves. Kids get to learn for the sake of learning – not to pass a test or mark a box on a list of set standards. Greater opportunities for kids to focus on hobbies. Kids can work with fewer distractions than there are in typical classroom settings. Your child will be able to set their own schedule as they get older. These are only a few of the amazing advantages to homeschooling, Syllabis Learning can help you achieve all of the above and more with our integrated and independent learning curriculum. Make the decision to give your child the best in education.

June 16, 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

Helpful tips for moving when homeschooling

Moving home is said to be one of the most stressful life events, ranking alongside divorce, loss of employment, and long-term illness. However, moving – whether to a neighbouring suburb, a different province, or abroad – can also present wonderful new opportunities, including new jobs, new friends, and new possibilities! While the period immediately before and after a move is stressful for any family, it can be doubly so for those educating their children at home as all the packing and preparation happens with your children around. Although moving takes up an incredible amount of time and energy, it does not mean that learning has to come to a halt when you are planning a move. In fact, the flexibility of home education becomes an added blessing during this potentially stressful time. Another great advantage of home education is that when you move, your children don’t have to change schools. While their surroundings may change, their approach to learning will largely stay the same. What may change are extracurricular activities, as you may have to find new places for your children to take art classes, play sport, or study music. This, however, is part and parcel of moving for all families. Read more: Can homeschoolers take part in extracurricular activities? Moving tips Here are a few things to consider when moving: Teach creatively: look for alternate ways to engage your children while you are buried neck-deep in boxes. Helpful options include audiobooks, documentaries, educational content on the internet, or maybe even a ‘substitute teacher’ (ask a friend or family member to present a few lessons). Stick with the basics: do not try to do an entire day of subjects if it is going to stress everyone out. Focus on one or two subjects like Mathematics or English, then get packing. Pack like a pro: when you pack, clearly label your children’s books and lesson material. This will allow you to grab the required box at your new house easily when you are ready to start teaching. Involve your children: there are so many life skills involved in moving – organising, planning, etc. – making it a perfect opportunity to teach your children valuable life lessons. Take a farewell tour: visit any favourite playgrounds, museums, or other special places around town before the move, and enjoy a final meal at your favourite restaurant (remember to take plenty of photos). Learn about your new area: let your children do researchabout your new area. They can look at different communities, places to visit, and activities to try once you are settled. Bring a backpack: your children may feel stressed on the day of the move, so let them pack a few favourite items in a backpack that they can carry with them. Included items could be a blanket, toy, book – whatever brings them comfort. Also include items to help pass the travel time, such as materials for drawing or games. Read more:Benefits of playing games with kids Keep a watchful eye: moving is a big deal. Children who are home educated may have smoother transitions in some ways, but moving does represent a transformation in life. Even if your children are excited about the move, there are still plenty of emotions to work through: sadness about leaving friends and familiar places, anticipation about what is coming, and possibly apprehension, fear, and anxiety about the unknown. If your child displays unusual behaviour – sadness, moping, crying, yelling, defiance, hyperactivity, or inattentiveness – try to be understanding and supportive rather than punitive. Read more: How to foster resilience in children Take a breather: flexibility is one of the keystones of homeschooling, so use it to your advantage during a stressful situation such as moving. Know that things will be different for a while, and that is perfectly fine. In fact, it is part of life. So, take a few days off to allow your children and yourself to adjust, explore, and get things unpacked. Learning to adjust and adapt to change is just as important as any academic subject. Home education allows your children the freedom and flexibility to learn these necessary life skills. It also gives your family time together to work through the emotions associated with change. So, try to be present and include your kids in the process because there is much to learn during a move! Read more: Supporting your child’s emotional intelligence development By Danielle Barfoot

June 11, 2021

The Best Alternative to Public or Private Schooling

Researchers worldwide, forecast that home-schooling will balloon over the next decade as families discover that there are vastly better alternatives to public or private schooling such as home-schooling and more importantly as far as Syllabis is concerned, independent learning at home. The core idea of home-schooling is the idea that children need to learn at the speed, and in the style, most appropriate for them. Modern-day schooling is out of date. Young leaders, innovators, and creators are being turned into robotic machines that follow assignments to generate grades. The grade school years are meant to help students find who they are, but schools today are nothing more than a glorifiedholding facility for carbon copy education. At school, we are taught from day one to blindly follow directions or risk facing disciplinary consequences. The school system was built to match labour environments – eight hours a day with short breaks in a controlled setting to make it easier to push young adults into the workforce. Schools say they are preparing students for the future, but they are forcing them to obey commands that expunge all creativity, which is robbing students of the ability to pursue a successful future. Every student has his own set of strengths and weaknesses, and yet we find every student following the same exact academic agenda as their peers. It is almost like schools are asking all students to wear the same size shirt, despite the inevitable variety in body shapes and sizes. At Syllabis Learning we believe your children deserve the best in education and part of our offering includes: Our SCHOOL-ON-A-TABLET solution. Simply activate our 10,1-inch tablet, or If you prefer the curriculum can be downloaded directly onto the learner’s own device. A hardcopy textbook version is available for those learners who do not have access to the internet. Our curriculum is modern and progressive. It is specifically designed by leading educators for learners of the digital age. We offer a blended curriculum which is CAPS based but offers additional products and services. Our curriculum is easy to follow, and we provide endless topic-related videos. We offer a world class portal and monitoring system with study tips by grade, excellent support and access to over 4 000 online or in-home tutors and mentors, your child can find a Study Buddy within our network and specific topic related pre-recorded lessons. A Syllabis Learning we believe your child deserves the best in education. With public education systems deteriorating and private schools getting more expensive by the day, homeschooling is proving to be the best alternative. Hear from Syllabis clients:

June 9, 2021

The difference between Dyslexia and Dyscalculia

Dr Leoné Roux – Educational Psychologist – Glenoaks Remedial and Special Needs School Charleen Crous – Educational Psychologist – Glenoaks Remedial and Special Needs School

June 7, 2021

Homeschooled celebrities who found success 

There is a lot of stigma surrounding homeschooling, with many people considering homeschooled children to be strange, anti-social outcasts. However, these wildly successful homeschooled celebrities prove that is not the case! Across all fields and industries – from acting to athletics – many celebrities have shown that homeschooling does not impede achievement but is a contributing factor to it. Simone Biles At only 24 years old, Olympic artistic gymnast Simone Biles has over 30 Olympic and World Championship medals combined! She is the most decorated (awarded) gymnast in American history and the third most decorated gymnast in the world. One of four siblings, she grew up in the foster care system until she was adopted in 2003. In 2012, at 15 years old, she switched from mainstream schooling to homeschooling to allow her to focus on her career. She graduated in 2015 and was accepted into the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), but decided to focus on gymnastics full-time instead. Read more: Can homeschoolers take part in extracurricular activities? Emma Watson Actress Emma Watson is perhaps best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film franchise. At only nine years old, she was cast for the franchise, which broke records for opening-day sales and opening-weekend takings and was the highest-grossing film of 2001. Since then, she has starred in multiple award-winning and high-grossing films such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower and the live-action adaptation of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. In addition to acting, she does advocacy work for women’s rights and gender equality and was appointed as a UN Goodwill Ambassador in 2014 at only 24 years old. Only one year later, she was named one of Time’s 100 most influential people in the world. In 2003, she switched to homeschooling, studying for up to five hours a day while on set. In June 2006, she took GCSE school examinations in ten subjects, achieving 8 A+ marks and 2 A marks. She went on to graduate from the prestigious Brown University with a bachelor’s degree in English literature. Read more: How to help a learner prepare for university Misty Copeland In 2015, ballerina Misty Copeland was the first African American woman to be promoted to principal dancer in the American Ballet Theatre’s 75-year history, despite having started ballet quite late at 13 years old. She began homeschooling with her dance teacher, Cynthia Bradley, two years later in the summer before her 15th birthday. Despite a difficult childhood – multiple custody battles and legal proceedings were instituted while she was a teenager – she rose to fame and has since gone on to write two successful autobiographical books and continues to dance professionally. She is also a public speaker and celebrity spokesperson for multiple brands. In the same year as her selection as a principal dancer, she was also named one of Time’s 100 most influential people in the world. Read more: How to foster resilience in children Thomas Edison Inventor and businessman Thomas Edison gained fame in December of 1879 when he made the first public demonstration of the incandescent light bulb, a revolutionary invention that would change the course of history. Edison was a difficult child, causing trouble at the public school he attended. So, at seven years old, his mother decided to teach him at home. He was taught reading, writing, and arithmetic in this way. Apart from his work on the humble but ground-breaking lightbulb, he also worked on developing the phonograph (also known as a gramophone) and the motion picture camera, more colloquially known as a video camera. Read more: A homeschool mom shares the 10 best things about homeschooling The Williams sisters Tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams were homeschooled from elementary school right through high school by their parents Richard Williams and Oracene Price, who were also their tennis coaches. Between 2000 and 2016, over 17 years, together they won 12 Wimbledon singles titles, with Venus winning five and Serena winning seven. The Women’s Tennis Association has ranked both sisters at the world number 1 position in singles and doubles. Both players have won four gold medals each at the Summer Olympics, one each in singles and three in doubles — the most of any players in the history of the sport. by Jacqui Smit

June 4, 2021

Cookie	Duration	Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement	1 year	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Advertisement".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional	11 months	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy	11 months	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

Cookie	Duration	Description
_ga	2 years	This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, campaign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookies store information anonymously and assign a randomly generated number to identify unique visitors.
_gid	1 day	This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the website is doing. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages visted in an anonymous form.

Cookie	Duration	Description
_gat_gtag_UA_18530557_4	1 minute	No description
pron_ip	session	No description
pvc_visits[0]	1 day	This cookie is created by post-views-counter. This cookie is used to count the number of visits to a post. It also helps in preventing repeat views of a post by a visitor.
tk_ai	session	Gathers information for WordPress by themselves, first party analytics tool about how WP services are used. A collection of internal metrics for user activity, used to improve user experience.