Advice from the experts
HeronBridge College

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

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

August 17, 2021
Glenoaks Remedial and Special Needs School

Your children with disabilities want to do it themselves!

From my 20 years of professional experience and a lifetime of personal experience with disability I can honestly say that helping your children with disabilities to learn and participate in activities of daily living is probably one of the most important things you will ever do for yourself and for them. Activities of daily living (ADLs) are essential and routine self-care activities that most young individuals can perform without assistance. The concept was originally proposed in the 1950s by Sidney Katz and his team at the Benjamin Rose Hospital in Ohio. Healthcare and educational professionals often use a person’s ability or inability to perform ADLs as an indication of their functionality, particularly in regard to people with disabilities. A person’s ability to safely care for themselves will significantly impact on their quality of life, will set the stage for future performance in school, work and independent living, and determine their need for different levels of care and support in adulthood. Most people engage in daily tasks, almost automatically with little thought. But for individuals with mental and physical impairments, these essential daily living skills can present barriers to leading a happy, healthy, fulfilling life. Types of Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) ADLs are skills needed to manage one’s basic physical needs, as well as more complex activities associated with living independently in the community. They include a person’s ability to: Move around independently. Use the toilet independently. Feed oneself. Bathe / shower and groom oneself.Drive or organize alternative means of transport to get around.  Shop for groceries and other items like clothing. Prepare meals.  Pay expenses, use a banking service and manage money. Clean a home, do laundry and basic home maintenance. Communicate using technology. Obtain medication and take as prescribed. Do you do too much for your child? When children are young parents intuitively take over the executive functioning role of their child’s brain. They make important decisions for their children, organize their lives, and create structure and routines.  Most of the time, the responsibility for these processes moves from the parent to the child as they get older. This is an important part of a child’s development, and a clear indication of this is when children start saying ‘I want to do it myself!’ But what about children who have barriers to learning or disabilities? In these children their executive functioning skills are often compromised, negatively affecting their ability to naturally learn important life skills. These children will need more help and support to participate in ADLs and become more independent. This can be an emotionally taxing and time-consuming burden for parents and becomes a dysfunctional habit which disempowers children and increases stress, burnout, and resentment for parents. Why parents do too much for their children Parents tend to be more protective of children with disabilities, believing that their children won’t manage these responsibilities. Some parents feel sorry for their children with disabilities and believe they shouldn’t have more responsibilities when they already find many aspects of life challenging. It takes a lot of time, energy, and patience to teach children with disabilities to be more independent. Parents struggle to set aside time for this with the demands of work, running a household and caring for other siblings. Many parents believe their children with disabilities will learn daily living skills naturally when they are older and that there is no reason to start earlier.  Children are very aware that parents or the helper manage these tasks at home, unfortunately creating the perception amongst children that they will never have to do these tasks themselves.     Benefits of teaching your children daily living skills The benefits of teaching your children ADLs are endless, and although the choice to do this could be perceived as the more difficult option, it certainly results in long term advantages for both parents and their children. Increased independence. Improved confidence and self-esteem. A sense of purpose. Reduces the burden on parents. Teaches responsibility and perseverance which are critical life skills. Improves a child’s chances of being a more independent adult.  Builds an understanding of following structured activities which is vital for entry into the workplace.  Introduces the concept of being rewarded for ‘work’ if incentives are used.  How to teach daily living skills Teaching a child with a disability to be more independent will require some planning and different approaches to ensure a positive and successful experience. Do the tasks with your children. Children with disabilities learn and retain information better when the skill is demonstrated, and they can model someone else doing it.  Step1: Let them watch you first while you explain what you are doing. Step 2: Allow them to try small parts of the task while you instruct, watch and guide.   Step 3: Prompt them to explain to you what needs to be done, allow them to try on their own, observe, assist only if needed and give feedback.  Step 4: Leave them to do the task on their own by following a checklist and give feedback once complete. Teach the task where it usually happens – if you are teaching your child to use an ATM do so at a real ATM so that learning is more tangible. Break the task down into simple steps. This helps explain the correct sequence of events so that children know where to start and what comes next. Use visual reminders – checklists, a photo sequence, rosters, and videos. Visual tools work best for children with disabilities and should be exciting to look at, visible, accessible, and linked to a child’s interests where possible.  Explore using assistive devices and technology that make elements of the task easier to manage such as alarms, reminders, and adapted / assistive tools. Advances in technology and creative tools can make the impossible possible. Continuously praise and reward. Positive reinforcement is so important for children, it encourages them to keep trying and helps them to believe in their abilities. Use star charts or a points system and link achievements to

August 12, 2021
Fluent Panda

Should My Child Learn a Second Language and When?

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

August 11, 2021
Syllabis Learning

How mainstream schooling is dumbing down our kids and stifling their creativity.

Perhaps we can find a hidden blessing in the current pandemic crisis that we are all experiencing. Our schools have been shutting down for lengthy periods and have allowed many parents to consider alternate methods of education.  The problem with mainstream or traditional schooling is systemic: it is a system that, at best, is designed to dumb our children down; at worst, indoctrinate them. Dumbing down the population is, if you think about it, the main way you can control a population. You can control the cultural narrative because people who haven’t learned to practice the important art of questioning everything will be easily manipulated by the mainstream educational narratives. A study of the history of traditional schools quickly reveals that this “dumbing down” was the intention from the start. Public schools in the West were modeled after the worst aspects of the factory style of education developed in 19th century Prussia. “Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth learning can be taught.” — Oscar Wilde Traditional education focuses on teaching, not learning. It incorrectly assumes that for every ounce of teaching there is an ounce of learning that happens by those who are taught. However, most of what we learn before, during, and after attending schools is learned without its being taught to us. A child learns fundamental things as how to walk, talk, eat, dress without being taught these things. Adults learn most of what they use at work or leisure while at work or leisure. Most of what is taught in classroom settings is forgotten, and much of what is remembered is irrelevant. In most schools, memorization is mistaken for learning, and most of what is remembered is remembered only for a short time. Young children today are increasingly aware of the fact that most of what is expected of them in school can better be done by computers, recording machines, cameras, and so on. We should then ask ourselves a few questions. Do the schools that we have designed best suit the world we are entering into? Has the old industrial form of education that our current system is based upon become obsolete? How can schools be designed to prepare young people for a changing world with increasing needs for a future that will be very different from the industrial age of the past? The central argument here is that the way the schooling system is designed and enacted stifles the possibility of many individuals while reinforcing a broader system of control and teaching young people skills for an era of the past. In general, schools today have become places where we actively discourage thinking that is not predefined, approved, and stamped by the larger social system of the day. In the educational process, students should be offered a wide variety of ways to learn, among which they could choose or with which they could experiment. They do not have to learn different things the same way. They should learn at a very early stage of “schooling” that learning how to learn is largely their responsibility — with the help they seek but that is not imposed on them. Homeschooling provides for this offering to your child, as the responsibility to learn or not to learn, lies with the child. Homeschooling gives your child the opportunity to be their own teacher and it is in teaching themselves that they learn.  Subjects are not learned in isolation like they are forcibly taught in mainstream school, rather homeschooling is holistic in its approach, as so much is learned from applying one’s interest and skills to what is being learned. Entrepreneurial education like homeschooling or independent learning teaches the important skills of innovative and creative thinking, helping students develop a flexible “growth mindset” that can adapt to new problems. These kinds of skills are useful beyond the job market. They give students the tools to be active citizens in a complicated and fast-changing world If we want our children to be able to think critically and thrive in the marketplace, it starts with taking back our children’s education any way we can.

August 9, 2021
Fluent Panda

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
Syllabis Learning

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
Advtech Group

Mood disorders – know the signs & ways to help your teen

One in eight young people between the ages of 5 and 19 are at risk of developing a mental disorder, of which Mood and Anxiety Disorders are the most prevalent. Emphasis on the mental health of young people recently increased as a result of the disruption caused by Covid-19 and lockdowns which exacerbated challenges that existed before the pandemic. It has therefore once again become important to not only start talking about the mental health of young people, but also to recognise symptoms and know where to look for help, an education and mental health expert says.  “The prevalence of mood difficulties among young people is increasingly becoming a concern internationally,” says Dr Jacques Mostert, Brand Academic Manager at ADvTECH, SA’s leading private education provider. Dr Mostert holds a PhD in Psychology of Education and is globally renowned in his field, having conducted experiential research in education in Denmark, the UK, South Africa and The Netherlands. Dr Mostert notes that an estimated 24% of teens between the ages of 11 to 19 suffer from depression caused by the home environment, 25% are subject to cyber-bullying and loneliness, 92% of LGBT youth report depression during the ages of 11 to 19, and 80% of teens between the ages of 11 to 19 report a sense of isolation that causes them to feel depressed. “It is very important to understand the signs of depression, so that action can be taken timeously should concerns about the mental wellbeing of a child arise,” says Dr Mostert. “Teachers and parents can recognise the onset of depression when a sudden change in behaviour becomes apparent and continues for at least 3 weeks or longer. These include an atypical lack of energy, becoming increasingly irritable and agitated without a rational explanation, and a sense of being down in the dumps for no reason.” Some adolescents may withdraw from friends and family over a sustained period of time, he notes, adding that this is especially concerning if this is atypical of the normal interactions of the teen. “Another red flag is the inability to concentrate in class where ADHD or other non-neurotypical difficulties are not present, as well as regularly failing to complete classroom and homework assignments in time or often being late to class because of feeling overwhelmed. “This, coupled with unusually defiant behaviour towards teachers and other school staff, especially if this is non-typical behaviour, may indicate that the teen is experiencing difficulties with mood and affect.” In the same way as with anxiety difficulties and disorder, the student often asks to go home because of feeling ill with no discernable symptoms.  The teen often has days off from class time due to doctor’s appointments, hospitalisation, or inability to attend classes. Changes in sleep patterns, a significant weight loss or gain in a short period of time and disinterest in hobbies or areas where the teen previously showed interest also raise concerns about the mental wellbeing of the teenager. Finally, a loss of future-mindedness, or talk about death or suicide, engaging in risky or self-destructive behaviour (drinking alcohol, taking drugs, or cutting, for example) are clear signs of the teen suffering from mood difficulties or a possible mood disorder. “Not all of the above need to be present, but if there is a discernable and drastic change in a young person’s behaviour which continues for a period of several weeks or longer, intervention is necessary,” Dr Mostert says. He says first steps teachers and parents can take to help their child deal with depression at home and in the classroom include: DEVELOPING COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS Parents of teenagers should develop the habit of listening with empathy and not give in to the easier way out of lecturing. However, it must also be said that parents should be gentle yet persistent when it comes to holding realistic expectations of their child. AVOIDING NEGATIVE TECHNIQUE STRATEGIES Punishment, sarcasm, disparagement, and passive-aggression is a way of affirming the depressed teenager’s belief of not being worthy or a valued member of the family or society. Parents must be willing to be vulnerable and acknowledge their own and their teenager’s feelings, especially at a time of disruption such as the Covid-19 pandemic. NOT LOWERING EXPECTATIONS OR GIVING UNEARNED REWARDS Realistic and earned rewards is one of the most important tools in a parent’s approach to supporting their depressed child. The sense of having earned a reward, and receiving acknowledgement for an aspect of their life they find significant affirms a sense of value. However, the opposite is also true. Unearned praise leaves the teenager with a feeling of inauthenticity and affirms their already negative self-perception.  PLANNING FOR EARNED SUCCESS Activities that are of interest often fall by the wayside when teenagers are depressed. Often parents try to arrange and engage in these activities as a panacea to their teenager’s depression. However, this may exacerbate the young person’s feeling of worthlessness. Parents should find novel and interesting activities that may lead to earned success. This may include DIY activities around the house or asking for help with a specific app or technology in which, when success is achieved, due praise is earned. “Most importantly, parents should trust their gut,” Dr Mostert says. “If your teenager insists that nothing is wrong, despite a prolonged period of depressed mood or being diagnosed with major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder, parents should trust their instincts and seek help. “Should the above techniques not bring about an improvement in the mental wellbeing, parents should seek advice from their medical practitioner or a psychiatrist.”

July 20, 2021
Parenting Hub

What kind of insurance should you be considering for older children?

Every parent wants to protect their children to the best of their ability. While the need for long-term insurance for an adult with a career, assets and responsibilities is well understood, few parents consider the value of taking out insurance for older children, particularly those in their late teens and early twenties, to protect them against unforeseen incidents. This age group may not yet be wealthy in terms of assets, but they are ‘rich’ when you consider all their future pay cheques. However, there is a reason that car insurance premiums for young adults under 25 are higher than they are for somebody older – this is a high risk group. But what kind of cover should you be considering for your older children?  Permanent disability or incapacity The most important insurance you should be considering is a permanent disability or incapacity benefit.  In the unlikely event that your child becomes permanently incapacitated, parents and family members are required to assume financial responsibility for providing for the child for the rest of their lives. Expenses could include once-off costs such as modifying your home to accommodate a disabled person, specialised equipment, as well as ongoing monthly expenses for food, clothing, care giving and medical treatment. Life cover Unless your child has financial dependents or significant debt in the form of a student or car loan there is no real need for life cover. However, the advantage to taking out life cover for a young child is that life cover is a whole of life benefit. By taking it out when your child is young and healthy they are guaranteed that there will be cover even if there is a deterioration in their health. Severe illness Statistically speaking there is a lower chance of a child suffering from a severe illness, but that said, there are no guarantees. Each year we see cancer and heart attacks dominate the claims paid out for this benefit although in fairness, this is primarily to older claimants. However, while cancer might be more prevalent in older age categories, the youth are not excluded. Medical aids typically don’t cover the main costs associated with a dread disease such as the cost of a care giver, travel expenses to a rehabilitation centre, and adapting a home for somebody with special needs which means that it is a good idea to have some cover in place to protect against your child suffering from a severe illness. The best case scenario is that your child never claims on this benefit and can chose to continue with the cover when they become an adult. This is a need that remains no matter the life stage one finds themselves and will be needed for one’s whole life. How to insure a child Most insurers offer a “child care benefit’ linked to the insurance benefit taken out by the parent. There will be a maximum pay out in the event of claim. However, the child would need to suffer a very serious illness or injury in order to qualify for a claim. Some insurers allow children from 15 to be comprehensively insured. The disability benefit is only measured against ‘impairment’ definitions as there are no occupational duties to claim against.  It’s time to shake off the perception that only the breadwinner needs disability and illness cover given that the well-being and health of every family member has an impact on household expenses. Speak to your financial advisor for the most appropriate cover for your child. By Trevor Crouse, Private Wealth Manager at NFB Private Wealth Management

July 17, 2021
Parenting Hub

Teaching children how to spend

You don’t have to wait to leave a monetary legacy for your children, instead, help them develop healthy savings and spending habits now that will set them up for future financial freedom.  As parents we have a significant role to play teaching our children the value of money. These lessons should not be limited to lessons around saving money but should be extended to how to spend. I was shopping with my children a few months ago when my son asked me to buy an expensive Lego set. “Put it on your card,” was his solution when his Lego request was denied. You still have to pay for whatever you spend on your credit card, I explained, adding that you have to earn enough to cover your spend. Since ‘spend less than you earn, buy less than you can afford’ is my personal mantra, I only spend on my card what I can afford to ‘repay’ at the end of each month. Having decided that my children would benefit from a money chat at this point in their lives, I adapted a story from a children’s book, ‘More Than Enough’, distributed by Foord Asset Management. Here’s what I told them: When squirrels get old, they don’t have as much energy as they did when they were young, and they like to rest and enjoy the forest a little more. However, when squirrels are young, they are full of energy and need to collect as many acorns as they can, for a few different reasons: They collect acorns so that they and their family can eat.  They collect acorns for the winter in case food is more difficult to find during these months. They also collect acorns for when they are old and don’t have the energy, or the ability, to go out and look for acorns. These three reasons easily translate into our daily lives and are the motivation both to earn and save: Earn so you can buy food and clothes, pay rent or a bond, pay school fees and maybe even go on holiday.  Create an emergency pot of money in case things do not go to plan – making provision for, for example, unanticipated expenses, job loss, health issues, and so on. You can also add long-term insurance to this pile of acorns; this is a crucial part of an investment portfolio to provide for you and your family in the event of death or disability. Save money for retirement.  Out-of-pocket principles Arguably as important as why to save, it’s imperative to teach children how tospend their earnings and savings. I have often heard friends proudly noting that their children save all their pocket money.  That means that they continue to spend their parents’ money … thereby losing a valuable opportunity to learn a lesson on the value of money. Following our squirrel tale, my children started to receive their own pocket money and manage their own credit cards (debit cards for now, but they don’t yet know the difference). I advised them that half the pocket money was going into a ‘spending account’, for whatever purchases they wanted, and the other half into a ‘savings account’, not to be touched until they turn 18. For now, I put R50 per month into each spending and savings account, and separately have a unit trust for each of them that they are unlikely to be aware of until adulthood. What’s important is not the amount, but the principle. There is already seen evidence of the spending lesson taking root. Over the past few months, my children’s spending habits have changed. What started off as spending on rubbish and sweets has transformed into waiting for a few months of pocket money to get something they really want.  They occasionally ask me how much their savings account has accumulated so they can weigh up a purchase. Each child has had a birthday since we started this and any cash gifts from family and friends go into the spending account. Their savings accounts earn interest, albeit at a paltry rate, which is an opportunity to teach them about the free money (interest and compound interest) they earn by leaving the savings pot alone. Now is the time  We have a duty to teach our children about money and, more importantly, the value of money. This does not mean your sole purpose needs to be to find a job that pays the most. What it does mean is understanding where you are and where you want to go. Financial security, I believe, is within most people’s reach although this will mean different things to different people. If you earn R30 000 a month, for example, it’s unlikely you will drive a Ferrari and go on annual overseas holidays, but you can probably put something away to secure your future.  It’s never too late to start learning about money and savings – it’s also never too early. By Stephen Katzenellenbogen, Senior Executive and Wealth Manager at NFB Wealth Management

July 15, 2021
Parenting Hub

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
Optimi Publishing

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
The Bridge Assisted Learning School

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
Syllabis Learning

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
Parenting Hub

TikTok, Roblox and game videos: What kids were looking for in 2020-2021

 A new Kaspersky Safe Kids study has revealed what children were interested in during 2020 – 2021. Over the past year, their interest has grown in the categories of ‘software, audio and video’ and ‘e-commerce’, while ‘Internet communication media’ and ‘computer games’ have slightly decreased. TikTok, YouTube, and WhatsApp are at the top of the most popular applications. At the same time, TikTok overtook Instagram with almost double the level of popularity. 2020 turned out to be one of the most unusual years for modern children. The pandemic has changed many common life situations across the globe, including education, meeting friends and family, recreation, and entertainment. Kaspersky analysed anonymised data, such as search queries, the most popular Android applications and website categories requested voluntarily provided by Kaspersky Safe Kids users, to explore how the interests and needs of children have changed under the new conditions. The most popular website categories among children in South Africa were ‘software, audio, video’ (52%), ‘Internet communication media’ (14%) and ‘computer games’ (9%). Among the most popular apps, YouTube leads by a wide margin – the service remains the most popular video streaming service among children around the world. In second place is the messenger WhatsApp, and third is the popular social network TikTok. The top list also includes games, such as Brawl Stars, Roblox, Among US and Minecraft. Children globally are very active in listening to and watching music videos on YouTube – its share is 17.35% in searches for music genres and videos. A number of ‘trend’ videos were also visible in the statistics – ‘pop it and simple dimple’ and ‘ASMR’ account for 4.43% of the queries. This year, requests related to the video game maker Gacha Life also stood out in the top ratings of children from all over the world with a share of 4%.  When it comes to music tastes, alongside traditional leaders like K-POP bands BTS and BLACKPINK, singers Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish and Travis Scott, another musical genre, like ‘phonk’ became popular. There is also a trend towards ‘creative’ videos – more and more requests for beats, samples and lessons on creating music in various programmes began to appear at the top of the list. At the same time, TikTok remains the main musical trendsetter for children. Cartoons account for half (50.21%) of all video searches by children around the world. The most popular ones are Lady Bug and Super Cat, Gravity Falls and Peppa Pig. In second place were various TV shows – the most frequent search in English was The Voice Kids. In movies and TV series, the most popular trailers were Godzilla vs Kong, Zach Snyder’s recent Justice League and the Disney+ mini-series WandaVision. Netflix also continues to attract the attention of more kids – the most frequent requests via the platform were for Cobra Kai and the now iconic Stranger Things. TikTok remains the undisputed leader among children, but at the same time, the perception of the social network has begun to transform. Now it is no longer only a social network for clips and lip syncs, as more educational and creative content has begun to appear on the platform. At the same time, to create TikTok videos, one person has to do the work of the operator, actor, director, and the entire film crew. All this develops skills that can not only be useful for children in the future, but could lead them to choosing it as a profession. For video games, those trending the most with children globally include Minecraft (22.84%), Fortnite (6.73%), Among Us (3.80%), Brawl Stars (6.34%) – which recently captured the attention of children and is very popular – and the much-loved Roblox game (3.82%). At the same time, the most frequently played game in the top 10 for almost all countries is Roblox. Of all the regions, it was children from Kazakhstan who became leaders in visiting sites devoted to computer games – 26.01%. In second place were children from the UK (19.40%). But we see a very different picture in India, where children hardly ever visited sites dedicated to video games from a PC (just 5.08%). “Modern children grow up with gadgets in their hands from a very young age, so they adapt to the digital space and master new technologies much faster. We see how TikTok has become one of the main trendsetters among children in a short time and continues to keep their attention. At the same time, YouTube hasn’t lost ground and remains the leader in popularity among children, in part due to the huge variety of videos, ranging from ‘let-plays’, documenting the playthrough of a video game, to educational lectures and clips. Understanding and analysing the interests of children on the Internet helps us to pay attention to the issue of safety. By knowing what kind of music a child listens to, who their favourite bloggers are or what games they play, parents can strengthen their trusted relations with kids. For instance, they could film a TikTok video together. This will also let parents help their kids to protect themselves from potential hazards online,” comments Anna Larkina, web content analysis expert at Kaspersky. To ensure children have a positive online experience, Kaspersky recommends that parents: Learn more about your children’s interests. Surf and learn together. See where children spend their time online and explore how to best keep them safe. Explain that sensitive information should only be shared via messengers and only with people they know in real life. Consider downloading parental control apps and discuss this topic with your child to explain how such apps work and why they need them to stay safe online. Spend more time communicating with children about online safety measures. Tell your children what must not, under any circumstances, be published on the Internet and why.

July 9, 2021
Glenoaks Remedial and Special Needs School

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
Syllabis Learning

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
Parenting Hub

Have you had your Vit D3 sunshine shots?

Here’s a winter health fact. Our bodies need Vitamin D for many important processes including supporting the immune system, bone and muscle building, and to promote better sleep and mood.  We can even produce enough vitamin D ourselves. That’s if we bare our arms, legs, back, chests or faces to the sun for a limited period of time, because the sun’s UV rays produce Vitamin D in our bodies. Scientists reckon that five to 15 minutes, or five to 30 minutes for darker skinned people, of sun exposure two or three times a week will do it.  But during winter, just when we need this immune boosting and stress relieving sunny gift to help us through the season of colds and ‘flu, the days are short, we stay indoors, and are usually covered up head to toe for much of the time. But, fun tip ladies: if you wear a cami under your warm clothing, you can head for a sunny spot at a warm time of day, strip off the top layers and you’re all set for a short spot of winter sunbathing. You may not wish to try this at the office! For those of us who can’t do the sun thing, vitamin D is also available in some foods, mainly in fatty fish like pilchards, tuna and salmon. Milk, yogurts and cereals are often fortified with Vitamin D too. Still, there are good reasons why many of us can’t get enough Vitamin D from sun or food (being elderly, covered up clothing for religious reasons, no time to go outside, being darker skinned…). In those cases, a one-a-day Nativa Complex® Vitamin D3 https://www.nativacomplex.co.za/immune-health/#nativa-complex-vitamin-d3 can fill the gap. It’s the newest addition to the well-established Nativa Immune Complex® range.  Nativa Complex® Vitamin D3 supplies 1000 IU of Vitamin D and can be administered from 6 years of age. Cost is around R100 for a month’s supply, from Takealot, Dis-Chem, Clicks and selected pharmacies nationwide. Read about this well formulated immune boosting range at https://www.nativacomplex.co.za/immune-health/#immune-complex-product, and then enter our competition for a chance to win one of two R750 vouchers from Cotton On . Their stylish men’s, women’s and kid’s clothing can see you through winter, and (yay) into Spring.   #VITAMIN D3  #sunshine vitamin

July 1, 2021
Nintendo

MARIO GOLF: SUPER RUSH TEES OFF ON NINTENDO SWITCH!

Join your favourite Mushroom Kingdom characters on the fairway for a super speedy round of golf. With Mario Golf: Super Rush, the Mario Golf series makes its return in its speediest instalment yet. Players can join a variety of Mushroom Kingdom characters in different multiplayer modes or start your own Golf Adventure now that the game is available on the Nintendo Switch.  Watch the latest trailer here:  Simple button controls make it easy for new players and seasoned pros alike to get their game on. It’s as simple as taking aim, choosing the shot strength and sending the ball flying. Players can curve their shot to avoid hazards and put spin on the ball to affect how it rolls after landing. Several features are on hand to help players conquer the course, including a shot gauge that adapts to the angle of the slope and a scan that lets you read the terrain. Additionally, it’s possible to use motion controls by holding a Joy-Con controller like a golf club*. Players can choose from a cast of 16 Mushroom Kingdom characters, each featuring different strengths and equipped with their own unique special moves. Pauline, Chargin’ Chuck, and King Bob-omb will make their first appearance in the series. Players can hit the fairway with up to three others, both locally and online**, in a variety of modes. With a selection of six lavish courses to choose from, including standard courses and courses with special hazards, every round of golf is different and there is still more to come from the Mushroom Kingdom-infused golf game. Free updates to the game that include additional courses and playable characters will be released in the future. Modes range from Standard Golf to the energetic Speed Golf, Battle Golf – a more frantic variation of Speed Golf – and an RPG-like story mode in Golf Adventure. In Golf Adventure, players can enrol their Mii character in golf training at a prestigious country club and go all the way from rookie to pro. They’ll be able to interact with familiar Mushroom Kingdom characters, learn how to play and take on a variety of challenges. Players can even bring their Mii character – and their customised stats – into other modes, too. Mario Golf: Super Rush is now available only on Nintendo Switch. Swing over to store.nintendo.co.za and take advantage of their Star Bundle offering, where you can build your own unique Nintendo Switch bundle including Mario Golf: Super Rush and get a free carry case and Nintendo Labo Kit with your purchase. * Motion controls cannot be used during Golf Adventure. ** Internet connection required. To use online services, you must create a Nintendo Account and accept the related agreement. The Nintendo Account Privacy Policy applies. Some online services may not be available in all countries. Online play requires paid online membership. Find out more about the paid membership service.

June 28, 2021
Parenting Hub

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
Parenting Hub

Review: REMY – A Book About Believing In Yourself

REMY is a short story revolving around the everyday life of a school boy named Remy. This young boy has very own battles to face and conquer. Along the way, comfort characters not only come to give him comfort but some guidance which would really love to master.  Naidoo has written an encouraging story to help and direct others in conquering their own battles. I enjoyed the journey of Remy going through bumps and realistic fallbacks as the lessons throughout the story can be applied in other scenarios. I feel that not only would young children, tweens and teens relates to this book but to many adults who lack self confidence in themselves and what they would like to achieve. Remy’s character was developed in a way I do not often see or read about. I think that everyone would benefit from taking a page out of his book. The story makes sense and gave a simplified view on growth at a well written flowing pace that replicates a natural journey for someone to go through.  Overall, I highly recommend this book. I found Remy’s story to be quite heartwarming, enjoyable and encouraging in my own story. This book is perfect for parents who are encouraging self growth and the understanding of emotions.  You can grab yourself a copy at www.mayurinaidoo.com. This lovely story was written by Mayuri Nadioo

June 25, 2021
Parenting Hub

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
Nintendo

It’s all about control

As parents, we all want to protect our children. The question for many parents is how you can monitor what games your children are playing in order to avoid exposing them to content you might deem unsuitable depending on their age. Luckily, most consoles have some kind of parental control system in place, and the Nintendo Switch is no different. The Nintendo Switch Parental Controls supports a safe and fun environment for your child’s gaming experience So what kind of functionality can you restrict with the parental controls and how do you do this?  To begin with, there are the obvious reasons – you think some of the games on your console, which might be appropriate for you as their parent, are just too violent or with too many adult themes for children to understand. You might want to restrict what your children can buy on the eShop, which is likely loaded with your credit card details. Or perhaps you might want to restrict the amount of online time your child has every day.  There are a number of ways you can do this – either directly on the console, or via the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app, which you can link to your Nintendo account (which you will need in order to be able use this feature). The app also offers a few more features if you’re looking for additional levels of control.  On the console itself you go into System Settings, and scroll down to Parental Controls, which will encourage you to download the app. You’re not required to do this but it really is the more comprehensive and the easier option, especially if you have kids who might be able to circumnavigate the parental settings.  You can set the age level of your child in order to be able to control what kind of age-appropriate content they’re exposed to, select the rating board of the country in which you reside, disable voice communication so your child can’t speak to others online, and disable VR controls which is recommended for children under the age of seven.  Make sure you choose a PIN that your child isn’t likely to be able to guess!  Setting up the controls on the app is likewise very easy. You’ll need to sign into your Nintendo account, and once you’ve linked your Switch to the app via a registration code (remember where I told you it would tell you to download the app earlier?), and now you’re ready to set up things like daily play limits. You’ll be asked to enable push notifications so you can monitor your kids’ activity.  If you want to restrict access to the Nintendo eShop, there are a separate set of restrictions for those as well which will ensure your child doesn’t make unauthorised purchases, whether those are games or add-ons you might not want your child spending your money on!  Ultimately you can remove the parental controls as well if you feel you no longer need to monitor your child’s activity – for whatever reason – but it’s comforting to know that Nintendo is equally as invested in protecting your child as you are. Feel free to read more about how Nintendo is supporting a safe and fun environment for your child’s gaming experience here. By Pippa Tshabalala on behalf on Nintendo Distributor SA

June 22, 2021
Syllabis Learning

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
Nintendo

Losing weight and getting fit with a video game!

Exercise and video games seem a bit odd at first glance. Sitting on your couch with a controller or a handheld device doesn’t seem like the best way to get up and active. Over the years there have been a few games and consoles focused on getting its players up and moving, to varying degrees of success. For the current generation however, one of these is a game I was at first a bit skeptical about – Ring Fit Adventure.  At first glance I figured it was like every other gimmicky peripheral, but if you’re looking for something to get both you and your kids off the couch and moving about, then this might be what you’re looking for.  It’s not a straight exercise game, unlike some other releases in the market, but rather the entire premise is set in a hero ‘saves the world’ narrative, by completing challenges and – you guessed it – exercising while doing it.  It comes with the gaming equivalent of a Pilates ring, in which you dock one of the motion sensitive Joy-Cons. The other Joy-Con is strapped to your leg, and this monitors your movement as you quite literally run (on the spot in real life) around the environment collecting items and defeating enemies.  The Joy-Cons are surprisingly sensitive for this kind of work, and the game will tell you to correct your form if you’re holding the ring incorrectly so you can get the most out of your workout.  When we first got it, my kids were quite enamoured with the game, which gets you to complete a series of challenges that get progressively harder. It also consistently monitors your movement and heart rate, feeding back on how hard you’ve worked in each session. As a parent I was pleased that they were up and moving around, and then a part of me figured, “Hey why don’t I give this a try?”  I can honestly say that I was breathing hard and sweating by the time I finished a couple of levels, which meant that I could use it (and did) to exercise on my own as well. Apart from the fact that you can set the difficulty level, each exercise is designed to work different parts of your body, so you’re working your core, your legs and arms, as well as getting some cardio in there.  The game narrative itself is quite basic, but it does keep you coming back, even if it’s just because you feel like you’re accomplishing something as you progress.  If your kids are more inclined to play video games than run around outside, this is a great way to get them moving and perhaps more interested in exercise overall. Being able to see real world fitness results from a video game is a big draw card in my book!  If you’re a parent looking to give their kids some motivation, or perhaps looking to fit in a quick workout of your own without leaving the house when you have a few minutes, I can highly recommend giving this a try. To find out more about Ring Fit Adventure, visit the Nintendo Online Store South Africa and maybe even take advantage of the current promotion to save R1000 on the Ring Fit Adventure set which includes the Nintendo Switch console. By Pippa Tshabalala on behalf of Nintendo Distributor SA

June 15, 2021
Parenting Hub

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
Nintendo

Which Switch is which?

I’m hoping by now that most parents have heard about the Nintendo Switch. If you haven’t, here’s your chance to find out why this is one of the most family-friendly consoles around, or if you have it’s your chance to figure out which one would be the best fit for your family.   Launched in 2017, the Switch took the gaming world by storm as it launched a year or so after its competitors, primarily based on its versatile nature. Small and already portable in nature, players can dock the console so the game is transmitted to their television where they are able to play it on a big screen, then reattach the controllers or Joy-Cons, and take it with them as the ultimate gaming system.  Unlike previous handheld consoles, from any manufacturer, the transmutable nature of the Switch garnered it a great deal of attention as well as a solid fan base from gamers everywhere.  An updated version with better hardware was released in 2019, increasing the power of the console and making it even more attractive to gamers.  Later the same year, Nintendo released the Nintendo Switch Lite. Unlike its companion, the Switch Lite is a single, handheld unit unable to dock to a television, and so functions entirely as a portable console.  It is slightly smaller than its big brother, but with an extended battery life that makes travelling that much easier, and comes in a range of colours to suit every taste. The games you’re able to purchase are the same as for the standard Switch, but you’re limited to those you can play only in handheld mode as opposed to one where you detach the Joy-Cons as the Switch Lite is an all-in-one.  If you’re considering buying a Switch for your family (I’m not going to limit this to your kids as they are equally attractive to adult gamers!), you’ll want to think about a couple of things.  The first is how you’re planning on using it and what types of games you want to play. Certain Switch games that require Joy-Cons to be removed to function with the motion sensors, will be difficult with the Lite because it’s a single unit. You’re not able to dock it with a television, so if you had to pair an extra set of Joy-Cons you’d struggle to see the smaller screen from a distance. If you’re looking for a small, portable console that you can pop in your bag easily for a trip, with a wide range of first party and third party games then the Switch Lite, which comes in at a lower price point than its counterpart is probably what you’re looking for.  If you’ve jumped on the gaming exercise bandwagon, or you like the idea of getting up and moving a little more than what you’ve traditionally come to expect from video games, then you might want to go with the classic Switch instead. Games like Ring Fit, which gamifies exercise and really works up a sweat, will need the Joy-Cons to work and you really need to dock it on the TV to get the best experience there.  It’s definitely still small enough to fit into your bag if you’re travelling, but being able to play on a bigger television screen is something you do much more than you might expect. It also comes with the full range of games. One of the biggest draw cards of the Switch for me, is the fact that it really does do what it says on the box. Set it up, play, network it with other friends and play together, then undock it and take it with you when you leave the house. It’s really that simple.  Pricing might be your biggest consideration when making your purchase. The classic Nintendo Switch currently retails at R7999, while the Nintendo Switch Lite retails at R4999.  Both are excellent consoles, and which once you make a part of your life, should ultimately depend on the experience you’re looking for out of it.  By Pippa Tshabalala on behalf of Nintendo Distributor SA

June 8, 2021
The My Story Tribe

Journaling – a mental-wellness tool for tweens

Children’s social-emotional needs increase tremendously between the ages of six and thirteen. With our children facing more and more mental-wellness issues than ever before, and the effects of Covid-19 not yet prominent, it has become increasingly important to provide children with socio-emotional tools to be able to deal with the adversity they are facing today. Unfortunately, we as parents are so focused on the “early childhood development” phase, that we spend all our energy there. When we drop our six-year-olds at school, we sit back and sigh a sigh of relief. We’ve made it! Only to wake up a few years later with a screaming teenager staring us in the face! By then our child is in the middle of their childhood story and the script has Tarantino written all over it. According to Erik Erickson, when children start attending school, their social worlds widen. They enter a phase called Industry vs Inferiority. Joan Berzoff explains in the book Inside Out and Outside In (Berzoff, Flanagan, Hertz, 2016) that children at this age become invested in “making things and making them well”. However, if their efforts during this stage are thwarted, by inhospitable social conditions, trauma, a learning disability or failing ecological systems, it may threaten family, peer and community relationships, therefore creating a sense of inferiority which could very well become part of a child’s identity.  Why journaling? Research in Developmental Psychology has suggested that children between the ages of six and twelve years have the ability to learn from experience through self-reflection as a self-continued activity (Valkanova, 2004). However, it’s often not a spontaneous process and can be directly threatening for the developing ego. It is therefore important to create an environment or tool which could provide children with a non-threatening ability to self-reflect. Children learn emotional language from two years of age (Louis Bloom, 1998). Bloom (1998) mentions that neither speech development nor emotional expression happens in isolation. However, we communicate less and less with our children through the use of emotional language as they get older. We tend to use deductive, logical and processed language. As a result, our children struggle more and more to express themselves emotionally.  The My Story Journal is one example of a reflection tool that was developed with this in mind. This journal uses the Story Narrative approach, to allow children to reflect on themselves and their lives in an attempt to strengthen their ego-development, while using simple, recognisable emotional terms and language. How the narrative approach helps with reflection Children associate with stories. “Story” as a mechanism in journaling helps guide them through a process of self-exploration. It facilitates the identification with the “self” (Me and My Story), whilst identifying their significant others (The Characters in my Story). It reflects on their story so far (My Story Today), and looks into the future to possibly facilitate positive change (My Story Tomorrow). By using a thumbprint character as a theme throughout this book, the My Story Journal creates a strong sense of self-identification, leading the writer to relate and connect with their own narrative on a journey towards self-acceptance. Brene Brown (2017) defines true belonging this way: “True belonging is the spiritual practice of believing in and belonging to yourself so deeply that you can share your most authentic self with the world and find sacredness in both being part of something and standing alone in the wilderness.” Writing vs drawing Not all children like to write. Thoughtful prompts that result in reflective activities (such as doodling and drawing) form part of journaling as a tool for self-reflection. As long as these activities guide children to process their feelings and behaviour in a non-threatening way, it will result in greater emotional resilience and a general increase in mental health. Journals like The My Story Journal make room for both linguistically and artistically inclined children. Children with learning difficulties who find language a restrictive method to express their emotions might find other ways to express themselves in their journal. Self-expression is the key. Whether you scribble or draw or write a paragraph, looking back over your story at the end of a day is a valuable habit.  To find out more about the benefits of journaling for tweens, contact Occupational Therapist Chantel Griesel at chantel@themystorytribe.com, or visit the My Story website www.themystorytribe.com 

June 3, 2021
Kairos School of Inquiry

Choosing a school — does size matter?

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

June 2, 2021
Parenting Hub

Youth Month: Tackle Illiteracy One Book At A Time

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

June 2, 2021
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