Edu-Guide 2020
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From pre-school to big school
Moving from pre-school into a formal schooling environment is a big step not only for young children, but also for their parents.
Doubts and anxiety often accompany this major move, but parents should aim to ensure a conscious transition which addresses specific issues that may arise, so that their child starts their school career on a solid foundation.
“Some of the practical things can be very exciting, such as sorting out school uniforms and supplies, learning about the new routine, meeting the new teacher and exploring the new school grounds,” said Trudie Gilmore, from ADvTECH Junior Colleges.
However, the increased demands and unfamiliar environment can be daunting, and children need to be eased into the new situation. Additionally, parental expectations can cause unnecessary pressure at this young age.
Allow for making mistakes
At this age, parents should encourage their children to be more independent and, where possible, to think for themselves.
Encourage your child to practise small ways to look after themselves such as dressing themselves, ensuring their book bags are packed, and looking after their belongings. Encourage and praise them for trying, even when they don’t get it perfectly right.
Practise perseverance
It can be tremendously frustrating for young children if they are unable to complete a task to their satisfaction. Teach your child that when learning new things, it’s important that they keep on trying, even if they find things challenging. Don’t step in and ‘fix’ the situation, but rather guide, encourage and motivate.
Play nicely
Primary school is an important social milestone and the time when children need to start working and engaging in meaningful play with their peers, even if they don’t automatically get along. Encourage your child to be inclusionary and kind, which will help them develop emotional maturity as well as confidence.
Encourage curiosity
Being interested and curious about the things around us is really important for learning. Encourage your child’s natural sense of curiosity by talking to them about things, people and places when you are out and about.
“New research has shown clear benefits for children whose parents engage them in productive conversation, that is, where each takes turns to listen and respond appropriately,” says Gilmore.
Listen to and answer their questions, and look things up on the computer together. Try to see the world through your child’s eyes, and talk and wonder about the everyday things you see and hear.
Exam tips from top tutors
With schools open, many learners may already be thinking about their examinations for this year.
When it comes to preparing for school exams, Rebecca Pretorius from Crimson Education offers the following advice.
- Establish a routine. Mark out periods of time for concentrated study, regular breaks, meals and relaxation during the study period. Avoid late nights and sleep-ins that mess with your routine.
- Set objectives. Look at the amount of work you need to review and set daily and weekly objectives for covering it – then celebrate your progress.
- Unplug. Cell phones and social media channels are the enemy of concentration. If you are easily distracted by them, make unplugging a part of your routine.
- Manage stress. Academic pressure can put a lot of stress on teenagers, especially those for whom high marks don’t come easy. Remember to set aside time for out-of-school activities and your passions – they matter to universities too.
For parents, Pretorius recommended taking an interest not only in a learners’ current curricula but also their plans for further education.
Taking control of your child's screen time
Chances are, over the festive season your children spent more time on their mobile devices. Now that schools have reopened, that time will need to be reviewed and limited.
The good news is that there are a number of Android apps you can use to better control your child’s screen time experience and lay down the digital law.
Some of these apps enable parents to set up a Google Account for children, then view their online activity and even control their screen time.
For example, you can easily see if your child is spending five hours a day playing games when they claim to be reading or doing Mathletics.
You can guide your child to making better choices and spending their time on the mobile device engaging with more educational and higher quality content.
If you’re concerned that your child will become a Minecraft addict, the app also enables you to manage to approve or block apps your child wants to download from the Google Play Store. You can also manage in-app purchases, and hide specific apps on their device.
These apps also allow you to set time limits and a bedtime for supervised devices, so that you can be sure junior isn’t watching YouTube videos under the bed covers when it’s time to sleep.
You can also lock the phone remotely when you want your child to take a break and enjoy the sunshine.
Choosing the right academic institution
Many matrics from the class of 2018 currently find themselves in the fortunate position of having performed better than anticipated in their National Senior Certificate examination.
But while they are now in a position to apply for further studies, these prospective students need to ensure they do their homework before signing up with institutions still accepting applications for 2019.
“In particular, parents and matriculants must ensure they don’t fall prey to institutions that are either not registered and accredited, or whose qualifications are not recognised,” said Nola Payne, from The Independent Institute of Education.
“The good news however, is that there are still exciting study options available, particularly in the private sector, where good institutions have a strong focus on work-ready programmes.”
Payne said now is also a good time for prospective students already accepted into a programme to consider whether they have chosen the right study path.
If there are any doubts, they should have another look at available options rather than adopting a potentially expensive wait-and-see approach in their first year.
“It is better to change course now, before spending time and money trying to make the wrong thing work, and becoming part of SA’s high first year dropout statistics,” she said.
Make sure that you are studying for the right reasons, don’t just apply for any degree at any institution for the sake of earning a qualification.
She said all registered and accredited higher education institutions, whether they be public universities or private, are registered by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). They are only registered if they have been accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and registered by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).
“To look up a qualification on the NQF, search for it on the SAQA website, or ask the institution for its SAQA identity number, which should be readily available. If the institution is recognised by the DHET and the programme is listed on the NQF, prospective students and their parents can be confident about the bona fides of any qualification they want to pursue,” said Payne.
As the world of work changes and evolves, new programmes are constantly developed in response to workplace demands.
This means there will regularly be new and more exciting options on offer compared to the past, and potentially fields of qualifications that are more aligned with the career aspirations of prospective students. It is good to have more choices, but make sure you make smart decisions.
