SA Homeschooling • Education is an adventure • Winter 2022

Homeschoolingsa WINTER 2022 EDUCATION IS AN ADVENTUREOFFICIALLYENDORSED BY CNA WITHBONDINGDAD Rands & WIN! It’s our photographic2022competition HelpingmanagechildrenstressPrep your kids to be smart with cash OUTSIDE!IT’SBABY,COLD Indoor winter sensefun

Active Home Education Institute Home-Based, Online, Education Experts! G e t i n t o u c h w i t h u s ! V i s i t o u r o f f i c i a l w e b s i t e : w w w . a c t i v e o n l i n e d u c a t i o n . c o . z a W h a t s a p p o r C a l l : 0 8 1 5 3 0 9 9 3 9 E m a i l : r o n e l v @ a c t i v e s c h o o l . c o . z a P O P I N ! W e o f f e r t h e f o l l o w i n g : • F a i t h B a s e d C u r r i c u l u m • A H S D ( S w i t c h e d O n E d u c a t i o n ) • A c c r e d i t a t i o n • Q u a l i f i e d T e a c h e r s • A f f o r d a b i l i t y • M i n i m a l P a r e n t a l A d m i n • G r a d e s 3 - 1 2 • T o p C l a s s S t u d e n t / P a r e n t S u p p o r t • O n l i n e E i s t e d d f o d Over 20 years of homeschooling experience!

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CHAT TO US!

Your feedback is essential in helping us put together a magazine which delivers on-point content relevant to your homeschooling experiences and support needs and helps you navigate your child/ children’s education with ease and confidence. You are the core of the publication, so let’s live and learn together. Email our editor, Adri Viviers, at: adri@isikhova.co.za.

While we can begin any ambition with the best research and intentions, there are some aspects we simply can’t know until we’ve gone through the process. When the words just won’t come Speech disorders can range from mild to severe. Some are present at birth, while others develop over time. Some are part of a neurological function, while others stem from injury or disability.

Fun family activities to beat winter boredom Winter certainly has its perks, but the cold comes with its own set of challenges. It can be helpful to create a list of fun things to do when your kids complain that they’re bored or are spending too much time on their electronic devices.

4 contents SA HOMESCHOOLING ISSUE 10 2022 Contents New knownWhathomeschooler?IwishI’dbefore…

A traffic light approach Child protection can be a difficult subject to broach, especially with younger children. Friede Meissenheimer, Senior Social Worker for the SA Women’s Federation, sees 14

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18 Child Protection Week as a great opportunity for parents to explain to their children what their rights are and prompt a discussion about why those rights are crucial. Why is reading so important for children? Reading is the foundation for success not only in school, but also for later in one’s professional life. That’s why it’s essential to cultivate a love of reading in your child from an early age: it’s one of the greatest gifts you can give them.

Tools for helping children manage stress Healthy coping strategies to help children manage stress and worry and what signs to look out for.

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The past two years have been a roller-coaster ride for many families in SA, as we navigated school closures and learning from home. But now that the lockdown has ended, many families have come to realise that homeschooling works for them. Time management and problem-solving With the first quarter of 2022 and the usual mad rush of settling into the new academic year firmly behind us, we can focus on non-academic skills that will make learning and thriving a little easier for the rest of the year.

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Pinboard Fun local events and outdoor activities in your city and nearby places for the whole family. What to tell kids when the news is scary How do we prepare and protect kids from all the scary news out there, whether it’s a war overseas, a school shooting or a global Processingpandemic?badnewscan

be difficult for adults, let alone kids. Here’s how to break it to them in ways they can handle. Prepping your kids to be smart with cash Teaching children about money is an investment in their future. The sooner you start, the better! Printable worksheets Fun and educational: Grades 7-9. 38 36 4447

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Ask Dalena Dalena van der Westhuizen will answer any questions or concerns you may have about learning, concentration, memory and cognitive development – and, of course, the frustrations arising from these. Real men do eat quiche – especially dads (on Father’s Day) Mom, grab the kids and celebrate Father’s Day this year by presenting dad with these special recipes the kids can make – with a little help from you. Five homeschoolingreasons has become a first choice

Recognised as a homeschooling stakeholder by the Department of Basic Education Officially endorsed by CNA as its preferred homeschooling media partner

Director: Brand Strategy Jenny Justus jenny@isikhova.co.za | 083 450 6052

It’s never easy to nurse a child through an illness. But you can do this. Your child can do this. Your strength will get you and your child through it. I hope you enjoy this issue.

Managing Director Imraan Mahomed imraan@isikhova.co.za

SA Homeschooling magazine is independently published by Isikhova Media (Pty) Ltd 10th Floor, Metal Box, 25 Owl Street, Milpark, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa 011 883 www.isikhova.co.za4627

SA HOMESCHOOLING ISSUE 10 2022 6 a note from the editor

Creative Director Joanne Brook joanne@isikhova.co.za

savvy thinkers smart doers together people

Operations Director Thuli Majola thuli@isikhova.co.za Graphic Designer Zian Cornelissen Copy Editor Anne Phillips Media Specialist Ruwayda Mahomed ruwayda@isikhova.co.za | 072 383 3203

“S Education is an adventure

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the owners, the publisher, contributors or their agents. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of its contents, neither SA Homeschooling magazine, the owners, the editor, the publisher, media alliance partners nor any of its endorsed organisations or contributors can be held responsible for any omissions or errors; or for any misfortune, injury or damages which may arise therefrom. The same applies to all advertising. SA Homeschooling magazine © 2022. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without prior written permission from the publishers. Find us on Facebook and Instagram

Editor-in-Chief Jason Aarons jason@isikhova.co.za Editor Adri adri@isikhova.co.zaViviers

Adri

Subscriptions & General sahomeschooling@isikhova.co.zaEnquiries:

ick? What’s sick? My children are healthy and energetic and always will be!” think most moms during the summer months. But then winter arrives, bringing the flu. And stomach flu. And colds. And coughs. And croup. And ear infections. And strep. And random fevers with no cause.

There are plenty of challenging moments that accompany motherhood and having a sick child is definitely one of them. We do everything we can to try to protect our children from illness or pain, but sooner or later – whether our kids are at traditional school or being homeschooled – they do fall ill. As a mom of three, whenever one child gets sick, I try hard to keep the other two from getting sick too, but I seldom Recently,succeed.allthree had colds and were coughing non-stop. It’s devastating to watch your usually happy, energetic child feel miserable – and while the snuggles are really nice, you’d gladly trade them for your child’s usual playful self. For a mom, it can also be exhausting because if they’re not sleeping, you’re not sleeping; and while you aren’t the one who’s sick, it’s ok to still feel overwhelmed and stretched thin, because you are.

Every child is unique. With the choice of three online schools, we offer flexible and personalised access to robust British and US curriculums. High-quality private education is matched with oneon-one support and extra-curricular opportunities, empowering every student to fulfill their potential at every stage of their learning journey.

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Contact us at +44 7385 398 130 quoting harrowschoolonline.orgukglobal.pearsononlineacademy.comHOMEED

SA HOMESCHOOLING ISSUE 10 2022 8 getting started

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hey say hindsight is 20/20 and that phrase has rung more times in my life than I’d care to admit. That’s how life is, though. It’s a learning process. Regarding homeschooling, there are some things I’d change if I could and a few things I’ve learnt to do differently. Here are some areas where it’s taught me lessons I wish I’d known before I started it: Homeschooling doesn’t have to be school-at-home Creating a thisway.imaginepubliceducationAfterchoiceenvironmentschool-at-homeisaverypopularamongnewhomeschoolers.all,ifyourexperiencewithisbasedsolelyonaorprivateschool,it’shardtohomeschoolinganyotherForsomehomeschoolers,workswellandtheyenjoythestructure.However,school-at-homecanlimitthefreedomofhomeschooling.Oneofits

While we can begin any ambition with the best research and intentions, there are some aspects we simply can’t know until we’ve gone through the process, writes Jamie Gaddy, Editor-in-Chief of Homeschool.com. She’s homeschooled her six children for 15 years and takes great joy in helping new homeschooling parents get started. She loves sharing her success and helping other homeschoolers through radio and TV interviews, as well as podcasts

NewknownWhathomeschooler?IwishI’dbefore…

many benefits is the ability to learn wherever at any time. Your homeschoolers can study on the couch, in bed, outside or in the car. They can learn in the morning, late afternoon or even at night, if that’s what works best for your family.

Homeschooling parents often find themselves lost and frustrated when they try to model their homeschools on traditional schools. Find what works for your homeschooling family In the end, homeschooling

The anxiety of a homeschooling parent is real. There are constant worries about whether you’re doing everything right or whether they’re missing out on anything. To top it off, the whole world will have an opinion about how to homeschool your children. Try to avoid feeling so nervous about missing something that you don’t enjoy the homeschooling journey and all the amazing home instruction that goes with it. It’s a process and you and your children can all learn together. You can also learn what works for each other on the way. With homeschooling there’s always trial and error, but that’s part of the journey. Embrace the moments, the occasional mess and the benefits.

From experience with traditional schools, you’ll have phrases such as “grade levels”, “assessments” and “percentages” bouncing through your head. While certain people will ask about milestones concerning your child’s age, it’s important to remember that each child learns at their own pace. Ho meschooling doesn’t need to force your children to rush to a certain level through stress and tears. Homeschool curricula often allow is about what works for your family. At the beginning of our homeschooling journey, I was so focused on the activities other homeschooling families enjoyed that I didn’t notice whether those things worked for us. Regardless of whether all your friends use a certain curriculum, if it doesn’t work for you, that’s OK. If your current curriculum works amazingly, you don’t need to buy a new curriculum simply because other homeschool moms rave about it. If inspirational homeschooling podcasts suggest a certain schedule or method, but you know your kids aren’t going to benefit from the change, that’s OK too. Determine what to do for your homeschool by first determining the reasons for your choices.

Homeschooling is forgiving! Homeschooling should meet the child where they are When parents first start homes chooling, it’s tempting to try to fit their kids into a conventional box.

Embrace the benefits of homeschooling

Tailor your homeschooling style to fit your child’s needs

Every child has different interests, learning styles and needs. With homeschooling, you can individualise your education plan for each of your children. Once you’re aware of their learning styles, you can begin tailoring your homeschool resources and methods to how they learn best. This allows them to study effectively. Republished with permission from Homeschool.com

getting started children to work at different levels in various subjects, according to what they need.

“With moments,alwaysschoolinghome-there’strialanderror,butthat’spartofthejourney.Embracethetheoccasional mess and the benefits. Homeschooling is forgiving!”

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There are many types of disorders within various categories and each child’s condition may be different. Here are four of the most common speech disorders that speech therapists treat in children:

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Speech disorders can range from mild to severe. Some are present at birth, while others develop over time. Some are part of a neurological function, while others stem from injury or disability

Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS)

peech is one of the main ways in which children communicate their thoughts, feelings and ideas with others. The act of speaking requires the precise co-ordination of multiple body parts, including the head, neck, chest and abdomen. A speech disorder refers to any condition that affects a child’s ability to produce sounds that create words. This disorder can disrupt a child’s ability to communicate and learn from others.

CAS is a communication disorder affecting the motor programming system for speech production. Speech production is difficult –specifically with sequencing and forming sounds. The person may know what they want to say, but there’s a disruption in the part of the brain that sends the signal to the muscle for the movement necessary to produce the sound. That leads to problems with 1

When the words just won’t come

speech disorders in children

speech disorders in children

Children, teenagers and adults may suffer from these abnormal movement patterns of the face and mouth. They occur due to an abnormal growth and development of facial muscles and bones, the cause of which is unclear. An OMD, also known as a “tongue-thrust”, is characterised by improper tongue, jaw and lip positioning during swallowing, feeding and speaking. Children with an OMD often present with mouth breathing, low tongue posture (resting the tongue on the low teeth versus the roof of the mouth), malocclusion and forward protrusion of the tongue, or tongue-thrusting during swallowing. Children may also demonstrate a variety of other concerning symptoms. Treatment of OMD focuses on learning the appropriate resting posture of the tongue, habituating a new swallowing pattern and then correcting any speech sound errors. 2

Orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMD)

3 Speech articulationsound/disorders

“Speech therapy, breathing exercises and sometimes antianxiety medications can help improve speech and symptoms.”reduce articulation, as well as intonation, speaking stress and rhythm errors. Apraxia of speech can be discovered in childhood (CAS) or might be acquired, resulting from a brain injury or illness in both children and adults. When CAS is relatively severe, your child may need speech therapy three to five times a week. As your child improves, the frequency of speech therapy may be reduced.

An articulation disorder is a speech sound disorder in which a child has difficulty making certain sounds correctly. Sounds may be omitted or improperly altered during the course of speech, such as making the “th” sound instead of an “s” sound, or a “w” instead of an “r”. Young children will typically display articulation issues as they learn to speak, but they’re expected to “grow out of it” by a certain age. If the errors persist past a standard developmental age, which varies based on the sound, then that child has an articulation disorder. The most common articulation disorders are in the form of a lisp. Treatment options may include speech therapy exercises that focus on building familiarity with certain words or sounds, as well as physical exercises that focus on strengthening the muscles which produce speech sounds.

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Stuttering and other fluency disorders Stuttering can come in a number of forms, including “blocks” characterised by long pauses, “prolongations” characterised by stretching out a sound and “repetitions” characterised by repeating a particular sound in a word. Stuttering isn’t always a constant and it can be exacerbated by nervousness or excitement. It can be developmental, meaning it begins during early speech acquisition, or acquired due to brain trauma. No-one knows the exact causes of stuttering in a child. It’s believed to have a genetic basis, but the direct link hasn’t yet been found. Children with relatives who stutter are three times more likely to develop stuttering. Stuttering is also more typical in children who have congenital disorders, such as cerebral palsy. Individuals who stutter may feel tension in their bodies and may even avoid situations or words that could trigger their stuttering. Secondary physical behaviours may include excessive eye-blinking or jaw-tightening. This occurs when speech is disrupted by involuntary repetitions, prolonging of sounds and hesitation or pausing before speech. Like any other speech disorder, it requires therapy and practice to treat or manage. Speech disorders can affect a child’s self-esteem and their overall quality of life. Fortunately, speech therapy, breathing exercises and sometimes anti-anxiety medications can help improve speech and reduce symp toms. If you’re concerned about your child’s speech development, talk to a GP or child and family health nurse.

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speech disorders in children

Children grow out of speech problems While children’s speech development takes time and a young child doesn’t pronounce most words accurately the first time they say them, parents shouldn’t hold onto the idea that their child will grow out of a speech disorder. There’s cause for concern when a fouryear-old child’s speech is difficult for other people to understand. Children who don’t speak clearly are lazy Given the repeated misunderstandings and frustration that children with speech difficulties face, it makes no sense to suggest that they’re lazy. The truth is that most children with speech disorders respond well to intervention by a speech pathologist. Speech disorders are caused by tongue-tie While tongue-tie does exist (when a person has a short lingual frenulum), a review of research found no evidence to suggest a causative link between tongue-tie and speech problems.

Case reports suggest that tongue-tie may be a contributing factor for a small number of

Common myths about speech disorders in children

children who can’t produce the “l” or “th” speech sounds; however, for the vast majority of children with speech, tongue-tie isn’t the cause of the problem. Speech therapy doesn’t work Several studies show that speech therapy is an effective method for helping children develop their communication skills. One study of over 700 children with speech difficulties showed that speech therapy had a significant positive effect. 4

SUBSCRIBETO SAH FOR FREE! We invite you to become a vital part of our homeschooling initiative and SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE. Click HERE! It’s that easy. Independantly published by Isikhova Media (Pty) Ltd | Tel: 011 883 4627 | www.isikhova.co.za SA Homeschooling –Education is an adventure

14 SA HOMESCHOOLING ISSUE 10 2022 baby, it’s cold outside! F

inding fun things to do in winter can be a challenge, especially for older kids and teenagers. And leaving your cosy fire and snuggly socks behind to venture out isn’t always at the top of your priority list. Thankfully, we’ve found plenty of ways to keep kids busy and prevent boredom this winter. Doing some of these activities together might be fun for the whole family. Winter certainly has its perks, but cold weather comes with its own set of challenges. It can be helpful to create a list of fun things to do when your child complains of being bored or you catch them spending too much time on their electronic devices

Fun toactivitiesfamilybeatcoldweatherboredom

Here are our 10 best indoor suggestions: Play board games Playing board games together as a family bumps up the fun factor. Not only do these games lure kids away from their electronic devices, but they can also be educational, giving kids lessons in decisionmaking, consequences and strategic thinking. Better still, encourage kids to make their own board game. Give them a big sheet of cardboard, pencils, rulers, crayons, a dice and counters, and let them have fun creating it. Suggestions: a haunted castle (with pitfalls such as dungeons and monsters on certain blocks and advantages such as secret 1

Some suggestions for indoor herbs include chives, mint, rosemary, oregano and thyme. All you’ll need are potting soil, seeds or starters and a few pots (which the kids can paint or decorate).

Make a movie Is there anything more fun for kids than watching themselves? Come up with a simple plot, get some props and costumes together and write a loose screenplay. Older kids can help edit, too. Then screen it for everyone. Bring the spa to you Plan a spa session, complete with massage hydrant, relaxing music and chill time. Soak your feet, moisturise, trim and paint your nails, try a different hairstyle and make healthy smoothies. OK, not literally, but in this imaginary playtime scenario, you’re the client and your kids are the ones doing the pampering. You can switch roles after a while. Hopefully, you’ll get a halfway decent massage out of this game and the kids will love pampering you and being pampered by you in turn. Learn something new Winter is the perfect season for kids to learn how to play a musical instrument

Start an indoor garden

If you have green fingers, planting an indoor garden can be a fun and rewarding winter activity for the whole family.

2 435we’ve“Thankfully,foundplentyofwaystokeepkidsbusyandpreventboredomthiswinter.”

baby, it’s cold outside! passages to get them nearer the finish and win on others). Or do some research into ageappropriate games and invest in a new one – it’ll be worth it for cold (or rainy) days and holiday trips for years to come.

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Several herbs and small plants can grow on windowsills, which not only improves air quality in your home, but also gives you fresh herbs year-round and can be a learning activity for kids.

Send the kids on a scavenger hunt

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SA HOMESCHOOLING

Make a donation bin Take advantage of time indoors and contribute to a cause by getting rid of stuff you no longer use. Go through old clothes and toys as a family and encourage your kids to donate toys they no longer play with to other children who will. Set up a “donation bin” in the centre of the house and get to work. When the weather clears up, you can take them to charities and donation centres. In addition to clearing out clutter, this can also help teach kids about giving. Break out the summertime tent (or build a fort)

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Try a classic treasure hunt or scavenger hunt to get the kids moving. Create a clue to find a location or item, then have another clue waiting at that spot. That tip leads to the next spot, and so on. Place a treasure, such as a toy or treat, at the final destination. This self-directed activity empowers the child to complete a task on their own (or co-operatively, if playing with others). At the same time, they learn about sequencing, which is the importance of following steps in order.

Sure, camping is more of a summertime activity for most families, but if you bring the tent into the living room, you can also bring some of that fun with you during the winter months. If you don’t have a tent, use sheets or boxes to build a fort in your living room and deck it out with pillows, rugs and even snacks inside. Paint a chalk wall This activity has somewhat permanent effects, but with the help of your kids, pick a blank wall in either their bedroom or a playroom to paint with chalk paint. Once it’s dry, be sure to leave chalk nearby so kids can go to town with their chalk artwork.

– the piano or keyboard, flute or guitar. They’re all popular options for aspiring musicians. Learning a musical instrument has huge benefits for children. Not only do they learn a new skill, which they can use for the rest of their life, but learning music has been proved to improve memory, boost self-esteem, improve reading skills, help co-ordination, promote maths skills and much more. And with the resources available on the Internet, it’s now possible for kids (and you) to learn how to play an instrument online, in the comfort of your own home.

Make pizzas Ready-made pizza crusts are easily available and always handy to have around. Toppings can include loads of veggies, pineapple, sausages and cheese. Making pizzas is always lots of fun, and dinner’s ready when you’re done!

NationalcommemoratesChildProtection Week to raise awareness of the need to protect children against abuse, exploitation, neglect and all forms of violence.

When it comes to educating children about sexual abuse,

Ignoring your child’s right to bodily autonomy can include something as small as forcing them to give someone a hug or kiss when they don’t want to. Never override your child’s feelings on this. By forcing them to be physically affectionate when they’re not comfortable with it, you could be teaching them that their opinion about their body doesn’t matter – and this could set them up to be more vulnerable to sexual abuse.”

SA HOMESCHOOLING ISSUE 10 2022 18 national child protection week

“Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that our children have autonomy over their own bodies, even from a very young age. As parents, we should respect this and teach our children to stand up for themselves.

“When it comes to preventing sexual abuse, it’s never too early to educate your children. Parents have the responsibility to ensure that they safeguard their children in every way possible.

A traffic light approach

Child protection can be a difficult subject to broach, especially with younger children. Friede Meissenheimer, Senior Social Worker for the SA Women’s Federation (SAVF), sees Child Protection Week as a great opportunity for parents to explain to their children what their rights are and prompt a discussion about why these are so important F rom now until 05 June, SA

“We’re overwhelmed with children being neglected and abused,” says Meissenheimer. “As parents, we try our best to protect our children from harm, but we don’t always know how to approach such sensitive subjects.

“Another aspect to keep in mind is that sexual abuse often goes hand in hand with secrecy,” she adds. “Children are told not to tell “Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that our children have autonomy over their own bodies, even from a very young age.”

19 ISSUE 10 2022 SA HOMESCHOOLING national child protection week

Meissenheimer uses a traffic light analogy which can be applied in two ways – with regard to areas on the bodies that are touched, as well as the manner in which a child is “It’stouched.widely accepted that the parts of a child’s body which are covered by bathing suits are their private parts and shouldn’t be touched by any person,” says Meissenheimer. “This is the red area on their bodies. You could consider putting in perspective for your child – mommy or daddy sometimes need to touch them there when they’re helping them take a bath if still young, or a doctor might need to look at these areas if they’re sick or hurt.

Considering the manner in which a child is touched, Meissenheimer again applies the traffic light system. “Red is any form of touch that a child doesn’t like, such as when a friend or sibling pulls their hair or pinches them. Orange refers to touch that makes a child feel uncomfortable or uncertain. This can include being touched in a way that isn’t necessarily unpleasant, but the person is someone the child doesn’t trust or feel comfortable with. Green means ‘go’! This is all forms of touch that children find enjoyable, such as tickling, hugs and kisses from people they trust.”

Meissenheimer advises remembering that all children’s traffic lights can look different, as kids have different tolerances to touch, just as adults do. “Some children might enjoy cuddling with a parent, while others will shy away,” she explains. Teach your child to gauge their own tolerance to touch and respect it.

We often teach our children about “stranger danger”. Unfortunately, when it comes to sexual abuse, the perpetrator is more likely to be someone a child knows who has access to them. Let your child know that they can stand up to any person who makes them feel uncomfortable, even if it’s a family member or a close friend. Take note

Orange refers to areas that are danger zones – in other words, areas close to their genitals. This includes their thighs, tummies and backs. While it isn’t necessarily wrong to touch a child in these areas, these are often the places where children are first tested to see their reaction to touch in a process called grooming. Teach your children that if they’re uncomfortable with any form of touching, they have the right to move away and tell any person, even an adult, to stop. Green areas of the body refer to areas that are safe to touch, such as the hands, feet or head. Though these are considered safe areas, a child still has the right to remove themselves from any form of touch that they don’t like.”

STAY AWAY! Touch that’s painful or Areasunpleasant.onthe body that are covered by bathing suits.

Ensure that your child feels safe and comfortable at all times. Contact a social worker or your closest police station to assist you with the process of opening a case of sexual abuse.anybody and can even be threatened to keep quiet. In general, it’s best to teach children that there should be no secrets. Instead of telling a child that, for example, a birthday gift is a secret, teach them that it’s a surprise. Any surprise should make a person feel happy inside. A secret that makes a child feel angry, sad or uncomfortable is never good and they should tell any adult they can trust to keep them safe.”

The traffic light approach at a glance

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GO AHEAD Pleasant touch, such as tickling, hugs or kisses from people a child trusts. Hands, feet and the head are green areas, as long as a child feels comfortable.

BE CAREFUL Touch that makes a child feel uncomfortable, even though it might not be Areaspainful.ofthe body close to the red areas, such as the thighs or tummy.

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What can your child do when they’re in a situation where they feel unsafe? “Firstly, for children, their most powerful weapon is their voice,” says Meissenheimer. “When something’s happening that they don’t like, they must scream ‘NO!’ as loudly as they can. This is the fastest way of attracting attention and getting help. Secondly, empower them to remove themselves from the situation. They’re allowed to run or walk away from situations where they don’t feel safe or comfortable. Lastly, let them know that they should tell any adult that they trust.”

What to do if you suspect your child’s been abused or they disclose that this has happened It’s important always to believe your child – you are their safe space!

Creating book-lovers

There are numerous benefits to reading, as www.edublox.co.za shares on its website: Reading builds vocabulary Reading helps your child learn new words and build vocabulary. In addition, children also learn better language skills when they read. hildren who struggle to read also struggle to learn. Reading is one of the first skills learnt and not only broadens a child’s mind, but sets their imagination free. Time was when the delicious anticipation of a book from the local library (and the irresistible lure of reading bits of it on the Think, for example, of sentence construction and good grammar, as well as new words that aren’t part of a child’s everyday world. Reading also helps children understand how stories are written, so the more they read, the better they write. Many subjects, especially at high school level, require children to write essays. Those who do this well and can express themselves with ease obviously get better marks. Reading improves concentration and helps kids relax Reading is the one pastime that al ways gives back more than it takes: it teaches children to concentrate better and they therefore develop the ability to focus. Our children today are so overwhelmed by the sound, light and movement of elec tronic devices that reading actually gives their brain a break. Readers spell better SMS language and the trend among advertisers of misspelling words in brand names contribute “Our movementtheoverwhelmedtodaychildrenaresobysound,lightandofelectronicdevicesthatreadingactuallygivestheirbrainabreak.”

22 SA HOMESCHOOLING ISSUE 10 2022 raising readers C

Reading is the foundation for success, not only in studies, but throughout a lifetime. Cultivating a love of reading in your child from an early age is one of the greatest gifts you can give them way home) promised hours of unalloyed pleasure. Unfortunately, the wonderful habit of reading is lost and few children these days spend their free time curled up with a good book. They prefer to play console games or spend hours in front of the computer screen. If they do read, it’s likely to be on a comparatively soulless Kindle.

Of course, digital information has benefits, including sharpening our eye-hand skills, but holding a book and flipping through pages provides important stimulation for a child’s sense of touch. They focus on understanding the content, rather than sitting and wondering what image the next click of the mouse will produce. Reading is the key to education

Many of us thought that the advent of the Internet necessarily meant the extinction of the written word, but reading has actually assumed an even greater place in our lives.

For parents and babysitters, reading or being read to is a special way of enjoying quality time with the young team on a daily basis. Book clubs and storytime at libraries bring together children from all groups. They develop listening skills and get the opportunity to re-tell what they’ve heard and share their own opinions with other kids in their age group.

A love of reading is cultivated by reading aloud from infancy. Make storytime a special time. Make funny voices, open your eyes wide and whisper when reading a tense passage. However, you don’t always have to read – sometimes it’s fun to come up with your own stories, or begin one and have each child continue to a certain point before the next one takes over.

Words are building blocks needed on all levels of life – from writing a letter to a friend to setting up a slide show to be understood by hundreds of delegates. Digital devices play a very important role in our daily lives, but parents should encourage their children to read printed books.

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children’s academic lives, it also enriches them far beyond the classroom. Enthusiastic readers usually have an excellent general knowledge. They also develop the ability to fantasise, which is essen tial for psychological health.

There’s no such thing as a child who doesn’t “like” books. They simply haven’t found the right book yet. If a child likes sports, buy sports books; if they like ballet, buy dance books; if they love dragons, buy animal books. So, if you’re unsure what to put under the Christmas tree in December, invest in books. They really are gifts to last, to love – and to liberate.

raising readers to a generation that spells poorly. Reading and spelling go hand in hand, as one develops the other. In the higher grades, points are deducted for spelling errors, so correct spelling means higher marks. In the business world, spelling mistakes are simply unprofessional. Reading can be a social activity

Words are building blocks –even in technology

While reading is essential to learn ing and achievement throughout

Tools for helping children manage stress

24 SA HOMESCHOOLING ISSUE 10 2022

Micheal Goodman, Group Knowledge Manager at Via Afrika, shares a few healthy coping strategies to help children manage stress and worry and explains what signs to look out for e often talk about being “stressed out” when what we really mean is that we’re worried about something. Worry happens when we keep thinking about negative things, uncertain outcomes or things that could go wrong in the future. Such things can result in our being afraid and therefore being stressed. Since worry often makes us fearful, it’s very often accompanied by the same physiological response we experience when we’re under true stress. As a result, we’ve come to conflate the two into one thing.

healthy coping strategies

It’s a desperate attempt to survive in these circumstances. If we’ve

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Stress can be defined as a physiological reaction to something in the environment that the individual believes to be greater than what they can cope with: in other words, something to be feared. The physiological reaction to stress is commonly known as “fight or flight”, which developed in humans in reaction to fearful situations, such as being chased by a wild animal or coming across a snake in one’s path.

A true stress response is healthy when it’s triggered by a genuine event that creates fear for our lives.

What do we worry about?

Humans worry about anything that went wrong in the past, what could go wrong in the future and whatever’s uncertain. Our brains are wired to see the negative in anything to protect us, so we can basically worry about anything.

Signs of stress and worry in children

Clearly, we need to address worry to avoid long-term stress. This is as true for adults as it is for young people and children.

Grouping the things that children worry about into themes can be helpful for assisting them. These themes are broadly: worry related to self, worry about school and family, peer relationships, as well as worry about the social and economic conditions in which they find themselves.

healthy coping strategies

Younger children may not always be able to express that they’re worried and stressed, so it’s important to watch for indirect signs that this is what they’re going through. From an early age, it’s worth developing the vocabulary of emotions with children, so they can identify their feelings more clearly. This will assist you in helping them during times of Pre-schoolstress.children’s stress often shows up in their pretend play. Pay attention to the themes that occur in their play for hints of things that may be worrying them. was designed to respond to. As a result, we’re under stress much of the time. Our bodies maintain a high heart rate, with excess levels of cortisone and adrenaline and the shut-down pre-frontal cortex (where our thinking takes place) of a stressful event going continually. This leads to significant health problems over time. run away fast enough or managed to fight and kill the threat, it’s a positive response: our bodies and brains return to their natural state of being, which is known as “rest and digest”. This is a time to heal, grow and rest. However, a true stress response isn’t positive if we continue to be in fight or flight mode all the Unfortunately,time.inthis day and age, what we worry about has taken the place of the real threats that stress “Changes in appetite, sleep patterns and sleep problemssignsnightmares)bedwetting(includingandarethatachildisstressed.”

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In pre-schoolers and older children, signs of stress could include behavioural changes such as a short temper, aggression, tearfulness or moodiness. An inability to concentrate on tasks, nervous habits that start suddenly and withdrawal from friends and family are all signs that a child is experiencing stress. These behavioural changes could also disrupt normal home and school routines. Stress can also become apparent in physiological changes. Changes in appetite, sleep patterns and sleep problems (including bedwetting and nightmares) are signs that a child is stressed. A stressed child may also complain of headaches and stomach aches.

“From an early age, it’s vocabularydevelopingworththeofemotionswithchildren,sotheycanidentifytheirfeelingsmoreclearly.”

Having identified that your child is stressed, there are a few things you can do to help. Identify whether the stress is because of negative thoughts or because of worries about an event, person or experience.

Teach your child to challenge their negative thoughts with these questions themselves as they become able to. Another way of working with negative thoughts is by helping your child write their negative thoughts down in a list. Identify with them the thoughts that are in their control and those that are

Take time to talk to your child and find out what the negative thought is. Then ask these questions (tailored to their level of

Working with negative thoughts

Helping children who’re experiencing stress

26 SA HOMESCHOOLING ISSUE 10 2022 healthy coping strategies

evidence“What’sunderstanding):thefactualthattheworstcase scenario will happen? What’s the probability that the worst outcome will come true?”

Follow these questions up with a solution-finding question: “What can we do that would prevent this from happening?” For example: Child: I’m going to fail a test. Parent: How do you know you’re going to fail it? What proof do you have? What’s the real chance of that happening? What can we do to make sure that doesn’t happen?

for.

solid foundations 4. Putting a goal into the future Course delivery The course is: • delivered in a secure online learning environment • accessible on any device • broken into teenager-friendly chunks (more

our values and beliefs play in making decisions and achieving goals 3. Creating a

Why not

insight

an

A FORMINDSETSUCCESS

Children heading into Grade 12 have significant pressures placed on them that they have had little or no preparation

success?future Course content 1. Developing an understanding of how we think and why we act as we do 2. Appreciating the

You have the opportunity to give your children access to online course that will equip them with: into the way their minds work a new way to deal with pressures in their lives a powerful method to ensure they achieve the goals they’ve set. give your children chance to the best of their time 12, their role goal on than

75 minutes of video) completed at child’s own pace. Course cost R100,00 (VAT incl.) per child Reg. No. 1996/012379/07 Contact us on vatraining@viaafrika.com

in Grade

and to ensure

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make

As the Group Knowledge Manager at Via Afrika, Micheal Goodman is responsible for the team who develop content – books, e-books, teacher training and student training material. He’s also responsible for the teacher training that takes place through Via Afrika’s Digital Education Academy (VADEA). Micheal develops material and offers live training as well. “It’s my happy task to be constantly monitoring education, especially educational technology and social emotional learning trends, and then bringing that thinking into our company to improve the quality of our own thinking and of our product,” he says.

out of their control. Help them find a solution for all the issues within their control. Working with worries Have your child identify what it is they’re really worrying about. Then ask them: “What would happen if you just stopped worrying about it? What’s the worst thing that could happen if you didn’t think about this? What would it be like not to worry about this?” This distracts them from the worry and often serves to take the sting out of the stress. An older child might be able to use a “worry budget”. Tell them to set 10 or 15 minutes aside when they can worry about the problem. Use a timer to be sure no more than the worry budget is used. When the time’s up, they must redirect their thoughts to something else. They can use a distraction like exercise or a sense-filled activity (smelling a flower, dancing or listening to music) to help them redirect their thoughts. Working with stress in general Like adults, children who’re experiencing stress will benefit from exercise and limiting their sugar and caffeine intake –basic good health principles. In addition to this, learning breathing techniques to reduce stress can be very helpful. Going forward Too often adults experience devastating stress because, as children, they didn’t learn how to manage their thoughts and anxiety. By introducing your child to these techniques from pre-school age, you’ll be helping them become healthier children and adults as the waybecometechniquesahealthyofliving.

28 healthy coping strategies

29 ISSUE 10 2022 SA HOMESCHOOLING chalkboard Follow @sahomeschoolingmag to win with @Woemaboeke on Facebook. WIN! gotAfrikaansFALjustaloteasier! The competition launches in June 2022.

• Teach time management skills. Tell your son just how long something should take. Write the estimated completion time on a sticky note or whiteboard and don’t accept papers/work before a certain amount of time has elapsed. Alternatively, have him write his starting and finishing times at the top of his work. How can I test my 11-year-old daughter’s working memory? Do I need to take her to a specialist for this? She seems to really struggle remembering even simple things. –Charmaine, Durbanville The most effective and reliable way of testing your daughter’s working memory is with a cognitive assessment to identify which of her cognitive skills may be showing signs of Becauseweakness.ourcognitive skills work together to process information, Dalena van der Westhuizen will answer any questions or concerns you may have about learning, concentration, memory and cognitive development – and, of course, the frustrations arising from these

o Did you read the instructions? o Did you check for spelling errors? o Did you write in complete sentences? o Did you re-read/re-check all your answers?

Ask Dalena

M

SA HOMESCHOOLING ISSUE 10 2022 30 homeschool support

y child schoolwork,throughrusheshisdailywhich causes him to miss certain parts of assignments. How can I get him to slow down and work methodically? – Vicki, Secunda In my experience, children who constantly rush through work/tests/ assignments usually do so because they feel challenged. Instead of trying to grasp a specific topic, question or task, they hurry through their work simply to get it done and out of the way. Others, especially children with ADHD, may want to get their work done as soon as possible before they lose their train of thought or forget the answers. Is your son challenged by the academic content or afraid he might forget the answer or specific details of the task? Does he feel intimidated by the content and embarrassed to say so? Try the following two strategies:

o Did you understand what you needed to do for this assignment? o If you didn’t understand, did you ask for an explanation before you did the assignment?

• Have him self-check at the end of each task/test/assignment. Put a basic checklist together of what he should double-check and let him mark items off, or initial each one as he does so. This could be specific for each subject/task or a general checklist for all work. Here are examples of what the checklist could contain:

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homeschool support a good assessment will test all of them, not just working memory.

The test will pinpoint why your daughter’s experiencing memory challenges and show you which cognitive skill/s may need to be targeted and strengthened to experience real change. What’s the average attention span of a teenager? It feels as if my two teenage kids can never concentrate for longer than 30-40 minutes at a time.

About Dalena Dalena van der Westhuizen is the coachspecialist,aandco-founderMDofBrainAbility,cognitivedevelopmentamasterbrainandaninternationally certified cognitive coach. She translates the latest international cognitive research and best practice into strategies that can be applied by parents and educators alike. A mom and a selfconfessed chocoholic, Dalena enjoys working with both kids and adults to improve the way their brains process information for better learning, reading and focusing. Send your questions for Dalena to: adri@isikhova.co.za.

If you take this into consideration, the average attention spans for teenagers should be:

• 14 years old: 28-42 minutes

• 12 years old: 24-36 minutes

• 16 years old: 32-48 minutes These, of course, are only generalisations, because how long a child is truly able to focus is largely determined by factors such as how many distractions are nearby (especially their cellphones), how hungry or tired the child is and how interested they are in the activity. Cognitive ability (ie, how strong their ability is in terms of the different types of attention spans) also plays a role. Since the onset of Covid-19 and the subsequent social restrictions, additional stress and much more time spent on screens, many kids and teens are having increased difficulty focusing and staying on task. Here are two easy strategies that will help with focus: Teach your child to plan ahead when they’re working on difficult tasks. A child who feels overwhelmed by the project/ task they’re working on will check out and get distracted quickly. At the beginning of the task/ project, help them identify potential stumbling blocks. For instance, if question 3 seems especially difficult, start with that one and help your child figure out how to approach it. Build in short brain breaks for tough tasks. Your teenager might be able to give 50 minutes of focus to a project when it’s broken into two 25-minute chunks with a five-minute break in between. Try working in a quick exercise to get their heart beating faster in between those two chunks of work (eg walking around the house or going for a five-minute bike ride). Exercise is a great way to activate the brain and a child’s ability to comprehend and memorise.

– Christel, Pretoria According to most childhood development experts, a reasonable attention span to expect of a child is two to three minutes per year of their age. That’s the length of time for which a typical child can maintain focus on a given task.

Mom, grab the kids and celebrate Father’s Day this year by presenting dad with these special recipes the kids can make – with a little help from you. Get creative and serve up his favourite quiche for brunch, followed by dessert and an extra-large helping of love! C hef and mom-of-four Anri Fourie shares these recipes that older kids can make entirely on their own. If you have little ones, you may be needed for extra assistance, especially where cutting or the oven are involved. Your kids can take pride in having made these recipes on their own – from the heart – just for dad. Pair your special treat for him with a handwritten card, a poem or a pretty painted rock from the garden.

Preparation time: 20 mins Cooking time: 30 mins

Real men do eat quiche – especially dads (on Father’s Day)

32 SA HOMESCHOOLING ISSUE 10 2022 cooking and bonding

QUICHE FIVE WAYS

125ml (½ cup) grated Cheddar cheese

4 Pincheggsof

salt and pepper

3. Pear and Gorgonzola cheese

100g grated Cheddar cheese

1 x 430g can pears (cut into fine slices)

33cooking and bonding

1 block Gorgonzola cheese (crumbled)

ForINGREDIENTScrust: 250ml (1 cup) flour

5. Asparagus, feta and caramelised onion

1 x 430g can asparagus (drained and chopped into 2cm wheels)

1 onion, finely chopped and fried until translucent

2 wheels feta cheese (cut into 1cm x 1cm squares)

2. Spinach, feta and bacon

4. Sun-dried tomato, caramelised onion and basil

150g spinach, roughly chopped

1 onion, finely chopped and fried until translucent Fresh basil, finally chopped

ISSUE 10 2022 SA HOMESCHOOLING

100g fried bacon, diced

100g ham (cut into 1cm x 1cm squares)

210g sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped

500ml (2 cups) cream

125ml (½ cup) butter

Fillings to choose from:

1. Ham and cheese

2 wheels feta cheese (cut into 1cm x 1cm squares)

For base filling (this is the base for any quiche – you can choose your favourite filling from the list below):

As the former owner of a coffee shop, Anri used to share the kitchen with skilled chefs. Today she shares it with her four busy little offspring, who’re all eager to pitch in and help.

cooking and bonding

What else do you need?

Anri Fourie, owner of two guesthouses and mom of an arecooksdaughtereight-year-oldandfour-year-oldtriplets,mealsthatquickandeasy to make – with multiple little helping hands. In the Fourie household, family time is a great time to cook together.

1. Using your fingers, mix the butter and flour together. Add the cheese.

1 spoon for mixing 1 frying pan Spray ’n Cook

Filling: 1. In a medium bowl, mix the cream, eggs, salt and pepper well.

3. Push the dough out onto the quiche pan using your fingers –it should be thinly covered.

2. Add your choice of filling and mix until well blended.

3. Carefully pour mixture onto base and bake for 30 mins at 190˚C.

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Preparation time: 20 mins

Refrigeration time: 3 hours

Crust:METHOD 1. Place biscuits in the Ziploc bag and crush with the rolling pin.

PINEAPPLE CHEESECAKE

2. Place crushed biscuits in the mixing bowl and add melted butter.

4. Place in fridge while preparing the filling.

1 x 385g can condensed milk 90ml lemon juice 1 x 450g can crushed pineapple, drained What else do you need? A Ziploc bag A rolling pin 1 medium-sized springform cake tin An electric hand-mixer 2 x medium-sized mixing bowls Spoon for mixing

ForINGREDIENTScrust:

3. Using the reverse side of a metal spoon, press the crushed biscuit mixture onto the bottom of the springform cake tin to form a crust.

Filling: 1. Using the electric hand-mixer, beat the cream cheese until soft

1 x 200g packet Nuttikrust or Tennis biscuits, finely crushed 100g unsalted butter, melted For filling: 250g cream cheese

2. Gradually add the condensed milk and then the lemon juice, while mixing continuously.

1 large quiche pan 2 medium-sized mixing bowls

4. Leave in fridge to set for at least three hours.

Crust:METHOD

3. Using a spoon, stir in the drained crushed pineapple and pour onto the base.

2. Spray your quiche pan with Spray ’n Cook.

photos

Prizes worth R15 000 in SA Homeschooling 2022 Photographic competition! Its our 2022 Photographic Competition! This initiative is aimed at encouraging children to express themselves through photography, inspiring creativity, stimulating the imagination and encouraging artistic skills. There are three age categories, each having its own theme. Ages 5-10: People Ages 11-15: Nature Ages 16-18: Street life Entries must be e-mailed sahomeschooling@isikhova.co.zato: with “Photographic Competition” clearly stated in the subject line along with: Your full name Contact number Child’s name and age Category entered Title of photograph The competition will for run two issues, this being the first. Every fortnight we’ll post a section of entries from each category on our social media pages. Winners’ names will be announced in our last issue of the year, online on 14 November.

ENTER & WIN

GENERAL RULES OF ENTRY 1. The competition is not exclusive to homeschooling children. 2. Entries must be South African residents. 3. Photos must be supplied in JPG formats and must not exceed a maximum of 3MB. 4. By submitting photographs, you consent to giving SA Homeschooling and Isikhova Media (Pty) Ltd full publishing rights to them. HERE to share your on our Facebookpage!

Click

reasons homeschooling has become a first choice “S

36 SA HOMESCHOOLING ISSUE 10 2022 why homeschool?

“There’s no doubt that homeschooling has come to the fore over this period and will become a bigger part of the landscapeeducationinyearstocome.”

5

The past two years have been a roller-coaster ride for many families in South Africa, as we navigated school closures and learning from home. But now that the lockdown has ended, many families have come to realise that homeschooling works for them, writes Louise Schoonwinkel, MD of Optimi Home 1

ince the pandemic started, we at Impaq saw our student numbers jump almost 60%, from 19 000 to over 30 000 in the past 24 months,” says Louise. “Strong growth has continued and Impaq also launched a new online school at the start of this year. “We’ve seen a range of families making the full-time switch to homeschooling, from those who’ve enjoyed the more individualised attention their children receive to others who’ve moved across the country.” As a parent, you may be wondering whether homeschooling is the right fit for you and your child. There are five key reasons homeschooling has become a first choice for many families: Pathway to matric Credible homeschooling providers follow the same CAPS-aligned curriculum to which every school in the country adheres.

why homeschool?

For many, life may be returning to normal, but along the way, we’ve learnt new ways of doing things. “There’s no doubt that homeschooling has come to the fore over this period and will become a bigger part of the education landscape in years to come,” says Louise.

About Optimi Impaq, which forms part of Optimi Home, is SA’s largest homeschooling provider. The Optimi Group provides offerings in four divisions: home, workplace, classroom and college. Together, these divisions support more than 200 000 students every year.

Added to this, homeschooling pupils have access to many more subjects that aren’t available at most schools, ranging from hospi tality studies to visual arts. Newer subjects such as robotics and coding are also available through certain homeschooling providers.

Support Many providers offer detailed facilitator guides that instruct homeschooling parents how to teach a subject, while also providing online learning platforms that give facilitators access to step-by-step instructions, lesson planning, assessment materials and other resources. Flexibility Finally, there’s is a highly flexible aspect of homes chooling that’s well-suited to chil dren wanting to pursue their talents at a higher level, such as profession al athletes and even entrepreneurs. From teenagers training to become international racing drivers to ballet dancers, we’ve seen many talented children signing up with us over the years to pursue their dreams on a full-time basis, while still getting an “Ifeducation.needed, parents can seek out the assistance of a tutor in specific curriculum areas as well,” adds Louise. “These tutors are independent of curriculum providers such as Impaq.”

Sociability Pursuing the homeschooling route doesn’t mean that your child misses out on social activities. In fact, homeschooled children can have more time to engage in extracurricular activities and interact with a variety of peers. There are even homeschooling communities who organise sports and activities across the length and breadth of SA.

Choice Homeschooling students have access to more subjects than those typically offered in schools. In a traditional school, pupils at FET level (Grades 10-12) are usually restricted to choosing only a certain number of subjects or subject combinations, depending on the resources available. However, these limits don’t apply to those being homeschooled.

2 543

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Students who use credible homeschooling solutions are also regis tered with the SA African Compre hensive Assessment Institute, one of the three examination bodies recognised by Umalusi. Because of this, these students write the same exams as every other school pupil in the country and receive a National Senior Certificate upon successfully completing their matric. Students who achieve a Bachelor’s pass are also eligible to continue tertiary studies at any university in SA.

38 logic and reasoning skills

ne very important area of focus you might have right now, like me, may be to help your children plan, organise and manage their time effectively. Now, wouldn’t that make life a little easier for everyone!? Children who can manage their homework, plan for tests and exams, finish tasks and assignments on time and plan “Logic and reasoning refer to one’s ability to plan, organise and solve problems. We rely on our logic and reasoning skills – which are our cognitive brain functions – to effectively manage our time.” their day or week ahead are more resilient and successful. They put effort into achieving their goals – be it academic, personal or sports goals – and are able to adjust, change and adapt along the way in order to achieve those objectives.

The science behind time management Logic and reasoning refer to one’s ability to plan, organise and solve problems. We therefore rely on our logic and reasoning skills – which are our cognitive brain functions – to effectively manage our time.

O

For instance, your child may have a number of tasks/projects to finish within a specific period. They’ll spend time trying to organise all these tasks into different time slots according to their importance, due date, the effort needed to finish them and

Time management and problem-solving

How does it link to problemsolving? The stronger your child’s logical thinking skills, the easier it will be to come up with solutions to problems, big and small. Problem-solving doesn’t just happen during the school day –it’s a skill absolutely necessary for a child to navigate personal and social problems as well. Whenever a child encounters a problem – at home, on the sports field and in life – they have to analyse the situation and information available to come up with a solution that results in a positive Childrenoutcome.whostruggle with weak logic and reasoning skills find this particularly difficult to do. Many children will shy away from the problem they face or may be rescued by mom and dad, who’ll solve the problem on their their degree of urgency. Logic and reasoning are the skills relied on most in order to do this. If your child has weak logic and reasoning skills, just finding a starting point in this process will be a challenge and, in many instances, your child will resort to procrastination. With the first quarter of 2022 and the usual mad rush of settling into the new academic year firmly behind us, Dalena van der Westhuizen, cognitive development specialist, master brain coach and co-founder and MD of BrainAbility, suggests focusing on non-academic skills that will make learning and thriving a little easier

Logic and reasoning are also required to figure out how to use our resources and time to achieve our aims. Each goal has to be broken down with a logical starting point. We need to identify the resources needed to achieve it, prioritise it over other plans or activities and adapt to any sudden changes. That kind of understanding and the effort that goes into planning aren’t easy. Yet reflecting on how they do things and what they can do to improve helps children do things they sometimes dislike, understanding that this will help them move forward and eventually achieve their aims.

39logic and reasoning skills

problem-solving

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Fun ways to develop logic and reasoning skills Our everyday lives provide ample opportunities to use our logic and reasoning skills. Share your thinking process with your child as you work towards solving a problem, draw conclusions and come up with solutions in your day-to-day life. Verbalise and explain your thinking process and provide opportunities for your child to contribute and ask questions (an important part of the process).

For children of all ages, games such as Sudoku, tic-tac-toe or chess are fun ways of improving their logic and reasoning skills. Using pattern recognition games and visual teasers is another way to help children analyse what they’re seeing and identify a solution. Finally, if your child needs a little more help than the games can offer, don’t forget that proper cognitive training remains the most effective way of strengthening logic and reasoning skills. “If your child finds it difficultparticularlytoverbalise their thinking process, try doodling or writing out the process.”

If your child finds it particularly difficult to verbalise their thinking process, try doodling or writing out the process.

40 SA HOMESCHOOLING ISSUE 10 2022 logic and reasoning skills behalf. However, this only leads to frustration later on and a lost opportunity to practise problemsolving skills and learn the lessons that come from trying to find solutions – however small the problem might be – by themselves.

Durban Natural Science Museum

The Donkey Dairy is a unique, proudly South African farm nestled on the slopes of the majestic Magaliesberg. It produces only the finest-quality, purest donkey milk, which is the key ingredient in its all-natural skincare product range. It’s a two-hour drive from Johannesburg, but we promise you, it’s well worth the visit. Here, you and the little ones can enjoy a day interacting with rare miniature animals out in the countryside. Booking is essential, as no visitors are admitted without having made one.

CityROCK in Randburg

Let the kids climb the walls in a good way at CityROCK in Randburg. It’s the biggest indoor climbing gym on the continent and, best of all, it has some of the best coffee in town too! The gym boasts 2 000m² of highwall climbing, 124 top rope anchors, nine automatic belay walls, 500m² of bouldering, a well-stocked outdoor gear shop, a yoga studio, a training area and a dedicated beginners’ climbing area. Not only is it fun, but it gets the kids active.

41 ISSUE 10 2022 SA HOMESCHOOLING the right stuff

Fun local events and outdoor activities in your city and nearby places for the whole family

Pinboard

Teach your children about natural science while visiting a beautiful Durban landmark which is over a century old. If you or your kids are interested in the earth, its history and multitude of life forms, visit the small, but busy Durban Natural Science Museum. Your kids will love the life-sized T-Rex model, near-complete dodo skeleton and Egyptian mummy. And entrance is free! Scootours Table Mountain

You may have travelled Table Mountain’s paths many times before, but have you ever done it on a freewheeler? Scootours’ non-motorisedeco-friendly,scooters are a unique way of experiencing the mountain. Take in the views and enjoy the fresh air as you traverse the slopes during a one-and-a-half- to two-hour tour. The scooters are easy to control and your kids will be handling them under the watch of professional guides. Children younger than 10 aren’t permitted to drive scooters, but can still have fun doubling up with their parents.

The Donkey Dairy

When it comes to younger children, parents can limit their exposure to breaking news. Parents can control the amount of information this way. Try not to let your children experience the news without you. That includes letting the TV or audio play in the background. For kids under seven, keep the news away. Turn off the TV and radio news at the top of the hour and half-hour. Read the newspaper out of range of young eyes that can be frightened by the photographs (kids may respond strongly to pictures of other kids in jeopardy). Pre-school kids don’t need to see or hear about things that will only scare them, especially because they can easily confuse facts with fantasies or fears. For big stories, ask: “What have you heard and how are you feeling?” While it’s important to limit your kids’ exposure to potentially W threateningold“No news emotionally.wedoasourkidsthis

So what can we do as parents to help them deal with all this information?

hether we like it or not, kids will likely find out what happened via television, online news or social media. If parents don’t discuss scary news or current events with them, children might let their imaginations run wild. Or they may learn about news in a way with which you’re uncomfortable. No matter how old our kids are, threatening or upsetting news can affect them emotionally. Many can feel worried, frightened, angry or even guilty – and these anxious feelings can last long after the news event is over.

How do we prepare and protect kids from all the scary news out there, whether it’s a war overseas, a school shooting or a global pandemic? Processing bad news can be difficult for adults, let alone for children. Here’s how to help them receive it with the least trauma

SA HOMESCHOOLING ISSUE 10 2022 42 difficult conversations

What to tell kids when the news is scary

difficult conversations

When something scary is happening, look for the helpers. You’ll always find people who are helping. Focus on the positive –how people are gathering and taking care of each other. There’s evidence that talking about helpers really does make a difference to the way kids see their world. We also have to show them how we’re helping too, so take positive action together. You might consid er bringing your child to a peaceful rally or protest, collecting donations together or writing to an elected official. A sense of agency can dra matically reduce a child’s anxiety.

ISSUE 10 2022 SA HOMESCHOOLING 43

frightening media, some stories are simply too big to avoid. And as kids get older, if they don’t hear about it at home, they’ll almost certainly hear something from their friends. Parents should choose a quiet moment to check in with their kids, perhaps at the dinner table or at bedtime. Give kids facts and context. Check-ins also allow you to debunk memes, myths and misconceptions, which is crucial in the social media maelstrom. One of the most important things parents can do in this scary climate is tell kids the facts. For example: “No, we haven’t started World War III.” Allow your kids to ask questions about what they’re seeing, how they’re feeling and what they think. Give them a safe space to reflect and share.

“No matter how our kids are, threatening or upsetting can affect them emotionally. So what can as parents to help kids deal with information?”all

Ultimately, children pick up on cues from adults and parents/ caregivers must model appropriate reactions to the events on the news. Information should be shared calmly and concisely with your child. This helps them feel comfortable discussing hard topics with you. Don’t dismiss their thoughts and feelings. Listen to what they have to say. Respond with supportive and honest comments. Validate any emotions your child shares with you, as validation helps encourage further conversation. When they ask why something happened, resist the temptation to label anyone “bad guys” or “evil”. It’s not helpful and may increase fears and confusion. Instead, talk about people being in pain, being angry and making bad choices. There’s one important thing parents shouldn’t be afraid to say: “I don’t know why this happened.” Sometimes parents don’t have the answers to all the questions and it’s ok to admit it. Being honest with our children about not knowing all the answers builds trust, so that when we do have answers, those answers are accurate and truthful.

Look up information together. For younger kids, use ageappropriate websites and discuss what you see or find together.

hen money,childrenteachingaboutstartwith the basics. Explain that you get money for working at your job. Mention that when you’re paid, you can buy the things you want, but once it’s spent, you have to wait for payday to buy more. To us, this stuff is simple, but for kids, it’s a whole new world. It’s invaluable for parents to be open about what they can and can’t afford. This helps children understand that they need to work for money and save their earnings to be able to buy the things they want.

44 financial awareness Teaching children about money is an investment in their future. The sooner you start, the better!

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One of the best ways of teaching your kids the value of a rand is with pocket money. Asking them to do the dishes or cut the lawn teaches them to work for what they want (and helps you too!). Encourage teens to get a part-time job so they can start earning a regular income and begin making financial decisions. Once your kids are earning their own cash, co-create a budget. Explain to them about needs and wants. Explain that food is essential, but toys or games are a treat. That way, they’ll start learning how to prioritise. With cashless payments on the rise, younger kids might not realise that money leaves your account every time you tap your card, phone or watch. Print out your bank statements and run through a week’s worth of spending to give them the full picture.

withtoyourPreppingkidsbesmartcash

“Every child is different and they respond to learning styles differently too, so understanding their ‘money personality’ will help you know how best to engage with them,” says renowned Australian money educator Vanessa Stoykov. Stoykov, who wrote the 2018 financial guidebook The Breakfast Club for 40-Somethings: A Novel Approach to Unlearning Money and Reinvent Your Life (Wiley), says the three personalities are: The hustler – someone who’s always seeking ways of making money and improving their financial situation. The saver – a person who enjoys being thrifty and saving their cash. The spender – someone who spends all the money they get.

“It’s invaluable for parents to be open about what they can and can’t afford. This helps children understand that they need to work for money and save their earnings to be able buy the things they want.”

“You’ll get the child who wants a Louis Vuitton bag. We need to teach them that before they spend all their money on such things, they should divert some of it into their savings,” she says.

Piggy-banks are an easy way to introduce the idea of savings, because young kids can see their money grow over time. For kids older than seven, open a savings account. This will give them control and accountability, which is the best way to learn. At this point, start teaching older kids about online banking, savings goals and interest. Explain that banks usually have different interest rates and choosing a higher interest savings account could help grow their money faster.

If your child’s a spender, it’s important to teach them to still save money, as this is the personality that’s the hardest to shift once it becomes ingrained, explains Stoykov.

What’s your child’s money personality?

45 ISSUE 10 2022 SA HOMESCHOOLING financial awareness

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47fun and educational printable worksheets: grade 7 70 Geometric patterns

More puzzling patterns

Sharpen your skills by solving these toothpick triangle problems. Study the pattern and then complete the table. b. 5 2 c. 7 3 d. 9 4 e. 5 f. 6 g. 7 h. 8 i. 9 j. 10 k. 11 l. 12 2. Look at your numbers in the table. a. What is the relationship between the number of triangles and the number of toothpicks used to make the triangles? b. Write down a rule to explain this relationship. 3. Use your rule to work out how many toothpicks would be needed to make: a. 20 triangles _______ b. 50 triangles _______ c. 100 triangles _______ A Remember you can use pictures, matches or toothpicks to help you to visualise the patterns. 9781775781189_smk_mat_g07_wb_eng_za.indb 70 2017/11/22 03:35:20 PM Extract from Smart-Kids Grade 7 Mathematics Workbook

Extract from X-kit Achieve Grade 8 Mathematics Study Guide

The theorem of Pythagoras works with right-angled triangles. It helps us to find the relationship between lengths of the sides of a right-angled triangle namely the base, height and hypotenuse. Sides of a right-angled triangle basehypotenuseheight • A right-angled triangle has one angle equal to 90° • The longest side of the three sides is called the hypotenuse. The theorem of Pythagoras states that: The square of the length of the longest side of a right-angled triangle is the sum of the squares of the shorter sides. 3 54 Hypotenuse2 = height2 + base2 5Therefore:2 = 32 + 42 5 × 5 = 3 × 3 + 4 × 4

THEOREM OF PYTHAGORAS

48 fun and educational printable worksheets: grade 8 65 14

The theorem of Pythagoras works with right-angled triangles. It helps us to find the relationship between lengths of the sides of a right-angled triangle namely the base, height and hypotenuse. Sides of a right-angled triangle basehypotenuseheight • A right-angled triangle has one angle equal to 90° • The longest side of the three sides is called the hypotenuse. The theorem of Pythagoras states that: The square of the length of the longest side of a right-angled triangle is the sum of the squares of the shorter sides. 3 54 Hypotenuse2 = height2 + base2 5Therefore:2 = 32 + 42 5 × 5 = 3 × 3 + 4 × 4 Example 1 In the following triangle, find the value of a Answer Hypotenuse2 = height2 + base2 Therefore: a2 = 62 + 82 a2 = 6 × 6 + 8 × 8 a2 = 36 + 64 a2 = 100 √ a2 = √ 100 Therefore a = 10 cm 6 cm 8 cm a 3TERM

Example 1 In the following triangle, find the value of a Answer Hypotenuse2 = height2 + base2 Therefore: a2 = 62 + 82 a2 = 6 × 6 + 8 × 8 a2 = 36 + 64 a2 = 100 √ a2 = √ 100 Therefore a = 10 cm 6 cm 8 cm a 3TERM 65

14 THEOREM OF PYTHAGORAS

A construction contractor measures the height of a building by tying a string at the top of the building and he then stretches it 30 m away from the foot of the building, as illustrated below. If the length of the string is 50 m, how tall is the building? Answer Hypotenuse2 = height2 + base2 HeightTherefore:2 = Hypotenuse2 Base2 Height2 = 502 302 Height2 = ( 50 × 50 ) ( 30 × 30 ) Height2 = 2 500 900 Height2 = 1 600 √ Height2 = √ 1 600 Height = 40 cm EXERCISE 14.1 Answers on page 128 Apply your skills 1. In each of the following figures, find the size of the side represented by letter a. (a) 6 cm 10 cm a (b) 12 cm8cm a a (c) 40 cm 30 cm a (d) 8 cm10 cm a (e) 6 cm a a (f) 3 cm 5 cm a Master this topic 2. A ladder, 10 m long is inclined on a vertical wall, that is 8 m high. Calculate the distance between the foot of the ladder and the bottom of the wall. 30 cm50 cm 3TERM

49fun and educational printable worksheets: grade 8 66 Example 2

Extract from X-kit Achieve Grade 8 Mathematics Study Guide

1. Obtaining Heads when a coin is tossed 2. Obtaining a 1 when a die is rolled.

P(Heads) = number of Heads on a coin total number of sides on a coin 2. P(a 1) = number of 1’s on a die total number of sides on a die = 21 = 61 3. P(an even number) = number of even numbers on a die total number of sides on a die = 63 = 21 EXERCISE 22.1 Answers on page 136 1. What is the probability of obtaining Tails when you toss a coin?

• Probability is measured on a scale of 0 to 1. 0 0,5 1 Impossible Even Certain Probability Scale

• We use the following formula to denote the probability of event A happening: P(A) = the number of ways event A can occur the total number of possible outcomes Examples Calculate the probabilities of the following event:

• Probability is the measure of the likelihood or chance that an event will occur.

1.Answers

22

• The probability of event A happening is the number of ways in which event A can happen divided by the total number of possible outcomes.

1.Answers

• Probability is the measure of the likelihood or chance that an event will occur.

• Probability is measured on a scale of 0 to 1. 0 0,5 1 Impossible Even Certain Probability Scale

• The probability of event A happening is the number of ways which event A can happen divided by the total number of possible outcomes.

3. Obtaining an even number when a dice is rolled

• The closer the probability is to 0 the less likely that the event will happen and the closer the probability is to 1 the greater the likelihood that it will occur.

DefinitionPROBABILITYofprobability

• We use the capital letter P to denote probability, so the probability that event A will occur can be written as P(A).

4. A bag contains 5 red, 6 blue and 7 green marbles. If a marble is selected at random from the bag calculate the probability that: 4.1 it is red 4.2 it is red or blue 4.3 it is neither red nor green 4.4 it is yellow 5. Nomsa randomly chooses a number between 1 and 10 inclusive in a game with friends. Determine the probability that she chooses. 5.1 6 5.2 a 3 or a 5 5.3 a factor of 3 5.4 a number that is not less than 2 5.5 a number less than 11 6. What is the probability of choosing a vowel from the English alphabet? 99

4TERM

• The closer the probability is to 0 the less likely that the event will happen and the closer the probability is to 1 the greater the likelihood that it will occur.

Examples Calculate the probabilities of the following event:

2. Sammy rolls a fair dice once. Calculate the probability that he obtains: 2.1 a 5 2.2 a number more than 4 2.3 an odd number 3. A married couple is expecting a baby. What is the probability that the child is a girl?

3. Obtaining an even number when a dice is rolled

P(Heads) = number of Heads on a coin total number of sides on a coin 2. P(a 1) = number of 1’s on a die total number of sides on a die = 21 = 61 3. P(an even number) = number of even numbers on a die total number of sides on a die = 63 = 21 EXERCISE 22.1 Answers on page 136

• We use the following formula to denote the probability of event A happening: P(A) = the number of ways event A can occur the total number of possible outcomes

4TERM

DefinitionPROBABILITYofprobability

4. A bag contains 5 red, 6 blue and 7 green marbles. If a marble is selected at random from the bag calculate the probability that: 4.1 it is red 4.2 it is red or blue 4.3 it is neither red nor green 4.4 it is yellow 5. Nomsa randomly chooses a number between 1 and 10 inclusive in a game with friends. Determine the probability that she chooses. 5.1 6 5.2 a 3 or a 5 5.3 a factor of 3 5.4 a number that is not less than 2 5.5 a number less than 11 6. What is the probability of choosing a vowel from the English alphabet?

• We use the capital letter P to denote probability, so the probability that event A will occur can be written as P(A).

Extract from X-kit Achieve Grade 9 Mathematics Study Guide

1. Obtaining Heads when a coin is tossed 2. Obtaining a 1 when a die is rolled.

50 fun and educational printable worksheets: grade 9 99 22

1. What is the probability of obtaining Tails when you toss a coin? 2. Sammy rolls a fair dice once. Calculate the probability that he obtains: 2.1 a 5 2.2 a number more than 4 2.3 an odd number 3. A married couple is expecting a baby. What is the probability that the child is a girl?

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