11 minute read
World Heart Rhythm Week
World Heart Rhythm Week
Wo rl d Heart Rh ythm Week , the brainchil d of Arrhythmi a Alli ance , is hi ghli ghtin g the im portance of kno win g and un derst andin g ou r he art rhythms . A s many are aware, this year will be quite ing anyone of any age, yet we choose to different for us all. Due to the Coronaviignore the most important organ in our body rus and recent government regulations, we – our heart. Our key message this year is are encouraging supporters to get involved Don’t Miss A Beat. We are asking people to online and spread awareness. Arrhythmia Al‘listen’ to your heart – is the rhythm too fast? liance World Heart Rhythm Week will be held Is it too slow? Is the rhythm irregular? That from 1 - 7 June. We are asking the public may be your heart telling you something is and healthcare professionals to support our wrong. With the introduction of mobile EKGs mission to raise awareness of arrhythmias apps and smartwatches, there really is no (irregular heart rhythms) on all social media excuse why everyone should not be aware of platforms. Supporters can host online their heart rhythm.” awareness events as well as share, promote Why it is important to Know Your Pulse and spread the word on social media. Sudden cardiac death (SCD) and arrhyth80% of arrhythmia deaths could be mia account for 15% to 20% of all deaths avoided if more people were aware of their worldwide. To find out how to ‘Know Your heart rhythm (and not just their heart rate). Pulse’, visit www.knowyourpulse.org to learn Something as simple as knowing your pulse in four easy steps. and your heart rhythm, can save your life “Don’t Miss A Beat” or reduce your risk of a debilitating or lifeJoin Arrhythmia Alliance on Wednesday 3 threatening Atrial Fibrillation (AF) related June 2020. They will be holding an Arrhythstroke – the most severe type of stroke. It mia Alliance World Heart Rhythm Week only takes 30 seconds. It’s so simple that Arrhythmia Patient Q&A Day across all their people of all ages, young and old, can learn social media platforms. how to do it. They aim to educate as many people as
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Trudie Lobban MBE, Founder and Trustee possible about arrhythmias and help many of Arrhythmia Alliance stated that, “During arrhythmia patients understand more about these unprecedented times, it is vital that we their condition. Between 9am and 5pm a all take charge of our health and encourage new question and answer will be posted others to do the same. Arrhythmias cause each hour and EXCLUSIVE videos with world more deaths worldwide than cancer, affectrenowned doctors and professors will be uploaded throughout the day.
For more, visit our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages below: Facebook: @ArrhythmiaAlliance Instagram: @KnowYourPulse Twitter: @ArrhythmiaAlliance. For more information on Arrhythmia Alliance and how to get involved in World Heart Rhythm Week visit www.worldheartrhythmweek.org.
Tips to Study Independently
If anyone had tol d you th at you woul d be in lock down at home in 2020, you woul d’ve calle d thei r blu ff. H owever, with the impact of the Covid-19 with your teachers in some way, much of virus on South Africa, this is a harsh what you do as far as your schoolwork is reality and millions of learners are indeed concerned, will depend on you whilst this sitting at their dining room table or desks lockdown lasts. trying to keep up with the school curriculum. 2. Identify a quiet working place without
South Africa’s leading study guide pubdistractions. The study area that you lisher, The Answer Series, a trusted resource choose should allow you to focus and have for learners since 1975, has now made it all your study materials close by. There easier for learners studying alone to reach should be no interruptions from family or their full potential during lockdown with a household members. Remember to ensure it 50% discount on all e-books during this lockhas good lighting. down period. 3. Decide on a daily routine and draw up
To further assist learners and parents a schedule. A daily routine will give strucduring this time, The Answer Series has ture to your day. As you will not be going to compiled a list of tips to ensure structured school for the foreseeable future. Allocate as and productive studying despite the current much time as you think you will need to each difficulties. of your subjects.
The Answer Series tips for learners: 4. Identify what learning material from
1. Take control of your own learning each subject needs to be covered. Sysprocess. Although you may be in touch tematically work through each topic of each
subject. Decide what you already know; what you need to revise; what you don’t understand and what new work you need to learn independently.
5. Establish what you can access
from home. Take time to do independent research in order to find out what is available on the internet. Make sure that the resources you use are always reliable and avoid generalised searching. Use Google Classroom, Snapplify and reputable on-line videos. Remember that all The Answer Series guides are Available as e-books.
6. Revise work from the start of this
year and/or previous grades. Go through every section of your work and determine whether there are sections or concepts you don’t grasp. Work through these again and again until you have mastered the content (also see tip 7).
7. Get help from teachers and fellow
learners when you are stuck. If you are battling with a concept or section of work even after you have revised it, approach your teacher or a classmate on-line to help you.
8. Use past exam papers and tests to
practice. Working out past exam papers and tests enables you to find out what you already know or not at all. The Answer Series guides also feature tests and tasks to make sure you understand the information you’re working through. 9. Don’t lose motivation. Hang in there. Many others all over the world are in the same position now. You are acquiring new skills and conquering independent learning. 10. Drink enough water and take a break. Staying hydrated improves concentration. Taking breaks, though not too frequently, energises you.
The Answer Series tips for parents:
1. Be there or be square. This is an uncertain period for you and for your child. Let them know that you are there for them. Being there for them emotionally will make a big difference to their mental wellbeing.
This will also ensure that they can use their emotional energy to focus on their schoolwork alone. 2. Create order. Organise every room in your home so that it can be used optimally while lockdown lasts. It is essential for each child to have an individual working space where they will not be distracted. 3. Maintain a balanced routine. Routines may differ from family member to family member. Set up a designated time for learning but allow for some flexibility.
4. Help your child to establish what they
can access from home. Help your child to do independent research as to what is available in the form of books (apart from textbooks), resources and websites on the internet. The Answer Series guides are a trusted resource.
5. Monitor your child’s learning progress.
Depending upon the age and maturity of your child, he/she will either need less space and more involvement, or more space and less involvement.
Make sure that you know how much work needs to be covered by your child. 6. Set up a reward system. An occasional reward will ensure that your child remains motivated. Perhaps it’s an outing after lockdown or even exemption from a chore. 7. Allow for leisure. All work and no play leads to boredom. Boredom leads to no motivation. No focus. Allow time for chilling in the sun, social media or a board game (also see Tip 3). 8. Listen to your child. This is a time of uncertainty for all of us. Answer their questions truthfully. If you don’t know, say so. Allow them to share their feelings and fears. 9. Don’t nag. During lockdown tempers are more likely to fray, so a gentle nudge should do the trick.
10. Look after nutrition, exercise and
sleep. It’s important for everyone in the family to maintain a balanced diet, get some exercise without leaving the property and keep to a consistent routine (also see Tip 3). For more information visit www.theanswer.co.za.
Teaching Remotely: Focus on the Essentials
THE TEMPTATION TO DO IT ALL AS IF IT IS POSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN THE PA CE AND VOLUME OF CONTACT EDUCATION REMOTELY MUST BE RESISTED, AN EDUCATION EXP ERT SAY S. “As educators adapt to Dr Coughlan says there is status quo only nine weeks teaching remotely and an important difference beago. Now, all of a sudden, online, there may be an tween focusing on essential we find ourselves thrown attempt to mimic what a skills during this time, as opinto a completely new paraschool day would normally posed to trying to keep the digm and it is quite clear look like, by filling learners’ curriculum going in full. that the world will not be the days according to pre-lock“Much of the stress same.” down timetables, and pace people are experiencing “So, what better time to and content of learning,” arises from this well-intendevelop those global comsays Dr Felicity Coughlan, tioned attempt to ‘keep up’. petencies and master 21st Academic Director at ADIt is far more conducive to Century Skills than during vTECH, SA’s leading private learning and well-being to the biggest global disaster education provider. make deliberate choices in recent history?”
“However, this approach and to pare back and focus Dr Coughlan says SA is counter-productive, and on those skills around which teachers have risen to the can lead to further frustrawe can then build content challenges of remote and tion, anxiety and tension knowledge again later,” says digital teaching with remarkunder what are already Dr Coughlan. able resilience and zeal, with challenging circumstances In quite unexpected very little warning or leadfor all concerned, including ways the lockdown and the time. They have been wonfor parents, learners and unique and unprecedented derfully innovative whether educators,” she says. circumstances in which we or not they have had access now find ourselves, provide to extensive educational a perfect opportunity to technology or been required develop and entrench those to use WhatsApp or other global competencies which day-to-day communicaotherwise might not receive tion tools to keep in touch the requisite focus during with the children they were normal school time, Dr teaching. The mind-set of Coughlan says. making do and re-inventing
“We have known for is a precious one we should some time that the world not lose. is changing, that the skills She says ADvTECH required in the workplace Schools have integrated are evolving and that the Global Competencies in workplace of the future is their curricula for sevgoing to look much different eral years, and that those from what used to be the schools and educators who
have not yet had the time to do so or have treated these as peripheral, now have the perfect opportunity to embed them in “normal” teaching and learning.
“The world of the future just came crashing through our door,” says Dr Coughlan.
The Global Competencies of THINKING skills (creative, critical and reflexive), RESEARCH skills (collecting, recording, organising, interpreting), COMMUNICATION skills (personal interaction with others), SOCIAL skills (personal behaviour) and SELF-MANAGEMENT are the only ways that teachers and students will navigate this period and what follows it, successfully.
“So, for teachers developing lessons and content, and schools still grappling with how to approach learning at this time, consider that less really is more. If there is therefore a little bit of a silver lining to this disaster, it is that we now have the ideal opportunity to develop these skills, and that even those schools and educators who are not as well-positioned as others can include them.
Now is the time to focus on the basics, and to aim for consolidation,” says Dr Coughlan.
“It is true that for some this is easier than for others. There is particular concern about the Grade 12 class as well as the millions of children being left behind as education continues for some. These social justice imperatives are not trivial, but are not addressed by the entire system freezing. It is however vital that those in positions of privilege who are able to still be learning effectively acknowledge this privilege with humility.“
“If your school or class can continue learning then this time needs to be used to develop global citizens just as much as it must be used to entrench skills. Content can and will follow. Don’t mistake quantity for quality,” she concludes.
Visit www.advtech.co.za for more information.
