Teens

Tablet Technology – helping your child improve his learning

We are living in an age where new technological advances are being made at a shocking rate and the truth is that the use of technology is becoming more important in our daily lives. We cannot ignore the fact that our children are 21^st century learners who have access to more knowledge on their smartphones and tablets than we have ever learned during all our years at school or spent studying. It would be futile to ignore the impact these devices have on our children and the way in which they learn.

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Almost every child has, or has access to a smart phone or similar device such as an iPad or a tablet. These devices have the potential to be valuable sources of knowledge, helpful teaching tools and motivators of learning. Unfortunately, quite often it is only used as a gaming platform and our children rarely use their smart devices for other reasons than entertainment, social media and playing games.

Studies proving the benefits of using iPads in the classroom range from pre-schoolers using devices getting better results for literacy than their peers not using devices, to iPad-equipped medical students scoring 23% higher in their final exams than previous classes who were unequipped.

Our job as teachers and parents is to guide our children toward using smart devices not merely as a toy, but as an educational tool. Although we might think that our children are very clever in being able to use a device, we are fooled if we think they can teach themselves how to transform the toy into a tool. As with most things in life, they still need the guiding hand of teachers and parents in helping them to find information safely and to use appropriate apps in different learning situations.

The good news is that children are willing to explore the possibilities of eLearning, as they find the idea of using a device in the classroom quite appealing. They are more willing to switch on their iPads than they are in opening a book, as the device gives the feeling of “the fun is about to begin”. Learners who are reluctant to start writing are less reluctant to start a similar activity on the device. Activities can be redesigned to allow completion on the iPad or tablet, challenging students on a different and often more practical level.

Having access to this technology can also extend the classroom to the home. Educational apps are available for any age, ability level and subject. With apps such as Quizlet and Edmodo, rote learning and self-testing can improve a child’s memory, assisting in more effective test preparation and ultimately better results. Improving your child’s literacy and Maths skills at home while using appropriate apps can also help him perform better in class. Apps such as Reading Eggs, Epic and News-O-Matic will improve his reading comprehension and general knowledge.

Often, children can be bored with content that is taught in class, or want to find out more about specific topics. Discovery learning takes place when children discover the treasure of educational platforms such as Khan Academy and TedTalks. Using Youtube (and the recently released YouTubeKids) can be used as much for educational videos than for entertainment.

Although technology can never replace a good teacher, it can help your child be a better learner. Embrace the fact that iPads and tablets are part of our reality and that we should harness its possibilities to assist in your child’s education now, while inevitably waiting for the next amazing technology to improve even upon these devices.

By: Gerda Maré (Grade 5 Teacher at Southdowns College Preparatory School)

How to talk with your teenager

Parenting is a walk in the park. Jurassic Park. The journey to teenagerhood is dotted with a multitude of trials. Remember the tantrums of your precious two-year olds? Probably not. The mind has a clever way of making us forget the hardships of the really trying times in our lives. It must be some evolutionary development to ensure the continuation of our species. But now you find yourself in the midst of a hurricane of hormonal angst and monosyllabic responses from a teen who vacillates between the sheer inability to care about anything and the deeply emotional and eternally scarring trauma of no-one caring about them.

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The truth is, teenagerhood is really difficult. On everyone. Especially parents. We struggle to reconcile memories of our delightful little toddlers with these temperamental and uncommunicative tyrants and, for many, the light at the end of the tunnel seems to have been blown out by their teen’s endless sighing. The truth is, this period is transient. And, though difficult to believe, it is a sign of a maturing individual, preparing themselves to be the successful adults that we hope they will become. In fact, this stage of infinite frustration is one that should be celebrated, as much as we celebrated their first steps or first badly-formed words. If only they would put to use those verbal skills we revelled in in their first few years.

Communicating with teenagers is tricky. Friendship groups and their significant others (for now) take your place in their hierarchy of importance. Where you were once the person who bought the single most joy to their lives (remember fetching them from pre-school?), you’re now not much more than an irritation or a glorified cook and taxi-driver. Developmentally, they find baring their emotions and thoughts in spoken word incredibly difficult. Technological development has been kind to this generation. They’re now able to communicate, especially with those that matter, in a complex arrangement of emojis and acronyms.

But just because they appear to be retreating from their parents and avoiding (at all costs) any kind of meaningful interaction, it does not mean that communication is not what they need. Quite the opposite. Our challenge, as parents of teenagers, is to find ways in which to communicate without breeding hostility and judgement. Teens need their parents’ support and guidance as much as they did when they were toddlers. It’s just that the communication needs to take a different form.

The first consideration parents need make is when they attempt to reach out to their teens. A bombardment of questions as soon as anyone walks into the house after a long day is bound to inspire mild irritation. A good place to talk is around the dinner table, or in the car while driving them to and from their many arrangements. (This is particularly helpful for the teen as eye contact is limited).

As far as communication goes, it really is a case of ‘the more, the merrier’. Before we can tackle the really trying topics like appropriate sexual behaviour and the use of illegal substances, we need to have created a habit of communication. The more you talk to your teen about the mundane, the easier it will be to communicate in general, and then the really difficult conversations become a lot easier too. Consider creating time to spend together on equal ground. A Saturday afternoon on the beach, for example, or a trip to the local beauty salon for a pedicure offers the opportunity for parents to really connect with their teens – even if it is only about their most recent favourite celeb’s spectacular fall from grace.

Teenagers, like adults, need to feel valued too. They are under immense pressure at school to perform, and while we all do realise the importance of their academic performance, we need to sometimes remind ourselves to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Yes, of course school work is important. But more important to your teen right now is the feeling that you genuinely care about them. A teen who feels secure in the undeniable reliability of their parents’ support is one who more likely to communicate when they need your help the most.

And while teenagers are indisputably trying, our relationship with our teens consists of two individuals. One of those individual’s body’s is a cocktail mixed with unchecked hormones, insecurity and plethora of pressures. The other is a mature adult. Sometimes we need to, as difficult as it is, turn the microscope on ourselves and ask, “Am I the parent that I wish I’d had or am I the parent that my child needs?”

And if all else fails, you could always send them a SnapChat with a string of acronyms and emojis, and hope for the best.

By André Loots (Principal) & Jacqui Browne (English teacher at Crawford College North Coast)

Core skills implementation at Crawford Preparatory North Coast

By Sonia Jansen (Deputy Principal of Crawford Preparatory North Coast)

The 21st Century has seen many changes. Technology has been introduced into a world that has become thirsty for change a rapid pace. Who would had thought that we would be carrying computers around in our pockets and handbags at the beginning of the new millennium in the form of Smart Phones? Who would have thought that tablets and iPads would become the norm in our lives connecting the world through something called Wi-Fi? Who would have thought that companies and businesses could be run from anywhere in the world due to the changes in this technology? The global top ten jobs did not exist 10 years ago. This is the world where everybody knows a little about a lot of concepts and knowledge. Due to this, the necessary skills for these jobs have changed from being experts in the knowledge of content, as this is a the fingertips of everyone in the form of a Google search, to what skills are necessary to become a successful individual in this fast changing world.

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Many schools systems are still stuck in education systems that are no longer relevant in our world as we know it today. What may have worked for many of us in the past, is out dated and insignificant in what is required for future success in today’s world. Education systems have to change. We cannot use last centuries teaching methods in the 21st Century. Memorisation and rote learning will not help our pupils become successful adults. Schools need to give them the skills that are required for their future success and our pupils will need them to apply them in various real-life situations. A radical shift in education has begun and Crawford Preparatory North Coast recognises this.
Source: Future of Jobs Report. World Economic Forum

The 5 core skills that that are necessary for our pupil’s future success are the following:
Thinking
Research
Communication
Social Skills
Self-management
These run closely alongside what we term the 4C’s:
Creativity
Critical Thinking
Communication
Collaboration

By using the transdisciplinary approach, these vital areas can become a part of our pupil’s daily lives at school. The move away from the disciplinary approach (subject teaching) will open up education and let us venture to where we could not go before, due to a rigid system. Concepts and the understanding thereof, has become our main focus.

The central idea of transdisciplinary learning allows students authentically to make connection so that they can construct their own meaning and transfer learning to real world applications. This is authentic hands-on learning where collaborating with peers is a vital part of the learning experience. It involves multiple subjects and disciplines where the core skills are central to the learning experiences and technology is integrated. It includes field experiences and cultural community involvement and an open flexible learning environment that is driven by student enquiry. Reflection plays an important role where failures are seen as learning opportunities and pupils will have a chance to improve.

We understand that this process will not happen overnight. Our staff are receiving the necessary training and the way in which the academic department is being run, has changed but we need to pace ourselves. The integration must benefit both our teachers and pupils and the progression should be natural in its growth. Our staff are aware that these changes are necessary and in order for it to be an exciting time in the teaching world, we need to encourage, support and motivate one another. The implementation will take time – it needs to take time as we want to ensure that we are progressing as we should. We look forward to these exciting changes and taking our education into the future.

Connecting with your teenager

As a mother of four teenagers, it would be plausible for me to hail myself as all knowledgeable on the topic of connecting with teenagers. Unfortunately, connecting with your child is not a science – it requires continuous enthusiasm and effort. The same enthusiasm and effort that was shown to them when they were infants, toddlers and tweenies. Unlike other stages of your child’s development, the daunting part of connecting with a teenager is respecting that they have opinions and ideologies of their own, which are occasionally in conflict with your own.

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I asked my children about their views on the way we connect. For the first time in recent history they agreed with one another.

We connect through mutual respect and compromise, two principles that can only be attained by communication.

As a family we have established a variety of rituals that began in their early childhood. These have aided communication throughout their teenage years. Like many other mothers in the world, I juggle a career and the responsibilities of single parenting. The reality of life is that there is not much time for individual, sit-down, deep and meaningful conversations with my children. We all, however, have to eat and mealtime is communication time. I insist upon us eating together at a specified time every day – it is a non-negotiable rule in our home that is observed in the morning and in the evening.

Gathering in the morning allows us to communicate our plans for the upcoming day. This is the time when I focus on the events for that day which are important to my teenagers; we are able to remind each other about what we have to do in the day; and it is often the opportunity to appreciate how much each individual family member has to cope with on that particular day.

Between work, school and sport, all our days are busy and there is little time for each other between sunrise and sunset. During these hours there is a lot to be positively said for the power of social media. We have a family Whattsapp group and at some point throughout the day, one of us will send a message or an emoji or a meme. It takes all of a second, yet it can communicate love, encouragement or most often just share a little bit of family humour. Should I receive an email during the day that is pertinent to one of my teenagers, I forward it to them directly. This gives them the opportunity to be accountable for their own commitments and ensures that I don’t forget to pass on important information.

Dinner time is when it all comes together. This is the time when I get the “scoop” of the day, with each teenager adding their little bit of “spice”. We are by no means the “Brady Bunch”, as dinner time often ends with more than one person disgruntled. Respect and compromise get their time to shine at this point. It is the moment when opportunities are taken by the teens to ask for permission (which often requires compromise on both our parts) or to let me know about altercations and celebrations that have happened in the day. It gives us the chance to debate current topics and to respectfully disagree with each other.

I cannot help but dismiss the theory that it is not quantity, but quality that counts when spending time with your children. It is the daily quantitative communication that affords you the opportunity to discuss and advise teenagers on small issues before they become big challenges.

Of course, connectivity is a relative concept. I would venture to suggest that finding the connectivity balance is the most challenging part of being a parent to teenagers. When my husband died seven years ago, I vividly remember one of my first thoughts being along the lines of not wanting my children to feel too connected to me as they became teenagers and thus feeling the need to be responsible for me. At that point in time I decided that all my children would leave home when going to university. This year, my first baby left to study in a different province. It has been the second most difficult time in both our lives and we count the days until we see each other. As difficult as it is for us both, it is an integral part of cementing our connectivity as adults. We talk every day, albeit that the time we spend chatting has become shorter as the year has progressed.

The stronger the connection, the more difficult it is to disconnect. Just as we, as parents, are responsible for making the connection, so we are responsible for encouraging a certain amount of disconnection to take place at the right time.

Throughout my teenagers’ latter years, I have noticed a few of their peers’ parents struggle with levels of connectivity. When our children become teenagers, we also tend to get a second lease on life. We have increased freedom and time – it is tempting to use our connectivity with them as a channel to re-live our own teenage years. A point of danger. Whilst the concept of being a “cool” parent is tempting and, I must confess, I have experienced a little “cool” parent envy myself – it is a point of caution. Their friends are not your friends. The goal is to keep the connectivity alive through adulthood and not to short circuit it in teenage years.

Like all stages of parenting, there is no blueprint for how to connect with your teenagers. You need to establish which gatherings work for your family in your circumstances. Family traditions that are established in early childhood are the power for communication that is the wire for connectivity throughout the teenage years, with the ultimate objective being its transformation throughout adulthood.

By Natalie Lee, Teacher at Pecanwood College

Conversations to have with your young adult before University life

As I sit before you on the eve of your departure, I am swamped by a plethora of emotions. You are embarking on such a life changing adventure – one that will shape your life and have a far greater impact on you than anything else that you have experienced to date. To this end, there are some thoughts that I want to share with you that I believe will ease the transition.

There is such a huge gap between the school system and University life. You have been blessed to attend a school where the emphasis has been on forging the students into independent, feisty, free thinking individuals. However, as you enter the portals of the University, the element of personal interaction is diminished to a point where it barely exists. The challenges of “adulting” that you have been chomping at the bit to embrace, are about to become a harsh reality. So, from day one my advice to you is go to your lectures. It may be cool to chill on Campus with friends who are studying different degrees, but once you fall behind, the volume and level of difficulty is such that you can just never catch up. It may be tempting that your lectures are online. Let’s be honest, though, the likelihood of you actually watching those lectures that you have missed, are close to zero!!

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Campus life is vibrant. Embrace it fully – join societies that interest you and make an effort to meet other people. It is fantastic that so many of your school mates are going to be there, but part of the University experience is learning to expand your horizons. Sport is such an awesome way to integrate into a new environment so use your sporting prowess to full advantage.Possibly the best advice that I can give you is to strike a balance in your life. At school, that was pretty easy to achieve. Now, however, with the sheer volume of work, adjusting to living away from home – both from an emotional and a practical point of view – the challenge is both real and daunting. In order to achieve a balance, your organisational skills are going to be tested and need to be on point!! Remember though, that these skills are a work in progress. I am still trying many years later to hone them.

The bottom line is this – you are about to enter a phenomenal phase of your life. You get to test your mettle with regards to living as an adult but the consequences are not nearly as onerous as they become once you enter the world of the working person. Make the most of the incredible opportunities that are about to come your way and, in and amongst all the heightened responsibilities that I have painstakingly pointed out to you, have FUN. This is still a very carefree time of your life.

Work hard, play hard…….

By Tracey Terespolsky (English Teacher and Parent at Crawford College Sandton)

Benefits of learning a foreign language

The world is becoming smaller due to countries connecting through technology, information and transport. The borders have become almost non-existent. People, more than ever before, are inter-connected socially, technologically and commercially. They have become Global Citizens.

At Crawford Preparatory North Coast, we are in the fortunate position of offering three languages as a Second Additional Language, namely Afrikaans, Zulu and French. Crawford is also investigating the possibility of introducing Mandarin into the high school curriculum in the near future.

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So, what are the benefits of learning a second or third language at school?

Speaking more than one language is a great assess to the cognitive process.

You become smarter. It challenges the brain to recognise, negotiate meaning and communicate. These skills boost the brain in other problem solving areas as well.
By permanently switching between various system of speech and writing, multilingual people become very skilled at multi-tasking.
Learning a foreign language improves your memory. The brain is like a muscle that needs exercising in order to grow. By memorising vocabulary and understanding grammar, the brain becomes stronger.
The brain becomes used to editing words for specific languages. Therefore, the brain is able to rule out irrelevant general information.
It improves confidence and public speaking ability by being better communicators.
Studies show that benefits of learning a new language include higher scores in standardised exams in Maths, Reading Comprehension, vocabulary by multilingual students compared to those of monolingual students.
Opens a doorway to new cultures. The mind becomes receptive to new ideas and accepting of new cultures, religions and races. It opens a world of new ideas and the student is able to adapt more easily to new situation and change.

Crawford Schools develops each child individually as holistic pupils with a good value system.

Ultimately, all the above-mentioned points will expand our pupils’ career potential through developing their skills to become more flexible, open-minded, decision-makers, communicators, risk-takers and to cross cultural barriers.

Pupils will become inquisitive and curious Global Citizens.

Written By: Angela Johnston (Deputy Principal Crawford Preparatory La Lucia)

Choosing your career

“Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life” – Confucius

The reality is, this is easier said than done. Students are expected to make choices regarding their career paths at a young age when they don’t have much knowledge about themselves or the world of work. The first major decision students make, on their career-planning journey, is at the end of Grade 9 when they are faced with the challenging task of making a subject selection. Three years later, at the tender age of 17/18, they are faced with the reality of selecting a field of study.

In 2015, the Department of Higher Education released a report highlighting that 47.9% of university students do not complete their degrees (Gumede, 2017). There is also a high percentage of students who change their field of study within their first year of tertiary education. Although there are various contributing factors, I believe the greatest one is the fact that students choose a study field without knowing exactly what it entails. Because students have to compete for limited spaces at tertiary education institutions, they apply for studies in more than one career field to improve their chances of being accepted (Maree, 2017). They then find themselves studying within a field that is not their first, or even second, choice.

Often in my practice, I ask students what they want to do after school or what they want to become. The reality is, most answer: “I’m not sure, Ma’am.” They will name a few things in which they are interested, but very few students can identify why they are interested in those fields and often it is purely because parents guide them into exploring that career field or the student has the impression that it is a lucrative career.

Bolton (2015) alerts us to the fact that advances in technology and automation will affect the future of the world of work. Students should be trained for the future of work and not for the ‘traditional’ model of employment. Taking this as well as the above factors into account, choosing a field of study and, ultimately, a career is a mammoth task. What can students do to guide their career-planning?

Firstly, do your research. Explore all the fields of study you are considering thoroughly. This includes reading up about the careers within the fields you have chosen, attending open and career days, comparing the institutions that provide training in the field in which you are interested, interviewing people who work within that particular field, as well as job-shadowing (Maree, 2017). Job-shadowing provides students with the opportunity to spend a few days within the work environment. It is important to do this to gain a broader perspective about what the career entails. Students are encouraged to discuss both the benefits, as well as challenges, of the profession with the professional with whom they are job-shadowing.

The world of work is constantly changing and it is unlikely that one will stay in one career throughout one’s lifetime (Maree, 2017; Wessels, 2017). Students should keep up to date with trends in the world of work. Careers24, the Business Report, and various other sources offer insight into current market trends, such as fields that are in demand, saturated fields, salary scales, skills shortages, etc.

Students are encouraged to learn as much about themselves as possible. One’s career takes up a large part of one’s life. Therefore, one’s career should match one’s personality traits, interests, values and aptitude (McKay, 2016). Career counsellors can assist students to learn more about themselves through the use of both qualitative and quantitative assessment measures.

Finally, it is important to be a lifelong learner. Once you have completed your studies and obtained employment, it is important to upskill yourself. Attend training courses that will help you gain skills that will ensure that you remain relevant and employable in an everchanging market.

By Jolene Macintosh, Education Psychologist for Crawford Lonehill

What to do if your teen is being cyber-bullied

Many teens have experienced cyber-bullying, where they are threatened, excluded and made to feel uncomfortable online and in the presence of their friends or peers at school.

Parents can take charge of the situation by following the tips below which have been provided by the Cyberbullying organisation.

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Listen to your child and make sure that they feel safe. Cyberbullying.org advises parents to sit down with their children and hear them out, so that they feel protected and are in a safe environment where they can speak out without fear.
Where there is evidence, be it in the form of texts, posts on social media or groups that have been formed to discuss your child, keep screenshots and evidence of this to present to the relevant authorities.
Set-up a meeting to discuss what has happened with the school. They should be able to advise on their disciplinary policies to ensure that the bully is brought to book.
Therapy should be sought if your child is traumatised by the incident. In most cases, it is advised to do so that your child can move on and progress in their academic and personal life.
If any threats were made, the police should be contacted to ensure that yoir child’s safety is prioritised.

Watch the ten forms of cyberbullying below

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0Xo8N9qlJtk

Your teen and a gap year, why it doesn’t have to be a challenge

Your teen wants to take a gap year but that doesn’t sound normal to you. You imagine a year spent partying, socialising, travelling and perhaps some lazying around without anything productive being done.

Before you let your imagination run away with you and you completely eliminate the idea of your teen going away for a year, it’s essential to clear up any misconceptions about what a gap year actually is.

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It is a year where your teen signs up for a program for a fee, usually hosted by an agency which deals exclusively in creating itineraries based on cultural experiences in different countries for young adults.

The agency would take care of travel arrangements, accommodation, food, transport and activities related to building character, exposure to international life and the culture of the respective countries.

Programs do take place in a fun context, so for example sailing through South America but there would be a strong sense of learning as rural communities would be visited and exposure to these communities way of live observed.

Help would also be provided as often gap year programs have activities lined up on how they can improve the life of the villages they visit and the people they come into contact with. So fundraising would also play a big role and teens would learn how to raise money, budget and distribute this to those in need.

For teens, a gap year would provide a breather before they head into university life and prepare them for the intense training that they will receive there. Culture is the buzzword within gap year programs and getting immersed into a different culture is a major advantage which will also leads to learning a new language, networking and gaining perspective.

While it has been said that gap years delay the inevitable and can be a waste of time, it does give teens the time to figure out what they want to study, which career they would like to pursue and what they want to do with their lives.

It’s also a great way for teens to find themselves, to realise who they are, what their interests are and they get challenged by surviving in another country which is an accomplishment once done.

More reasons why gap years can be good for your teen’s self-development

Teens can boost their job prospects, especially if they are looking to get back home and work part-time or if they want to start a job
Self-improvement as staying abroad develops survival skills and life skills
Lasting friendships are made on gap year programs
Indulge in adventure – this is a fun way to explore the world, make memories and take amazing pictures.

Five exciting gap year programs