SCHOOL CHANGE: HOW TO DETERMINE IF MOVING ON IS RIGHT FOR YOUR CHILD
School choice is not a straightforward ticking-of-the-boxes exercise. As all parents know, there are many factors that influence the decision-making process. Even when exhaustive investigations have been done, questions may still remain whether the right choice was made. At this time of year, following the mid-term exams, and looking forward to a new school year, […]
BIC Celebrates Left-Handers Day
In celebration of Left-Handers Day, BIC gives a round of applause to the creativity, resilience, and innovation of left-handed people everywhere. August 13th is a special day for a unique group of people who live in a world designed for the majority: Left-Handers Day! Celebrated annually, this day honours the 13% of the world’s population […]
KOA ACADEMY LAUNCHES AFRIKAANS VIRTUAL CAMPUS
Koa Academy, South Africa’s leading high-engagement online school has announced that it is opening Koa Akademie in January 2025. The new Afrikaans home language virtual campus is a first for South Africa, offering Afrikaans-speaking families a unique choice when it comes to their children’s education. Today, only 5% of government schools in South Africa use Afrikaans […]
The science of a successful side hustle
Salaries that aren’t keeping pace with rising costs are resulting in many South African consumers having to tighten their belts or look at ways of supplementing their income. Starting a side hustle is one way of doing this. It’s something that gained traction during the Covid-19 lockdowns, when people stuck at home had time on […]
DIGITAL CHILDHOOD & THE ROLE OF SCHOOLS TO ENSURE A SAFE & HEALTHY ONLINE EXPERIENCE
Over the past decade, technology has significantly transformed how we live, work and communicate. For parents, its impact has been especially profound. The mental health crisis among young people is alarming, with social media emerging as one of the significant contributing factors. “Social media amplifies free will to an unprecedented degree, allowing our thoughts and […]
PRIMARY SCHOOL ASSESSMENTS: 3 FACTORS THAT LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS
JUNE 2024 As parents, we eagerly watch our children attempt and reach their milestones from birth. One significant milestone that often fills us with both excitement and apprehension is their first big formal assessments in primary school. In public schools, these are usually the mid-year exams in Grade 5, which thousands of students across the […]
NEURODIVERSITY IN THE ONLINE CLASSROOM
It is estimated that at least 10% of South African children have neuropsychological challenges. Neurodiversity, the range of different brain structures and chemistry which is found in the human population, includes people with autism as well as those with differences such as ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity), dyslexia, OCD (obsessive compulsive) and sensory integration issues. Neurodivergent children may experience […]
HOMESCHOOLING IN SOUTH AFRICA: A PRACTICAL FOUR-STEP GUIDE FOR PARENTS
Homeschooling as an educational pathway is growing substantially in South Africa, for various reasons including parents’ mobility, the individual needs of a student, and lack of space at good schools in a given area. The prospect of homeschooling can be exciting and opens up many options for families, but it also needs thorough preparation and […]
STRONG FOUNDATIONS: FACILITATING SUCCESSFUL EDUCATIONAL JOURNEYS FROM GRADE 1
Parents and guardians are widely acknowledged as the primary educators in a child’s early years, and the significance of their role cannot be overstated. Cultivating a child’s independence and self-assurance begins with fostering a sense of belonging and security within the family unit. This foundation provides children with the confidence to explore, learn, and grow, […]
Have you asked your child: ‘What’s the worst thing you have seen online?’
Devices, always connected to the internet, play a significant role in the childhood of our youngest generations. There’s so much that is good in this, and so much also that is an outright threat to their mental and emotional well-being. You might think that the worst of this is cyberbullying or exposure to pornography, but […]