A look at Thriving Futuristic Parents and Kids where “driving to school” is no longer the norm

Who could have anticipated that before the half-year mark of 2020, online schools would experience such a surge in demand that it would be necessary for them to allow for a second take-in during June and July in order to accommodate the huge number of student requests? No wonder as South Africa is still in partial Lock-Down Level 3 and the last of the phased-in learner grades are only returning to school in August. This means that children, on average, have lost more than a semester, or between 80 and 100 schooldays during 2020, resulting in the Department of Education to adjust the school calendar and change the Curriculum for this year.

With this shift away from the traditional school-setup towards “home-schooling” in a virtual class, we have crossed the Rubicon of Education by means of Technology in a major way. It is no small decision, ask any parent that had to choose between returning to school and enrolling their child into a virtual classroom. Not only were they confronted with research about the Academic courses available and the Technical aspects of learning in a virtual space, but also needed to make decisions about the social restructure and the level of responsibility that is now expected from a child as young as ten. There is a huge amount of anxiety and uncertainty involved in decisions like these, as it is really life changing and is shaking the core beliefs that we, as a society, have accepted for generations past. We will therefor simultaneously focus on the parent’s role in this new technological education and the importance of keeping structure, routine, and a balanced lifestyle inside the confined space of the home. Some parents had to adopt to a new way of working-from-home as well.

In this e-course, stretching over a period of 8 weeks, we want to help children bridge the gap in terms of the:

1. Technical skills that they need to master such as completing assignments online, uploading homework to the Cloud, preparing slideshows and PowerPoint presentations as well as keeping track of their Online Calendar by following links and attending virtual classes.
2. Emotional Skills that they need to master at a young age in order to learn discipline, working on their own, diligently completing assignments without a supervisor constantly monitoring them (as in traditional classrooms), being self-aware in setting goals and working towards these as well as keeping a balanced routine necessary for the home-environment. We will also address ethical issues and emphasize the importance of integrity while writing exams.
3. Social Skills that they need to master by keeping in touch with friends and relatives, having face-to-face conversations with people instead of only texting and chatting via social platforms, and understanding the importance of a social structure of “belonging” and “participating” through human interaction.
4. Skills in terms of Health and Wellness, where they need to understand how the brain functions and optimised learning through the correct balance of sleep, movement, exercise and taking in of healthy food. Optimal performance will not be achieved while sitting in front of a desktop for 8 hours a day, as this is not how our bodies were created.
5. Safety skills in terms of chatting online with strangers and being vulnerable to elements of unethical behaviour and being exposed to internet sites not suitable for younger viewers and how parents can protect their children from these harmful elements.

Summary

We cannot over-emphasize the importance of being prepared in this new technological jungle that we call society. Research on neuroscience have shown that it is a very importance skill to teach our children (and ourselves) how to be adaptable and resilient in an ever-changing world. If we have knowledge about the changes and we could tap into our cognitive brain function instead of the primal brain who is triggered by situations that we perceive to be life-threatening, we could make more informed decisions and not act on the fight-or-flight-responses. Invest in the ability of your child to be able to thrive as a balanced individual in an ever-changing world!

Who should attend?

• Any parent who has already made the transition from traditional schooling to Online schooling as well as any parent considering the transition
• Any child who has already made the transition from traditional schooling to Online schooling as well as any parent considering the transition
• Teachers from both the traditional school of whom it is now expected to interact with classes on any of the social platforms including Zoom, Google Meet, ezTalks Meetings, Skype for Business, Join.me, HighFive and Digitell.

What will you get from these webinars?

• Technical Skills, Emotional Skills, Social Skills, Health & Wellness Skills and Safety Skills surrounding the use of social platforms in the Education Sector
• The ability to be thriving in an ever-changing world by tapping into your pre-frontal cortex and making optimum decisions in life