Do you remember the first book you ever read as a toddler? We bet it must have been a picture book, full of colorful illustrations of birds, flowers, and fruits, depending on your interest at that time. Picture books are suited for beginners who haven’t yet learnt their ABC’s, but are intrigued to discover a new vegetable or the name of a kitchen appliance by adding to their oral vocabulary.

Children have a photographic memory and can remember things by looking at the object or its picture in a book. Hence, let’s not undermine the importance of a good ‘picture book’. If you haven’t introduced one to your kiddo, below are a few good reasons to go for it now:

#1 Vocabulary Enrichment

Repeated exposure is what kids need when they are young, so that they get the confidence to identify anything that is shown to them and then talk about it in more detail. By the age of 3 years, children should have a rich vocabulary of 200-300 words, and a good way to add words to the child’s bank is by introducing them to multiple picture books. Also, while learning letters via the phonetic method, children learn to associate the letter sound /a/ to apple and /b/ for ball. There are plenty of picture books that teach kids letters and their associated words in a fun & interesting way.

#2 Making Stories More Interesting

We all know this famous idiom, a picture is worth a thousand words! Kids love stories, especially ones that have many pictures. By simply turning the pages of a fairytale book, one is transported into magic land, where unicorns fly. Children meet characters through stories, and learn good habits from Paddington the bear and Winnie the Pooh. The all-time classic ones are Goldielocks, Cinderella, and The Ugly Duckling, amongst many others. Allow kids to browse through the book, though they can’t read the one-liner captions. Let kids share what they understood from the story and hear how they interpreted the story and its moral.

#3 A Habit for Reading

Former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates attributes his secret of success to his habit of being able to read around 50 books a year. And the famous Tesla owner, Elon Musk, read for 10 hours a day, before he became the world’s richest person. Inculcating the habit of reading should be started as early as possible. Even though it’s just a picture book, make sure your child dedicates 30 minutes each to reading-time. This will help them continue the practice, even when they’ve grown to become teenagers and learn to appreciate books.

#4 Emotional Maturity

Understand that your child is not just growing physically but also mentally and emotionally. To invoke emotions such as joy, empathy, self-control, etc. children need to experience related life situations or read a good picture book that brings up these emotions. A mystery or thriller edition like ‘Nancy Drew’ will get children to experience excitement, terror, and surprise, while a story like ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf’ will lead to expressing some other emotions such as; sadness, anger, and laughter. Explain to your kid which emotions are healthy and which ones are not healthy. For example, anger should be kept at bay by training the mind to focus on other productive things.

So, are you excited to gift your kiddo the childhood they deserve? Picture books are invaluable tools that have multiple benefits, such as improving vocabulary, building understanding of important things, and evoking emotional intelligence. Wondering where to find interesting books with illustrations?

Reading Eggs is a great place to start your child’s reading journey. This is a unique online programme available in Dubai, the GCC regions and other countries across the globe, with the aim of promoting interest in books amongst children. The readers are free to progress at their own rate and partake in exciting quizzes and challenges at the end of the story. Most schools in the Middle East, recommend Reading Eggs to support the students’ academic progress. Their growing collection of picture books is a must-read for every enthusiastic reader. For more information about downloading Reading Eggs in the UAE, visit our website: :link:

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Money isn’t everything, but everything needs money! People spend their early years studying and securing a degree so that they can build a career with a secure financial soundness.

Students are introduced to the concept of money as early as kindergarten. They learn what currency are, the different currencies of the world, and how to count money. Children are even encouraged to apply their knowledge practically by interacting with the billing desk person at a grocery store and asking for the correct amount in change.

Along with learning the ability to use money, children must be taught lessons that highlight managing money wisely. Introducing the concept of savings at an early age is going to help in the long run and make the individual more responsible. Here are a few techniques that you can adopt to give your kid a head start on money matters and investment.

#1 Piggy Bank

This is an old-time classic that never fails anyone. Inculcate a habit by explaining to your child that adding extra pocket money to a piggy bank is a good idea, as these savings will grow over time and come in handy when they are needed.

#2 Be a Role Model

Though it’s a bit too much to explain to a 6-year-old what mutual funds and debentures are, the minimal they need to know is about a bank and a savings account. Every time you go to deposit a cheque at the bank, talk to your child about why money is being given to the bank. Explain to them that a bank is an institution which keeps your money safe and provides incentives for savings.

#3 Spending On Necessities

Though online shopping has made life easier, as everything is available at the click of a button, it has many cons. Shoppers spend more than they need to on unnecessary items, just because they get lured by the attractive display of them on a shopping website. Make a point to teach your kids that if they spend unnecessary money on the latest game, they might not have enough left to purchase a pair of shoes which they really need. Spending money on what’s important, and not on random desires, is a lesson that is the need of the hour.

#4 Earn Money

No matter how young kids are, make them do some tasks around the house and let them earn their own money. They need to understand the value of money, so that they don’t rely on asking for it, but work hard to earn it. Allocate simple chores like gardening plants or cleaning the cupboard, and incentivize the task.

#5 The Importance of Giving

Just as you’ve taught the value of saving and earning, students must understand the concept of charity and giving. Going beyond friends & family, and teaching kids that there is a world out there waiting to get some help, can open the child’s consciousness at an early age. Go together to charity events, join an NGO, visit local old-aged homes, and let your kids experience the joy on a stranger’s face, when you give just a bit of money & time.

#6 Budgeting Lessons

Every household allocates a monthly budget for home expenses and alters expenditure based on this sum. Let children be involved in the house budgeting process. Explain and talk about the different categories under which you have allocated expenses; groceries, electricity charges, rentals, and other miscellaneous overheads. If a 5-year-old can learn coding, why not teach him a bit of budgeting!

#7 Savings for Life Events

When you set aside a considerable amount of your savings for future events like your child’s education abroad or their marriage, make them aware of the same, so that they can follow the practice when they become earning adults and have families. Talk to them about the concept of loans and tell them why it’s not a great idea to borrow money which you can’t repay. Let them save a bit for their own education too

So, now that you are aware of the points that need to be discussed for securing the child’s financial future, take help of the Mathseeds app.

Mathseeds is an engaging online math platform that supports hybrid learning at home and within the classrooms. Mathseeds has earned the trust of students all over the world, including those in Dubai and other GCC regions. By adopting Mathseeds, students learn important problem-solving concepts that are applicable in real life scenarios. Simply download the Mathseeds app on your phone or iPad and get working with the fun activities, number challenges, and earn rewards for participating.

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It is a whole new world out there when it comes to education for your child there are skills now accessible that would never be considered 5 years ago. With the onset of new age learning it is extremely important to get with the trend or you actually might be left behind. Countries like Dubai and other countries in the Middle East have been rapidly adopting to these new trends. Just like the apple helped newton discover gravity, with Robotify Students around the world are no longer in classrooms, but rather using digital tools with their parents to enhance learning in this similar time of global relevance.

We don’t expect your eight-year-old to find gravity or cure the world’s problems, but now is a fantastic time for kids to learn how to code using virtual robots and become the next generation’s great makers. We are in the midst of a worldwide crisis that has shocked the world in recent weeks. Schools around the world have been closed as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic. As schools close, students lose access to shared classroom robotics. As a result, we’ve made a decision to assist in the development of thousands of young Isaac Newtons.

This is a difficult time for parents, especially when it comes to planning activities for their children. Robotify has a unique position to ensure that behavioral solutions such as self-isolation are easier and more successful for children and remote parents. In countries like Singapore and Germany, these technologies are currently very effective.

Because of the creative courses on the Robotify platform, we are confident that we can free you, the parent. What exactly does that imply? It means you can get critical work done while providing your kids something to focus on that is both enjoyable and intuitive.

Drone Racer and Drone Park ( Virtual)

Participate in the drone racing trend without first purchasing an expensive drone. Explore the Drone Park and its Drone Racer wicket course, scouting and taking photos in preparation for the big night race. Create programmes that employ arrays to programme your drone racer’s racing course. Create your own image storage system to capture, store, and retrieve photographs. On your route to victory, fly through Drone Park wicket by wicket!

There will undoubtedly be difficulties and difficulties ahead, but we hope that children around the world will inspire change and use this chance to learn about new concepts and how technology can be used to enhance people’s lives.

We also get to look at why countries like Dubai want to implement these methods of education as soon as possible. Drones are simply fun and here’s a list of other reasons why educational drones are essential for learning.

Their brains are technologically wired.

Today’s children grow up with technology in ways that we never did. When students take drone lessons and fly them for the first time, those developmental neural circuits provide them a big edge. This is especially true for students who have spent any amount of time playing video games. The cognitive and physical skills are typically present; it is only the confidence that is lacking.

Drones provide a huge reprieve for math teachers.

There is a belief that individuals find arithmetic difficult because the language of mathematics was invented so recently. I.e., the language we use to communicate with one another has evolved over time, but it dates back 30-100,000 years. As a result, it feels more natural or intuitive. It is unclear when mathematics was discovered or invented, but it was most likely no more than 3,000 years ago. Regardless of how correct the theory is, we all know that maths is not a lot of people’s favourite subject in school. Drones allow Math professors to bring the abstract to life for their students. Students can compute distances, analyse graphs, and use data generated through simple flying simulations.

Drones for Education Allow Intrinsic Motivation to Take Over

A technology that kids are intrinsically encouraged to use in the classroom is a godsend for any teacher. People must have spontaneous interest or eagerness to investigate for intrinsic drive to be attainable.

Teachers can easily learn how to use drones.

Teachers are frequently forgotten in the rush to integrate drone STEM curriculum in classrooms. Teachers, in particular, are not specialists in the technologies they must deploy. This might be overwhelming on top of everything else that goes into making a classroom work.

Drones Make Creating Student-Centered Classrooms Simple

Students are more independent and autonomous in a student-centred learning environment. The emphasis is shifted from the teacher to the students. As they select what and how things will be done, this type of learning is also incredibly formative in helping youngsters shape their decision-making and cooperative skills.

Drones Assist Students in Understanding Data

Data is already abundant, and firms and governments are racing to develop sophisticated algorithms to make use of it. As adults, we were taught data in science and math classes, and it was taught in a pretty traditional way. We had to figure out what this new pervasive level of data in the modern world was all about.

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We must have all at some point sat through lengthy PowerPoint presentations, and lost the plot of what’s happening half-way through the speech. What makes presentations so boring?

Well, most slides are filled with content in the form of long sentences and paragraphs, instead of projecting interesting visuals that capture the interest of school students, and executives in the case of an office environment. Imagine having to read 40 slides of content, one after the other. Exhausting, isn’t it!

The true deal is that each slide on the presentation must carry short and crisp bullet points that don’t exceed 5-8 words. The presenter must take the onus of being able to speak by taking cues from the bullet points, rather than reading word-to-word from the screen.

Here are some tips that will help you become better at making presentations and subsequently evolve as confident presenters.

#1 Keep it short & sweet

We cannot reiterate the fact that keeping simple bullet points and important words that facilitate the presenter only need to be included on the slide. The class should be paying more attention to the speaker and not the slide. The audience should be able to establish a connection between the topic that is being covered and the pointers on the screen.

#2 Maintain proper legibility

Trying out fancy cursive fonts is fun, but there’s no point using it if the audience is not able to read what is written. Pay special attention to font style and its size. Most popular fonts that ease the reader are; Arial, Calibri, Verdana, amongst others. There are as many as 700 font styles to choose from, however, a good presentation only makes use of legible fonts that suit the title and the body copy, so that one can quickly read the slide and then turn their attention to the speaker.

#3 Add Visuals

People remember facts easily when it is presented in a visual format. So focus on including attractive visuals on the slide to convey the message through well-made infographics. Even as a presenter, you would get more confidence while speaking if the slide is made well and looks presently pleasing. You may insert a picture saved on your local drive or add an ‘online picture’ by choosing that option from the drop down menu.

#4 Animate The Slide

Special animation effects add a bit of bling to the presentation and give it character. Also it draws attention to the points on the slide which are being spoken about vs. the points that have been covered or are not being currently discussed. There are many animation features available such as; fly in, fade, fly out, emphasis, zoom, and it is even possible to dramatize the visual or text by adding special sound features on its arrival. We suggest making use of these animations in moderation and not to overdo it, so that one doesn’t get distracted.

#6 Pay Attention To Image Layout

We have already discussed the importance of having visual images on the slide. However, how many are good enough, is the question? Usually, you can accompany 1 or 2 images on the slide, with the text beside it. Don’t try to cramp too many pictures, as it will only make the audience cringe and the emphasis will be lost. Your presentation is not a photo album!

In today’s digitally connected world, PowerPoint presentations have become a day-to-day affair in classrooms. Students are encouraged to submit their project work by making PPTs and presenting it in front of the class, such as to inculcate office etiquette at school level. Especially in IB schools across Dubai and other Middle East regions, smart boards and projectors are a must-have.

TechnoKids has devised a technology-based curriculum for K-12 schools to enthuse students about computers through a project-based approach. Here students learn for the very first time how MS Office works and make use of apps such as Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc. TechnoKids is quite popular in the UAE, as across the GCC regions. Total Words

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The standards of education all across the globe are rapidly transforming and it is our duty to keep up with it. While children using calculators to solve math problems was a foreign concept in the past, it is now considered normal, even encouraged in multiple schools and universities across Dubai, UAE, GCC and the Middle East. Now, we know you must be wondering, if a child is using a calculator to solve a math problem, then how are they learning anything on their own? While your concern may seem valid, we are here to bust that myth. Even to use a calculator, you still have to think! The math problems handed out in tests are extremely lengthy and the use of calculators will not only excite them but also help them with critical and analytical thinking in a much faster way. One of the other ways to keep your child hooked to math is by using the online programs by Mathletics. They offer interactive yet flexible programs for students and keep them intrigued through attention-grabbing activities and rewards. A flexible math program also helps them understand concepts and problems at their own pace and style. Multiple teachers who introduced calculators to their students have observed a peak in interest and a boost in motivation as well as mathematical skills. Here are a few more reasons why you should hand your child a calculator as well.

#1 Calculators encourage the use of varied strategies

Math problems at higher elementary levels are famous for being lengthy and complex in nature. Using a calculator helps children save time and therefore allows them more time to solve the problem in more ways than one. For example, they can use one strategy to solve the problem and another on the calculator to re-check the answer.

#2 It promotes persistence and patience among children

Students will experience success with some problem-solving strategies and failure with others as they begin to think more creatively and attempt new methods. Many teachers noticed that when students couldn’t answer problems fast while using a calculator, they were less discouraged; they attempted to figure out why their ways didn’t work. They then changed their minds and tried a new method. And when you try newer methods to solve the problem, you learn way more than you will in a conventional non-calculator setup

3. Calculators help overcome computational limitations

Children frequently have the conceptual understanding to tackle problems that are far more challenging than their computing competence. Overcoming computational limits is especially beneficial for individuals with special needs and removes hurdles to more advanced levels of math training. It also encourages a more inclusive learning environment as all the students will have access to the same calculators during the test.

#4 Students can solve more problems in less time

Since a calculator is essentially a machine, it derives answers to complex mathematical problems in much lesser time. It allows children to work more quickly and hence gives them time to solve more problems in the same time frame. The use of calculators strengthens their understanding of concepts while helping them apply complex strategies much quicker.

Learning math with calculators has had a tremendously positive impact on children and re-ignited their willingness to solve complex problems. So many students are scared of this subject because applying the strategies seem time-consuming, frustrating and overwhelming; this is the core problem usage of calculators tackles and in turn, boosts their understanding of the subject. Teaching them effective calculator skills will prepare them for the future of education!

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