The last couple of years have been challenging the world over. A pandemic like this has been unprecedented but the human race has always been known to cope and adapt beautifully. There has been a great change in the way people go about their daily lives. There has been a transformation in the methods of operation not only for adults but for children as well. The Middle East has always been technologically advanced but the arrival of Covid has sped up the process of digitalizing everything. There is no task now that cannot be completed remotely and this includes learning. Although we may feel that our children have missed out on social interaction during their most impressionable years, there are also multiple advantages of trading an outdoor, physical life for an indoor, virtual one.

Parents have had to make adjustments and set up an effective module for working and schooling from home. It has been observed that homes in Dubai have always dedicated spaces inside the homes to children and their studies and now space permitting, a work-from-home- office setup. This is solely to highlight the fact that having a comfortable, dedicated spot is conducive to learning. With the whole family being at home all the time, it is imperative that a child has a dedicated spot to study, where there is good lighting and minimal distractions.

Virtual learning provides more time for children given that they do not have to spend time traveling to school and back home. This time must be used effectively for maximum output. Loitering aimlessly can be minimized by making a daily or monthly planner with set goals and tasks to be completed. Scheduling the day to optimize output helps them focus and feel a sense of achievement at the end of the day.

Children as young as 5 years are found to have superior technical skills. With the increased use of devices such as tablets, laptops, and phones, every child has learned to navigate through these devices to join a zoom call or submit their assignments on Google Classroom.

These kinds of platforms also cut down the turnaround time, so to speak as submissions are immediate and feedback from the teacher too is almost instantaneous. A virtual learning environment is also beneficial as it allows the students to collaborate and learn from each other. E-learning has enhanced everyone’s technical knowledge not only in the UAE but all through the GCC areas. Possessing this skill greatly enhances your chances of getting a better job in the future as technology is the future.

Parents too have an equal role to play in setting up an effective virtual learning environment for their children. One of the first things we teach our children before they out into the world is manners and saying words like please and thank you. In the virtual world as well, parents play an important role in imparting this ‘Netiquette’. These netiquettes teach you how to be a respectful cyber citizen by highlighting punctuality, dressing up appropriately, waiting for your turn before you speak, and presenting yourself well.

Schools the world over recognize the fact that over the next decade, almost 50% of the jobs will be automated, and therefore empowering our children with skills to create or control this automation is the order of the day. Equipping your child with coding skills has never been easier, with online robotics platforms like Robotify which teach you how to code in an easy-to-learn, fun-filled and accessible manner without having to purchase any expensive hardware or actual robots. A quick and simple registration process is all that you need to do before you can access multiplayer platforms which present real-life challenges in extraordinary virtual environments. Students are inspired to produce innovative ideas and solutions to real-life challenges in extraordinary virtual environments.

Robotify boosts creativity and critical thinking along with collaboration skills and problem-solving with its screen-free coding and STEAM robot toys. Children express themselves better and learn how to think sequentially and logically, to solve problems. Coding provides the set of tools that they will require for self-expression. It is a highly transferrable skill that you can apply to various fields regardless of whether you eventually become a software engineer or a professional. Hence, the importance of virtual learning in today’s world cannot be diminished and we must do all we can to ease our children into being comfortable with this change.

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Is individual learning more beneficial than group work? Especially when it comes to Math, where concentration is key to solving problems, must schools encourage students to learn in groups? Let us first understand the key advantages of synonymous studying or learning, and how it can be beneficial to the student.

What is collaborative learning?

Wise men have said that the true strength of learning lies in the collaboration of ideas and sharing of knowledge amongst learners and not in being single-handed experts.
Collaborative learning is a method of inculcating a habit of group activities to enhance the preparedness of students, as a bunch together. It is important that the project is executed by sharing ideas and understanding each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Only when each participant performs his assigned role properly, will a collaborative project fructify & result in success.

Here are some benefits of combined studying for kids:

• The student develops cognitive advantage and becomes a deep thinker.
•  There is an exchange of ideas, thus each participant has something to learn from others.
• Students learn to take responsibility of their own studies, rather than depending only on the teacher for classwork.
• There are chances that one brilliant student may influence or motivate their co-members, thereby leaving a positive influence on others.\
•  Friendships are fostered and learning together becomes a joyous process.
• Since the roles and responsibilities are distributed it doesn’t create anxiety or pressurize the student to perform stressfully.
• Interpersonal skills and communication improve exponentially, making the student more confident.
• Brainstorming leads to problem-solving techniques and solutions are brought to life.
• Listening skills improve, which builds trust and long-term relationships.

Find your Math Buddies: A New Way to Learning Math

Over the years, Math teachers have experimented with different teaching-learning techniques and concluded that one of the effective ways, is by assigning group ‘Math problems’ to solve.

Essentially, the teacher divides the class into groups and uses online medium to create separate ‘Math rooms’ for children. The assignments can be uploaded where each team is challenged to complete a certain number of solutions (for example: 16 word problems, 2 theorems, and 10 equations).
One of the important guidelines to follow is that every student must contribute to the online assignment, and not just be a passive participant. The teacher can monitor and keep an eye on the level of progression of the groups and also track the contribution and proactiveness demonstrated by each child.
This is a new-age technique of assigning Math Homework, while the seeds of a positive competitive spirit are sown, to help kids excel in the future.

This is also found to be the best method to cope with Math anxiety, and do away with the fear of the subject because ultimately students enjoy & take pride in fulfilling their role. A lot of management skills are developed such as; scheduling tasks, setting goals, adhering to timelines, sharing responsibility, etc. Most schools in Dubai and other regions of the Middle East, that follow the IB (International Baccalaureate) curriculum, have advanced from textbook theoretical learning to project-based practical learning. Setting up an LMS (Learning Management System) is the most ideal solution, as the journey of progression can be tracked and even assignments can be allocated online.

What is Mathletics?

Mathletics claims to be the world’s leading online Math Program that encourages Math enthusiasts to deepen their subject knowledge and develop a liking for it. Mathletics is therefore pretty popular in GCC regions, including the UAE.

As we discussed the advantages of collaborative learning earlier in this Blog, Mathletics too supports ‘teamwork activities’ by allowing teachers, parents, or students, to create as many as 12 groups and divide the assignments into fun & gamified modules.

Feel free to create new modules as per the Math topic being taught in class from the readymade easy-to-use templates. The most exciting part is that children earn reward points and get a chance to be featured on the Mathletics Hall of Fame.

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Imagination is the beginning of invention. It can transport you to any place and bring ideas to life. Children are intrinsically imaginative. Their imagination helps them gain confidence and a sense of regulation and they begin to see things differently. They begin to question things they don’t understand. It is imperative that teachers and parents alike nurture the child’s curiosity and imagination to bring ideas to fruition.

MatataLab is reshaping the world and harnessing the power of children’s imagination by guiding them to master technology in an easy way. It has been determined to provide cognitive and creative technology tools through which children between the ages of 3 to 9 years can learn coding. In Dubai as well as the rest of the UAE, Matatalab’s coding robots have grown from strength to strength and become a much sought-after tool, for kindergarteners, elementary schools, and educational establishments for their ground-breaking STEAM educational solutions.

Middle East schools believe that learning that takes place in collaboration with the students themselves is essential to their educational journeys. Students who are not imaginative or creative can experience trouble envisaging beyond the standard and reality. Most GCC schools have harnessed the advantages of imaginative play or dramatic expositions into subjects and topics taught at school in place of imparting textbook knowledge.

They have found that a deeper knowledge of the topic permeates the classroom when topics are approached in this manner. Imaginative play also helps to build communication skills and social interactions as children experiment with language and communication with their peers. Help your child enhance his fantasy world by inventing scenarios for him where he can test the limits of his capabilities. You may also encourage reading all sorts of books which develop reading and learning skills and participate in all subjects of the curriculum.

Similarly, translating the same topics into art and having a ‘wall of art’ will allow children to construct a complete fantasy world around the images they view and transport them to that imaginary world.

Every invention that we are grateful for today was once part of the imagination of a creative little boy or girl. When a child grows up imagining a world without physical limits, he often sees things in a new light and achieves the unthinkable. Encourage your child to play with open-ended educative toys such MatataLab’s Tale_Bot Pro Program, which helps students between ages 3-5 years to practice hands-on coding. It also provides Add-on features that complement one’s learning and skill development. The Artist Add-On is great to extract some creativity from your child, while the Musician Add-On converts your little one into a pianist & allows him to compose lovely music. Imaginative play using the MatataLab kit allows kids to hone coding skills and be creative. A perfect win-win!

As parents, you can help spark the creativity and imagination of your child by showing an active interest when they share stories about their day as well as by asking questions that prompt them to think and ponder about alternate solutions. Questions like ‘What if…’ or “How else…” plant seeds of alternate options in a child’s mind and from where they can take off in a completely new direction. By asking questions and showing an interest, the child learns that sharing his thoughts and stories is not scary and he feels less inhibited about sharing. Adopt the role of a cheerleader in the time you spend with your child and try shedding the role of a judge as far as you can. Encouraging feedback is the key here.

In conclusion, the next time that your child comes to you with a handful of play dough or a bucket full of building blocks, take time out to encourage the endless play options rather than tell him you have chores to complete yet. And if the chores simply cannot wait, then there is always MatataLab, the online platform which encourages learning for your child using technology in the same educational and fun manner.

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As children, we have all been told “There is a time and place for everything” and that still holds true. Various parts of the day are perfectly suited to certain types of activities. For starters, people not only in Dubai but all over the world, find that the early hours of the morning are best suited to exercise to refresh the mind and body. Similarly, most students find that the morning after a good night’s rest is best suited to complete tasks that require concentration and learning. Hence, they prefer to wake up early and study for a test rather than burn the midnight oil.

With reference to software developers, their preferred time of day to focus on work is at night. Nighttime is when they get the most work done. One of the main reasons could be that, coding is their secondary job or hobby and hence they are able to devote time only once they have returned from their day jobs.

Coding requires focus and hours of committed concentration and so developers prefer to work at it before or after the grind of day-to-day life. This kind of work-life requires prudence to ensure that they do not overwork themselves by burning candle at both ends.

There are many other reasons why developers like to work during hours that would seem odd to the rest of us. They require larger chunks of uninterrupted time as compared to a white-collared worker. An office-goer can schedule his day into 15-30 minute slots for his meetings, checking emails or brainstorming with his colleagues.

A coder who works on large abstract systems needs longer, uninterrupted periods to process a model in its entirety. Software development or programming takes many hours to effectively put together and the distractions of the day prove to be counterproductive. Hence, most developers prefer to work at night when they can be most productive.

Software development is also a creative job that requires ideation. The essential mental stimulation that is required is at its highest when they are relaxed and stress-free. The noise and time pressure that is associated with daytime activities are taken off their shoulders at night, thus allowing them to produce quality work.

Another reason which actually necessitates coders to work at night is that they work in tandem with other programmers from different countries and may need to communicate with them in real-time. For instance, a developer from the UAE may need to brainstorm with another developer working out of the USA through open-source communication tools.

It is also common practice for a programmer to fall asleep thinking about the information and suddenly come up with innovative ideas, prompting them to jump out of bed and continue into the wee hours of the morning.

So, as we have seen, software development is an interesting job to have which will be much in demand in the future.

Code Monkey is an award-winning online platform that teaches real coding languages in a fun, gamified manner. It is very popular with Middle East schools as well as parents in the GCC areas. Students studying in K-8 grades start coding early due to the popularity of the STEM model of learning. Code Monkey believes in the adage ‘catch them young’ and allows first-time coders to develop an interest in the subject through simplistic activities.

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What is Age-appropriate Learning?

The child starts observing things around him and gathers interest in learning about the environment, as soon as his sight is developed, between 5-8 months. This means learning starts even before the kid enters a daycare center or preschool. As the child progresses with age, the brain starts preparing neural pathways which allows him to remember and grasp the concepts taught in school.

Though the child may be brilliant enough to absorb large amounts of information at toddler age, it doesn’t mean he should be able to memorize the World Map by age 3 or know the multiplication of 2-digit numbers like a professional.

Age-appropriate learning, which is practiced across most schools in Dubai, is a method that encourages children to grasp knowledge, as-per their level of readiness. The idea is to make the child feel comfortable enough and not get too stressed about their studies. After all, all knowledge and no play time makes Arham a dull boy!

Age-Appropriate Math Learning

‘I Love Math’, never did a child say that at the first go! A liking for the development of Math Skills is a step-by-step progressive agenda. It is the prerogative of teachers in GCC schools and parents, to inculcate a liking for the subject by adopting various easy-to-relate strategies, to make Math a joyous subject. So, let’s look at the stages at which a Math learner should acquire skills, and how involvement must be fostered, to make it an enjoyable process. 

Development of Math Skills At Different Age Groups

At 0.8 – 3 years of age 

This is the pre-match phase, where children get introduced to numbers and math concepts like shapes, without actually progressing toward their functionality. It is literally the foundation of the Math program and thus, the basics have to be very strong. If the educator sets the right tone, it enhances the child’s analytical skills and facilitates growth opportunities. 

• Learning to count numbers from 0 to 9  
• Arranging objects from big to small and small to big order  
• Understanding different shapes such as; round, square, rectangle, & triangle and associating objects with different shapes  
• Introducing opposites like; long – short, in – out, large – tiny, etc.  
• Making use of words such as more, less, greater, and minor; while conversing & using day-to-day vocabulary 
• Playing games where the child fills a glass container with water and observes the difference in level and volume  

Use attractive materials and teaching aids such as; child-friendly plastic coins for counting, beads for counting & sorting, wooden manipulatives for learning shapes, and stacking wooden blocks as per the size, so that they can understand the concept of big & small. The above-mentioned material can be ordered on Amazon or purchased from a well-known local educational toy shop in the UAE.  

At 3 – 5 years of age 

By the age of 3, the child loves to experiment and develops curiosity. Students begin to get amused by gaining knowledge and get excited if you show them visually stimulating content that inspires hands-on learning. Some ideas to try with your Math learner in this age group include; 

• Knowing how to count until 40 
• Learning how to write number names till 20 
• Going beyond simple shapes and being able to recognize; pentagons, rhombi, trapezia, hexagons, etc. 
• Sorting objects as per different permutations & combinations (shape & color, quantity & size, odd & even numbers, etc.) 
• Explaining what money is to children and its importance 
• Matching the number of pom-poms with the corresponding digits 
• Backward counting numbers from 10 to 1  
• Comprehending the meaning of ascending order and descending order 
• Solving puzzles and recognizing patterns to fit pieces together, to make a big picture
• Knowing what greater than, less than, and equals to is and correctly placing the appropriate sign, as it should be
• Taking the first step towards observing the different marks on the ruler and identifying what inch and cm, indicates
• Able to correctly write the date in dd/mm/yy format and read the calendar 
• Starting to note the time and recognize the difference between seconds, minutes, and hours    

By the age of 3+, children have a taste of digital teaching aids and therefore prefer learning on their tabs and mobile devices. To support Math learning and make it gamified, Mathseeds presents an excellent App-based platform for children of ages 3 and above. Mathseeds is quite popular all over the Middle East and they also offer a 30-day trial to start with. Their mascot Eggy is loved by all and challenges children to advance in Math via colorful animations, catchy music, and exciting rewards. So let’s motivate our children to be Math Experts, by following a patterned approach to teaching & make every small milestone count. 

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