As the winter term draws to a close, and we exit rolling power outages for now, it might be useful to think about perspectives. You have yours and I have mine. These are not opinions. They are viewpoints or ways of looking at the world through lenses tinted by unique experiences and heritage. Our vi
Our moments aren’t landmarks on a road, discoveries or destinations in and of themselves. Moments can be fleeting seconds or less and also long stretches of time. Their duration is incalculable. Our moments are all around us, sometimes falling as rain, occasionally delivered in the violence of a sto
We all love two letter words, hopefully more than four letter options. Something about the simplicity of just two letters joined to represent an impactful meaning offers security. Two letter words tend to be absolutes. We don’t really have superlatives for them: they are ‘it’ (point proven).As sprin
Any glimpse of international news this past fortnight has brought harrowing images of devastation in Haiti and desperation in Afghanistan. Floods, fires and sandstorms have ripped through Europe, the Americas and China. Our own country remains gripped in faction fighting and siloed communities. Covi
Stuff it. The world’s simplest theory of interpersonal relationships might just lie in the “Stuff Theory”. The author knows no specific academic to credit with this groundbreaking, highly accessible and life changing theory. Someone needs to be applauded for it though. It works.The Stuff Theory moot
Author AM ScottArtwork Robi GramignaAnyone who took the compulsory subscription to Episodes 5-1 of the global history making season of Covid & Co. Ep.2020 South African Version knows that the only way to survive the binge feed of notifications, conspiracy theories and power struggles is to think ‘we
Author: AM ScottFamiliar to experienced gardeners, perhaps those who have an interest in vegetables particularly, is a concept called companion planting. Companion planting involves placing certain vegetables and plants near each other to improve growth for one or both plants. By way of example, ros
Raw and RealInspired by the Story of Fidgety Philip and some recent statistics shared by Prof Venter.“Let me see if Philip canBe a little gentleman;Let me see if he is ableTo sit still for once at table”:Thus Papa bade Phil behave;And Mamma looked very grave.But fidgety Phil,He won’t sit still;He wr
Redefining NormalNormal is defined as conforming to a standard; who sets this standard is entirely variable and subject for another debate. Normal refers to a ‘usual’, ‘typical’, or ‘expected’ state or condition. Often, parents raising children who develop uniquely contend with and internalise a dee
15 January 2024Dear parentsWelcome to Bellavista 2024Greetings to the 2024 school year one and all! On behalf of the staff, the Parents Association and the Board of Governors, a warm welcome to all the new families who are joining the Bellavista School community. We trust that you quickly feel that
War is Devastating. How Do We Protect Our Children? By Alison Scott, Executive Principal of Bellavista School As news of a declaration of war between parties in the Middle East, ostensibly incited by a third-party terror group, reverberates through our society with dread and rage, it
File Picture: Dennis M. SabanganAn oxymoron: cancel culture and a community schoolA community school is part of a village. In a village, there can be conflict. In a family, there can be hurt. Authentic communities experience agreement and also discord, difference and ire. Such forms part of living w
AI and chatbots to the rescueOutcomes based education (OBE) was perhaps the vision of informed, relevant and forward thinking educators and its successful implementation in South African schools in 2005 might just have positioned our systems to step into the revolution that is artificial intelligenc
AI technologies like ChatGPT make life 'easier', but what about learners in struggling countries such as South Africa?Lack of ChatGPT and other AI resources leaves SA learners behindThe fourth industrial revolution is taking the world by storm with AI technologies like ChatGPT to make life ‘easier’,
Research shows that having a strong hold of one’s home languages facilitates the learning of any new language. Other research conducted proves the many benefits of bilingualism for adults and children.How To Support Your Dyspraxic ChildMarch 2023, Schools Digestby Annelize Clark, Occupational Therap
Research shows that having a strong hold of one’s home languages facilitates the learning of any new language. Other research conducted proves the many benefits of bilingualism for adults and children.Help! My Child Is DyspraxicMarch 2023, Schools Digestby Annelize Clark, Occupational Therapist and
Research shows that having a strong hold of one’s home languages facilitates the learning of any new language. Other research conducted proves the many benefits of bilingualism for adults and children.When Things Don’t Add Up – Understanding DyscalculiaMarch 2023, Schools DigestBy Karen Archer, Educ
Did you remember to phone the dentist this morning? Did you remember to feed the dogs, defrost dinner, make that overdue payment, and reply to all those emails? Ah, the infamous daily ‘to-do’ list.The benefits of a strong parent-school relationshipCaxton Article, February 2023Karen Archer, the deput
Ma’am, I passed Afrikaans.Across the country this week, pupils receiving outstanding matric results are lauded and applauded. The top one percentile get many a special mention. Those that achieve distinction in nearly double the prescribed subject quota are celebrated and held in awe. Rightly so, ac
Mastering Memory: A Glimpse into Working Memory and Tips for SuccessApril 2022, Caxton ArticleBy Nisi Cohen, Speech & Language Therapist at Bellavista SchoolDid you remember to phone the dentist this morning? Did you remember to feed the dogs, defrost dinner, make that overdue payment, and reply to
Cognitive Education is inspired by the work of Professor Reuven Feuerstein. Feuerstein was one of the first people to believe that the brain had the ability to modify, change, and adapt in both structure and function throughout life, in response to experiences.Why learning to read is difficult, and
What does a Speech and Language Therapist do? Caxton ArticleBy Michelle Klompas, MA Speech Pathology at Bellavista SchoolWhen talking to people about what I do as a Speech and Language Therapist, I have been asked: “Are you a Speech and Drama Teacher?”, “Do you teach people how to speak in public”,
The Reading Brain: What parents, teachers and schools need to know about their children's journey to become proficient readersThe Reading Brain: What Parents, Teachers and Schools Need to Know About Their Children’s Reading JourneyCaxton Article, November 2022By Tayla Smith, Foundation Phase Educato
Stop, Pause and Think – Equipping Children with Strategies for Planning and Organisation in Approach to TasksCaxton Article, July 2022By Chelsea Lauren Whalley, Teacher at Bellavista SchoolEach child is unique and dances to their own rhythm. COVID-19 is a shadow that has impacted every facet of our
Dyslexia is a complex multi-componential learning difficulty. Understanding how reading is acquired is important to further recognise the challenges that learners with dyslexia experience.Developing An Understanding Of Dyslexia And ReadingCaxton Article, October 2022By Shani Brest, Educator at Bella
Fidgets or a fad?Caxton Article, September 2022By Romy Saunders, Occupational Therapist at Bellavista SchoolHow often do we hear “she is fidgeting in class”; “he struggles to concentrate”; “he/she is disrupting others.” Many children, predominantly those with attention deficit disorders (ADHD), have
Putting the Care Back into Self-careCaxton Article, September 2022By Roseen Ress, Occupational Therapist at Bellavista SchoolThinking back to the various lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic, there were some timesaving and comfort advantages to pyjama zooming, and no make-up mask days for me and m
