COVID-19 and your child

Who would have thought that 2020 would turn out like this? Many moons ago when we were young and speculating about a futuristic 2020, we envisioned green aliens ruling Earth and flying cars crowding the air space. We most definitely could not predict that we would be confined to our houses and forced to live a ‘back-to-basics’ life.

In these unprecedented times, the biggest worry for most people is their own health, food, job security and freedom of movement. We should also be worried about the effect this pandemic has on our children, their future and how we can make it better for them.

The impact on learners’ academic performance and advancement is obvious. Apart from the fact that some learners have no access to online education (more than 70% of learners in South Africa), even those who are privileged enough to have access to online teaching and resources will still be at a disadvantage.

Filling the gaps

Primary school learners are dependent on their teachers for far more than just the basic tasks that are given or explained to them – they now rely on their parents to fill that gap. Unfortunately, most parents also have to work from home, which can place a lot of additional stress on the household. Online assessments, which are now the only way to access, cause far more anxiety than the usual in-classroom assessments. For example, if a learner does a Maths assessment online, the calculations would have to be copied from the screen to paper, completed and the correct answers entered online. This takes additional time and careless errors can sneak in, influencing marks. Connectivity issues, outdated devices, etc. all contribute further to more anxiety.

Navigate the new normal

Despite all the negatives, there are also many benefits for your child that should not be overlooked. Learners are forced to navigate in an online world which will definitely be a part of their futures. They are taught independence and self-discipline that will boost their self-esteem and give them confidence in their abilities.

The emotional impact of this pandemic probably has the biggest influence on our children. They cannot interact in normal ways with their peers, they cannot partake in organised sport, they are missing out on social and cultural events at their school and the list goes on. These social interactions form an integral part of being a child and growing up.

The reality is that we will probably be in this unique situation for at least a few more months and we have to find new innovative ways to cope and support our children.

We as parents should:

• Not put any unnecessary pressure on our kids to excel academically during this period, especially not at primary school level. Make sure that they check-in for online lessons and hand in all work due. Do not interfere with their class work in an attempt to make it better or to achieve better marks

• Stress the process (and effort) and not the outcome

• Help your child when they ask for it, or if you see that they are not coping with the workload. Online teaching is a learning curve for everyone, even the teachers. If your child is not coping, contact the teacher and discuss how to best handle the situation

• Be kind to your child’s teachers. Teaching online is new for most of them and lots of planning and preparations are needed to produce sensible lessons and tasks

• Manage your younger child’s timetable. If your child is given all the tasks for the day in the morning, draw up a schedule to ensure your child doesn’t spend too much time on each task and in the end, not finish or work the whole day

• Make sure your child spends time outdoors and be active. If you have space around the house, let your child run, skip, hop, or do any other physical activities to burn excess energy. Even if you do not have the option to play outside, put on music and make your kids dance off their energy

• Allow them to chill and relax. These are stressful times and kids’ minds have to be ‘reset’ to cope with the additional stress. Concentrating on something else, like a Fortnite game, may just be what they need to feel normal again.

Many years from now our children will reflect on this unique and challenging time in their lives and entertain their kids with stories from the year 2020 when the world was turned on its axis and we all stayed at home!

In the words of the age-old Persian saying: “This too shall pass.”

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Woman writing math equations on a chalkboard, holding a notebook, with a thought bubble of the pi symbol.

Preparing for Maths Assessments

By Estelle Barnard • October 22, 2025

Mathematics rewards practice with purpose: spaced revision, plenty of self-testing, making notes, checking with feedback, and calm, consistent routines. Below you’ll find exactly how to do this at different stages of school. The Big Three for All Learners Space it out Short, regular sessions beat last-minute marathons. Plan 20–40 minute slots across the week and revisit topics before you forget them. This is known as the spacing effect (Cepeda et al., 2008). Retrieve, don’t just reread Close the book and try to solve or recall from memory. Use past questions, quick quizzes, and “write-from-memory” summaries. Retrieval practice strengthens long-term learning, especially when you check your answers (Roediger & Butler, 2011). Think about your thinking Teach learners to plan, monitor, and evaluate how they study. Simple questions like, “What will I practise today? How will I know I’ve improved?” turn revision from passive to purposeful (EEF, 2018). Primary School (Grades 4–7) Goals Build number sense and fluency (times tables, fractions, decimals). Understand why methods work, not just how to perform them. Study Rhythm Mon/Wed/Fri: 20 min mixed practice (across old and new topics). Tue/Thu: 20 min facts fluency (typically something like time tables or fractions) Weekend: 25–30 min “Teach-Back” session: learner explains one concept aloud (e.g. “How do we find a common denominator?”). High School (Grades 8–12) Goals Strengthen algebraic fluency, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, and calculus. Build exam stamina and the ability to select appropriate methods. Exam Preparation Plan Weeks –4 to –3: Cover all topics and create a spaced schedule. Weeks –3 to –2: Attempt past-paper sections; very important to check with detailed memos. Prepare an error log of frequent mistakes. Weeks –2 to –1: Interleave topics and focus more on challenging topics (e.g., trig, functions, geometry). Final Week: Short, focused recall sessions from your “error log.” The Value of Writing Your Own Notes and Step-by-Step Summaries One of the most effective yet overlooked study habits is summarising key procedures in your own words . Mathematics is full of repeatable processes: simplifying fractions, expanding algebraic expressions, finding derivatives using first principles, or completing the square in a quadratic equation. Writing out the steps helps learners form mental blueprints they can rely on in tests. Why this works Research shows that encoding information through writing and explaining strengthens understanding and recall (Dunlosky et al., 2013; MIT Teaching + Learning Lab, 2020). When learners create their own step-by-step summaries: They engage in sense-making, not just copying. They uncover misconceptions early. They connect formulas with reasoning (“why does this step come next?”). They create a quick reference guide for revision. Examples: Simplifying fractions: Find common factors → Divide numerator and denominator → Check if it can simplify further. Completing the square: Divide so that x squared stands on its own →Take the constant term to the right-hand side →Add half of the coefficient of x squared to both sides → Factorise the left-hand side to form a perfect square → Simplify and solve for x. Visualisation and Trigonometry Trigonometry can be tricky until you visualise how angles behave on the Cartesian plane . Remember: in trigonometry, angles are measured from the positive x-axis , moving anticlockwise for positive angles and clockwise for negative ones. (See the labelled diagram above, showing where each trigonometric ratio is positive or negative, including the reduction formulae.) Using StudyChamp Resources Effectively StudyChamp’s detailed memos and step-by-step worked examples make maths study easier: Compare your solution to the memo. Highlight key reasoning steps. Add the process to your “Maths Procedures Notebook”. By exam time, that notebook becomes your own personalised study guide: practical, and written in your own words. References Cepeda, N. J., et al. (2008). Spacing effects in learning: A temporal ridgeline of optimal retention. Psychological Science, 19(11). Dunlosky, J., et al. (2013). Improving Students’ Learning With Effective Learning Techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest. Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning Guidance Report. Roediger, H. L., & Butler, A. C. (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(1). MIT Teaching + Learning Lab. (2020). Note-Taking and Sense-Making Strategies. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.