PREP PULSE
17 March 2017
Monday 20 March
Tuesday 21 March
SCHOOL HOLIDAY
HUMAN RIGHTS DAY
Thursday 23 March
Friday 24 March
Saturday /Sunday
FROM THE HEADMASTER’S DESK
NIGEL SLOANE
The Importance of Imagination (from an article by Darrel Webb)
Do children today use their imaginations as much as we did when we were kids? Do you see your children spinning incredible tales and stories in their fantasy
play like we used to when we played “cops and robbers” or “house”? Or does your child’s fantasy play seem to consist only of repetitive movements like karate
chops or ballerina spins that have no story to them?
In the world of child development you may hear us use phrases like “critical thinking skills” and “creative problem-solving abilities” when referring to our goals for
your child’s cognitive development. What we are really talking about is… imagination. The way to create human beings with imagination is to provide them with
opportunities to develop it for themselves when they are very young. These opportunities are found in one place and one place only… play. Playing with paints,
playing with play dough, with costumes, with glue and with crayons. Making a mess. Exploring the woods. Splashing in a puddle. Wondering at a caterpillar you
notice inching by you. Pretending to be a bird, gliding through the sky.
Are you providing your children enough opportunities for this type of play? If they are spending hours sitting at a computer, watching television or playing video
games, they are passive participants being fed someone else’s stories instead of having the time and space to dream up their own. If they are enrolled in soccer,
ballet, karate and gymnastics all in the same week, they are receiving wonderful opportunities to develop their skills. But they have little to no opportunity to use
their creativity and imagination to decide how to use their free time, what fantasy to explore or what part of their world they’d like to discover more about at
their own pace, in their own way.
Often parents today think that if they give their children too much free time they are wasting opportunities for learning and preparing children for their futures.
But these types of parental choices, though done with love and the best of intentions, are not a gift to children, according to current child development theory
and research. Children today desperately need time and space to develop their creative imaginations free from adult agendas. Even if your children complain,
“I’m bored! There’s nothing to do!” please, please, please trust that if you force them to figure out for themselves how to fill their time, their innate creativity will
kick in and their imaginations will soar!
Have a great weekend.
Nigel Sloane
Sharpeville remembered:
On Monday we commemorate Human Rights Day. It is a day that I etched in the minds of all those people who were part of
the struggle against apartheid. The following is a very brief summary of what happened on that fateful day.
South Africa's Human Rights Day, 21 March has been declared International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
by the UN - is synonymous with an innocuous but historic township, Sharpeville, situated between the industrial cities of
Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging about 50 kilometres south of Johannesburg.
For many South Africans, the day will always remain Sharpeville Day, a commemoration of the 21 March 1960 Sharpeville
massacre, when the police mowed down 69 unarmed people and injured 180 others who refused to carry the hated dompas identity document that was meant
only for indigenous Africans. The day, sometimes also referred to as Heroes' Day, was a watershed in the country's liberation struggle, hence its inclusion in
South Africa's post-apartheid holiday calendar.
I would encourage parents to discuss such incidents with your children, taking the specific age of your child into account. It is important that children do have
some idea of the struggle that South Africa has been through on the way to becoming the Rainbow Nation.
Equinox:
Another teaching opportunity around 21 March is the fact that it autumnal equinox when the length of day and night is exactly the same. From
here on the days gets shorter and the nights get longer.
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PREP PULSE
17 March 2017
DEPUTY HEAD
HOD ACADEMICS
KATIE DE CHAVES
Core Skills Focus – Research
The past two weeks have seen our classes learning more about research, in terms of how to record information in their own
words. Assembly on Monday with Mrs Govind covered the topic of plagiarism and what it means as well as how to give credit
for information you have sourced. Well done Grade 5G, for a very clear message!
Both Grade 5 classes enjoyed playing some “old-fashioned” games this week, with research into how things used to be for
children their age 100 years ago. A few rounds of “French and English” and “Hopscotch” went down very well.
Dad’s and Daughter’s Maths
Many excited girls arrived at school on Wednesday with their fathers in tow for our annual Dad’s and Daughter’s Maths
Evening.
The event got off to an exciting start, with the Dads having to build a straw tower, strong enough to hold an egg, whilst being
instructed from the side lines by the girls. Following this was a host of problem solving activities and games, where dads and
daughters worked together to find a solution.
A great time was had by all – many thanks to the families who attended, as well as the Maths Department and the Grade 7
fundraising team for catering.
I hope everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable Homework Free Week! With Formal Assessments now over, we look forward to
the upcoming Senior Prep Camp.
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PREP PULSE
17 March 2017
HEAD OF JUNIOR PREP
SUSAN NORTJE
"I think it's necessary to let kids get bored once in a while - that's how they learn to be creative." - Kim Raver
What Happens When We Shield Kids From Boredom by Teresa Belton
"From books, arts, and sports classes to iPads and television, many parents do everything in their power to entertain and
educate their children. But what would happen if children were just left to be bored from time to time? How would it affect
their development?
Parents often feel guilty if children complain of boredom. But it’s actually more constructive to see boredom as an opportunity
rather than a deficit. Parents do have a role, but rushing in with ready-made solutions is not helpful. Rather, children need the
adults around them to understand that creating their own pastimes requires space, time, and the possibility of making a mess
(within limits—and to be cleared up afterwards by the children themselves).
They will need some materials too, but these need not be sophisticated—simple things are often more versatile. We’ve all
heard of the toddler ignoring the expensive present and playing with the box it came in instead. For older children, a
magnifying glass, some planks of wood, a basket of wool, and so on, might be the start of many happily occupied hours.
But to get the most benefit from times of potential boredom, indeed from life in general, children also need inner resources as
well as material ones. Qualities such as curiosity, perseverance, playfulness, interest, and confidence allow them to explore,
create, and develop powers of inventiveness, observation, and concentration. These also help them to learn not to be
deterred if something doesn’t work the first time, and try again. By encouraging the development of such capacities, parents
offer children something of lifelong value.
Most parents would agree that they want to raise self-reliant individuals who can take initiatives and think for themselves. But
filling a child’s time for them teaches nothing but dependence on external stimuli, whether material possessions or entertainment. Providing nurturing conditions and trusting children’s natural inclination to engage their minds is far more likely to produce independent, competent children, full of ideas.
In fact, there’s a lesson here for all of us. Switching off, doing nothing, and letting the mind wander can be great for adults,
too—we should all try to do more of it.
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PREP PULSE
17 March 2017
HEAD OF SPORT
CHRIS LAY
The summer sport’s season ended in fine style with the Senior Girls Softball team winning 4 out of 4 games at the Saheti Softball
Tournament. I was lucky enough to watch the girls play their game against Beaulieu. I was filled with pride by the way they played
the game. They showed a quiet determination, looking the part and having a bundle of fun as a team. They supported one another all the way and won with humility and respect for the opposition. I thought to myself that this is the way children should be
playing sport and it gave me great pride knowing how this is how Pecanwood Preparatory plays their sport.
We are now well into Winter sports and have the prospect of the winter Inter-house Sports festival coming up in which Grade 3-7
will be involved. Winter Sports fest will be on Thursday 23 March from 14.00-15.00. All children are to wear their house shirts.
Grade 4-7 will play in the inter-house festival. The grade 3’s will play separate netball and soccer matches on the day. All children
are welcome to participate.
Please note green soccer socks will be available in the clothing store at the start of term 2.
Boys MUST wear shin pads when playing soccer. Term 2 will see the no shin pads, no play rule instated.
Best of luck to all of those running in any Om-Die-Dam race on Saturday. I will see you on the road.
Thursday 23 March
Winter sports festival Grade 3-7
Start: 14.00
Venue: PWC
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PREP PULSE
17 March 2017
CLASS
NAME & CITATION
1F
Lebone Motloba for excellent manners and for his positive attitude and beautiful work.
1N
Oliver Percival for excellent behaviour in class and always doing his best.
2B
Gadi Mogodiri for drawing the most beautiful pictures in her books and she always has a friendly smile on her face.
2M
Colby Bauermeister for trying his best in class and finishing all his class work on time. Such a star!
3vN
Oarabile Sindane for her outstanding work and behaviour at all times.
3B
Madison Hamilton for outstanding comprehension skills.
4N
Cade Correia for working hard in Natural Science, doing a lovely Habitats mindmap.
4F
Cameron Brown for his improved work ethic and producing some good work.
5V
Princess Ndlovu for her excellent Social Science mark.
5G
Ethan Schaffler for working hard in class and giving his best.
6C
Emily Bryla for diligence and her conscientious attitude towards her work.
6B
Ryan Summers for bringing his A-game to school and achieving a fantastic result for his SS formal assessment.
7S
Angelea Grice for an outstanding poem on slavery.
7P
Sophia Steynberg for excelling in her Tech cycle test.
2018 TERM CALENDAR
Pecanwood Aftercare Services
Sharon Lategan : 082 822 3660
[email protected]
Pecanwood Shop
Monday
: 07h00 – 09h00
Monday
: 12h00 – 16h00
Wednesday
: 07h00 – 09h00
Wednesday
: 12h00—16h00
Friday
: 07h00 – 09h00
Kerrin Bain : 083 303 1406
[email protected]
2nd Hand Shop
Tuesday : 12H30 to 14H00
Friday : 07H15 to 08H15
Christine Webster : 082 552 4394
The uniform shop is
now stocked with caps
and hats.
Children will not be
allowed to wear
“civvies” caps or hats
ICECREAMS
TO BE SOLD
EVERY
WEDNESDAY
AND FRIDAY
AT 2ND
BREAK
TERM 1 (56 Days)
Start Wednesday 17 January
Close Wednesday 11 April
Half Term
Close Thursday 1 March
Start Tuesday 6 March
Public Holidays
Wednesday 21 March (Human Rights)
TERM 2 (63 Days)
Start Wednesday 2 May
Close Friday 3 August
Half Term
Close Friday 22 June
Start Monday 2 July
Public Holidays
Saturday 16 June (Youth Day)
TERM 3(65 Days)
Start Tuesday 4 September
Close Thursday 6 December
Half Term
Close Thursday 18 October
Start Tuesday 23 October
Public Holidays
Monday 24 Sept (Heritage Day)
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PREP PULSE
17 March 2017
Dear PWC Staff, parents and pupils.
Thank you so much for your consideration and support during
this unbelievable time in my life. All the prayers, meals, flowers,
gifts and messages have meant so much to me. I am doing well
and believe that I am on the road to a full recovery.
With love and appreciation.
Leanda Maier
PECANWOOD UNIFORM SHOP
New Stock
Money Purse: The shop has received lovely money
purses (R60) to ensure that those coins and money
stay safe.
Shin Guards: The shop has stock of both soccer
(R70) and hockey (R130) shin guards.
Gum Guards: Senior and Junior sizes (R50)
Winter Uniform
From the start of the second term, your children will come back
to school wearing winter uniform. During the last week of
March we will start unpacking the winter stock in preparation.
Boys Gr 1 -6
Beige trousers (boys are able to continue wearing shorts during
winter)
Long sleeve green golf shirts
Tracksuit top and bottom
Jersey, Scarf, Beanie & gloves also available
Boys Gr 7
Blazer & Beige trousers (same as summer)
Long sleeve white shirts
Pecanwood Tie
Jersey, Scarf, Beanie & gloves also available
Girls Gr 1 -6
Beige trousers OR beige skorts/skirts with bottle green tights or
long beige socks
Long sleeve green golf shirts
Tracksuit top and bottom
Jersey, Scarf, Beanie & gloves also available
Girls Gr 7
Blazer & Beige skirt (same as summer)
Long sleeve white shirts
White Long socks
Pecanwood Tie
Jersey, Scarf, Beanie & gloves also available
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