27/04/2024
Beyond the classroom #02- Concentration & Preparation
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Kids who attended elementary/primary school in Uganda in the 1990s will tell you that the brick game was one of the status symbols amongst the boys. At the time, I did not make much of what the game could do to our little minds. I viewed it as a waste of time, but not anymore! It disappeared in the early noughties (2000s) as I completed my High School studies, but ressurected in the smartphone age. I encourage you to challenge your kids to a high score in this game.
The brick game trains a mind to concentrate, strategise, prepare, manage crises and it rewards all these if executed well! It does train the mind in a most natural way without the formality and tension of a classroom or an exam hall. Remember, the goal is to enable young ones to develop into strategic and critical thinking people.
Talking about preparation, how many of your kids prepare for their new journey in O level, A level, College or University beyond scouting for accomodation and shopping of personal effects? Do they ever tell you about the curriculum, subjects, course units, exam structure, reading through the prospectus? If they do not, then you’re raising an adult that will not pay attention to detail!
Preparation for classwork happens even before setting foot inside the classroom or signing in for the first time in a virtual classroom. Train your young ones to always have a 360 degree view of things even during the preparation stage. It will make them appreciate the world better and become leaders in their fields. When they come of age, they will never organise an outdoor event without checking the weather forecast. They will also be able to throw out harebrained proposals from thieves posing as investors when they become politicians and public servants!
The pursuit of excellence is not an event. It is an intentional long term undertaking we must make as a populace. Expose your young ones to study resources curated from other places beyond their classrooms and beyond Uganda!
If you have a lad or lass preparing to join University to study Law any time soon, tell them to sacrifice one chapati (UGX 3,000) a month, sign up at mageziharvest.co.ug and access materials to help them prepare for Law School better. Our flipbooks and embedded videos are a breath of fresh air. Stay tuned for more tips and insights.