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Schools With Amazing Sports Facilities in Nigeria

26th January 201826th January 2018 by SchoolsCompass

Grade-conscious parents tend to question the rationale for sporting activities in schools; Little do they know that the benefit of sports in school isn’t merely physical. Sports has been identified to play a major role in building the self-esteem and mental alertness of a child; it is a constitutional part of a child’s life.

The Case for Sports in Schools

Of course, a child should study hard to excel in examinations, this, however, should not be to the detriment of enjoying the health and vigour of life which engaging in sporting activities provides. All work and no play makes the proverbial Jack a dull boy. Children who actively participate in sports have been reported to exhibit increased social relations and higher self-esteem. Sports, therefore, meets the physical, emotional, social, physiological and intellectual needs of learners. Through play, children are able to relate with their unacquainted world and gain the desired experiences.

Top schools in Nigeria do not only integrate sports into their curriculum, they provide facilities that enable students recognize and develop their sporting talents. In no particular order, here are top schools in Nigeria with amazing sports facilities.

DOVELAND INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS

There is a standard basketball court in the school where students come out to play and interact. Do you know that it has been discovered basketball build endurance and develop concentration and self-discipline in students? it is a social sports that teaches students how to become a good team player.

THE WHITE DOVE SCHOOLS

White dove Schools has a Football pitch with a natural turf. Majority of students in schools have a great passion for football. With a football pitch in a school, it will help the dreams and passion of those students to keep burning.

SILVERSANDS HIGH SCHOOL

Many believe that Acrobatic exercise should be done by adults but the best time to start this Acrobatic exercise is during childhood. It is a source of physical well-being and it helps the flexibility of the body. Silversand has an acrobatic class for the children.

Silversands High School encourages cycling as a sports activity in their environment. it has been discovered that cycling is aerobic which help to work out the heart, blood vessel and lungs.

IMAAD SCHOOLS LEKKI

Image Source: Imaad Schools

Sports activities are not limited by age. Imaad school has a field where pupils are allowed to participate in any sports activities. Imaad school practice Judo sport which originated from Japan. It’s a martial art that is celebrated worldwide. Many parents don’t know that Judo sports add lots of value to their children such as respect, self-esteem, friendship, loyalty, courage for what is right, honor, self-control, modesty etc

THE BELL COMPREHENSIVE SECONDARY SCHOOL

The Bell Comprehensive Secondary school is known for its indoor sports activities such as long tennis, basketball, volleyball etc. Playing indoor sport is an excellent measure where children spend their leisure time. it has also been discovered that indoor sports activities aid relaxation and social interaction in children.

Summary

We don’t think our list is exhaustive and we will be happy to add more schools. To add your school to this list, simply comment with the name of your school in the box below, sign up or log in to your profile on SchoolsCompass and upload the image of your sports facilities.

Thanks for helping Nigerian parents choose the best schools for their wards.

How to Make Your Students Pay Attention

8th January 20188th January 2018 by Oluwaseyi Adelaju

The holiday has just ended and most students haven’t been in the classroom for a while – Long weeks of video games, partying and traveling is now beginning to give way to reading, analysing, memorising, solving and several other learning-related tasks. It is such a hard time to be a teacher as many learners will prefer spending the next few weeks talking about the holidays if not reliving their adventures or enjoying their precious gifts.

Helping students pay attention in the midst of this frenzy is the task of every seasoned teacher. Here are few simple but effective ways to get your students to pay attention.

1. Acknowledge the Learners’ Experiences

Yeah, we all know visiting Santa Clause (or Father Christmas) isn’t a big deal neither is visiting the village anymore spectacular (especially if you grew up in a suburban area like me). But to the learner, it is no small thing. Meeting Santa Clause is as grandiose as a dinner with the pope and that random traveling experience feels just like a tour of the moon. Teachers need to be truly empathetic in order to tolerate the learner’s amusement. So the first thing to do here is to acknowledge the learners’ experiences as worthy distractions.

THE BELLS COMPREHENSIVE SECONDARY SCHOOL

Acknowledging the feelings of the learners helps them to feel understood. It also enables teachers to keep their ego and desire to lecture in check. In order to acknowledge the experience of the learners, teachers should communicate the intent to listen and be also sensitive to the emotional attachment the students have towards their experience, gift, or relationship built during the holidays.

2. Don’t Consider Learner’s Experiences a Distraction

It is possible to coerce the entire class into keeping quiet or introduce some negative reinforcements as a method of ensuring discipline during the learning process. However, this can adversely affect the overall classroom mood and the pace of learning. Whether students are restless, giving apathetic responses, turning in uninspired work, talking, or texting, the teacher is expected to use any of these activities as an entry behaviour for learning.

For instance, a teacher once explained how a distracted learner who never writes his essay was made to develop his writing skills by allowing him to write about his distractions. Since this student only cared about football, the teacher made him write sports news for the class which increased his self-esteem, leadership skills and a deeper sense of responsibility towards learning. In order to avoid labeling student experiences as distractions, teachers should inculcate the students’ distraction into the learning process.

3. Pace Teaching to Accommodate Distractions

Undoubtedly, there is a lot to be learned and so much more to be taught. Teachers are tempted to fill up the allocated 45 Minutes or 1 Hour of instruction with tasks and activities. However, with adequate pacing, the teacher can create the perception that a class is moving at “just the right speed” for students.

One way to achieve this is for the teacher to use a variety of activities to accomplish a single lesson objective and by moving from one lesson to another throughout the course of the lesson. The teacher can also allow some talk-time, play-time or lecture breaks so as to allow the students get to refocus on the learning whenever they are distracted.

In summary, the most effective form of education takes place when students want to learn and teachers want to teach. Helping students get ready for learning makes the teaching efforts made by teachers effective.

Log on to SchoolsCompass.com.ng to find schools with seasoned teachers who put students at the center of the learning process.

GETTING AND STAYING ORGANIZED: WAYS TO HELP YOUR CHILD

5th October 20174th October 2017 by Oluwaseyi Adelaju

Children in the home bring joy and laughter. Sometimes, they draw you back to the past, take you down memory lane of your cherished childhood – bring up sweet memories of you growing and how exciting it was to be at that age. Days where you didn’t have to worry about a thing-what to eat, wear and so.

As the child grows, things begin to appear somewhat complicated. With the child approaching school-age, getting organized for school becomes every parent’s concern. While most parents make attempt to achieve this using strict rules and stern hands, below are several other ways to help children become organized.

Fun activities

For children between the ages 2-5, learning needs to involve playful activities such as creating a song for folding clothes, shooting hoops with their clothes into the laundry basket or tell a story. They need to be taught on picking up their clothes lying around to putting them through basic forms of cloth washing-such as their socks, pants,etc. All that needs to begin from a tender age.

Most children tend to grow faster than their peers especially those growing with adults around. From ages 6-12, constantly reminding them to;

Arrange their beds immediately after getting up.

A laundry bag should be available, where they can throw their dirty clothes.

Arrange every clean clothes in their racks. This will help them see and get whatever they need faster.

Photo Credit: Roselawnlutheran Decor Ideas

When they are back from school, school bags should be hung appropriately, uniforms should be well-kept or put in the laundry bag if dirty, and shoes should be dusted and well placed in the shoe rack.

For a child that loves to read, a shelf should be provided for them to properly arrange in rows their books with the titles facing outside to ensure easy access.

According to an article written by The Center for Parenting Education on the Benefits of Chores, “Children tend to excel at procrastination, excuses, resistance, and refusal when it comes to chores. This causes much concern among parents and conflict between children and their parents. Research indicates that those children who do have a set of chores have higher self-esteem, are more responsible, and are better able to deal with frustration and delay gratification, all of which contribute to greater success in school.”
Furthermore, research by Marty Rossman* shows that involving children in household tasks at an early age can have a positive impact later in life. In fact, says Rossman, “the best predictor of young adults’ success in their mid-20’s was that they participated in household tasks when they were three or four.”

Being organized is really exciting and makes one happy. Coming back to a room that is organized brings with it a certain ambiance of calmness and coziness. Bringing up a child in that way will make them feel more relaxed after a stressful school day and in the long run, learn to value an organized clean space.

Hope these tips have been helpful? You can share other ideas on how you have been able to make your child organized.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAYGROUPS

4th October 20174th October 2017 by Oluwaseyi Adelaju

With social interaction playing a major role in creating a stimulating environment for children to learn and play, playgroups have significantly become a platform for children and parents to obtain optimum development. Playgroups enable children to develop social skills by exposing them to making more friends that can last a lifetime. It gives them some alone time with their parents allowing them to play more. Parents on the other hand also tend to gain from the playgroups as they are able to interact with other parents in the group, share ideas, concerns, and experiences, learn from other parents and as well build up their social networks.

Playgroups are filled with lots of fun and offer children great support as well as their respective parent as this gives them time to relax and rid themselves of all sorts of tension, work stress. Through playgroups, children’s language development and communication grow stronger, their emotional confidence, physical activity, imagination, and creativity are all heightened. It assists children to become ready for the formal environment and it also opens the opportunity to attend excursions/events.

Playgroup is an informal session where mums, dads, grandparents, caregivers, children, and babies meet together in a relaxed environment. They are set up and run by parents and caregivers, with a range of activities designed to meet the needs of the children attending. -Playgroup Australia

PLAYGROUP ACTIVITIES

Singing- Activities such as this brings the children closer making them share common rhymes and also teaching them how to memorize things. Singing improves a child’s memory and it acts as a prerequisite skill for reading. Singing also helps your child enhance his vocabulary and, depending on the songs, can teach him about science, history, and culture.

According to a blog post on How Singing to children may help the development of language skills by Amelia Hill from parents and parenting, Daniel Dwase, editor of the online Child Development Guide, said “Music assists in the development of a child’s speech,” he said. “Singing nursery rhymes and simple songs teach children how language is constructed and assists with the acquisition of language. Singing songs with your child will also teach them about tone, beat, and rhythm.

“Even better than just singing, though, is to teach songs with actions and encourage your child to dance along to the music, they will learn balance, co-ordination, body awareness and rhythm,” he said

Arts and Craft- This draws a child’s focus to the world of art and through this, most children tend to further develop their artistry as they grow older. This also brings a connection between the children in the group and helps the child to demonstrate/develop self-control and patience.

According to an article on The Benefits of Art for Kids, the International Child Art Foundation said, “Research indicates that a child who is exposed to the arts acquires a special ability to think creatively, be original, discover, innovate, and create intellectual property—key attributes for individual success and social prosperity in the twenty-first century.”

Outdoor Play- Activities done outside such as football, basketball and so on improves the child’s physical strength/state as well as mental. Sports activities help keep the child in good shape both external and internal. It is a perfect place for kids to be kids with the freedom to shout, jump, run, hop or skip.

We also know babies sleep better at night if they’ve had some fresh air and sunshine during the day, according to a study called The Relationship Between Daytime Exposure to Light and Night-time Sleep in 6-12 Week Old Infants.-Importance of outdoor play activities for kids, NCT

Imaginative Play-

Such as making up stories and putting them into an act helps the child assimilate ideas quickly and they are able to groom themselves in the drama world. It fosters mental growth by creating opportunities for trying out new ideas, ways of thinking and problem-solving (helps the brain develop creativity).

An important benefit of early pretend play may be its enhancement of the child’s capacity for cognitive flexibility and, ultimately, creativity (Russ, 2004; Singer & Singer, 2005). Russ, for example, in longitudinal studies, found that early imaginative play was associated with increased creative performance years later (Russ, 2004; Russ, & Fiorelli, 2010).- The Need for Pretend Play in Child Development, Psychological Today

Trips- This can involve activities such as camping, site seeing to help the child know more about their environment and also to learn new things that wouldn’t be taught in the school environment. Trips aid children with new experiences and increase their understanding of the world around them.

Playgroups are very important at the early stages of a child’s development and so parents and schools should engage more in such activities with their kids and their students as well as encourage them to help their development process.

Visit schoolscompass.co.ng for ideal schools for your wards.

WHAT METHOD OF TEACHING BEST SUIT A CHILD?

22nd September 2017 by Oluwaseyi Adelaju

Irrespective of the child’s age, parents take responsibilities for their children. With children being taught by different teachers, one is faced with the reality that they are exposed to different teaching methods with no way to measure which teaching method is most-effective.

Ever wondered about the teaching method being used by the school and how effective they are to the learners? Parents and teachers should have a ready answer to the question of what the most-appropriate teaching method should be. Children differ and so do learning methods. While a child can grasp a concept faster through singing, the other might find singing a distraction to learning. Taking out time as a parent or teacher to figure out how a child learns can go a long way as there are several ways of making children learn; Let’s review some teaching methods.

Role Play

According to Ian Glover on TEL, Role-play is a technique that allows students to explore realistic situations by interacting with other people in a managed way in order to develop experience and trial different strategies in a supported environment. Depending on the intention of the activity, participants might be playing a role similar to their own (or their likely one in the future) or could play the opposite part of the conversation or interaction. Both options provide the possibility of significant learning, with the former allowing experience to be gained and the latter encouraging the student to develop an understanding of the situation from the ‘opposite’ point of view.

This method of teaching is mostly used during literature classes. It can also be adapted for in-class activities that don’t have to be focused on literature only. Such activities can be implemented to the storytelling lessons, history knowledge, and the likes of it.

Demonstration

The demonstration method involves the teacher educating the class by showing rather than by merely explaining the concept to be learned. The teacher ensures learning by making the learners engaged in activities that involve the actual display of what is being taught.

According to Heather Coffey on LEARN NC the teacher, or some other expert on the topic being taught, performs the tasks step-by-step so that the learner will eventually be able to complete the same task independently when using the demonstration method in the classroom. The eventual goal is for learners to not only duplicate the task, but to recognize how to problem-solve when unexpected obstacles or problems arise. After performing the demonstration, the teacher’s role becomes supporting students in their attempts, providing guidance and feedback, and offering suggestions for alternative approaches.

Group Work

Group work usually involves groups of students formally working together on projects or assignment, though it may sometimes take place in formal classroom settings. When setting group work tasks, it can be useful to consider student availability, resources necessary, and expected outcomes. – TIC

Some students find learning easier when they are allowed to work in groups or pairs. Through these, students are able to help themselves and communicate their difficulties to their friends rather than the teachers.

Recitation

Photo Credit: Crescent Nursery and Primary School

Recitation is a direct, teacher-centered approach in which the teacher asks specific short answer questions with a specific answer in mind. Incorrect answers are usually corrected by the teacher or by the class. A teacher may use probing questions in order to help the class come to the correct answer. The repetition of question and answer helps information retention. It is best used for the memorization of facts–base level knowledge. – Valeri, Adam & Racheal

This method of teaching is most suitable when it involves calculations, works of literature, etc. It aids the recall of names, words, formulas, processes, etc.

Field Trips

Photo Credit: New Hall International Schools

A field trip is a visit to a place outside the regular classroom which is designed to achieve certain objectives, which cannot be achieved as well by using other means. – Liga and Agen

Most, if not all students enjoy time outside school walls. A field trip is one of the best methods to teach students especially when it comes to geographical topics involving nature, history of a country, state or community. Students get to actually see the world from a whole new perspective and also get insights on the real nature of things.

Quizzes.

Photo Credit: Doveland International Schools

This method of teaching is every teacher best in that they enjoy giving quizzes to students to know how much they have learned and how much they as a teacher has been able to instill in them

Children learn through several means. Teachers, as well as parents, need to identify the most appropriate learning methods/experience for the children. Finding an ideal school that cares about your child’s growth is just a click away, kindly visit Schoolscompass.com.ng and you are sure to get much more than you expected.

DOES GRADING DETERMINE A CHILD’S INTELLIGENCE?

19th September 2017 by Oluwaseyi Adelaju

For decades, grading systems have been the means through which schools relate students’ study skills to their respective parent. But does this really determine a child’s intelligence? Students have been subjected to rote-learning – ‘cramming’ rather than demonstrating the understanding of concepts.

The grading system has been deeply institutionalized leaving students with a reason to go to any length so as to achieve a high grade to make their parents proud.

Teachers, on the other hand, are being compelled to “grade” a student in whatever way they can. Some parents tend to put the blame on the teachers rather than ask their child what went wrong if the subject failed was difficult or they just couldn’t absorb whatever was taught.

A child shouldn’t be forced into believing that grades are all that matters in life as this is not a major prerequisite for success. As much as we want to believe that, this is FALSE. Parents should put in an effort equal to the teachers in building up a child’s knowledge with various educational activities. Parents should also engage in the child’s school work as much as possible. Parents play a better role in encouraging their wards to read and understand their subjects rather than cramming and looking to get a high score without any evidence of being able to defend their grades outside of the school premises.

We ought to look beyond the grades and consider how much knowledge has been impacted – how much the child has actually been able to retain through understanding rather than through rote-learning.

Dear parent, rather than being mad at your kid(s) or their teacher for a bad grade, when next results are reported, it will be good to ask your kids how much they understand their subjects or where they excel more or what their favorite teaching/learning method is.

Wakaa! The Musical Live in Abuja

18th September 201718th September 2017 by SchoolsCompass

The legendary Albert Einstein once said, “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.” The best education is the one that makes the learners fully aware of their social environment and prepares them to excel in it. According to Dr. Mahfuz Judeh of Applied Science Private University, “Rigorous learning is essential in conveying information and knowledge to students. But in addition to that, it is better for teacher to focus also on learning with entertainment”

SchoolsCompass, Nigeria’s number one support giver to Schools has partnered with Terakulture to provide schools the opportunity to make learning with entertainment possible for students by bringing Wakaa! the Musicals to Abuja.°Wakaa! The Musical is a play about the trials, successes, and experiences of graduates with varied backgrounds. It educates learners on the reality of after school and how the choices they are making today can affect their lives in the not-so-distant future.

The story reveals the struggles and challenges young people face in present-day Nigeria and abroad. WAKAA! The Musical takes viewers on an emotional roller coaster while presenting a strong satire of Nigeria’s politics.

Wakaa! will be live in Abuja from September 23rd – 28th at The Regent Secondary School, Abuja. Also between September 30th – October 1st at Transcorp Hilton Hotel by 7 pm.

Another Reason Your School Should See This Play

The pupils in your school might be the next Nollywood Stars. Exposure to high-quality stage performance such as Wakaa! has a greater chance of inspiring them to pursue their dreams. Your school literary, drama and art team will be able to acquire real-life experiences which can make your school different from every other.

It does not end there…
SchoolsCompass has negotiated on your behalf. Now you can get tickets for the performance at a rate cheaper than any other outlets (including Terrakulture itself) when you book with SchoolsCompass. Your school also stands a special chance to be featured in our upcoming blog story on “Schools that Excel in Arts”.
Click This Link to Order for a Ticket Now or call SchoolsCompass on +234 1 2958 029

How to Put Your Kids to Bed Early

11th September 2017 by Oluwaseyi Adelaju

Putting a child to bed may seem tedious at times. This happens more frequently when the school is in session. Those are the days there seem to be lots of activities on the TV, the internet, chats (catching up with friends)/ chat-groups and so. Sometimes, we tend to think they sleep more easily during the holidays. With that in mind, parents tend to resort to any means possible to get their child to bed, some yell, or scold or even try to force the child to bed. Here are few ways to make life easy as a parent to put your child to bed faster.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Early Dinner: Getting a child to eat early helps them fall asleep quickly and easily. For one to work towards early bed rest, dinner has to be prepared early enough.

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Drink less Water: Before bed time, ensure your child does not drink too much water as this may cause a disrupt in their sleep cycles.

Photo Credit: TopNews

Set Consistent Bed Time Routine: Try as a parent to set regular/consistent bed time routine for naps-especially during the weekends-, night times and wake up times. Set yourself as an example for your ward to follow.

Photo Credit: HuffPost

Room Condition: Ensure that the bedroom environment is conducive enough for sleep. The temperature of the room needs to be checked and kept appropriate, less noise and mild darkness to aid the sleep process.

Photo Credit: elsegundocoop.com

Photo Credit: Dr. Weil

Don’t forget to turn off the lights or dim them as low as possible.

Photo Credit: The Internet Electrical Store Photo Credit: health.com

Turn off Electronic Devices: In an hour or two before bedtime, ensure that all gadgets-TV sets, smart phones- and so should be turned off. This aids in creating a sleep-induced environment.

Photo Credit: StyleCraze Photo Credit: Iaam.com

Having kids ready for school does not have to be hard work again. We would like to get a feedback from you and please let us know other ways you can put your kids to bed.

OTHER POST

Getting ready for school

Classroom games-how it helps kids learning

Getting Ready For School

7th September 2017 by Oluwaseyi Adelaju

Photo Credit: North Menominee County Community Schools

As the holiday slowly comes to an end, getting ready for another school year becomes the thought of the day. Parents try to get what will be essential for their kids, schools put together what will be done for the academic year. While all that is being done, here are a few tips to help parents on how to get their wards “back to school” easily.

Plan Before You Shop — Planning on what to get for the school year makes it a lot lighter on the pocket and saves time. Compare different shops, rates, and distance. Consider if you’re going to do your shopping at home or at the store. Get what is most required.

Photo Credit: Pediatric House Calls

Reschedule sleep hours – Change sleep hours closer and closer to the hours for school. Access to the TV set, mobile usage and all electronic devices should be cut off before bedtime.

Photo Credit: The Apple Pips

Bedtime hours should also be programmed.

Photo Credit: wikiHow

Organize your child’s school materials – Get your child’s materials prepared and ready for the school year.

Photo Credit: Happy Snaps and Philosophical Chats

Also organizing the child’s clothes/uniforms for the entire week will be of great ease.

Photo Credit: Twitter

Start the school routine a week before school begins – Doing this helps the child adapt faster to school activities.

Photo Credit: Understood

Most parent are excited as school is almost on session and are working towards preparing their wards for the next school year. Let us know how you go about it.

If you are still searching for an ideal school for your child., why not visit Schoolscompass.

Classroom Games- How It Helps Kids Learning

13th September 201730th August 2017 by Oluwaseyi Adelaju

In today’s world, the way classroom activities are being carried out, most studies involves the use of certain technologies. How then do we know how our wards are growing academically?

Like Diane Ackeman said,

“Play is our brain’s favourite way of learning”.

Introduction of classroom games can go a long way in aiding a child’s mental capabilities. When playing games, students become more engaged in their learning, taught content is easily assimilated and class positivity is increased. Here are few ways in which it is of a great advantage to our kids.

Photo Credit: Washington Times

Memory Capacity: Some games require the child doing a lot of memorizing, through this, they are able to memorize certain words and key points needed thereby increasing as well as improving their mental capabilities.

Photo credit: Google Play

Alert Attention: Children love games and they tend to pay more attention to what is being done or how the game is being played. This helps in building an alertness in them.

Photo credit: fabmags.co.za

Hand-Eye Coordination: This develops a child’s ability to control a mouse or keyboard while watching the screen of a system at the same time when the game is on or a manual game being played.

Photo credit: blogs-journal star

New Knowledge: Various educational games open the child to new knowledge of things around them, also concerning their future studies.

Photo credit: LEGO Foundation

Fast Strategic Thinking and Problem Solving Capabilities: Some games require the kids to do some thinking in a fast pace. This in turn helps them grow in a smart way and aids them when it entails them to use their cognitive reasoning to solve certain life issues.

Photo credit: Pinterest

Less Stress: Games have a way of easing tensions and stress in that they help one relax. Games such as colouring helps the child relax after the day’s activities. This also helps develop the child’s ability to art works.

Photo credit: Pinterest

Skill Building: Skill building starts from an early age. Games that requires a child making things or developing a skill helps them when they are all grown. Example of such games includes baking, beads making etc.

Photo credit: childrenwithchallengingbehavior.com

Class Cooperation: Playing games can be fun but just making our kids have fun and learning are not the only things one wants to achieve. Class cooperation is being built as a result of this. Children learning in groups brings them together to sharing ideas and working together. This in turn builds them up for the outside world.

Photo credit: Skateistan

What are the types of games your child is involved in in school? Let’s know in what ways this has helped them. Here are schools with various activities that engage kids to have fun while learning.

To learn more on classroom games and its benefits visit teachhub, teachtaught.