6 | September 2012 www.womanthismonth.com Letters STAR LETTER Write Here Write Now 44 | August 2012 | woman this month 45 woman this month | August 2012 | Parenting By Dr Clare Beckett-McInroy and Simon McInroy Mathematics: some love it, some endure it and some feel it’s been an up-hill struggle. As a parent how do you enable your child’s interest and ability in mathematics? This article will provide you with insight, tips and confidence to facilitate your child’s learning, plus fostering a love for mathematics. The first mathematics teacher your child experiences has quite a responsibility. It’s an important or, you could say, ‘critical’ role. Let’s hope they know what they are doing and have the patience, dedication and understanding of some fundamentals to be effective; it is of course you! You will most likely be the teacher with whom they learn for the longest period of time as well. Are you feeling confident? In terms of the most effective educational practices and ways of facilitating mathematical learning, opinions differ between countries, districts, schools on the same street and even between classrooms next door to each other within the same school. There are, however, some ideas on early development that share widespread support. Are you ready for your challenge? Read on. When entering the world, children are surrounded by the use of a highly developed and sophisticated number system that has evolved over thousands of years. Your child has rather less time, though, to get to grips with the early fundamentals of a discipline that not only equips us with vital life skills to communicate, save lives, function, research and evolve in a vast number of areas. Children see, experience and are aware of ‘numbers’ very early in life: on birthday cards, clocks, on television, in shops and on signs. These though are not strictly ‘numbers’ but are squiggles (to children) or symbols that we use to represent quantities. Part of our role is to attach this meaning as quantities to these symbols through life experiences. The early experiences we provide for our children establish the relationships between quantities, associated language and symbols. They also allow us to explore the relationships between different quantities. To set a context for the importance of these early experiences, we will consider one of the foremost educational theories, which is reflected in our high quality contemporary classrooms. This is the theory of constructivism which has many variants, but essentially embraces the idea that how children learn and the impact of how they internalise their experiences is based on already embedded ideas and experiences. What this means for you as parents, and teachers, is that you cannot expect all children to learn in the same way and at the same rate. You cannot expect children to readily embrace what they are not yet cognitively ready for. Appropriate early experiences are critical for preparing the construction ground that schools will help you build upon. The big message is to provide early experiences through interacting with your child whilst playing, shopping, singing, cooking, arts and craft activities, going up and down stairs. Try to exploit the opportunities that present themselves on a day-to-day basis in order to support your child’s development and understanding. These experiences develop relating numerals to amounts, counting items and explaining ideas of ‘more’ and ‘less’. It’s also useful to play with addition and subtraction, as well as talking through the language and experience as it relates to addition and subtraction. Early Maths Supporting 38 | August 2012 | woman this month Spruce It Up! Your home décor is a direct reflection of your unique personality. When your interior design no longer meets your aesthetic needs, it can affect how you feel. Sometimes, all you need to pick up a worn-out setting is a single accessory. ipitiusani aped mint, adi que pro volest, quiasint fuga. Et res excerori aris perum dolupta dolupti stiati dolorep repudan distor mos sim vellici ratium acil mos autem et as cus raeri officita nisqui dolupta coritas sincid et vel id moluptae nobis as alistotatur arciisqui odis prem sum nonsed essitibusam excerio comnien tiatiur? Porehendel ipid quia exerio. Nem fuga. Ut debite modion cullissincte vel mos etusteniet debite modion cullissincte vel mos etusteniet Out of the Box Moving away from antique trends, we came upon this fascinating range of home accessories from a Portuguese furniture brand, Boca do Lobo. The pixel cabinet is a stunning piece that could work well in any space. It is safe to say that none of the items available at this store is remotely predictable. Swaying between enchantment and modish styles, their collection boasts beautiful handcrafted works. Each fusion of art and design is presented in a limited collection of 20 items at the most. They are considered an expression of emotions rather than just a piece of furnishing. Their heritage sideboard is quite distinctive as well, with its tile painting theme and jigsaw-like edges. Never ceasing to surprise, adding a Boca do Lobo to your décor will guarantee a lot of praises as they never go unnoticed. Home 39 woman this month | August 2012 | Now that Ramadan and Eid are upon us, there isn’t an abode that isn’t going through the frequent spell of guests. It is the perfect time of the year to give your existing décor a brand new appeal. We all know that a little rearrangement can go a long way. The real trick, though, is adding a few new accessories in your living space to be excited about. Swap the anchor pieces in the room you’d like to spend most of your time in with new ones. Older items hit upon new freshness when placed in other parts of the house. We love the Travel in Tuscany line from Flamant’s Spring-Summer collection which parades the raw quality of wood. The furniture is so naturally textured that you can still feel the rich grainy surface. Every item in this range has a distinct curvy nature to it and is finished with perfect carved feet. Other parts are given a corroded quality for that genuine ageless appeal. According to Sia Home Fashion, objects travel through time to reinvent themselves in a new life. The mouth-blown glass range is perfect for your dining table. Retro is always in and this array of glasses, tumblers and vases are just the thing. Marina Exotic Home Interiors is popular for its range of striking vintage accessories. The variety of trunks on display has certainly caught our eye, especially the jacquard ones in rich hues with black linings. A similarly inspiring piece is the Architecte Typographer furniture from Roche Bobois. Not only does it add a dash of colour to your room, it does so with a traditional touch. Meanwhile, Home Centre offers you everything you need for a brighter home, from glamorous high-gloss finishes and designer chic minimalism to a playful mix of bright colours to classic comfortable pieces. Home Centre Roche Bobois Flamant Marina Exotic Home Interiors Sia Home Fashion The article “Supporting Early Mathematics” written by Dr Clare Beckett-McInroy and Simon McInroy is very inspiring. Mathematics is simple enough for bright kids with mathematics genes; however others find it a struggle. The article cleverly outlined how a teacher should provide an enriched learning environment where a child can learn in the way they find easiest. Parents will also find the article helpful to understand the need to provide the mentioned early experiences for their child. I personally believe that mathematics should not be taught as a stand-alone subject matter. Assessment in mathematics is irrelevant when it comes to young children. A large amount of children learn mathematics only by interacting with concrete objects and so computers can be inappropriate for the teaching and learning of the subject. Joanita, by email. WRITE IN AND WIN This month’s star letter will win a BD50 online shopping voucher from Namshi.com. So, to get shopping send us your views and opinions on this month’s edition either by email to [email protected], by fax to 17 813-700 or by post to PO Box 20461. I am so glad that you have decided to incorporate a home shopping article, and I’m really hoping that this is a regular page now! I am an utter home interior fanatic, but have to admit that I am pretty clueless when it comes to what actually looks good and is ‘in fashion’, so I will take all of the advice I can get from the WTM team! I am completely in love with the Roche Bobois colourful chest of drawers; this is just the kind of piece I need to brighten up a room and I will be hunting this one down for my bedroom. Claire, by email. Home Inspiration I read your article “Reaching out for Redemption” and it occurred to me that these fine female doctors were not simply performing the gender-filler roles we have become so accustomed to seeing in the many new-born democracies today. On the contrary, these are today’s true leaders, shaping their specialised communities as the whole of their society tries to emerge from a unity-shattering experience. In this reborn Bahrain Medical Society, the female doctors have started the healing process to recover from that painful experience. And further, they have set an example for the rest of their country. I salute the courageous women of the Bahrain Medical Society. For their bravery, proactiveness, and providing their healing empathy at a time my nation needs it most. Bassam, by email. 15 woman this month | August 2012 | Interview Redemption Reaching out for M aha Al Kawari is well apprised of the responsibility that sits on her shoulders. This soft-spoken lady from Muharraq is the first woman ever to head Bahrain Medical Society (BMS), which has witnessed a revival of sorts after the election of a new board in April this year. Having served as a physician for over 18 years in the Kingdom, Maha is also no stranger to the damage done, both to her country and the medical fraternity in the wake of last year’s turmoil. While the dust may have settled somewhat, sectarian differences have come to the fore in almost every facet of Bahrain life. Nowhere, perhaps, is this polarisation more explicit than amongst Bahrain’s medical professionals. Their role during last year’s unrest has been heavily contested, with various groups offering different versions of what went on at the country’s only full-service hospital, the Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) between February and April 2011. “Everyone is entitled to their political beliefs, but doctors need to rise above it,” she asserts. “There’s no room for politics in the medical profession; our political views cannot affect either our ethics or our dealings with the patients.” At many levels, the events in Bahrain, and especially at SMC, last year have shaken people’s faith in the medical profession. “In the light of what happened, we wished to see some good and capable hands steering the BMS so that the dignity of our profession can be restored,” she says. It was with this conviction that she joined the Loyalty to Profession group of physicians earlier this year to contest the BMS election. The turnout was impressive; over 670 of 860 registered members cast their ballot. It was the first time that expatriate doctors were allowed to be nominated as well. Notably, three of the seven BMS board members are now women, a small victory for female medical practitioners in the Kingdom. However, with around 200 members choosing to stay away from the society, the BMS board has no illusions about the job at hand. “We’re here for the sake of our profession. We want all medics to work together under the BMS banner. Discrimination has never been a part of our culture and we have to obey our code of ethics. We’re asking members who’re staying away to come back, open up their minds like mature adults and discuss any misgivings they have with us,” she says. Weekly text messages, Twitter updates and invitations are sent out to all members for meetings and workshops, regardless of whether they attend. On whether the society might initiate any action against ‘tainted’ doctors for their role last year, Maha is circumspect. “We have to let the judicial process run its course. After that, the BMS bylaws will decide on any further course of action,” she says. Born to serve Raised by a mother who truly believed in her daughter’s potential, Maha knew from her first day at school that she would take up the medical profession. It was no surprise to her family, when she graduated top of the class with distinction from Arabian Gulf University. Following her internship at the SMC and primary health care centres, she opted for family medicine. “I’ve always been a people’s person. I could never view patients from a cold and scientific viewpoint only; I’ve always empathised with them as a human being. As a family physician, I could be close to the community,” she says. It is perhaps this intense involvement in her work that has given her sleepless nights at times. Every physician with a conscience will lose sleep sometime or another worrying about some of their more difficult cases, she believes. Maha headed the Sitra Health Centre for seven years before she was promoted as regional medical officer in 2011. Since March last year, she’s been posted to the Ministry of Health’s public health division, where she’s in-charge of the non-communicable disease section. Much of her work involves rallying stakeholders to work together and raise awareness on health issues such as obesity, smoking, diabetes and hypertension within the community. As member of the GCC antismoking committee, she has hosted many events to highlight the dangers of smoking. The committee was behind enforcing the antismoking legislation, regulating sheesha smoking and devising media campaigns, as well as organising quitting treatment for tobacco addicts. Preventive action Maha is now involved in a new project to screen government employees across Bahrain for heart diseases. “Around 30 per cent of employees in the government sector will be covered in the first year of the programme. Later on, it may be expanded to the private sector. The idea behind screening people early is to prevent complications at a later stage and reduce spending on lifestyle diseases in the primary care,” she says. One of the most daunting challenges her ministry faces in the realm of public health involves influencing people to switch to healthier food habits. “It’s very easy to disparage junk food, but its popularity lies in convenience and economy. Health food, on the other hand, comes at a price. The healthier and more nutritious it is, the more expensive it gets, going beyond the reach for the majority of the population,” she observes. The matter cannot remain the sole domain of the health ministry, though, and the community as a whole needs to wake up to the concept of healthy eating. “These are habits that parents need to instil in their children from the very beginning. Instead of telling children what and what not to do, parents can best teach them through their example,” she believes. Building bridges Back at BMS, one of Maha’s top priorities now is to activate the society, which remained largely inert since it was dissolved last year. Various committees have been formed, in weekly meetings, to take charge of different projects, the foremost of which involves setting up a society website. The BMS is also working on an electronic library where member doctors will be able to access medical journals online. Another team is working on the society’s quarterly journal, which hasn’t been published for over a year now. Meanwhile, the board continues to lobby with the government for improving the professional conditions and living standards of medical practitioners in the Kingdom. “We’ve been seeking a change in cadre and revision in the salary structure of doctors,” she says. “We’d like the government to look into our petition for housing facilities. Besides, we need some assistance in the upgrade of our premises.” On behalf of the medical community, the BMS is fine-tuning its response to the government in formulating a draft law on medical malpractice. Another committee on international affairs will liaise with organisations abroad, including the foreign media, to improve the society’s image on the international stage. Maha concedes that it will take a long while to undo the damage, but she is resolved to stay the course. “We’ll keep trying to reach out to our physician friends who are staying away. We want them back with us. After all, we live in the same country; we can never remain separated,” she says. Joseph Tito | August 2012 | woman this month 14 If the medical profession in Bahrain ever needed an image makeover, now would be the time. Voted to the helm of Bahrain Medical Society in a historic election earlier this year, Maha Al Kawari speaks of her new undertaking to Simi Kamboj. A Teacher’s Role Paving the Way
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