FOCUS Learning Centre Napier
Hi, I’m Robin Hicks. Along with my team of passionate teachers, I run FOCUS Learning Centre on Carlyle Street. We’ve been operating for 5 years now; previously as Kip McGrath, now as FLC. We work with children to maximise their academic success. Many of the younger students we see are not achieving as well as they should be at school. There can be lots of reasons for this, but the ones we see most often are the growing dependence on IT devices, and insufficient work on basic skills; language and maths. This is borne out by a growing body of research. While computers do have a place for practice, they generally make very poor teachers; it is the personal teacher/student relationships that get results. So called “old fashioned” skills, like writing; letter formation and written language skills, spelling, along with basic maths facts are still as valid today as ever, and in fact, science tells us they are critical in the cognitive development of our children. Sadly, these are the skills we regularly see missing in students. These gaps in their learning mean students are unable to keep up, which leads to a loss of confidence, and a downward spiral. We see some remarkable turn-arounds in children in both confidence and achievement when we can fill in these gaps.
Call me to discuss how we might help your children.
Poll: Do you think NZ should ban social media for youth?
The Australian Prime Minister has expressed plans to ban social media use for children.
This would make it illegal for under 16-year-olds to have accounts on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.
Social media platforms would be tasked with ensuring children have no access (under-age children and their parents wouldn’t be penalised for breaching the age limit)
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Do you think NZ should follow suit? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
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85.1% Yes
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13.8% No
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1.1% Other - I'll share below
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.
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