get ahead kids magazine vol. 1. no. 2. mar/apr 2009

FOR FAMILIES ON THE GO

Vol. 1 • No. 2 • Mar/Apr 09

www.getaheadkids.com.au

Kids & Vitamin D Deficiency

New Life at University

Thrilling Quad Bikes

Language

Special

John Marsden Interview

+

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02 4954 5799 www.metrollnewcastle.com.au

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www.getaheadkids.com.au 3

Editorial Your Letters

SpotlightAn Interview with John Marsden

LanguagesForeign Languages in Australia

Best Way to Learn French

Learn a Second Language with Bilingual Dolls

Baby Sign Language

Education & TrainingPractical Skills Training

New Life at University HealthJoin Popeye & Eat More Spinach


Green IssuesContaminated Wastelands Can Be Saved

People in FocusJustin Bergholcs Sport & Recreation Thrilling Quad Bikes

Buying Quad Gear For Kids

BusinessIn Search of a Better Family Life

Activity Zone

Reviews

Subscription

Advertisers Index

Distribution

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6An Interview with John Marsden

ContentsMar/Apr 2009

FOR FAMILIES ON THE GOThis Month’s

Get Ahead Kids™© MAP Marketing 2009

PublisherMAP MarketingABN 38 003 493 007Villa Franca, 2 Scott StNewcastle NSW 2300www.getaheadkids.com.auP: 02 4929 7766

Managing EditorMaria CharltonMAP MarketingABN 38 003 493 007Villa Franca, 2 Scott StNewcastle NSW 2300E: [email protected]: 02 4929 7766

Graphic DesignKatie HurstMAP MarketingP: 02 4929 7766

AdvertisingMaria CharltonMAP MarketingABN 38 003 493 007Villa Franca, 2 Scott StNewcastle NSW 2300E: [email protected]: 02 4929 7766

Get Ahead Kids™ is published by Marketing Advisers for Professionals Pty Ltd T/A MAP Marketing. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher does not accept responsibility for the opinions, errors or omissions.

Spotlight

Get Ahead Kids Mar/Apr 094

Get Ahead Kids came about because there was a gap in the market for an easy

to read magazine that targets families interested in their kids’ education.

Our readers have spoken and we have met their expectations. We did not

receive a single gong. All comments both negative and positive are welcome!

A must read for this issue is John Marsden’s interview. After reading the interview

one of my colleagues said: “Maria I want to know more!” We would love to do a

follow up article on John at a later date.

I particularly enjoyed the articles on Baby Signing and the Quad Bikes.

Enjoy reading Get Ahead Kids and keep the letters coming.

Maria Charlton

Managing Editor

P: 02 4929 7766

E: [email protected]

Editorial

Passing of Dr Greg Robinson

Dear Maria,

We received several copies of your

magazine ‘Get Ahead Kids’ Vol. 1

and were very happy to read your

article on Irlen Syndrome.

The Irlen Clinic that was located

at the Special Education Centre

at the University of Newcastle was

moved to Suite 2, 136 Nelson Street,

Wallsend 2287 in April, 2007. I have

been speaking to the Director of

the Special Education Centre and

he would like to know if you could

advise that the address for the Irlen

Clinic was incorrect.

The Irlen Lens program was

operated by my husband Dr Greg

Robinson since 1986, with Greg

researching extensively in the area.

Please send letters and stories with

your name and contact details to:

Get Ahead Kids

Villa Franca, 2 Scott St

Newcastle NSW 2300

F: (02) 4929 7827


He sadly passed away in December

2008 - which was one of the reasons

the clinic was moved to Wallsend in

2007. He has trained Dr Joan Brien

and she now is the diagnostician

working in the Clinic.

We see clients from north of Gosford,

the Hunter Valley and up to and

including Coffs Harbour.

The more useful website that could

be used is www.aaic.org.au and this

relates to all the clinics in Australia

and New Zealand.

Thank you again for such a great

article.

Regards Bev Robinson

Regional Director


Dear Maria,

I recently picked up your new

publication ‘Get Ahead Kids’ and

thought that it was a great tool for

our local education community to

communicate. Articles for parents

were useful and informative and

the publication is also an avenue

for opening up discussion and

recognition of what goes on in our

schools, colleges and universities.

Yours Sincerely,

Angela Leyden

Soaring Success

Finally an Australian magazine for

both kids and adults!

Congratulations on the inaugural

‘Get Ahead Kids’. Great stuff!

Best wishes to everyone at ‘Get

Ahead Kids’. May your new

magazine soar.

Paul Collins

www.paulcollins.com.au

Hi Maria,

I have just read your January issue

and thought it was great.

Joel Howlett

JD’s World of Magic

www.jd4magic.com

Your Letters

17 Arnott Street Newcastle West NSW 2302Tel: 02 4926 1300 Fax: 02 4926 5557

Email: [email protected] Web: www.ncp.com.au

Cert no. SCS-COC-001371

“It does not cost any moreto help our environment at

NCP Printing.”

Are you looking for quality education in a caring Christian environment?Limited places available for 2009

CALL 4979 8484Sound learning for

each individual in an aff ordable,

natural setting

A Year K – 12 Anglican School in the Diocese of Newcastle256 MINMI ROAD, FLETCHER • PO BOX 294, WALLSEND 2287

www.btac.nsw.edu.au82

468

Hi Maria,

I’m writing to congratulate you and

your team on the first issue of the

‘Get Ahead Kids’ magazine. The

articles were very informative and

the graphic design very impressive. I

look forward to future issues.

Kind Regards,

Phil Mahoney

Retail Success Promotions Manager

49 Turner Street

Lambton NSW 2299

P: 02 4952 9382

M: 0408 965 690


www.retailsuccess.com.au

Dear Maria,

I hope this email finds you happy

and well and that you are having

a great start to 2009. If the first

magazine issue of Get Ahead Kids is

anything to go by, you are having a

tremendously successful start.

I just wanted to contact you to say

thanks for the opportunity to get

involved with GAK and that I think

that the inaugural issue is excellent.

It looks fabulous, has a very

professional lay-out and contains

well written and relevant articles

throughout.

Best regards,

Nora Jones

P: 02 4953 7975

M: 0418 402 150

www.kidswrite.biz


An Interview with

How do you contribute to the

education of kids?

I try to create an environment where

they are not pressured and pulled

and prodded all the time. A school

where the teaching is sparky, edgy

and interesting, where kids can be

adventurous, and where they are

trusted.

What is the most memorable part of

attending The King’s School?

The quasi-military atmosphere! We

marched around and carried rifles

and saluted teachers and prefects...

you don’t see that often in Australia!

I don’t think it gave me the slightest

respect for the military approach to

life.

Please tell us about your family

My partner’s name is Kris, and she’s

a wonderful person, creative and

intelligent. We have six boys, aged

between 4 and 14. My mother is still

going strong, at 89, and I have two

sisters and a brother.

What are your hobbies?

It sounds boring to say education,

but I’m fascinated by it. Also, I love

backyard cricket, on-line scrabble,

and reading.

Why did you choose teaching over

a career in law?

Law seemed so rigid. I had the

feeling that a career in law would

change me and shape me into a

person who was different to the kind

of person I wanted to be. Teaching

allowed me to be creative, to

work with people, to do something

socially important... oh yeah, and to

have long holidays!

What is the most memorable part

of your first job at a mortuary?

The bodies were so uncooperative.

When you tried to move them, they

did nothing to help at all.

What are your career highlights?

Taking the manuscript of the next

book in the ‘Tomorrow’ series, to a

young woman who was dying of

cystic fibrosis, because she wanted

to read it before she died.

Winning the Lloyd O’Neil Award

for contributions to Australian

publishing.

Seeing kids at Candlebark do stuff -

like a Grade 3 boy at lunchtime

yesterday doing a kind of dance

with a plastic bag and a stick, for

ten minutes or so, with me thinking

“At many schools he wouldn’t feel

free enough to express himself like

that.”

What do you value most in life?

The emotional health of all people,

but perhaps especially children.

What is your most unforgettable

personal experience?

Opening a carton and seeing the

published copies of my first book, `So

Much to Tell You’.

What is your favourite Australian

destination and why?

The Cross-Cut Saw, which I used as

the setting for the ‘Tomorrow’ series.

These wild, strong, fierce Victorian

mountains attract me with a power I

can never resist.

What is your best overseas

experience?

I guess just walking the streets of

Paris. I could do that all day, every

day. The shop windows, the

passers-by, even the cars and bikes,

are like a great free art show.

What do your books offer readers?

I hope, with some books, a chance

to understand life a little better.

That readers might understand

themselves and others at a deeper

level perhaps, by reading books

like Checkers. With other books,

just sheer escapism, to a different

world where readers can be with

characters that are somehow more

attractive and interesting than

anyone in real life!

Spotlight

John Marsden


Spotlight

About John Marsden

With more than 30 books and over

three million sales, John Marsden

is one of the most successful teen

writers. He is a leading author of

teenage fiction and his controversial

novels have a loyal following in

Australia and overseas.

Born in 1950, John’s family moved to

Sydney when he was 9 years old. He

was enrolled at The King’s School,

Parramatta, renowned for its military

style of education.

He taught at Geelong Grammar

School, and became Head of

English at the school’s Timbertop

campus.

In 1982, he spent an overnight stint

in jail after being arrested while on

the blockade to stop construction

of the Franklin Dam. This experience

provided the inspiration for “Letters

from The Inside” and parts of the

‘Tomorrow’ series.

John’s ‘Tomorrow’ series is

recognised as the most popular

Australian book series for young

adults. His first book of this series,

“Tomorrow, When the War Began”,

has been reprinted 26 times in

Australia.

His current project is developing an

alternative school, Candlebark, on

his bush property, in the foothills of

the Macedon Ranges, half an hour

north of Melbourne airport, and

near Hanging Rock. It opened on

31 January 2006. In 2008 the school

had 87 students ranging from Prep

to Year 9.

This school encourages students to

take calculated risks. “Take care,

take risks” could be seen as the

school motto.

Candlebark aims to attain the

highest possible academic

standards and good manners, in a

tranquil, beautiful setting. There is no

school uniform, and everyone is on

a first name basis.

Classes are small; in 2008 they

ranged from 5 to 15. For many years,

John has argued that private and

public Australian schools are full of

rigid structures, overbearing rules

and cumbersome frameworks which

all deter learning.

He urges for the breakdown in

communication barriers between

adults and young people and a

focus on confidence building.

John’s ideal school has high

physical, moral and academic

standards and these have

been woven into the culture of

Candlebark.

At Candlebark there is an endearing

relationship between the staff and

the students. John states that in

novels and schools, the emphasis is

on relationship building.

The first thing a school should

pay attention to is the physical

environment, whether it is located

in the city or the country. Beauty

is important and it should surround

young people so that they grow up

in that atmosphere.

Schools need to be full of surprises,

innovative, flexible and should

maintain a high academic

standard.

He wants a school that has a

good sense of humour and an

expectation that there is a “yes” to

things instead of “no”.

Teachers at Candlebark have

extraordinary skills and backgrounds!

The science/IT teacher holds a Ph.D.,

the art teacher is a well-known

and successful artist and published

poet. One of the music teachers

has had works commissioned by

Opera Australia and the Melbourne

Symphony Orchestra. And, English

teacher, John Marsden is a

renowned, best selling author.

John Marsden’s published books

include:

The ‘Tomorrow’ series

Tomorrow, When the War Began •

(1993)

The Dead Of The Night (1994)•

The Third Day, The Frost (1995)•

Darkness, Be My Friend (1996)•

Burning For Revenge (1997)•

The Night Is For Hunting (1998)•

The Other Side Of Dawn (1999)•

The Ellie Chronicles - follow up series

to the ‘Tomorrow’ series:

While I liv• e (2003)

Incurable (2005)•

Circle of Flight (2006)•

Candlebark School

83 Kerrie Road

Romsey VIC 3434

P: (03) 5427 0384

F: (03) 5427 0395


www.candlebark.info


Languages

According to the 2006 Australian

census, the major foreign languages

spoken in Australian homes are:

Italian •

Greek •

Cantonese •

Arabic •

Mandarin •

Vietnamese •

People, aged five years and over,

who reported speaking a language

other than English at home were

mainly counted in New South Wales

(1,015,862 people) and Victoria

(816,558). These States had high

proportions of overseas-born people

who were born in countries other

than the United Kingdom, Ireland

and New Zealand.

Official United Nations Languages

The United Nations declared

2008 the Year of Languages

and recognised that “genuine

multilingualism promotes unity

in diversity and international

understanding”. Its six official

languages were Arabic, Chinese,

English, French, Russian and Spanish.

Reasons to Teach Children a Second

Language

Increases understanding of the •

mind & context of the foreign

language

Allows a child to explore other •

cultures & communicate with

more people - at home & abroad

Creates new opportunities for •

future employment

Boosts understanding of •

languages in general & enables

students to use their native

language more effectively

Has a ripple effect, helping to •

improve student performance in

other subjects

Helps appreciate international •

literature, music & film translation.

Translations rarely match the

intent, beauty, style, & uniqueness

of its original

Provides deeper & more satisfying •

travel experiences

Expands study abroad options - for •

advanced language students, the

opportunities are even greater

Provides children with the •

opportunity of seeing themselves &

their culture from an outside

perspective

Helps children understand the •

language & culture better through

the relationship between the

foreign language, e.g. studying

Greek allows understanding of

the origin & meaning of numerous

English words

Helps a child to develop selective •

attention skills

Helpful Tips for Bilingual Teaching

Give children plenty of practice

in both languages

Children learn languages best

from people not DVDs

Read to children in both

languages

Use language the same way with

all of your children

Have patience with mistakes &

language switching

Sing songs & play games

to help develop language

comprehension skills

Language lessons help children

appreciate foreign culture &

heritage

Research shows that language

students learn more effectively &

retain more when they study

frequently & for shorter periods

of time

The absolute best way to learn

vocabulary is through the use

of flash cards that you make

yourself

Say vocabulary words out loud,

read passages in the text aloud,

do pronunciation activities orally &

not just mentally

Maximise language exposure -

speak to people, rent a movie in

the target language, or listen to

authentic audio or video online

E: [email protected] www.languageseducation.com

Foreign Languages in Australia


Best Way to Learn

So you want to learn to speak

French? Perhaps you want to

reinforce your existing language

studies or you are about to travel

to a French speaking country. Or

you may want to learn another

language to enrich your experiences

and embark on a journey of

discovering a new culture. Also, you

want to be able to do this in the best

way and the shortest time.

If you want to speak fluent French

in two months, Rocket French has

been reviewed as a great product

to help you achieve this.

www.frenchcoursereviews.com

probed, tried and exposed 5 French

language learning products and

concluded one stood out above

the rest. Rocket French was rated

as the easiest course to learn. It

was reviewed to be superior in

teaching power, fun, and versatility.

It also fulfilled its promise to have

you speaking fluent French in two

months.

The 31 tracks in the Rocket French

Interactive Audio Course are an

average of 20 minutes in length,

and cover 11 hours of audio lessons.

Transcripts of the conversations in

the lessons are included so you can

use the scripts to keep up with the

lessons. These lessons are reputed to

cover everything that you need to

know to become part of the local

French community - introducing

yourself, having a conversation and

getting help in an emergency.

Rocket French also contains 45

illustrated grammar lessons and

claims to take you from beginner to

advanced in your French speaking.

The grammar lessons include over

400 pages of grammar, over 3,000

audio tracks and 788 exercises and

activities.

Best of all, Rocket French offers a

free six-day trial course and a “Full

Money Back Guarantee”.

Marie-Claire Rivière of Rocket French

states:

“You will be able to enter into a

different culture, a different world!

Being bilingual is a very special

ability, and it’s a gift that we want to

give to you.”

Rocket French Reviews Out of a

Maximum 100

Teaching Power 98

Value for Money 98

Fun Power 95

Overall Rating 97

*www.frenchcoursereviews.com

Languages

Review of Rocket French


concluded that Rocket French:

Was the most fun

The interactive audio lessons

were light & humorous

Each audio course was

reinforced with several

interactive software games

It can be conveniently

purchased online via instant

download

It was cost effective price

The customer support was

excellent

Had a full money back

guarantee

For more Information:

www.rocketlanguages.com


French

Overall Rating

Fun Power

Value for Money

Teaching Power

93 94 95 96 97 98 99


Learn a Second Language with Bilingual Dolls

Languages

A great way to teach your child

(three years plus) a second

language is by using the comfort of

a bilingual doll (40cm).

Kids can travel and play with this

toy - whilst becoming familiar with a

second language.

With the press of a palm, the doll

says an English word or phrase

followed by the selected second

language. The word timing is perfect

for both language versions. And, the

doll comes with an easy-to-follow

language translation so that parents

and kids can become familiar with

the written word.

These soft-bodied dolls represent kids

from France, Italy, China, Japan,

Korea, Israel, Germany, Greece,

Russia and Spanish-speaking

countries. In contrast to many

commercially available blonde

and blue-eyed dolls, these dolls are

different in culture and appearance.

Jolie Ling Emma Alexa Sarah David


Languages

Each doll is equipped with a

sophisticated sound module, safely

concealed in the doll’s stomach.

Unlike other speaking dolls, these

dolls have a human recorded voice.

Small wires extend through the arms

to allow the hands to be activated

when pressed.

Simply press one of the dolls hands

and it recites a series of “kid friendly”

phrases. Press the other hand and it

will count, recite colors, and/or days

of the week. Press its knee it says “I

love you”.

Each doll offers a direct translation

from English to its foreign language

with perfect intonation. It offers

instant rewards so kids delight in

showing off their ‘fluency’ in a new

language.

Each doll speaks up to 30

child-friendly words and phrases;

from greetings, numbers, favourite

colours, and days of the week.

These dolls now come in 10 different

languages:

Greek - Alexa1.

Russian - Anna2.

Italian - Sophie3.

German - Emma4.

Spanish - Lizzie & Ricky5.

Mandarin - Ling6.

Korean - Young Hee7.

French - Jolie8.

Hebrew - Sarah & David9.

Japanese - Yumi10.

The bilingual doll is a suitable toy for

all children and a great educational

tool for day care,

child care, and pre-primary. Its

advantages include:

Interactive toy•

Creative tool for parents •

Educational tool•

Fun toy•

Great travel mate•

Connect a child with his/her •

cultural heritage

Enquiries

Get Ahead Learning

P: 1300 657 220

P: 02 4946 7277


www.getaheadlearning.com.au

Lizzie speaks Spanish & English

Press her

knee to hear

“I love you!”

Press Lizzie’s

right hand to

hear a series

of greetings Press Lizzie’s left hand to

hear her count to ten &

list her favourite animals

Sophie Yumi Anna Lizzie Ricky Young Hee


Here are some of the many benefits

enjoyed from using Baby Sign

Language:

Enjoy earlier communication &

earlier speech

A closer bond will be formed

Baby & you will be less frustrated

Empower your baby with greater

self-esteem & self-confidence

Help increase vocabulary

Promote a higher interest in

books & reading

Help build more of your child’s

brain function through the

stimulation of both brain

hemispheres giving the potential

to increase IQ

For More Information

Jo Mason-Pagett

M: 0407 717 222


www.signitbaby.com.au

Baby Sign Language

Why wait for your child to talk before

you start communicating?

All parents want to give their child

the best start in language, love

and life. Baby Sign Language is an

effective tool, providing the building

blocks to help you achieve all of

these things.

Baby Sign Language gives the

ability, using your hands, to

communicate with your baby

before speech occurs.

The signs are taken from Auslan

(Australian Sign Language). This

is a beautiful and rich language,

which has its own unique grammar

structure.

The signs used are very simple,

enabling parents to enjoy a two

way conversation months before

speech development. Babies

naturally use hand gestures to try

and communicate, so signing simply

hones in on this skill.

This is not a new concept. Research

has actually been going on

throughout the US and UK for the

past couple of decades. The most

significant studies were conducted

by Dr Joseph Garcia, Dr Susan

Goodwyn and Dr Linda Acredolo.

Their combined findings revealed

many advantages, some of

these were accelerated speech

development, larger vocabularies

and an increased IQ.

Jo Mason-Pagett

Jo Mason-Pagett Holly Johnson

More studies, and many parents

first hand experiences, continue to

prove the bountiful positive results

both short and long term, that this

language skill provides. “We teach

our babies to sign ‘hello, goodbye’

and ‘give five’, why not teach

them to sign something useful like

‘milk’, ‘thirsty’, ‘hungry’ or ‘sleep’ so

that’s what we did, and we have

never looked back. Frustrations

are replaced with excitement as

we ‘catch’ our baby signing his

needs to us. Now it is just a matter of

keeping up with him” - parents of an

8 month old signing baby.

Research is showing, that utilising

Sign Language, is also proving

successful with non verbal children,

who have Autism, Down Syndrome

and other brain or speech disorders.

Signing can enable these children to

express their needs in a way that is

more socially acceptable and easily

understood. This communication

method will provide a more positive

experience for the child, reduce

frustration and enable a closer bond

with their parent or carer.

So, for parents and carers who

choose to benefit, they can open a

window into their child’s mind and

be able to explore together what

they are thinking, need and want.

Baby Sign Language is fun and

will enhance communication for

everyone!

Languages


Practical Skills Training

Courses in Agriculture & Horse Husbandry

Large number of scholarships available

Open Days in July & October school holidays

Phone: 1800 025 520

The Practical Advantage

www.tocal.com

The CB Alexander Tocal College

provides a blend of agricultural

training and practical experience

for school leavers and other people

who may be interested in careers

in agriculture. It offers a unique

experience in the great outdoors

and unique approach to individual

and team learning.

Tocal College is a NSW leader in

part time and full time agricultural

courses, short courses and distance

education.

The College provides practical

training, industry-relevant skills and

experiences in general agriculture,

beef cattle, dairying, business

management, sheep production,

cropping and conservation and

land management.

This training is offered to Year 10, 11

or 12 school leavers. Tocal training

provides a practical pathway to

careers in agriculture or gaining

credit in a variety of university

degrees.

The Tocal campus is the only NSW

residential agricultural college with

large commercial farms. These

offer students practical experience

to prepare them for careers in

agriculture or related professions.

Students gain broad practical skills

on the Tocal farms that run, up to

1,500 beef cattle, 70 Australian

stock horses, 200 cow dairy herd,

300 sheep for prime lamb and wool

production and 4 poultry sheds

producing more than 500,000

chickens per year.

Tocal facilitates the acquisition of 70

practical farm skills including:

Safe tractor operation & •

maintenance

Riding motor bikes & quads•

Chainsaw operation•

Conventional & electric fencing•

Using hand tools•

Horse riding•

Mustering & cattle work•

Handling sheep•

Calf & lamb marking•

Rope knots•

Milking cows•

Vaccination & drenching of •

sheep & cattle

Mouthing cattle & sheep•

Estimating weight of animals•

Operating a front end loader•

Using a handheld GPS system•

Students with farm experience can

receive credit for any farm skills they

already have. They get the chance

to gain accreditation in welding,

first aid, farm chemicals and

woolclassing during their time at the

college. This adds to the students’

skills base and makes them more

employable on farms.

P: 1800 025 520


www.tocal.com

Education & Training


University is different to high school.

The freedom, independence and

lack of constant monitoring are

factors that make university life

both exhilarating and exhausting.

Students who were high achievers

in structured high school classes

may find it hard to manoeuvre the

buildings labyrinth and liberal class

environment.

First year university students may

feel at odds being away from their

normal high school networks for the

first time and hesitant about forming

new friendships.

In addition, university classes are

more difficult than those in high

school. There is a need for

commitment to ongoing background

reading and preparation prior to

attending lectures. And there is

nobody there to insist you do this. It

takes self discipline and dedication

to last the distance.

New Life at University


Hints for New University Students

Settle into University Life

Make sure you have what you need

and know where you are going

within the university campus. Allow

time to adjust to university life and to

manage your time, as you are about

to juggle a number of things other

than starting university lectures,

tutorials and labs.

Establish a Routine

Establish a routine that includes

attending lectures, completing

research and doing assignments.

Maintain your sporting and

recreational activities to give you

that energy boost you need for

your new life. Plan your home

surroundings so that you can find

everything to facilitate progress and

success.

Practice Self Discipline

At university, there is no one to

check up that you are attending

lectures and tutorials. When the

course is unfamiliar, it may sound

garbled if you do not complete

your background reading prior

to attending lectures. Ensure that

you attend lectures even if you

have not finished all your reading

because you can pick up more

information than not attending at

all. If you miss too many classes it

will affect you, impacting on your

grades. Ensure that you use the

“Swiss Cheese Approach” in finishing

assignments by breaking large tasks

to manageable chunks.

Make New Friends

If your school friends are doing other

courses, the university campus can

be a lonely place. If you allow time

and make some effort, you will

develop a new set of friends. You

can meet new friends in lectures,

student union(s), tutorials, as well

as social and sporting clubs. Great

relationships are not developed

overnight. It takes effort and

common experiences to cement

friendships.

It is important to choose your friends

wisely - those who support you in

your course progress. Friends who

want to party and have a good time

at the expense of a good education

can be a serious handicap.

Set High Academic Standards

It is important to set high personal

and academic standards and not

second guess yourself. Research

and develop your study and

examination skills to support you

towards getting better grades. High

grades do count as they indicate to

university staff and future employers

your persistence and dedication.

Use Student Services

As an enrolled university student,

there are a diverse number of

services and resources at your

disposal including academic, social,

sporting, spiritual, careers and

counselling services. It is wise to ask

for help while your problems are

small as these often accumulate

and become big issues.



Reward Yourself

It is important to reward yourself

for completing an assignment and

getting good grades in exams.

Take time off, enjoy family life. Take

a holiday or just have fun!

First Week ChecklistAttend Orientation Day

Enrol in all courses or lectures for

Semester 1

Obtain schedule outlines for all

courses

Purchase books & resources for

enrolled courses

Become aware of the location

of all lectures, tutorials &

laboratories

Have a copy of the academic

calendar

Obtain a Student ID card

Ensure you have received an

internet username, password &

email address

Remember to check student

email account for messages

Know the location of the

student union

Explore social, sporting &

recreational activities

www.australia.edu


Health

Popeye’s spinach eating prowess

has been triumphed in a study on

the health benefits of spinach by

Queensland Institute of Medical

Research (QIMR). This study indicates

that consumption of green leafy

vegetables such as spinach and

silverbeet is linked with a reduction

in the risk of skin cancer, particularly

among those with a previous history

of the disease.

Since the Popeye comic strip was

first published in 1919, Popeye has

publicly consumed copious amounts

of spinach whilst saying “I yam what I

yam, and that’s all that I yam!”

Popeye has appeared in comic

books, television cartoons, video

games, hundreds of advertisements

and peripheral products, and a

1980 movie starring Robin Williams as

Popeye.

He inspired generations of kids to eat

their spinach and boosted spinach

sales, resulting in the creation of his

very own brand of canned spinach,

and statues erected in his honour.

Join Popeye & Eat More Spinach!

But, is there any medical evidence

that eating spinach recharges

Popeye the Sailor Man’s superhuman

strength, and makes him the man

Olive Oyl loves?

Spinach is one of many vegetables

that kids hate to eat. If they see a

cartoon character, like Popeye,

eating it and becoming super strong,

then it has a whole new appeal.

Spinach is one of the healthiest foods

to eat, but there are vegetables

that are just as nutritious for example

broccoli.

Spinach is high in calcium, folic acid,

potassium, iron, magnesium, vitamins

C and A, lutein, and zeaxanthin.

These ingredients promote bone, eye,

and neural tube health, and may

help the production of red blood

cells, steady our heartbeat and blood

pressure. It is certainly a food that can

make kids strong.

The QIMR research reports that the

benefits of eating spinach may be

much greater than Popeye would

have ever imagined. Eating more

spinach and other green leafy

vegetables may help protect against

skin cancer.

Dr Jolieke van der Pols from QIMR says

green leafy vegetables contain a

variety of vitamins, minerals and other

bioactive substances that are known

to have anti-cancer properties.

“Green leafy vegetables are good

sources of folic acid, vitamins A, C

and E, the carotenoids lutein and

zeaxanthin, and other components

which may help boost the skin’s

natural defence against damage

caused by UV rays,” Dr van der Pols

said.

“This new evidence suggests that

an increase in consumption of these

foods may help to reduce the risk of

skin cancer recurring among those

with a previous history by up to 55

percent.”

These findings provide a timely

reminder that diet may be very

important in preventing skin cancer.

Whilst consuming more green leafy

vegetables may help protect against

skin cancer, QIMR maintains that

wearing protective clothing, applying

sunscreen daily and avoiding

excessive UV exposure is still the best

way to avoid skin cancer.


Health

Checklist to Encourage Kids to Eat More SpinachParents need to set a good example & include spinach in their diet

Don’t mix spinach with other vegetables

Think about colour, smell & texture & serve with cheese, butter or croutons

Offer dips or dressings for spinach as a side dish

Keep the serving to about half a cup

Add spinach to favourite foods

Arrange spinach as a tree, ball, or face to get kids to eat it

Grow spinach in a pot plant & encourage kids to care & harvest

Involve kids in cooking spinach

Persevere as it takes up to 12 times for kids to acquire a taste for new foods

Dr Jolieke van der Pols research can

be found

www.qimr.edu.au/research

Andrew Vanderbilt

QIMR Media Relations Officer

P: (07) 3362 0292

F: (07) 3362 0102


Safe & Friendly

Social Interaction

Colourful & Well Equipped

Variety of Learning Activities

Experienced & Qualified Staff

Karrawong Kindy 0-3 years T: 02 4953 1860

11 Withers Street West Wallsend NSW 2286

Karrawong Kindy 3-6 years T: 02 4953 1865

75 Carrington Street West Wallsend NSW 2286

F: 02 4953 1865

E: [email protected] with NCAC


Vitamin D is known as the sunshine

vitamin. Exposure to ultraviolet

light stimulates the production of

this vitamin and hormone. Many

people get their entire supply of

vitamin D from sunlight. Vitamin D is

well known to play an essential role

in cell growth, boosting the immune

system and strengthening bones.

Vitamin D also helps to prevent

cancers, heart disease, diabetes

and tuberculosis.

Very few foods in nature contain

vitamin D. The flesh of fish and

fish liver oils are among the best

sources. Small amounts of vitamin D

are found in beef liver, cheese and

egg yolks.

Children and individuals who often

stay out of the sunlight are at a

high risk of developing vitamin

D deficiency. It is also common

among pregnant and breast

feeding women and vitamin

supplements are a common

solution.

Mothers who are breast feeding

and diagnosed with vitamin D

deficiency need to stop breast

feeding as young babies develop

deficiency through their mother’s

milk. Infants are usually treated with

an oral supplement.

Diagnosis for Vitamin D deficiency

is usually made by undertaking a

blood test and once it is detected,

it can be treated with calciferol

supplements. These supplements

need to be prescribed by a doctor

and progress carefully monitored.

Vitamin D helps in the development

of normal teeth. In deficiency

of Vitamin D, teeth formation

becomes defective and leads to

the development of tooth decay.

The increased prevalence of Autism

over the last 20 years corresponds

with increasing medical advice to

avoid the sun. This has probably

lowered vitamin D levels in

developing brains. Consumption

of vitamin D containing fish during

pregnancy reduces Autistic

symptoms in offspring.

Children with vitamin D deficient

rickets have several Autistic markers

that apparently disappear with

high-dose vitamin D treatment.

Autism is more common in low sun

areas such as high altitude regions,

urban, highly polluted and high rain

areas. Autism is more common in

dark-skinned persons.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins

University reported what is believed

to be the most conclusive evidence

to date that inadequate levels

of vitamin D, obtained from milk,

fortified cereals and exposure

to sunlight, lead to substantially

increased risk of death.

The Archives of Internal Medicine

online 11 Aug. 2008 stated that

the Johns Hopkins team analysed

a diverse sample of 13,000

initially healthy men and women

participating in long term national

health survey that compared the

risk of death between those with

the lowest blood levels of vitamin D

to those with higher amounts.



Health

Of the 1,800 study participants

known to have died by 31 Dec.

2000, nearly 700 died from some

form of heart disease, with 400 of

them being deficient in vitamin D.

This translates overall to an

estimated 26% increased risk of any

death. But, the number of deaths

from heart disease alone were not

large enough to meet scientific

criteria to resolve that it was due to

low vitamin D levels.

Dr Erin Donnelly Michos, an assistant

professor at the Johns Hopkins

University School of Medicine and

its Heart and Vascular Institute,

recommends that people boost

their vitamin D levels by eating diets

rich in such fish as sardines and

mackerel, consuming fortified dairy

products, taking cod liver oil and

vitamin supplements and in warmer

weather briefly exposing skin to the

sun’s vitamin D producing ultraviolet

light.

Dr Robert Schroth from the

University of Manitoba researched

Early Childhood Caries (ECC)

and the role that nutrition and

prenatal factors have on infant and

preschool oral health. He reported

that mothers of children who

developed cavities at an early age

had significantly lower vitamin D

levels during pregnancy than those

whose children were cavity free.

Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency

in Kids

Deformed skulls

Late-closing fontanelles

(soft spot)

Rib-breastbone joint enlargement

Delayed sitting

Delayed crawling

Delayed walking

Fatigue

Muscle pain & aches

Treatment

High-calcium, high-phosphorous

diet

Vitamin D supplements

Cod liver oil

People at Risk of Vitamin D

Deficiency

Pregnant & breast feeding

women

Breastfed infants

Individuals who get minimal

exposure to sun light

Dark-skinned people in low

sunlight countries

Individuals with Crohn’s disease,

celiac disease, kidney or liver

disease.

Housebound elderly & sick

Individuals with limited sunlight

exposure

Individuals with musculoskeletal

pain

Overweight or obese individuals

For an interview with Dr Robert

Schroth on Early Childhood Caries

visit www.cda-adc.ca

The DIPL program is a unique integrated Literacy program for the primary school years. It has been written for daily use in the classroom and meets the outcomes for the NSW English Syllabus and Quality Teaching pedagogy.

DIPL is currently in over 100 schools across Australia and has now been taken up by schools in the United Kingdom and Middle East! DIPL develops children’s skills in listening, grammar, phonological awareness, spelling and reading in a fun, effective way.DIPL helps children spell well all of the time, not just in Friday’s spelling test!DIPL encourages active listening and critical reasoning skills & programming done for the teacher.DIPL has unique spelling rules.

DIPL does! Call us now!

Email or call us now [email protected] or 02 4957 8992 to request a FREE sample pack! www.dipl.com.au

Do you know why scrap has a “c” but sketch has a “k”?


Green Issues

Newcastle University academic,

Dr John Lucas heads Innova Soil

Technology Ltd that has developed

a new Thermal Desorption Process

to allow safe on-site treatment of

contaminated soils. This unique

technology can be used to clean

contaminated manufacturing and

petroleum sites.

Because of its industrial background,

the Hunter region has extensive

tracks of contaminated land. In

many cases, this land is situated

beside major waterways and around

major ports. Innova located its first

processing plant on the former BHP

steelworks site. This plant, which can

treat 40 tonnes of contaminated soil

per hour, passed all independent

tests.

Mr Bruce Dawson, EPA executive

director regional services said

that on-site soil treatment results in

less contaminated soil to landfill.

He said independent monitoring

conducted throughout the three

month remediation process verified

the removal of contaminants while

conforming to all emission limits.

Dr John Lucas, Managing Director

Innova Soil Technology Ltd states:

“From a social and environmental

perspective, it was essential to

develop a process to treat the

contaminated land while at the

same time ensuring no negative

impacts on air and water systems.

Innova Soil Technology has

welcomed the close scrutiny of the

EPA and we are confident we have

demonstrated the effectiveness of

the technology and its potential

benefits”.

The Thermal Desorption Process

cleans the soil of hydrocarbon

contaminants by heating the soil in

a rotary dryer to almost 500 degrees

until the contaminants are vaporised

and reduced to an “undetectable”

level.

Thermal Desorption Process consists

of plant that is mobile and suitable

for treatment of all organic based

contaminants. This process is energy

efficient, has low operating costs

and leads to a permanent solution.

Several measures have been

employed to ensure that all EPA

stack gas and particulate emission

standards are not only met but

are in fact considered world’s best

practice.

The Thermal Desorption process

facilitates onsite treatment of

contaminants at the source and is

suitable for treatment of all organic

based contaminants including:

Petrols & oils, coal tars & creosote •

Pesticides & herbicides•

Transformer fluids •

Explosives •

The advantages of this process

include:

The rapid gas quench eliminates •

any potential for dioxin

formation, and emissions meet

world’s best standards.

It neutralises acid gases •

encountered, while treating

contaminated soil significantly

reduces acid gas emissions.

The process recycles waste heat •

energy further reducing energy

use and operating costs while

improving reliability & reducing

greenhouse gas emissions.

This system is flexible and can •

also be modified to particular soil

characteristics.

Dr John Lucas

John is the associate professor

in the Department of Chemical

Engineering, University of Newcastle

and managing director of Innova

Soil Technology.

In 1985 - Dr John Lucas won The

Institution of Engineers, Australia

Award - University of Newcastle

made annually to the final year

student who completes the

Bachelor of Engineering degree with

First Class Honours at the University of

Newcastle.

P: 02 4968 6770


www.innovasoil.com.au

Contaminated Wastelands Can Be Saved


Justin Bergholcs Justin is a Novocastrian who has

lived and worked in Bhutan, India,

Tibet and Nepal regions since 1996.

His life changed in 1996 when he

was asked to help with His Holiness

the Dalai Lama during his Sydney

visit. At a press conference, His

Holiness was asked; “What is the

meaning of life?”. He replied “The

meaning of life is to be happy and

useful... happiness and usefulness is

the meaning of life”.

Justin took up this challenge and

with Dawa Gyalpo Sherpa, his

adopted son, they formed the

Blue Dragon Enterprises that offers

guided tours of the Himalayan

regions. These are non-trekking

journeys that range from easy to

more challenging walks.

The in built education and culture

exchanges are exhilarating

encounters. Participants can explore

Buddhist gonpas (temples), visit a

tea plantation or just amble around

the market.

People in Focus

Dawa and Justin have commenced

a journey to build a school and

shelter for the less fortunate children

of the Darjeeling Region to give these

children an opportunity to better their

mind, body and spirit.

Blue Dragon Enterprises is committed to

equity; education and improving the

lives of all people especially those of

Himalayan region.

M: 0412 848 000


www.bluedragon.com.au

CONVEYANCINGS E R V I C E S

MOBILE OFFICE0423 570 410

ADAMSTOWN 02 4957 3655

MAITLAND 02 4934 1852

Guarantee 24 hour turnaround on conveyancing quotations. Even faster if you use our web enquiry form on www.conveyancing-services.com.au

CONVEYANCING MADE FOR YOU Land

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EASY

You can search for a bargain in one

of the many curio shops. Take in the

sights and sounds. Interact with the

locals. Learn how to cook Tibetan

and Nepalie food. Visit a Tibetan

doctor. Experience an aryuvedic

massage.

You get the opportunity to

experience classic Tibetan culture,

up close and personal. Each

year the monks of Thupten Sange

Choeling Monastery perform

chaam, a sacred dance that

signifies the illusory nature of life.

Justin Bergholcs (right) with his adopted son, Dawa Gyalpo Sherpa.


Sport & Recreation

Quad biking can be great fun for

sport, pleasure or riding over difficult

environments such as deserts,

beaches, mountains and forests.

But, Quad bikes are powerful

machines that need to be handled

with proper care and attention.

Introduced in the United States in

the early 1960s, the Quad Bike has

become a recreational vehicle used

in countless races and tournaments.

In Australia quad bikes have a

dedicated magazine “Australian

ATV Action”.

Before you jump in and invest in

quad bikes, please ensure you and

your family really want it as it is a

costly investment. Quad bike riding is

more enduring if it is a family sport.

You need to clean and service your

quad bike in the same way as four

wheel drive that goes over similar

terrain.

Furthermore you need to take

instruction and be knowledgeable

in driving it. Similar to a motorcycle

it has more wheels and may require

additional adjustments on the part

of the driver.

Quad bikes handle differently from

motorbikes and can overturn easily.

Thrilling Quad Bikes

If the Quads are not controlled

going uphill or downhill, you can find

yourself underneath the bike. Turning

and cornering techniques are also

different and need to be mastered.

Before you buy a Quad bike for your

children it is wise to instruct them first

and build up their confidence. Get

tuition from a qualified instructor, or

an experienced rider.

You and your children need to know

all the safety measures and the way

to treat other Quad bike drivers. This

will increase your enjoyment, avoid

accidents and harm to yourself and

others.


Always get permission from the

land owners or rangers before

driving your quad bike

It is illegal to ride quad bikes in

parks

Juniors under the age of

eighteen need parental

supervision

Drive at an appropriate speed

for terrain

Insure your vehicle by using a

specialist insurer

Enquiries

Paul Nixon

ATV Action Editor

“Australian ATV Action”


www.allwaysstainless.com.au

Sport & Recreation

Checklist for Enjoying Quad Bikes

Know the rules of driving Quad

bikes

Always wear proper protective

clothing

Rally & sport riders must wear

body armour

Always take a change of

clothing

Always wear a crash helmet

Do not carry passengers as it

unbalances the bike making it

difficult to control

Many quad bikes are not made

to be driven on normal road

H U N T E R V A L L E Y G R A M M A R S C H O O L

OPEN MORNING27 MARCH 9am-12.30pm

Enquire about our academic, music and visual arts scholarships available for 2010. Applications close 9 April.

Norfolk StreetAshtonfield NSW 2323P • 4934 2444 F • 4934 2404E • [email protected] • www.hvgs.nsw.edu.au

Visit Hunter Valley Grammar School on our Open Morning and experience for yourself the right learning environment.

Classrooms from Preschool to Year 12 will be open for you to visit and staff will be on hand to help answer any questions you may have.


Celebrity dad and dune ace Paul Nixon knows all about buying riding gear for kids, so we asked him to share some

of that information. Read this and you can say you know everything about it.

Sport & Recreation

Buying Quad Gear For KidsPaul Nixon

Checklist for Must Have Quad Bike Gear

Helmet: Do not let your child ride

without one. When shopping for

a helmet the first thing to look for

is an Australian Standard sticker.

It’s usually on the back of the

helmet and has ‘AS1698’ written

on it. This is very important as it

certifies that the helmet meets

all required Australian safety and

performance standards.

RRP: $99 - $220.

How Heavy: Weight is a big factor

in a child’s helmet - the lighter the

better. Most helmet manufacturers

do not recommend putting a

helmet on a child under three

and a half years of age because

their spinal chords are still too soft

to support the extra weight. For

a child under three and a half, a

good pushie helmet is the way to

go.

Feels Comfy: Do not buy a helmet

for your children to grow into. Fit

is very important for their safety.

Fitting a helmet to a child is

always hard because they usually

can’t tell you what the fit is like. I

find the easiest way is to put the

helmet on them and then slip

two fingers between their upper

cheek and the helmet. Tight is

good. Can’t get your fingers in,

then go up a size.

Goggles: A good investment to

keep the muck out of their eyes,

especially if they’re following

dad around in circles. Make

sure goggles fit inside the helmet

‘port’ and are a good fit for the

face. If you’re riding in high glare

situation, on dunes for example,

look for a set for which tinted

lenses are available.

RRP: $30 - $50.

Body Armour: Another must have.

Any pressure on the chest or back

from a fall will spread across the

armor. This is excellent protection

from rocks or sticks that may be

thrown up. The other reason for

buying armour is that you can’t

wear a protective neck roll or

collar without it. RRP: $90 to $170.

Neck Roll Or Collar: These

inventions have only been around

for a few years but are one of

the best safety ideas I’ve seen.

They’re worn around the neck

to stop the helmet going too far

forward or back, or to the side.

This is fantastic in minimising neck

injuries. They need to be attached

to the body armor. RRP: $55 - $60.

Gloves: Okay, so why are they a

must? Your child hasn’t done 10

years of manual labor to toughen

up his hands. Well, I hope not

anyway. You want his riding

experience to be an enjoyable

one and it’s not going to be that

way if he develops blisters 10

So the small one who controls your

life has talked you into buying him a

quad bike and as a model parent

you’re on your way to satisfying

his wish, secretly believing that if

the little one has one then you too

are on your way to a new quad (it

works, believe me!)

You’ve already gone through the

process of picking the right quad to

suit the child, but there’s something

else that you need to do before

going home with a new bike and

that’s getting the riding gear

organised. You’re not going to be

very popular turning up with the bike

and saying that they can’t ride it

until they have their safety gear.

Buying the right gear for your child is

an absolute must do.

Your child’s safety is priority. If he’s

taught from the beginning that

he (or of course, she) does not

ride without the correct gear, it’ll

become second nature for them

to do the right thing, relieving you

of the fear that your “Precious

Little One” might be riding minus a

helmet.

With budget being the largest factor

in the gear you buy, we’ve put a

list together with two headings,

Must Have and Good To Have. The

retail pricing below is based on

equipment needed for a 4 - 7 year

old.


minutes into the ride. This will also

make your riding days very short!

Gloves also protect little hands

from rock and stick abrasions.

RRP: Retail $30 - $50

That pretty much covers the ‘must

have’ safety gear. If you’re not

going for anything in the next

section, make sure your child

wears a long sleeve shirt, long

pants and good ankle-high foot

wear.

Good to Have Quad Bike Gear Checklist

Boots: Good boots are fantastic.

They brace to ankle and protect

the shin as well as stiffening the

lower leg. A size up is not a bad

thing to buy when the kids are

young and growing fast. ‘Too big

dad’ is nothing an extra pair of

socks won’t fix. RRP: $140 - $400.

Boot Socks: Got the boots, need

the socks! They’re longer and

thicker than sports socks to take

the abuse a boot will give them.

Being longer they also prevent

the leg chafing at the boot top.

RRP: $20 - $25.

Ride Pants: Aside from the bling

factor, they have padding in

all the right spots - bum, knee

and hip, as well as inner leg

wear pads. The legs are short

as well so they don’t go too far

into your boots and become

uncomfortable. They’re also

made out of fairly tough material

to take a beating when Precious

Thing hits the deck, and easily

washed, which makes mum

happy. All of the top of the line

pants have in-built ventilation

to stop kids from cooking on

hot days. As for size, a bit larger

doesn’t hurt since they all have

adjustable waists.

RRP: $110 - $200.

Ride Jersey: This is another good

addition. It is light, tough and

well ventilated. Your child’s body

armor will also fit under them

if they like to wear it that way.

Slightly larger is good.

RRP: $40 - $60.

Kidney Belt: Good to stop lower

back pains. They become a must

as the child starts to ride harder

and faster. Most kidney belts have

good adjustability. Pick one kids

feels comfortable in.

RRP: $30 - $50.

Knee and Elbow Guards: This is

good protection if your child is

riding in jeans and a long sleeve

shirt. They also add to protection

offered by good ride gear.

RRP: $55 - $65.

Goggle Bag or Case: Want

to keep your goggles in prime

condition and house your spare

goggles or lenses? Then you need

one of these. Available as a single

soft case or able to hold up to 6

sets of goggles, lenses etc, in a

semi-hard case. (Dads will fit too!).

RRP: About $50.

Gear Bag: Just to top it off. You

have the gear, so why not keep

it all in one place. Gear bags are

available from a simple single

compartment all the way to the

top of the line with separate boot,

helmet, dirty ride gear, goggle

and clean gear compartments

that are water proof. They also

have pull-out change mats and

wheels to drag them around

with.. What more could you ask

for? RRP: $79 - $400

All of the riding gear we’ve listed

could also be bought second

hand. The only thing we would

recommend is that you buy a

helmet new. You never know how

a second hand helmet has been

treated. (And there might be a

head in it).

When buying gear, remember

that a child’s safety is a parent’s

responsibility. Expecting your child

to wear their protective gear,

then jumping on your own bike

without your helmet sets a poor

example and is not a good look!

Paul Nixon is ATV Action Editor

“Australian ATV Action”

Also MD Allways Stainless Pty Ltd


www.allwaysstainless.com.au

Sport & Recreation


Being there for your kids is a priority

for every parent. At the same time

there is an economic imperative for

both parents to work. So, could a

home based business be the answer

for one or both parents?

A home based business could

mean a better lifestyle, more

time with your family, personal

satisfaction, financial rewards and

independence. But finding the best

family business may present many

challenges.

A home-based business is a business

you operate at or from your home,

instead of a commercial

premises. To qualify as a home

business, all the operations may be

from the home or the business may

be administered from the home.

Before you start a home based

business, you ask yourself and write

down the answers to the following

questions:

What am I good at?1.

What are my weaknesses?2.

What am I prepared to commit in 3.

time & effort?

What am I prepared to invest 4.

financially?

What quantifiable & lifestyle 5.

outcomes do I want?

In your search for the best home

business for you, you may encounter

“get rich quick” schemes and

work from home scams. No matter

what you are promised, there is no

formula for overnight success in

business.

For a home business or any business

to grow it needs personal focus and

commitment. When the going gets

tough, focus on your priorities and

honour your obligation to build an

ongoing concern.

The most successful businesses are

operated by owners who love what

they do and focus on providing

customer benefits rather than the

financial rewards.

NSW Home-based Business Statistics

Numbers in thousandsNov

1999June 2001

June 2003

June 2004

Total home-based small business 196.6 254.4 249.4 282.4

Mainly male operators 123.3 151.9 154.8 189

Mainly female operators 30.1 47.6 45.7 45.6

Equal male & female operators 43.2 54.9 48.8 47.9

In Search of a Better Family Life

Business

In the last decade the number of

businesses operating from home has

increased as a result of:

The digital revolution 1.

Outsourcing 2.

The trend towards 3.

self-employment

Growth of services businesses4.

Trend towards two parent 5.

employment

In June 2004, there were 282,400

home-based businesses in NSW,

representing 63.8% of NSW small

businesses.

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Nov 1999 June 2001 June 2003 June 2004

Total home-based small businessMainly male operators

Mainly female operatorsEqual male & female operators

Home Based Businesses in NSW

Source: ABS, “June, 2004 Characteristics of Small Business”.


Home Business Models

1. Network Marketing

This is also known as Multi-Level

Marketing (MLM). It is a legitimate

business model that uses direct

selling and relationship referrals

for the distribution of products or

services.

Before you embark on this type

of business, please research the

following:

How reputable is the company?1.

How valuable are its products or 2.

services?

Do you have access to the 3.

target market for these?

How is the training delivered? 4.

How often are the training 5.

materials updated?

Is there support in the 6.

organisation?

Is there a local support group? 7.

Benefits may include:

The training in business 1.

management is invaluable

especially for novices

The personal development you 2.

can gain can be very rewarding

Products & services are market 3.

proven

You may not need to hold stock 4.

The support & motivation 5.

provided by network colleagues

can be important

Online or offline marketing 6.

systems are market proven

Online or offline operations 7.

systems are well developed

2. Franchised Home Business

There are about 110 home based

business franchise opportunities in

Australia. A successful franchise

model needs to offers franchise

holders scope for growth.

Gain Financial •Freedom

Work Your •Own Hours

Improve Your •Lifestyle

Nurture Your •Growing Family

Phone 044 888 3838 [email protected]

ARE YOU READY FOR A CHANGE?

FIREYOUR

BOSS

Business

The benefits of owning a franchised

home business include:

Backing of a proven company1.

Access to proven systems2.

Market proven products & services 3.

Well developed marketing systems 4.

Exclusive right over a territory 5.

Minimal administration & operating 6.

costs

Group buying rates7.

Back up support in case of an 8.

emergency

Training & support 9.

Australian home based franchises

include:

Good Sports Home Services’•

Grip Guard•

Busby Web Solutions•

Arrive on Time Appliance Repairs•

Electrodry•

Easy Payment Options•

Snap-on Tools (Australia)•

Hire A Box•

Altura Espresso Vending•

Aussie Pooch Mobile Dog Wash•

Rent the Roo•

RP Vending Systems (Business •

Opportunity)

B & S Mobile Sharpening•

3. Starting a New Business from

Scratch

There are numerous pros and cons for

doing this. An interesting list of the Top

25 business opportunities has been

documented by www.allbusiness.com

These are in no particular order of

importance.

Personal trainer 1.

Yoga instructor2.

Tutoring3.

Business coaching4.

Consulting5.

Medical & legal transcription6.

Medical claims billing 7.

Accounting8.

Web design9.

Desktop publishing10.

Photography11.

Home inspection12.

Remodeling13.

Interior design14.

Catering or personal chef15.

Gift baskets16.

Wedding planner17.

Personal shopper18.

Concierge19.

Custom jewellery creation20.

Computer repair21.

Cleaning service22.

Carpet cleaning service 23.

A riding school24.

Child-care services25.

For more information:

www.homebasedbusiness.sbdc.com.au

www.smallbiz.nsw.gov.au

www.business.gov.au


Colour InActivity Zone

IsandraIce Queen


All About Sports Crossword

Activity Zone

8.

1.

5.

6. 7.

4.

2. 3.

15. 16.

18.

21.

19.

20.

14.

12. 13.11.

9. 10.

17.

Are you a sports nut? Use the

clues to help you solve the

puzzle. Happy puzzling!

ACROSS

3. You may be ‘out for a ____’ in

the game of cricket. (4)

4. This game has 11 players who

kick a ball. (6)

6. This is the name given to all

track and field events. (9)

10. You use a stick with a curve

on the end to play this very

fast-paced sport. (6)

11. This type of tackle is

dangerous and illegal in

rugby league. (5)

14. This is a game played on a

court divided into thirds. (7)

15. An event where several

countries compete in many

sports. (8)

19. You run around this in softball

or baseball. (7)

20. Many sports are played on

one of these. (5)

21. This sporting event involves

using different strokes such

as freestyle and butterfly. (8)

DOWN

1. This is a very long run over

fairly rough terrain. (12)

2. You can score ______ in

soccer. (5)

3. Basketballers and babies do

this. (7)

5. You need one of these to

play most sports. (4)

7. This game is played on a

table. (11)

8. You should apply this to avoid

getting burnt when playing

outdoor sport. (8)

9. This implement looks like

a very heavy frisbee and

is thrown for distance in

athletics. (6)

12. You can score ______ in

cricket. (4)

13. In this sport, you serve, volley

or spike the ball over a net.

(10)

16. This race is run on the last

day of the Olympics. (8)

For all the crossword answers visit

www.getaheadkids.com.au

17. You can score one of these

in softball or baseball. (7)

18. What a ‘racquet’ this sport

makes. (6)


Read With Me Kits

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“My Body” Storybook Kit

Read With Me has packaged an exciting and unique range of children’s

storybooks. “My Body” kit brings together the key elements of fun and

learning to teach 0-2 year olds about their body. The Kit is an interactive

way for parents and children to enjoy reading stories and improve literacy

skills.

The presentation is stunning, making it a memorable educational gift for

toddlers. “My Body” kit is presented in a soft organza bags and includes:

Reading Tip Card•

My Body flash card•

Look and Learn Body•

These Are My Feet•

Eyes, Nose, Fingers and Toes•

Read With Me

21 Hayden Road

Wamberal NSW 2260

M: 0406 535 862


www.readwithme.com.au


Reviews

Reading Tips 0-2 Year Olds

Babies are never too young to enjoy

a story. Start with a few minutes, a

couple of pages or a picture book.

Hold your baby on your lap or lay

next to them holding the book

above you both.

Pick a time in your babies day and

routine when they are alert and not

hungry.

Enjoy reading with your baby. Make

it a fun and memorable experience.

Experiment with different voices,

be playful, be animated, create

different voices for different

characters.

Expect babies to touch and

grab the book. As they grow and

become familiar with the story they

will begin to attempt to turn the

pages. These actions are part of the

learning experience.

Always start from the front of

the book and stop when they

lose interest. Don’t get

concerned if they don’t follow a

full story at this stage. Remember

though, the more fun you make

the story, the more interested they

will be in listening.

Use nursery rhymes and songs

during storytime. Add actions and

props. Ask your baby questions

and answer them yourself. This will

help your baby to identify with the

different forms of language.

Repeat stories, rhymes and songs

so your baby becomes familiar with

language use, sounds and patterns.

The best opportunity we can give

our children for the future is a

memory of love and laughter whilst

sharing books.

www.readwithme.com.au

Judy is the developer of the world renowned DIPL. doorway into practical literacy

Judy’s system of integrating traditional speech therapy techniques with unique reading and spelling strategies has been helping children achieve their potential for over 15 years.

While there are many programs in operation throughout Australia, Judy’s integrated approach has consistently produced amazing results.

It is not uncommon for students to improve their reading age by 1½ - 2 years in one term. Even students with major learning issues will improve by 6 months in a two month term.

Providing effective programs for speech problems, reading & spelling difficulties in a fun & caring environment.

Judy Armstrong Speech Pathologist | 18 Toohey Crescent Adamstown Heights 2289 | Ph/Fax: (02) 4952 1539

The Judy Armstrong Method Improves Your Child’s Reading Age

Recommended Films Exploring

A Range of Learning Styles

Beautiful Mind (2001)•

Rain Man (1988)•

Awakenings (1990)•

Shine (1996(•

Elephant Man (1980)•

Mercury Rising (1998)•

Charly (1968)•

Regarding Henry (1991)•

The Wild Child (1970)•

Forrest Gump (1994)•

Kes (1969)•

See www.imdb.com

for more details.


Reviews

Flight of the BumblebeeAuthor: Hazel EdwardsIllustrator: Mini GossNarrator: Antonia Kidman

A captivating story that is rich in

action, music and colour.

The educational messages of the

importance of focus, training and

practice are subtly woven in the

story that resonates the music of the

same title.

The audio CD is narrated by Antonia

Kidman and accompanied with the

music of Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov in

the background.

In the first book in the Music Box

Series, Bumble has no sense of

direction. How is he going to learn to

fly without bumping into branches?

Take the journey with Bumble as he

finds his wings by attending Flying

School, practising and using the

music as a flight plan to visit the

flowers.

The mainly gold, black and blue

illustrations flood the senses with

beauty and fun.

Age Guide: 6-10 years

Extent: 32 pages

(Hardback + CD-ROM)

ISBN: 978-1-921042-03-4

Release Date: February 2009

Price: AUD$27.95

Publisher: New Frontier Publishing

P: 02 9453 1525

www.newfrontier.com.au

Harry & HopperAuthors: Margaret Wild Illustrator: Freya Blackwood

This book is more than a story about

losing a puppy. It deals with how

young kids deal with grief, loss and

how love triumphs above all. It also

deals with the healing power of

loving memories. The messages are

complemented by the beguiling

crayon illustrations.

When the puppy came to live

with Harry and his dad, he was as

jumpy as a grasshopper. So that’s

what Harry called him, “Hopper”.

Harry and Hopper do everything

together. Hopper helps Harry with his

homework and Harry helps Hopper

escape from his weekly bath. At

night, Hopper sneaks in to sleep in

Harry’s bed.

One day, Harry comes home from

school and his dog isn’t there to

greet him because he has been in

an accident.

Ages: 4 years+

Extent: 32 pages (Hardback)

ISBN: 978-1-86291-740-8


Price: AUD$24.99

Publisher: Omnibus Books for

Scholastic Australia

www.scholastic.com.au

The Down-to-Earth Guide to Global WarmingAuthors: Laurie David & Cambria Gordon

The producers of Al Gore’s

documentary “An Inconvenient

Truth” have written a book for

children. Hence it is biased 100%

towards global warming.

This book is simple enough to read

to a five year old, yet sophisticated

for primary school and early high

school.

This book is based on the premise

Green Kids can make a difference!

“Green’’ is defined as all initiatives to

protect and preserve the well being

of people and the planet. As it is

co-written by an advertising

copywriter, it is simple and interesting

to read. The recaps are in highlights

that make an excellent revision!

Illustrated with photos, drawings,

diagrams and cartoons.

The book covers four major areas:

What is Global Warming?1.

Wacky Weather Explained!2.

Why Extinction Stinks!3.

How YOU Can Change the 4.

World!

Ages: 9-12 years

Extent: 112 pages (Paperback)

ISBN: 978-1-74169-124-5

Price: AUD$15.99

Publisher: Scholastic Australia



Reviews

The Ice-Cream ManAuthor: Jenny Mounfield Illustrator: Grant Gittus Graphics

One harmless little prank will change

their lives forever… This thrilling, well

developed tale will send shivers

down your spine. When Marty, Rick

and Aaron have a run-in with the

local ice-cream man, they decide

to take revenge. Although it seemed

like harmless fun at the time, the

tables turn and the boys will quickly

learn they are playing with fire from

the evil ice-cream man.

Beware of the ice-cream man…



ISBN: 978-1-876462-68-0

Release Date: April 2009

Price: AUD$16.95

Publisher: Ford Street Publishing

P: (03) 9481 1120


www.fordstreetpublishing.com

Ice Quest - The Race to Save the PlanetAuthor: Nora Jones

Illustrator: Cath Chegwidden

A beautifully illustrated book, with

fascinating mythical characters

that is a compelling read for any

family interested in global warming.

Isandra, the Ice Queen, lives in a

beautiful Ice Palace with her loyal

Snowflakes. When She is kidnapped

by Serena, the Sun Goddess, the

Earth’s atmosphere goes into

turmoil. Isandra must be returned

to the Ice Palace so that the

world’s weather can be returned

to a stable, sustainable state. Join

Thor, the God of Thunder, his trusty

Thunderbolts and the Snowflakes

on this magical quest to save the

planet.



ISBN: 978-0-9775491-8-4

Price: AUD$14.95

Publisher: Little Steps Publishing

www.littlesteps.com.au

Increase TEEN Self Esteem

[email protected]

02 4982 1840

Improve family relationshipsCreate friendshipsIncrease confidence & self esteemReduce fear & stressDevelop skills for tests & exams

Weekend & School Holiday Courses Years 6-9

Ages 12-15

Mega AircraftAuthor: Christiane Gunzi

This book contains a visual feast

of photos and brief descriptions

of a variety of aircrafts including

Light Aircraft, Passenger Planes,

Transporters, Fast Jets, Helicopters,

Supersonic and Fire Fighters.

Although this is a children’s book,

it is high in educational content,

interesting and concise in

construction. Mega Aircraft is easy

for busy parents to pick up and read

a section - say on “airbus” and put

down again. It is also the perfect

book to take to the airport and point

out to children the different aircraft.

Age Guide: 6 years+


ISBN: 978-1-74169-218-1


Price: AUD$9.99

Publisher: Scholastic Australia


Our Pick


Advertisers IndexBishop Tyrrell Anglican College 5

Conveyancing Services 21

Doorway Into Practical Literacy 19

Free To Be Me 33

Get Ahead Learning 36

Hunter Valley Grammar School 23

Judy Armstrong Speech Pathologist 31

Karrawong Kindy 17

Metroll Pty Ltd (Newcastle) 2

Mine Subsidence Board 15

NCP Printing 5

Tocal College 13

Unified Wealth Solutions 27

Index

Get Ahead Kids Feature Article Themes

2009

January/FebruaryBack to SchoolAd booking Deadline Dec 12Editorial Deadline Dec 19

March/AprilLanguagesAd booking Deadline Feb 20Editorial Deadline Feb 27

May/JuneTechnologyAd booking Deadline Mar 30Editorial Deadline Apr 6

July/AugustEducation WeekAd booking Deadline Jun 1Editorial Deadline Jun 8

September/OctoberExamsAd booking Deadline Jul 27Editorial Deadline Aug 3

November/DecemberSummer LearningAd booking Deadline Sep 28Editorial Deadline Oct 5

To contribute an article [email protected]

For more advertising information contact:

Maria Charlton MAP Marketing E: [email protected] P: 02 4929 7766

Media kit also available from www.getaheadkids.com.au

Next Issue Features: Technology

Spotlight: Justin NorrisOlympic & Commonwealth Medalist, owner

of the award-winning Justin Norris Swim Academy

Next Issue Out May 2009

FOR FAMILIES ON THE GO

Vol. 1 • No. 3 • May/Jun 09


Distribution

The Junction

Epic Skate•

Sandbar Surf•

The Junction Fruit Shop •

Market town

Centre management•

Grower’s Best•

Hunter Street

Advanced Careers College•

Civic Arcade •

Live Site•

The Hunter St Mall & Hunter St

Backpackers•

Bookshops•

Hobbies Australia•

IGA - Newcastle•

Mark Richards Surf Shop•

Newcastle Train Station•

Newsagents•

Restaurants & Cafés•

Hamilton

Australian Government •

Education & Workplace

Local Video•

Princeton Medical Centre•

Street Beat Music Store•

Others

Ballet Schools•

Cardio Vascular centre •

Centrelink•

Charlestown Square•

Councils•

DE Laird Dentist•

Dive, Skate & Ski•

Erina Fair Shopping centre•

Estabar•

Food Works•

IGA•

Independent Counselling Services•

Inski•

Internet Cafés•

Islington Newsagency•

John Miller Galleries•

Libraries•

Mayfield Ten Pin Bowling •

McDonalds•

New Zealand Ice Cream•

Newcastle Family Sports & •

Podiatry

Newcastle Region Art Gallery•

Newcastle Region Library•

Newcastle Skate •

Pacific Dreams Surf•

Selina’s Obsession Hair Beauty •

Nails

Shoal Bay Resort & Spa - •

Port Stephens

Stockland Shopping Centres•

Swimming Centres•

Symbion health King Street•

TAFE•

University•

West Mall Plaza Rutherford•

Westfield Kotara•

Child Care & Educational Facilities

5 Star Family Day Care •

Abermain Early Learning Centre•

Adamstown Child Care Centre•

Adamstown Heights Pre-School•

Adamstown Pre-School•

Appletree Early Education & •

Pre-School

Bees Nees Early Learning•

Belmont North Pre-School•

Birralee Longday Care Centre•

Boolaroo-Speers Point Community •

Kindergarten

Branxton Pre-School•

Cameron Park•

Charlestown Child Care & Early •

Learning Centre

Charlestown East Educational •

Pre-School

Chelmsford Drive Early Learning •

Centre

Cooks Hill Pre-School•

Daffy-Down-Dilly Learning Centre•

Elder St Early Learning Centre•

Fairyland Pre-School•

Felton St Early Learning Centre & •

Pre-School

Girrinbai Community Pre-School•

Glendale Early Education Centre•

Greta Community Pre-School•

Hamilton Child Care Centre•

Heatherbrae Early Learning •

Centre

Holmesville Playhouse Pre-School•

Hunter Early Learning & Nurture •

Centre Inc

Jacaranda Grove Pre-School•

Jesmond Community Pre-School•

Jesmond Early Education Centre•

Jumping Jacks Community •

Pre-School

Kindy Kapers•

Kindy Patch•

Kookaburra Korner•

Lake Macquarie Educational •

Pre-School

Larissa St OOSH•

Little Legends Child Care Centre•

Maitland Baptist Church •

Pre-School & Long Day Care

Centre

Maitland Nursery School / •

Maitland Community Pre-School

Maryland Care & Early Childhood •

Education Centre

Maryland Drive Pre-School•

Medowie Children’s Centre•

Medowie Gumnut Pre-School•

Merewether Henry St Community •

Pre-School

Metford Child Care Centre•

Mother Goose Day Nursery•

My Kindy •

Narnia Christian Pre-School•

Orana Community Pre-School•

Peter Pan Kindergarten•

Possum Place Child Care Centre•

Rathmines Pre-School•

Ruby’s Place•

Rutherford Playtime Pre-School•

Shamrock Hill Early Childhood •

Centre

Six hats•

Tillys early learning•

Toronto Community Centre•

Wallalong Pre-School•

Wallsend Community Pre-School•

Weston Community Pre-School•

Woodrising Community Pre-School•

To add your facility to this distribution

list please contact:

Maria Charlton

MAP Marketing


P: 02 4929 7766

Health Care RebatesNo referral necessary and no wait listPart of a multidisciplinary team participating in the Medicare Allied Health InitiativeFormal Assessments with report at no extra costIndividual or group therapySchool visits for assessment or therapyCommunity visits

FREE INFO PACK PHONE TODAY 1300 657 220 [email protected] | www.getaheadlearning.com.au

K to Adult ProgramsEnglish Years 7-12 All LevelsMathematics Years 7-12Junior Science Years 7-10PhysicsBiologyChemistryLanguagesHistoryBusiness StudiesReading ProgramsPhonics ProgramsSelective High School ExamsScholarship PreparationUniversity EntranceWorkforce ExamsStudy SkillsEssay WritingADD, ADHD, LD special attention and supportHoliday LessonsHSC WorkshopsExam Supervision / Invigilation

LanguagesYou are never too old to learn a language for pleasure, business or travel.

ItalianJapaneseGermanMandarinSpanishFrenchOthers on request4 Years to AdultsAll LevelsHSCTravellersParent/Child LessonsFun and RewardingGain a skill for life

Charlestown Centre - 53 Dickinson Street - Opposite Council Pool | Eleebana Centre | East Maitland Centre - Suite 18C, 121 Lawes Street

Proven Results Programs are positive and skills-orientated to help each student succeed with confidence. Accelerated and multi-sensory techniques are used to maximise student attention and motivation.

Professional TutorsThe tutors are qualified and experienced in their chosen fields to help your child learn what is relevant and current - we follow the current NSW Curriculum guidelines.

Personal AttentionEvery student gets ahead in learning from personalised tuition programs that are individualised.

School ReadinessDesigned to assist Preschool children make the best transition from Preschool to Kindergarten, Mrs Penn’s School Readiness programs are based on proven educational research and support current NSW Kindergarten curriculum.

Pre-school to Adult

Have you noticed your child...

Has trouble expressing their needs and thoughts?Is not speaking like other children of the same age?Does not appear to listen carefully?Is struggling to keep up with literacy skills at school?Uses different sounds in place of the correct ones?Has not yet developed appropriate social skills?Stumbles or repeats sounds in words?

Get Ahead Speech Therapy can help you in many ways:

Speech SoundsLanguage Social SkillsPhonological AwarenessLiteracyComprehensionOral Muscle Exercises

Research shows that early intervention is the key to success.Contact us today to arrange a visit with a friendly and experienced speech therapist at one of our well-resourced clinics.

Bilingual DollsThis is a great way to teach your child (3yrs+) a second language using the comfort of a bilingual doll (40cm). With the press of a palm, the doll says an English word or phrase followed by the selected second language. The timing is perfect for saying out loud with your child both language versions. A written translation booklet that helps your child become familiar with the written words accompanies each doll.

Order online at www.getaheadlearning.com.au

With Mrs Penn’s School Readiness Tuition you give your child the best start in:

Reading Writing ConcentrationConfidenceSciencePhonicsLiterature AppreciationMathematics

Readiness Activities aims to prepare your child for more formal school learning. Designed to cater for the individual needs of the child, lessons are structured to include 1-2 students per session.

Little Achievers™ Program is for children (generally from 4-5 years old) who have advanced literacy and numeracy skills. Gifted and talented children are catered for with innovative personal interest programs.Enrol now for 2009

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AWARD WINNING

get ahead kids magazine vol. 1. no. 2. mar/apr 2009

Documents