VM Mutually Inclusive - January 2019

JANUARY 2019

MUTUALLY

PEP PREP!

INCLUSIVE

Get prepared with help from a pro

STRONG INTEGRATED FINANCIAL GROUP • MODERN MUTUAL • EMPLOYER OF CHOICE • MODEL CORPORATE CITIZEN

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Editors’ Message Since this is the first issue of Mutually Inclusive for 2019, we’d like to wish all our Team Members a productive and fulfilling 2019. The new year is full of possibilities and opportunities to fulfil your purpose and achieve excellence.

For many of our Team Members, much of 2019 will be dominated by preparations for the Primary Exit Profile (PEP). We reached out to an expert for some tips to guide you as you work to get the little ones ready for the exams. Also, we’ve sourced some useful information that can help you stay organised in 2019 and beyond. We hope you enjoy this issue. As always, let us know what’s on your mind at vmcorporateaffairs@myvmgroup.com

Clover & Dayton

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New Lunch and Break Arrangements What you need to know 2

Know your Targets!

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PEP Prep!

Get Organised for 2019

PEP Prep!

number being used in the context of the measurement of time!

Let’s look at the last two tips by looking at the topic of Numbers starting with the example of five.

A typical Grade 4 question goes something like this:

What is five?

There are 12 students in Room 5 and 15 students in Room 8. How many students are there in all?

Either you will see a set of five things or a picture of the symbol ‘5’. The symbol ‘5’ allows us to represent the five things. The number of items in the set is represented by the numerical symbol.

From the above, I think you are now appreciating the communications side of Mathematics. It was always there, but assessments were not as integrated and comprehensive. Prepping your child means more conversations and discovery. Try this daily exercise:

Is five an adjective or a noun?

As an adjective it is referring to the items; you will speak about five things: 5 boys. As a noun, the five takes on another meaning and lives outside of a set such as “five is a prime number”, “five is less than eight” or “five is not a factor of nine”.

For all the parents, guardians and other loved ones of children who are now preparing for this year’s Primary Exit Profile (PEP) exams, we feel your pain. It’s a tough task, but you will get through it and all will be well. To make things a little easier for you, we reached out to one of Jamaica’s foremost experts in the field – Dr Paula Gunter, owner of The Math Clinic and Science Works, for some tips on preparing for Mathematics. Check out the article below.

Ask your child, ‘What is today’s date?’ Example, 24th of a given month.

State facts and create questions around this number. For example:

Do you know that numbers are:

• 24 is the same as two dozen. There are 24 hours in a day.

• Nominal (used for naming of labelling; route 32, etc),

• Is 24 an even or odd number?

• ordinal (used for ordering or a ranking; page 5, 5 o’clock, etc). and

• Is it a prime or composite number?

• If I round this to the nearest tens, what would it be? Can you explain why, using your long ruler as a number line – the centimetre side?

• cardinal (used to tell quantity, 5 keys) Consider the following sentence:

• What are the numbers that can divide it without leaving a remainder? (Do you remember that those numbers are called factors?)

“There are three girls in Grade Four who are five.”

The three is being used as a quantity (cardinal); the four is both a label and a rank (nominal and ordinal) and the five (years old) is a cardinal

• What number(s) could divide 24 and leave a remainder of 2?

• Create a story problem where you used the number 24? (I have 2 dozen cookies and my brother ate 5 cookies, how many are left?)

• Write a story problem that uses multiplication and the number 24.

Parents! You cannot help your child if you are approaching Mathematics the same way that you learned it for GSAT or Common Entrance.

Mathematics must be taught in a more integrated way which promotes communication, exploration, inquiry and explanations.

• What is one-third of one day (in hours)?

backdrop, it is no wonder that PEP parents and students are feeling anxious! The new Primary Exit Profile (PEP) assessments are the first few rungs on the academic ladder to demonstrate the level of literacy and numeracy knowledge, skills and understanding that Grades 4, 5 and 6 students have attained.

Why is it important?

• Is there anything in this store for $24? $240?

• If I save $24 each day, how long will it take to reach $1,000?

• When driving and using your odometer, approximate what is located 2.4 km from your home.

So, what can a PEP parent do for Maths prep?

Consider these oft-repeated tips:

In many countries, the question of “Why is it important for me or my child to learn Mathematics?” comes up often and has to be justified by educators and policymakers. This is in stark contrast to the Jamaican situation where there seems to be a national bias towards those who can’t pass Maths being labelled as dunce, with scholarship and employment opportunities dwindling as failures occur. Against this

Don’t just cover the topics, uncover the material.

Rediscover Mathematics!

• Be positive about Mathematics • Help your child develop an open mindset (the ‘I can do it’ attitude)

Prepared by: PAULA GUNTER, PhD Mathematical Physicist & Director/Owner The Math Clinic & Science Works 40 Shortwood Road, Suite 2, Kingston 8 www.mathclinicscienceworks.com

• Let your child speak about and give explanations • Learn each topic thoroughly by integrating it into multiple areas and even daily life

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Our 2019 Financial Targets

LOAN DISBURSEMENTS

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Our 2019 Financial Targets

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Get Organised for 2019 contingency. All that planning kept the potential for any kind of drama at bay.

So, it’s a new year and if you’re like most of us, your grand ‘take 2019 by the horns’ new year’s resolutions are already kaput. Never mind. It’s still early in the year – nobody needs to know. You do, however need to act now if you’re going to actually make some positive changes this year. One resolution that appears on many persons’ list of resolutions is ‘get more organised’. It’s a big deal, after all. Proper organisation helps cultivate success and minimises stress levels. Lack of organisation, on the other hand, well, makes everything much harder. So, to help you get and stay organised for 2019 and beyond, check out the six tips below adapted from an article originally shared

by Forbes.com.

Plan as much as you can for the next day before you go to bed the night before. That includes putting out your clothes and your children’s clothes. Put work and school bags near the door.

Check your to-do list and, if possible, prepare the things you need for breakfast and lunch the night before. Meal planning may sound boring, but it will save you time, stress and money. Even if you feel tired, you will appreciate the effort the next morning.

You can even plan for the week ahead. Keep a selection of pre-prepared meals in your freezer.

Freezer cooking doesn't have to be a chore.

By cooking up meals during the weekend and freezing them, they'll be available all week.

1. Plan ahead

On Sunday evening, scan the calendar for the week ahead. Knowing in advance what the schedule is will help prepare you. You can't control unforeseen events that may occur, of course. But you don't want to be surprised by things that are already on your calendar.

Remember what your grandma always told you?

Be prepared.

Being prepared is the key to everything.

It doesn't happen by accident, though.

Being prepared requires thinking ahead and anticipating obstacles.

2. Turn off extra technology

Back to grandma. When you were growing up, she insisted that we put our clothes, shoes, socks, the works, out the night before. She was always caught up on the laundry, so we never had to scramble for something clean.

She was an extraordinary planner. She left little to chance. She tried to anticipate every

Studies show that you lose focus and productivity if you try to multitask. If you've got a long list of things to do, turn off your email and set designated times when you will check it. Do the same with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. Avoid TV, and give

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100% of your time and attention to the project at hand. You will wind up completing the project more efficiently and faster.

paperwork you don't want to discard, like receipts, use file folders and keep them in a filing cabinet. Hang on to things you need for your taxes. Mark and organise items in such a way that you will make it easy for yourself to find later. Organise everything for your relatives, too, in case something happens to you and you can't deal with your own affairs.

Once you've completed everything, you can go back to technology and enjoy your time on the phone or computer without guilt.

3. Prioritise

5. Get up a little earlier

Don't try to be a superhero. Instead, take a look at your to-do list and rank each item. Cross off or move to another day anything that isn't essential. Check off anything that you've already completed. Delegate whatever you can. Only do the things that need to be done, and you'll feel more in control.

While getting up earlier may seem pointless, it can help you get a head start on your day if you use the extra time wisely. Create a morning routine. Practice healthy habits. Exercise, meditate, eat a healthy breakfast. Take a few moments to run through the calendar for the day, so you feel more in control.

If it's not essential, ignore it.

By getting up earlier, you can start your day feeling both energised and organised. By completing essential tasks, you make sure that you and your family are ready for the day ahead.

4. De-clutter Clutter is easy to create. Don't let it become a problem.

Take a few minutes each day to put things away and throw out junk. Wash the dishes. Deal with the mail immediately instead of letting it pile up on the counter. Throw out things you aren't going to use. Clean drawers and closets periodically.

Toss, give away or sell (have a yard sale) items that you haven't used for a year or more.

6. Take care of you Take care of your mental, physical and emotional health. Exercise regularly, eat healthy meals and practice meditation or mindfulness. This will help you feel more able to cope when things don't go as planned or when life seems to spiral out of control. And don't forget to get enough sleep.

Some people find a certain comfort in collecting things. There is a fine line, however, between collecting and hoarding. If you haven't used it in a year, you don't need it.

No matter how organised and well-planned you are, there will be times when life gets busy. You may start to worry that you can't get everything done. But following these tips will help you stay in control. Happy organising!

If you need help, get help. Use online storage tools like Dropbox and Google Drive to keep your computer desktop organised. For

Source: Forbes.com

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Change in Lunch & Break Arrangements

6 Things You Need to Know Effective January 1, 2019, some changes were made to lunch and break arrangements. Here are SIX things you need to know: 1. The changes were made following feedback from Team Members regarding the provision of more options for lunch and break 2. The move is part of the thrust to manage our costs more effectively as we aim to improve our efficiency ratio 3. Eligible Team Members will be paid a taxable lunch allowance of $13,013.67 monthly in their salary.

4. We will continue to work with the concessionaire to improve the variety of options made available to Team Members at the Half-Way Tree and Duke Street locations.

5. Break will be managed by each Department/Branch/SBU. There will be a monthly allocation for the procurement of tea, coffee and a snack.

6. The usual cleanup activities of the kitchenettes will continue at both the Half-Way Tree and Duke Street locations.