Zeeko Advice Hub

21st Century Skills RefreshAt the beginning of a new year, it’s nice to have a little refresh on what is good to keep our minds focused on for the next 12 months. At Zeeko, we are firm believers that 21st Century skills should be at the forefront of the classroom. These skills are at the…

The first month of the year can be overwhelming. The shorter days, colder weather, return to school and work can be a struggle and trigger Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD’s). It’s important to recognise that this is a universal struggle, and we can take steps to combat what we are feeling and support ourselves and our students…

Believe it or not, the Christmas holidays are actually a great opportunity to teach 21st Century Skills. I know what you’re thinking, homework is the furthest thing from our minds as we prepare for the arrival of Santa and family time. The beauty of most 21st century skills is that they can be taught in…

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. A time that is filled with excitement, to finally be finished another term and look forward to the Christmas holidays. Although Christmas is associated with happy thoughts for most, for some it can be a stressful time. Are there some simple steps we as Teachers can take…

What is Internet Safety? The threats and OpportunitiesInternet safety or online safety is being aware of the possible threats that we can be confronted with when active online. Threats, whether they be online or in real life are something that we teach our children about, often instinctively from the moment they are born. Children and…

21st Century Skills & Literacy SkillsIf you have read our previous blogs around 21st Century Skills, you will be aware of how important they are if we want our children to succeed in the future. If this is your first time reading our blog, you may not yet be aware of the 12 fundamental 21st…

What is Peer-Led Learning (PLL)? A lesson we often teach our children is to ‘work together’ and to ‘help each other’. These are skills we as adults try to implement into both our working and personal lives. Peer-led learning (PLL) refers to situations where peers support each other in learning processes, work together and help each…

What is Digital Wellbeing?Digital wellbeing, often referred to as online wellness, means having an awareness of how being online can make us feel, as well as looking after ourselves and others when online. Whether we realise it or not being online can influence our emotions, our mental health and perhaps in turn our physical health.…

The importance of internet safetyThe internet can be a great place for our children to learn, communicate with their friends and of course, is arguably one of the best sources of entertainment out there. We know that nowadays it’s normal to hand a child a device when we’re busy or when they simply need to…

21st Century skills & learning skillsA changing world, requires new knowledge and skills for our children to live happy lives. 21st Century skills refer to the life and work skills and habits that are critically important to student success, especially as students move on to college, working life and adulthood.21st Century skills are furthermore broken…

Facebook is in the news again after a company whistle-blower came out with some shocking allegations against the social media giant. Former Facebook data scientist, Frances Haugen decided she had seen enough corruption while working at Facebook and wanted to do something about it. She spent months copying internal documents and reports so she could…

21st century skills form the foundation of what we do here at Zeeko. Our programmes, content and communications are all focused on empowering young people through 21st century skills so that they can go on to become successful active citizens in the future. However, while we know 21st century skills inside out, we realise that…

The last two years have certainly seen some changes when it comes to our attitude and reliance on technology. For many of us, both adults and children, it has been our lifeline for work, school, social interactions, and more. At Zeeko, we were curious what effect this might be having on young people. Are young…

In 2020 the President of Ireland signed into law a Bill criminalising the sharing of intimate images without the subject’s consent. Since February 9, 2021, these laws have been in place and enforced in Ireland. Here is everything you need to know about this law so that you can inform and educate your children.What is…

It’s the start of a new school year and time to reflect. Looking back over the last year at Zeeko, we are so proud of the success of the Magical Leaders programme. In early 2021 we recognised the need for a programme that teaches 21st century skills to young people in a fun and engaging…

The back to school season this year is completely different to anything we have previously dealt with. It is still uncertain how the next year will play out. After more than a year of back and forth, uncertainty and limited social interactions, it is no wonder students are feeling more anxious than ever about returning…

Planning for next term? Help your students get to know each other.Any secondary school teacher knows how important helping your students get to know each other is. Moving into secondary school is an exciting time. Students get to experience a whole new environment with the potential to make lots of new friends. However, as we…

A report by Voice Community recently shared insights gathered from a pool of 600 teachers, teaching assistants, headteachers and early years practitioners. According to the report, “Mental health was the single biggest concern voiced by our members … It was clear that the impact of coronavirus would be felt for a long time and that…

For young people today, screens and the internet are part of the everyday. Many have never experienced a time without smartphones and personal computers in the home. Unfortunately, for something so embedded and necessary in our society, in general we do not have the best relationship with technology and screens. Too much screen time and…

Online gaming is an area we hear regularly about from parents. They are genuinely concerned about what their children are experiencing and encountering when they are engaging in gaming online. So, what can parents do to help their kids stay safe if when they are gaming online? When it comes to any game your child…

Virtual School ToursTake your class on an epic digital adventure!It’s that time of the year when our students would usually be looking forward to an exciting school tour. Unfortunately, this year many schools have had to cancel their school tours due to the impact of Covid-19, and students and teachers are left with nothing much…

Undoubtedly one of the biggest challenges for parents is helping their kids to stay safe when they are using social media.   A virtually erasable digital footprint, spending increasing amounts of time online and dealing with a whole new form of peer pressure that relates to social media, is undoubtedly having a significant impact on childhood.…

Over the last few months it’s possible that your child has become more familiar with recording elements of their everyday lives.  The term vlogging ,which is essentially videoing your every day life is becoming increasingly popular among those in their late teens and early 20’s. Being exposed to the live element of the online world…

The challenges of parenting may feel never ending and there is now a new element to parenting and it’s digital! Everything from encouraging your kids to have a balance in their use of technology to helping them to be aware of the issues that they may face when they are online is an additional aspect…

Has your child asked you when they can have their own smartphone? Well, you’re not alone! It’s one of the most common questions we get asked by parents. What age is the right age for a child to have a smartphone? Smartphones can undoubtedly open a whole new world to your child in very positive…

Magical Leaders – A teaching resource for learning and applying 21st century skills.The world is changing more rapidly than we could ever imagine. It was not that many years ago that portable mobile phones, AI, and voice-controlled technology were nothing more than tropes in science fiction movies. Now they are part of our every day…

  It’s really so important not to underestimate the power of listening when it comes to getting a handle on what your children are doing when they spend time online. Listening to their experiences the good and the not so good will be a great help to you in helping them to stay safe online.…

Although it’s far from the time of year for wearing t-shirts, it’s time to talk about the Zeeko t-shirt rule for posting content online!  When we visit schools all over Ireland, virtually or when schools reopen in person, to talk to kids about staying safe online, one of the topics that gets the biggest reaction…

Today, February 9th, 2021 marks what is now the annual Safer Internet Day. It is a European wide event that highlights the importance of staying safe online and creating an online community where people work collaboratively to build a safer online world. The theme for the Day is Together for a Better Internet. Through our…

There is no doubt that the periods of lock downs throughout 2020 and the one we are currently in have highlighted the importance of connection within families and communities. Technology, in many different forms has played a big part in establishing and maintaining that contact. It’s going to be increasingly important that kids are what…