One Second Bonus in this Long Weekend!

I love science and the quirks that come along with it.  Despite the accuracy of atomic clocks, the earth will have to recalibrate its wristwatch this month.  There are actually two ways of keeping time on our planet.  The first has been our time-keeper since sentient life roamed the earth: our good old sun.  The second is the already-mentioned atomic clock.

The atomic clock is steady, but our rotation about our axis and revolution around the sun are a bit wonky.  That means that a day isn’t always the 24 hours we know, and our year isn’t always the 365 days we know.  Of course, we are familiar with the leap year, in which we gain one day.  But are you familiar with the leap second?  A leap second means we are adding an extra second to our clocks.

But how do we gain one second?  The Earth’s rotation is not exactly constant.  A number of factors affect how fast we spin, such as ocean tides, and the moon and sun’s gravity.  Because each of these things affect us simultaneously, but in differing amounts depending on relative positions of each, our day is not always exactly 24 hours.  This means we have to recalibrate Earth’s clock to be in better synch with the “sun-as-time-keeper”.

This won’t impact us in our daily lives since our clocks at home generally are accurate to one minute, so the extra second won’t be noticeable.  But it’s good to know it’s there, just in case we need it.

Enjoy your long weekend and use that one second wisely!   ;-)

Digital Storytelling and Special Education

Digital Storytelling is fun!!! Creating the story is fun; reading/viewing/listening to stories created by others is fun! So, what does that mean to me? If it's fun, it's engaging. And if it's engaging, there is a great opportunity for learning. Learners far and wide can benefit. Creating a digital story inspires a student to dig deep into self-reflection, thereby creating a rich learning experience.

Children with exceptionalities may benefit the most. Providing an alternative the traditional learning approach of pencil and paper can allow different intelligences to be addressed. The visual learner is stimulated by the physical layout of the storybook structure, while also benefiting from the visual appeal of the final product. Kinaesthetic learners benefit because they are 'doing' and creating. Auditory learners benefit from embedded sounds or text to speech functionalities.

And the beauty is that digital storytelling can be used in almost any subject area, providing teachers with an exciting instructional tool, and providing students with a creative and engaging means to demonstrate their learning.

Accolades to McGill: First Gay Fraternity Launched

Exciting news from Montreal:  McGill University is launching Canada’s first gay fraternity.  The brotherhood, named Delta Lambda Phi welcomes all males: gay, straight and bisexual.   The Quebec chapter is new, but the Fraternity is not.  Delta Lambda Phi was established in Washington DC way back in the old days (LOL) in 1986.  The McGill frat was actually founded in 2009, and became a ‘colony’ or a ‘chapter in training’ the following year.  Today, they celebrate their success in becoming a chapter.  In order to become a chapter, they had to fulfill three main prerequisites: philanthropy, hold at least two recruitment drives, and develop a charter petition including their bylaws and member information.   

Great work, McGill chapter!   We look forward to hearing more about your success.

Visit McGill’s Delta Lambda Phi Facebook page.  

Depression and Suicide among Young People

A group of my colleagues delivered a moving presentation today on Depression and Suicide. I felt the information was important to share. I have added some additional detail.

Depression and suicide statistics are staggering. In Canada, suicides account for 24% of all deaths among people aged 15-24. In Ontario, 31% of students reported distress, and 10% of students reported thinking of suicide. Even more tragic, is that over 90% of people who commit suicide have some form of mental illness that is treatable.

We are teachers. We have face time with these kids almost daily. We have to be the front lines of defence and recognize the symptoms of depressions and signs that someone is contemplating suicide.

SIGNS OF DEPRESSION Most often, at the onset of depression, a person’s behaviour changes. The changes may be subtle, so you have to pay attention:
• withdrawal from social situations
• consistently arriving late or missing class frequently
• slipping grades
• disinterest in completing school work
• lowered morale
• difficulty communicating effectively
• problems concentrating

Pay particular attention to students who have recently lost a loved one, those you know who are going through relationship troubles, and to those you know who are socially isolated, and perhaps being bullied.

To support students dealing with depression, we as teachers, can do a number of things:
• invite a public speaker to come visit your class or school
• create an anti-bullying/depression/suicide prevention group in your school
• have your students create PSAs to air during morning announcements
• engage your class in positive team building activities to foster a sense of community
• connect a student who has come to you with the school public health nurse

SIGNS THAT SOMEONE IS CONTEMPLATING SUICIDE  Surprisingly, 70% of people who commit suicide tell someone about their plans, or show warning signs. Keep your ears open for statements such as:
• My family would be better off without me
• Next time I'll take enough pills to do the job right
• I won't be around to deal with that
• You'll be sorry when I'm gone
• I just can't deal with everything - life is too hard
• There's nothing I can do to make it better
• I'd be better off dead
• I feel like there is no way out
Keep your eyes open for the following behaviours:
• Giving away articles of either personal or monetary value
• Signs of planning a suicide such as obtaining a weapon or writing a suicide note
• dark messages in the writings of your students (especially in subject areas calling for personal reflection)
• Student suddenly participating in risky behaviours

If you see someone who is suffering, stop and help. You may be saving a life.