The way you measure a society’s soul is by the way that it treats its children.
Nelson Mandela
Issue No. 93 – 13th August 2010
Welcome to Kidz Newz especially to all new subscribers. Kidz Newz is a regular newsletter with information and teaching tips for anyone involved with young children. You are receiving this because you have attended one of my workshops, purchased a book, or you have requested to be on the mailing list. Thank you. Please forward this to anyone you feel it may be of interest to. Feedback is welcome.
PD Update
Let’s Just Play
Tuesday 31st August 2010 – 3.30-5.30pm, Connolly Community Centre, Glenelg Place, Connolly (Perth, Western Australia) – Cost: $66.00
This workshop will focus on simple equipment to engage children’s interest, such as scarves, ribbon sticks, balls and hoops, parachutes and rainbow rings. Engaged children learn better. Suitable for music specialists, teachers of K-3 and childcare workers.
Book directly with me at info@kidzfizbiz.com or 0410 642 781 or via the website. Flyers with enrolment form attached have been sent to schools.
Employment Opportunity – Be your own boss!
Looking for a part-time teaching opportunity? Love working with children? Love teaching music and movement? I am looking for people to train to run their own business as Kidz-Fiz-Biz operators. Good retruns and lots of fun. If this is something of interest to you now or in the future, please contact me at info@kidzfizbiz.com or phone 0410 642 781.
Why is there no link between Cancer & Mobile Phones?
I recently attended a seminar given by Scientist John Jacob and enjoyed it so much I am now a subscriber to ‘Making Sense of Science‘. The following article is from the June 2010 Issue which I reproduce with his kind permission. You might like to test out the children in your science class with the header as the teaser question. I recommend John’s newsletter.
Two large studies in Europe recently failed to find any link between mobile phones and cancer. How is that possible?
For years everybody “knew” that mobile phones were somehow killing us with radiation. Is this an example of a myth that became an accepted, unquestioned fact through repetition in the media? Did people jump to this dodgy conclusion without any evidence and in spite of sound, well-established scientific facts? Yes, that’s pretty much what happened.
To respond or send a personal message to me, go to my contact page or visit me at www.johnsjacob.com. Also, you can now see me on YouTube at TheInnovationGuru.
Why exactly does mobile phone radiation have no effect upon us, and how can we be so sure? It’s a question of the radiation’s wavelength and power. Electromagnetic waves around the 10cm mark don’t have enough “kick” to break chemical bonds found in human cells and DNA. Besides, the amount of energy absorbed by the body from a mobile phone is roughly the amount required to power a digital watch. We’ve heard the statement, “There is no known way for mobile phone radiation to cause cancer.” But what about the ways that are UNKNOWN?
Are there unknown ways that mobile phones might be damaging our cells and our DNA? This confused and mistaken belief was created by sloppy communication. Rather than the above statement, a more accurate statement would be the following, “All of the ways in which cell phone radiation is absorbed by the human body are known, and none of them result in cell damage of any sort, much less cancer. All of the kinds of radiation that cause cancer are known, and none of them can be found coming out of your phone.”
Can you see how the two versions might be interpreted in opposite ways? The first statement might be seen to imply that it is happening and we don’t know why. The other statement more clearly explains that it isn’t happening because it doesn’t happen, and it doesn’t happen because there are no physical means by which it can happen.
These massive European studies were done using the health records of thousands of people over many years during which time mobile phone usage was exploding. It is no surprise that they were unable to detect any connection between mobile phones and cancer. For more information on these studies and the reasons they “failed”, visit this link.
The medical researchers discovered nothing more or less than that which physicists had predicted. When a “theory” is correct, it makes accurate predictions of things before they are observed.
Maybe there is some kind of radiation we don’t know about yet? If that is so, then maybe there are also some new numbers between 0 and 9 that haven’t been noticed yet. Let’s see: there’s 1, and of course 2, yes we know about that one already, and 3 …
All radiation has a wavelength and a frequency, and these are represented by numbers from 0 to as high as you can measure. None of them are in any way hidden from our view. Sure, there are mysteries and things in the universe that are unknown to us at this time, but there are also plenty of things that science has fully exposed, and about which we know all there is to know.
What about those previous cancer studies that said there might be a cancer-cellphone connection? Those studies were deeply flawed in two ways. First, the correct conclusion to draw from those studies was not that a link has been found, but rather that a link could not be ruled out with complete confidence using the available data. There is a vast difference between those two statements, yet using one for the other is a mistake that poorly-trained scientists and untrained journalists often make.
Second, those studies were flawed in that they did not propose or investigate any credible mechanism obeying the laws of nature through which such a link might occur. They did not address the physical facts about what radiation is and how it works. Everyone can contribute to scientific accuracy by asking the right questions and holding our scientists and journalists to a high standard of precision in their communication. When a study claims to be a conclusion, always ask why and how.
I’m not going to let mobile phones off the hook this easily, however. It turns out that they are in fact quite dangerous. They kill people all the time. How?
Real-life tests have proven that drivers talking on a mobile phone while behind the wheel are on average more impaired and more likely to have an accident than someone who is legally drunk. That’s how using a mobile phone can kill you or kill someone’s child: by using it when you really should be doing something else. Like predicting the movements of cars and pedestrians in front of you.
Finally, while we’re predicting things, how many of my readers will react angrily to having yet another cherished belief blown away by facts? 3.6%. I can virtually guarantee it. Won’t this prediction skew the results. No. that 3.6% has stopped reading long before now.
Mary Mountstephen PD
Another scientific researcher I recommend is Mary Mountstpephen (see her article on Primitive Reflexes and Early Childhood Development in Kidz Newz Issue No. 71). I had the priviledge of presenting a full-day PD at Glastonbury last year at Mary’s school. She is coming to Australia (Sydney) at the end of October and would like to provide a PD for teachers on the 27th or 28th October. This is a tiny part of the blurb:
Practical Strategies and Resources for Teachers and Parents: Dyspraxia, Dyslexia and Speech & Communication Difficulties.
A 1/2 day workshop/twilight session run by Mary Mountstephen, and international child development specialist.
Mary is the author of several practical books on supporting young children (3-13) which a range of learning difficulties.
- How to identify difficulties: is it dyslexia or what else it might be?
- What can I do to help?
- What resources are there which are effective, and cost effective?
- How can I keep it fun?
Cost of the session includes full access to documentation and ongoing ‘Ask the Expert’ advice.
If you are in any way able to host a session at your school, Mary would be delighted. If you can’t host a workshop could you recommend a venue? Please contact Mary directly at mem@imaginationgym.ws. Alternatively, contact me and I will forward your message. Mary is very worthwhile listening to if you can get to Sydney.
Quotes of the Week
“We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?” ~ Marianne Williamson
Entertainment
If you’re thinking of getting a new economical vehicle for your family, think of the possible alternative……
Only in China
A 9 seater … more than a full-sized van!!! Plus, a bucket seat! And don’t forget the hammock!!! Can’t beat that!
Feedback
Some comments from UK PD – Millfield Prep School, Glastonbury
“The most useful thing I learned today was the tapping sticks and fingerplays.”
“The most useful thing I learned today was ideas for all equipment and to be able to purchase suitable music. It was all so brilliant and there was great enthusiasm.”
About The Author
Marlene Rattigan B.A., Dip. Ed. (ECS), CELTA
Marlene Rattigan is an Early Childhood teacher, a teacher of English as a Second Language, and from 1987-2000 was a nationally accredited fitness leader. Her background is in music education. A keen interest in motor development in children led to the creation of Kidz-Fiz-Biz which she taught successfully for 13 years. Marlene also conducts workshops for children, teachers and parents at schools, in the community and at festivals. She has produced teaching manuals complete with audio CDs which are an extension of her ‘Kidz-Fiz-Biz’ program.
Kidz-Fiz-Biz
PO Box 6894, East Perth WA 6892, Australia
T: +61 8 9325 1204 M: +61 (0) 410 64 2781 E: info@kidzfizbiz.com
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Until next time … continue being a legend in your classroom.
Marlene Rattigan, Editor
Kidz Newz
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