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#sleepyteens

Smartphone use has invaded many aspects in our society and one major impact has been upon teens and their sleep. Knowledge is power, and knowing the impact that devices are having on our kids means we can make a plan of action, so what does the research tell us? Back in 1991, 71% of teens slept more than 7 hours a night but with the introduction of smartphones that has dropped to 22%, so 88% of adolescents are sleeping less than 7 hour night (Twenge, Krizan & Hisler, 2017). For teens, a lack of sleep means an increase in symptoms of depression and anxiety which can result in poor academic performance. But for any student, using their phones late into the night disrupts their circadian cycles, this means the light from the phone acts as a stimulant, keeping them awake longer and delaying any feeling of tiredness (Lemola et al., 2015). Of the teens who use social media late at night while in bed, 25% reported finding it challenging to go back to sleep after responding to lat
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Analyzing my past through principles of learning

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Do you remember an assignment that you loathe to do but then upon reflection you realize you did learn a lot?  After writing this mammoth reflection, a critical analysis of my own teaching practice since the 90s, it dawned on me how valuable the process was; to see the impact of change, to detect further areas of growth, and to assess how time and place has altered my path.  An Educational Journey Through Time and Place and the Principles of Learning A map of my learning journey, if you follow the rainbow you can trace the path. The road A road less travelled is one that I have followed both in my personal and in my professional life. Metamorphosis is a challenge I embrace and as I reflect upon the road I have traveled as an educator I make connections to various learning theories that were signposts in my journey. My tale feels like an epic tale, and my role would be akin to Samwise Gamgee from the Lord of the Rings ; at the start I lacked confidence, kn
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Superhero Book Week: Using the PYP Learner Profile to Build a Reading Community

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Books can be your hero, and help you to become a hero!  Goals for a book week can vary on a school's needs and the whim of the librarian. It is that time of year when arguments in the playground and in the classroom were on the rise, just like the rising temperatures in Singapore. So for Book Week it was decided we would focus on the PYP learner profile. With three teacher librarians thinking, we named 5 different superheroes that were inspired by the Singapore ' graciousness ' characters that are found on public transport. A couple of hours in Adobe Illustrator and viola - our heroes!       Our book week engaged all members of our community; with the goal of all members share the belief that words have power. As teacher librarians, we read aloud a variety of books, like the 'Wooden Camel" which highlighted not only the power of imagination but we chatted with our students to help deliver the message of empathy for a boy whose family had fallen on h
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