Most of us would never drive after drinking or pull our phone out and scroll through social media while behind the wheel, but if you’ve ever been jolted awake as your car hit the rumble strip on the side of the road or you fell asleep at a stoplight, you were engaged in as dangerous a situation as driving while impaired or distracted. It’s important that all of us understand the implications of drowsy driving as we observe Drowsy Driving Prevention Week in November.
Drowsy driving is now listed as one of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s top public safety dangers behind the wheel along with drugged, drunken and distracted driving. The National Sleep Foundation has concluded that anyone who has slept less than two hours in a 24 hour period is too sleep-deprived to operate a vehicle.
Here’s why; drowsy driving is estimated to cause the following each year:
• 328,000 crashes in the U.S. • 6,400 highway deaths • $109 billion in costs, not counting property damage
Here are some other startling statistics:
• More than half of drowsy driving crashes involve drivers age 25 and younger • Driving 18 hours without sleep is equal to .05 blood alcohol impairment • As many as one-third of drivers admitted that they have fallen asleep while driving
If you’ve battled to keep awake behind the wheel, you know how dangerous it can be; much like drunk drivers, overtired drivers have proven to have:
• Slower reaction times • Impaired judgment • Increased risk of risk-taking • More frequent blinking/eye closure • Deficits in cognitive performance • Memory impairment • Attention failure
Safety groups and the National Sleep Foundation urge you to pull over, stop and rest if you notice any of these warning signs:
• Difficulty focusing • Frequent eye blinking • Daydreaming • Trouble recalling the last few miles or moments • Repeated yawning or rubbing your eyes • Trouble keeping your head up • Driving across lanes or hitting a shoulder rumble strip
And, if you are a teacher, you are not immune. In addition to the risks associated with drowsy driving, being sleep deprived could also be affecting your performance in the classroom. A Ball State University study found nearly a fourth of teachers said their classroom skills were significantly diminished and half admitted to missing work or making errors do to a serious lack of sleep. About 43 percent slept an average of six hours a night and 64 percent said they felt drowsy during the school day. Exacerbating the problem is that so many school personnel spend late nights grading papers and preparing lesson plans. The study also found that almost half of the respondents worked a second job to make ends meet.
Lack of sleep can lead to serious health issues. Those who get only six hours or less per night were more likely to have a depletion of performance with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, depression, and obesity.
So what can you do to get more sleep? Experts say good sleep hygiene is essential:
• Try to get eight hours of sleep each night • Avoid napping during the day • Stop using stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol close to bedtime • Stay away from heavy meals close to bedtime • Get vigorous exercise during the day and try relaxing rituals such as yoga before bedtime • Keep the bedroom for sleep; remove the TV • Create a good sleep environment: eliminate excess noise and light and the temperature neither too hot or cold
Remember, getting a good night’s sleep and finding more time to relax can lead to a better classroom experience for you and your students, as well as reduce your risk of driving drowsy.
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This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
Online writing tools can engage and assist students in the writing process. These 5 free, interactive websites will help students brainstorm, organize, write, edit, and revise. And the best part? They’re all free to use! interactive writing websites
Engage your students in online literacy learning with these interactive tools that help them accomplish a variety of goals—from organizing their thoughts to learning about language—all while having fun.
Grammarly corrects hundreds of grammar, punctuation, and spelling mistakes. This is while also catching contextual errors, improving your vocabulary, and suggesting style improvements. Come for the best-in-class grammar checking, stay for the added polish that will keep your text clear, mistake-free, and effective.
At BoomWriter, the mission is to immerse students, teachers, parents and administrators in an interactive learning experience, both in and beyond the classroom. Students develop their creative writing skills and understanding of literary elements. They can apply, share, and assess vocabulary knowledge in a fun and interactive way. Plus, they have the ability to demonstrate their nonfiction writing skills in information and explanatory, argument/opinion, scientific, or narrative focused projects.
Look up words to find their meanings and associations with other words and concepts. Produce diagrams reminiscent of a neural net. Additionally, learn how words associate.
Check out these fun writing games for kids. Enjoy a range of free activities, resources and practice exercises related to writing letters, stories, newspapers, debates, advertising and instructions. The games are perfect for challenging students who enjoy interactive learning online. Find a topic that suits you and improve your English by completing as many of the educational challenges as you can.
Our Education Blogger is a public school teacher with over a decade of experience. She’s an active NEA member and enjoys writing about her experiences in the classroom.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
Halloween is almost here and that means little superheroes, princesses, and ghosts will soon be roaming the streets in search of their favorite sugary treats. Halloween safety
As you spend time planning, decorating and carving pumpkins, remember that a safe Halloween is a Happy Halloween. Whether you’re headed out with the trick-or-treaters or manning the door to pass out candy at home, here are some Halloween safety tips to keep in mind:
Trick-or-Treating with Children:
Make sure all swords or similar costume accessories are soft, short, and flexible
Never let children trick-or-treat alone
Map out a safe route with your kids
Set a designated time for them to return home or check-in with you
Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see trick-or-treaters
Attach your child’s name, address, and phone number somewhere inside their costume
Try to walk on the sidewalks as much as possible.
Carry a flashlight with you—and give one to each child–to help you and others see
Check to make sure kids are wearing well-fitted masks (or better yet- face paint!), costumes, and shoes to avoid tripping or blocking your vision
Check over treats before letting kids start eating them- check to make sure they are still commercially wrapped and not tampered with and that they do not present a choking hazard
Always test make-up in a small area first to check for allergies before applying it to large areas like the face. Be sure to remove all makeup before bedtime to prevent skin and eye irritation
Remind kids:
Walk from house to house, never run
Enter homes only if you are with a trusted adult
Only visit well-lit homes
Look both ways before crossing the street
Never accept rides from strangers
Never walk near lit candles or luminaries
Prepare Your Home for Trick-or-Treaters:
Make sure the outside areas of your home is well-lit and free of obstacles
Be sure to turn on all your exterior lights
Keep candle-lit jack-o-lanterns and luminaries away from doorsteps, walkways, landings, and curtains. Use battery-operated candles in any outdoor or child-accessible decorations
Keep pets away from the door so they don’t scare—or get scared by—trick-or-treaters
Report any suspicious or criminal activity to your local police department or sheriff’s office
Make sure you do not pass out candy that is a choking hazard to younger children
Have a safe and spooky Halloween!
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or visit www.calcas.com.
October can be a “scary” time of year, but it doesn’t have to be frightening for those who take the proper precautions in protecting their property. With that in mind, here are…
Five ways to ward off scary insurance mistakes that can stop you dead in your tracks this Halloween season:
1.Protect against uninsured and underinsured drivers.
It’s estimated that one-out-of-seven drivers don’t have insurance. But, there are many more drivers that purchase bare minimums. Make sure you have protection with uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. For about 20 cents a day, you can be protected against unexpected medical bills if you or your vehicle is hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver whose mask slipped over their eyes.
2. Purchase renters insurance.
Many renters think their landlord’s policy will cover them in the event of a fire, storm or other malady. Your landlord’s property insurance only covers the building, not the things you own. Renters insurance covers your prized possessions, loss of use of the home or apartment you rent and liability protection in case someone gets hurt on the premises. Plus, the cost is as little as $10 to $20 a month.
Most homeowner or renters insurance policies do not include damage from flood and earthquakes. Without separate flood and earthquake insurance, you could be stuck paying for all the damage and a place to live if your home is uninhabitable.
4. Have appropriate insurance for your home or vehicle.
What happens if jack-o-lantern candle accidentally starts a fire? Or someone trips and falls on your steps? Without enough coverage for the damage or liability, you could be paying out of pocket for a claim.
5. Update your coverage.
Did you recently add a new room to the house or have you purchased new electronics, appliances or jewelry? Maybe you got married in the past year or have a new driver in the household. Get a policy review to make sure the new items you purchased are covered. Additionally, you should update your insurance after a life event such as marriage, divorce or there is a new driver in the house.
Don’t make any scary insurance mistakes that will haunt you. Connect with a California Casualty advisor today!
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
Our Education Blogger is a public school teacher with over a decade of experience. She’s an active NEA member and enjoys writing about her experiences in the classroom.
If you’re like me, you’ve never really had a structured morning meeting as part of your school day. I simply didn’t have the time. However, over the years, I’ve found that I can squeeze in time during other parts of the day. After incorporating our “afternoon” meeting into our schedule, I saw amazing, positive changes begin to happen in my students. Not only did we get a chance to learn more about one another, but we built stronger relationships, practiced empathy skills, and even had some laughs.
What Is A Morning Meeting?
A time, usually 20-30 minutes, set aside each morning for teacher(s) and students to connect. If you can’t meet in the morning, find another time that works for your classroom schedule. Most often, students and teachers sit in a circle.
Why Should My Classroom Have Morning Meetings?
Morning meetings are an ideal time to:
Check-In with students
Build a classroom community
Allow students to practice academic and social skills
Greeting: students and teacher say hello to one another by name. You might require pairs of students to shake hands and say “Good Morning __________.” You could even try it in another language!
Share and Listen: in an organized fashion, students share about themselves or important events happening in their lives while the other students listen, ask questions, or offer advice. I used this time to read from my “Compliments & Complaints” box.
Activity: prepare a short group activity that requires teamwork and allows students to practice a skill (acting out a skit, playing a game, solving a puzzle, etc.)
Message and Announcements: write a message with daily announcements on the board for the day, have students read it and respond to it. This is a sneaky way to force students to actually look at the day’s schedule, announcements, and other important information, and ask questions if necessary.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
