by California Casualty | Educators, Health |
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.
The “discussion.” It’s inevitable. Kids are going to want to talk about Coronavirus-COVID19 (if they haven’t asked you already). This is a difficult, yet important, discussion. So, where do we start the conversation?
The good news- There’s no right or wrong way to approach this topic. However, if you are unsure of how to navigate this conversation, you may find these tips to be helpful.
Be Calm
Your kids naturally react to your emotions. When you are calm, kids are more likely to listen to you and better understand.
Be Available
Allow time in your schedule simply for talking. Tell your kids you are available if they have questions. Try not to force conversations. When kids are having strong feelings, validate those feelings and talk about them.
Be Prepared
Don’t be surprised if you have to repeat information to your kids; any type of crisis can be confusing. Kids need to find ways to feel reassured, and repetition of information can satisfy this need.
Be Honest
Adults want to make scary situations less frightening for kids. It’s natural. But during times of crisis and uncertainty, it is important to be honest with kids. Provide information using age-appropriate language and concepts. Also, remind kids that not everything they read or see is an accurate representation of the truth; we must be mindful consumers of media.
Be Sensitive
We may struggle to find the answer to the big question: Why? Please find reliable information to help you answer this question (fact sheets from CDC). Don’t use language that blames a group of people or assumes specific races or ethnicities contract or spread the virus.
Be Attentive
Know what your kids are watching and hearing on TV and online. It’s always a good idea to limit screen time, especially during a crisis. Too much information can be overwhelming and may cause confusion or anxiety. Also, be aware that kids may be listening to adult conversations.
Be Proactive
Revisit proper hygiene routines with them, like:
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- Practicing sneezing and coughing into your elbow or tissue
- Washing hands for 30 seconds using soap and hot water (wash before eating or touching food and after blowing nose, coughing, sneezing, or using restroom)
- Hand sanitizing
- Avoiding sick people
Be Comforting
Reassure kids that they are safe in their homes. Try to avoid making promises to kids that no one in their families or close circles will contract the virus. Remind them that most people who become sick from COVID19 will recover.
Be Inspiring
This is a great time to show kids how helpful people can be during times of crisis. Even though many people have been affected by this virus, there are also many people who are reaching out to help. Ask your kids if they’d want to help during this time. Focusing our attention on positive actions can have a tremendous effect on our well-being.
A few ways kids can help:
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- Give blood (must be 17 years old)
- Support your local food bank
- Donate money to reputable non-profits
- Write letters or make pictures to send to doctors and nurses at local hospitals
- Send letters or pictures to people living in residential centers (local retirement centers and nursing homes)
One last thing to remember: kids are resilient. The way adults respond and offer support to kids can help mitigate the potential negative emotional consequences related to this traumatic event. Our kids will bounce back, and perhaps even grow, from this experience.
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.
For more information visit:
www.cdc.gov
www.aacap.org
by California Casualty | News |
We have amazing employees at California Casualty. The Employee Spotlight is a new series aiming to highlight those talented individuals that make up our successful company culture and community. From human resource recruiters and learning and development trainers to claims adjusters, marketers, customer support specialists, partner relations, sales representatives, and beyond; each week, we’ll highlight a new team member, so you can get to know us better and see how our employees make us who we are as a company.
This edition of the Employee Spotlight will feature our Customer Care Specialist, Amber Ferrell
Amber has been with us for almost 4 years now and is based in our Colorado office.
Let’s get to learn Amber!
What made you want to work in Customer Service at California Casualty?
I love helping people!
With California Casualty insuring those that make the biggest difference in our communities (teachers, first responders, and nurses), there is an immense amount of satisfaction you receive knowing that you have made a positive impact on one of those customers. 🙂
What is your favorite part about your job?
My favorite part about working at California Casualty is that you are given the resources and support to accomplish your goals and to be successful in any role.
California Casualty is definitely a company that you want to work for until you retire. You have so many opportunities for internal growth, that anything is possible!
I love working here. Being a part of this organization makes me feel as though I am not only part of a team, but a family. Not just with my fellow colleagues, but with our customers as well.
What have you learned in your position at California Casualty?
Working in customer service I have discovered that every day is a learning experience, giving you the opportunity with each customer interaction to expand your knowledge and confidence.
I can honestly say, I learn something new every single day.
What are your favorite activities to do outside of the office?
I enjoy cooking and baking, gardening, DIY projects, camping and just getting away to the mountains whenever possible
Anything else you would like the audience to know about you?
I was born and raised in Colorado. I lived in South Florida for 11 years before returning home to Colorado. While in Florida I worked at a florist for 10 years, which is where I developed my love for plants and flowers. I will always appreciate how much a bouquet of flowers can brighten someone’s day
My husband and I have a serious passion for cooking. We enjoy taking cooking classes together and putting our skills to the test at home with our kiddos.
We also have a love for classic cars and we hope to one day buy a project car that we can restore.
If you want to learn more about Amber or are interested in a career at California Casualty, connect with her on LinkedIn! Or visit our careers page at https://www.calcas.com/careers
by California Casualty | Educators |
You may not be able to get out and visit a regular zoo, but with Google’s 3D animal feature you can bring the zoo to you!
How To Use the Feature
It’s super simple! All you have to do is Google the name of the animal you would like to see in 3D. Google put’s it’s AR right at the top of the search, so when you scroll down you should see your animal with the button “View in 3D”.
You even get some facts about each animal that you are viewing, so you can make a whole lesson plan out of it!
After you click the “View in 3D” button, you will be directed to a screen that has a 360-degree view of your animal that you are able to zoom in and out on. From here you can make the animal appear against a white background OR in the center of your room, but sliding the between “AR” and “Object”.
The best part about this feature is the animal is actually moving the whole time as if it’s real. You can see it blink, twist it’s head, open it’s mouth, roar, swim, etc.
What Animals Can I View in Google 3D?
You can view any of these animals using Google’s 3D feature:
- Alligator
- Angler Fish
- Ball Python
- Brown Bear
- Cat
- Cheetah
- Deer
- Dog
- Bulldog
- Pomeranian
- Lab
- Pug
- Rottweiler
- Duck
- Eagle
- Emperor Penguin
- Giant Panda
- Goat
- Hedgehog
- Horse
- Leopard
- Lion
- Macaw
- Octopus
- Racoon
- Shark
- Shetland Pony
- Snake
- Tiger
- Turtle
- Wolf
There is no official list from Google; however this list has grown since first launching the program, and 9 to 5 Google predicts more will be added over time.
The animal kingdom is just a click away, so what are you waiting for?
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.
by California Casualty | Safety |
Amid a federal issuance of social distancing guidelines and orders across many cities for residents to “shelter in place,” people are having to quickly adjust to our new (thankfully temporary) normal. No more gatherings, picnics, playdates or dinners out for the time being.
Yet, while our physical connection is severely curtailed, communities are finding creative ways to remain virtually connected.
Not surprisingly, people are taking advantage of the internet (90% of adults in the U.S. use the web) and a multitude of apps and platforms to connect with their family, friends, and neighbors—even if they’re right next door. Here’s how communities are connecting while social distancing.
Feeling Chatty
Facetime, Skype, and WhatsApp video are among the go-to’s for video-enabled mobile chatting. For larger gatherings, web-based Google Hangouts, Zoom and others fit the bill. All these allow users to connect virtually, even if they live in different states or countries. For families with members who must self-isolate for safety, web and mobile chats allow close family time without the risk of exposure.
Finding Each Other on Facebook
Like online chatting, Facebook is connecting families and friends now more than ever. But it also offers people the ability to reach much larger audiences and communities.
In Holbrook, Massachusetts, firefighters are using the platform to record videos of themselves reading bedtime stories and share them for parents to play for their children. Libraries are taking storytime and education online, and zoos and aquariums are bringing their animals to people’s living rooms via live streams on Facebook Live and YouTube channels.
Facebook Groups are another way that people are creating tailored communities around a specific cause, topic or interest. On the safety front, many news organizations and local authorities are using the platform to keep their communities informed and up to date on COVID-19.
Checking in Near and Far
For those who are separated from friends or family in another country, WhatsApp is a free messaging app that can help them stay in touch across oceans or continents. On the other end of the spectrum is Nextdoor, a hyperlocal platform that helps neighbors post and share information relevant to their neighborhood.
Dance Parties & PSAs
Who says people have to be in the same room to dance together? Tiktok, a new platform for creating short dance, comedy and lip-sync videos, has seen an explosion of friendly dance challenges in a time of social distancing. Families, co-workers and friends alike are using the app to break out their moves. In Louisville, Kentucky, a father and his two grown sons held a dance competition on the platform—it went viral and got almost 10 million views.
Halfway across the world, in Vietnam, TikTok users helped spread a government PSA about handwashing to many millions by turning the catchy tune into a global dance challenge. It’s gotten more than 20 million views, proving that creativity and community can help spread the word on steps we all must take to protect ourselves and each other.
By taking advantage of remote tools and technology—and adding some fun and creativity—we can stay connected to family, friends and our community while adhering to social distancing guidelines that will help flatten the curve and keep everyone safer.
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.
by California Casualty | Educators |
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.
20 Attention-Getters to Quiet Any Noisy Classroom
Part of a good classroom management system includes a way to get the attention of students. When it is time for students to stop, focus, and be ready to listen and learn, an attention-getter should be in a teacher’s magic bag of management tricks. Attention-getters should do the job quickly and efficiently. Grabbing the focus of students will be a snap with some tried and true attention-getters.
Call and Response
- Teacher says “Hey Hey!” and students respond with “Ho Ho!” I’ve been using this one in my classroom ever since I began teaching.
- Teacher: “Let’s Go Tigers!” Students reply by clapping: clap, clap, clap, clap, clap. Insert your favorite sports team or even your school mascot.
- Teacher says “Flat Tire!” Students say: “sssshhhhhhhh.” Put a limit on how long the “ssshhh” should be. Some jokesters may drag it out a bit too long.
- Teacher says: “Class, class.” Students say: “Yes, yes.”
- Paying homage to a Disney classic, the teacher says “Hakuna!” while students call out “Matata!”
- Teacher says: “Meanwhile” Students say: “Back at the ranch.”
- Teacher says: “Hocus Pocus!” Students say: “Everybody Focus!”
- Teacher says: “Alright, stop!” Students say: “Collaborate and listen.”
- Teacher says: “Macaroni and cheese.” Students say: “Everybody freeze!”
- Teacher says: “All set.” Students say: “You bet!”
Non-verbal
- Teacher claps once, students respond with two claps. You could even use patterns.
- Teacher silently raises one hand in the air with two fingers up like the peace signal. Students will mimic teacher until the entire class is silent while giving the peace signal.
- Use a bell, timer, or doorbell. When students hear the audio signal, they stop to listen.
- Find an item, like a hat or glasses, to put on when you need students to focus on you.
- Use a quiet instrument, such as a triangle, wind chime, drum, or sound block.
- Flick the lights off and on until students are ready to learn.
- Create a paddle with a stop sign on it. Hold it up when you need the attention of students.
- Play a song, or part of a song. When the song is over, students must be quiet and focused.
- Teacher raises hand in the air while silently counting down with fingers. When no fingers are left, the class should be ready to learn.
- Wave a flag, or wand, in the air for all students to see. Students must be silent and listening by the time you lower the flag.
Find at least one attention-getter with which you are comfortable, or create your own. Practice your intended attention-getter with your students often to get desired results. Are students not responding to your usual attention-getter? Switch it up! Change your attention-getter altogether, or mix up what you usually use. Don’t be afraid to get a little silly, only if your students can handle it. Say it in a different accent, or stretch it out in slo-mo.
We’d love to hear from you! Do you have a preferred attention-getter? Please share your favorite attention-getter in the comments below!
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.
