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In
this edition of Technology and Physical Education I would like to
focus on drug and alcohol awareness in all grades. As always there will be articles that link technology with
all areas of the curriculum.
The
Surgeon General says about 3,000 kids start
smoking every day and if they knew the facts about smoking they
would never start.
Items that will be discussed will cover the REAL DEAL, which is
valuable information about smoking. Also, there will be details
about drugs and quantity and frequency of use.
The toll addiction takes on children can be substantial. Children
of addiction (or COAs) are at significantly greater risk for:
- mental illness or emotional problems, such
as depression or anxiety;
- physical health problems; and
- learning problems, including difficulty
with cognitive and verbal skills, conceptual reasoning and abstract
thinking.
Gerry Cernicky
Technology Section Editor
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Don't just count your years,
make your years count. --Ernest Meyers
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Please check the Technology archives for the list of vocabulary
terms that will guide you through the articles to make them
easier to understand
USB -Short for Universal Serial Bus,
an external bus
standard that supports data
transfer rates of 12 Mbps.
A single USB port
can be used to connect up to 127 peripheral
devices, such as mice,
modems, and keyboards.
USB also supports Plug-and-Play
installation and hot
plugging.
FIREWALL - A system designed to prevent unauthorized access
to or from a private network.
Firewalls can be implemented in both hardware
and software,
or a combination of both. Firewalls are frequently used to prevent
unauthorized Internet
users from accessing private networks connected to the Internet,
especially intranets.
All messages entering or leaving the intranet pass through the
firewall, which examines each message and blocks those that
do not meet the specified security
criteria.
USB FLASH DRIVE-A small, portable flash
memory card that plugs into a computer's USB port and functions as a
portable hard
drive with up to 2GB of storage capacity. USB flash drives
are touted as being easy-to-use as they are small enough to
be carried in a pocket and can plug into any computer with a
USB drive. USB flash drives have less storage capacity than
an external hard drive, but they are smaller and more durable
because they do not contain any internal moving parts.
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MYTHS:
- "The best thing to do for someone who is drunk is to
put them to bed and let them sleep it off."
- "If my friend passed out, I wouldn’t call for
help. I couldn’t live with myself if I got them in trouble".
- "The worst thing that can happen is that I’ll
pass out and have a hangover tomorrow."
- "People pass out from drinking all the time. It’s
nothing to worry about."
FACTS:
DID YOU KNOW THAT. . . .
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LIFEBYTES
This flash site is easy to navigate to seek information about alcohol,
smoking, drugs, physical activity, health/well being and comes replete
with links, dictionary and Teacher page.
TASA
Click here for a drug abuse dictionary, coloring page and DARE
– substance abuse and violence prevention articles.
QUIZ
Take this alcohol and drug abuse quiz for some valuable information
to share with your students, parents and community.
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Here are some valuable portable media to save
pertinent information and each can be paltry on your budget. The first is a CD ,
which , of course , will be used with a CD burner that either
comes with the computer or attached by way of a USB port in
an external fashion. In this way ,
all that saved information can be compacted on a 800MB disc.
Another way to garner information is with an external
zip drive that attaches to the USB port and can save 64, 128, 256 or 512 MB of storage. The device looks like a small pocketbook
and saves information on a zip disc. This will be helpful
over using the disappearing floppy disc.
A new device called a jump or flash drive, is a small external
device the size of an ordinary cigarette lighter. It also
attaches to the USB port and the information can be used on
any compatible computer using Windows XP.A software CD is
included in case the recipients computer is running Windows
98. In this way, the necessary
drivers can be accessed to make the device work properly.
It can maintain memory that includes 64, 128 and 256 MB.
All of the devices are highly effective and mobile
to make the transference and sharing of resources quick and
affordable.
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letters to share, or questions about particular topics,
please email one of the following Technology Section Editors:
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THE REAL DEAL
THE SIGNS : CAUSES
- PHYSICAL
- Slurred speech, loss of coordination, attention
- Change in appearance and personal hygiene
- Wearing long sleeves to cover marks
- Wearing sunglasses to cover red eyes
- Weight loss
- Stealing money
- Cutting classes
- PSYCHOLOGICAL
- Anxiety, paranoia, insomnia, depression
- Mood changes
- Social isolation
- Social problems at school
- Withdraw from friends
- DRUG FACTORS
- Drug cost
- Potency of drug
- Mode of intake
- Rapid speed of onset
- HOST FACTORS
- Heredity
- Prior experience
- Risk taking behavior
- Low self control
- Low commitment to academics
- High social anxiety
- ENVIRONMENTAL
- Lack of education
- Community attitude
- Social settings
- Social group
THE REAL DEAL REPORT/SMOKING
- 13% adolescents have smoked in the last 30 days, 87% are smart
enough not to smoke even though large companies pay for ads
on TV
- When the first cigarette is smoked you will experience loss
of breath, coughing, nausea and dizziness
- Symptoms of coughing and wheezing are found in students who
smoke once a week.
- Many times with the first cigarette comes next to use illegal
drugs and alcohol
- Most teens who smoke want to stop but can’t because of
addiction
- Quitting is ugly, it will show frustration, anger and anxiety
There is a myriad of help out there in form of Dare programs,
parental groups and community auspices. Here is a great informational
product called Keeping Kids DRUG FREE. It is in pdf form and can
be accessed by clicking on this URL:
KEEPING
KIDS DRUG FREE
Follow the link called Food FOR THOUGHT at the bottom of the
page.
Adobe Acrobat 6.0 can be accessed by a free download at the following
address:
ADOBE
This a very extensive expose on drug and alcohol abuse, drug
facts, parenting, opening lines of communication, teachable moments
and community resources.
HOW CAN YOU HELP ?
The most important messages to hear from trusted adults are:
- Alcohol/drug dependency is an illness. It is not your fault
that your parent drinks too much or uses drugs, and you are
not responsible for correcting it.
- You can take care of yourself by talking with a trusted person
and making healthy choices in your own life.
- Treatment for alcohol/drug dependency is available and can
be effective in getting a parent with addiction on the road
to recovery.
- You are not alone. You need and deserve services. There are
safe people and places that can help you.
Second, you can teach children how to identify and express
their feelings in healthy ways, especially by seeking out and
speaking with "safe" adults. You can guide them toward
educational support programs at school or in your community.
Such programs can help them develop coping skills to deepen
their innermost strength and resilience.
Children who live in alcohol- and drug-dependent families
learn not to trust adults. By offering your time and an open
ear to provide assurance and validation, you can counteract
much of that mistrust and make an immeasurable and positive
impact on a child's life.
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