CHOICE, CHANCE, CHANGE

To deal with the diversity we need to take into account the three "C":

• CHOICE
• We need to make the choice of our position towards the diversity and how to take care of all the differences.
• CHANCE
• To make choices is not enough. We must take the chance and go on with our engagement.
• CHANGE
• After having made choices and taken chances, to change is easy since it has already happened.

WHAT IS THE KEY TO BE A GOOD TEACHER

I am a teacher. I would like to think that one day students will be "impressed" by how I treat them: with respect  to their differencies, with tolerance to their mistakes; with kindness to their frustrations, with hope to their fears.

My goal is still far away but in the meantime I will keep on working hard on it !

WHAT ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY

       In this interesting video, the main question is if homosexuality is a choice. First of all, we are shown the Freudian theory about sexuality and relantionship problems within the family during our  chilhood but it has never been proved scientifically. 
       
      Afterwards, it has been proved that homosexuality frequent in other animal species. Then some research prove that  genetic factors play an important role in being homosexual, since genetic twins usually have the same sexual orientation. 

       Another surprising statement of the video is that being the youngest of the brothers increases the likelihood of being homosexual. The conclusion is that homosexuality is not a mental disorder and sexual orientation is not a choice and cannot be changed.

Offering a bit of information to our students won't do them any harm and will promote tolerance and understanding!!!

A EDUCATIONAL SONG FOR OBESITY

This could be a useful song to be analysed in the English class. 

Students learn English and at the same time become more aware about healthy food, about what we eat and why we do it.

SCOFFquestionnaire about eating disorders

I honestly think that we as teachers can  help if not to solve eating disorders ( because it is proved  taht  these are complex issues), at least to  detect them  at the  begining or to prevent them. Here are 5 questions that we can use in our classes:

SCOFF questionnaire:

1. Do you ever make yourself sick because you feel uncomfortably full?
2. Do you worry you have lost control over how much you eat?
3. Have you recently lost more than one kilo in a three month period?
4. Do you believe yourself to be fat when others say you are too thin?
5. Would you say that food dominates your life?

These are really interesting questions which spur us to think about this topic. At first we can practice with ourselves and answer them honestly. In a society where slimness is prized, it is easy to answer at least one of these questions in a positive way. In my case, I only will say that if asked a long time ago, I would have answered with "yes" in 4 out of the 5 questions.

One of the most caracteristic symptoms of anorexia is to believe that you are fatter than the real thing. This misperception can seriously damage our self-esteem. Let's help our students to acquire a good perception of  themselves and to be satisfied with their bodies. It could be a very good start to fight against anorexia and bulimia.

A SONG ABOUT ANOREXIA

Some sentences and words to highlight.

It is a secret. 

To seek perfection

Overachiever

low self-esteem

In conclusion, we, as teachers, should increase the self-esteem and to persuade children that perfection is good within certain limits. Beyond this point, perfection only leads to autodestruction.

SOME ALARMING SIGNS TO DETECT AN EATING DISORDER

* First of all, let's watch the video

Around 60 percent of teenagers show some kind of behaviour associated with eating disorders; the question is to know how to discriminate which are hiding an eating disorder.

1. Excessive dieting
2. Excessive exercice
3. Withdrawing from friends and isolate themselves
4. Fasting
5. Hiding food

*Let's watch now this video about the same topic:

In some cases of anorexia, teenagers usually avoid common meals with the family. In bulimia, some  people spend a lot of time in the bathroom or exercice too much to burn more calories than  necessary.

*And finally, let's watch this video

The return to school after holidays is a stressful period and children could have some eating disorders. Statistics show that the majority of eating disorders develop while they are still at school. If there are alarming sings, the best thing to do is to seek help.