Considering Children who are DLLs in Emergency Planning
Events in the news have many schools and programs taking a second look at their emergency plans. Let’s think what an emergency – or even a simple fire drill – must be like for a young child who doesn’t fully understand the language!
Establish class buddies – a more experienced, more fluent or more confident child can help a newcomer through drills and actual emergencies.
Establish family buddies too – a more experienced family can connect with new families to make sure they understand emergency procedures and they can be a familiar contact to answer questions.
Create a video of your school’s fire drill or sheltering procedures to make it easier for new families to understand and to explain to their children.
Simplify written policies to be sure that families who are new to English or who have lower literacy levels can truly understand these important messages.
Simplified materials are also easier to have translated in all of the languages needed in your program. Keep language info with emergency contact list to assist authorities in communicating with families.
Use multiple means of communicating so everyone has a chance to receive and comprehend messages – phone, text, or email.
Create picture cues – a list of photos or icons for specific notices – such as a lock with a time on it to indicate school is closing early. Use these as text messages to families or as visual cues to children about what is happening in an emergency.
Take families and children on a walking tour of your building and of nearby places where you will shelter in an emergency – this is better than handing out a written policy and hoping they understand what’s in it.
Update regularly! Double check emergency contact information with all families on a regular basis and provide periodic reminders and clarifications about emergency procedures so no child or family is overlooked.
Learn about each family’s culture and experiences so you can create culturally sensitive emergency plans and information. Children and families who have come from experiences of violence or natural disaster may react in unexpected ways and may need additional reassurance.


If life gives you lemons, make a lemonade stand
Shortly before her first birthday, Alex Scott was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, the second most common type of cancer in childhood. This meant that Alex’s years to follow were not just benchmarked with learning new words, how to eat solids and all the basics of early development, but sadly with medical procedures, tests, and a great deal of pain and fear.
Just after turning four, Alex received a stem cell transplant. Before leaving the hospital, she told her mother she wanted to open a lemonade stand to raise money to help other children fight cancer. Her mother warned of how difficult it was to raise a lot of money selling lemonade, but Alex was undeterred and persistent: ‘I’ll do it anyway’. Remarkably, despite her mother’s caution, by the end of that year she and her elder brother had managed to raise approximately 2,000 dollars.
Alex’s bravery and generosity are no doubt exceptional, but how rare is it for children of such young age to express such concerns and take action for the greater good? Alex’s early moral inclinations certainly challenge the traditional view of children’s morality as poor and fragile, such as that advanced by Jean Piaget in the 1930s. More broadly, her story also challenges a view of morality as externally imposed, a layer covering up natural selfish instincts. This raises the question: is morality really an acquired taste?
Early emergence of morality
Recent research in child development has revealed that children live rather sophisticated moral lives. In a ground breaking study from 2007, Kiley Hamlyn and colleagues found that 6 month old infants can tell who is friend and who is foe just by watching how they treat others. From their parent’s laps, infants watched a puppet show that included a character helping another climb a steep hill (the ‘helper’), and a character who instead actively pushed the other down the hill (the ‘hinderer’). After the show, infants were given the chance to choose one of these two puppets. Much to their parents’ relief, infants overwhelmingly approached the helper over the hinderer. This would suggest that infants seem able to extract the moral value behind other people’s actions.
As it turns out, evidence would suggest that infants do not only possess the capacity to implicitly judge others’ moral actions, but also take justice into their own hands. In a follow up study, researchers used the same puppet show setup, but gave participants the chance to give a ‘treat’ to either the helper or the hinderer. Even toddlers under 2 years old were more likely to give the ‘treat’ to the prosocial than the antisocial puppet, revealing intuitions that look like adult conceptions of reward and punishment toward good and bad behaviour.
In preschool years, more complex forms of moral action emerge. For example, a recent study reported that 3 year olds protested when they saw a puppet destroying someone else’s object or taking it away without permission, and spontaneously returned the object to the victim. In another experiment, children were shown to be more likely to help a victims if they had themselves (accidentally) destroyed their toy (for example, by knocking down their block tower) than when someone else did it. This suggests that complex moral feelings such as guilt may already be present and motivate behaviour at an early stage.
Children and the social sphere
Challenging traditional views, these findings indicate that children have a strong moral sense. They interpret actions as good or bad, right or wrong, deserving of praise or deserving of punishment. Most importantly, these judgments shape and guide their behaviour and social preferences, in ways that are similar to what is expected from adults’ social choices.
Despite the sophisticated nature of their moral experiences, it is surprising that children are mostly excluded from practices of civic life and decision making about policies that affect them. Even those who have already reached late childhood or adolescence are rarely given opportunity to engage in public debates relating to character and ethics and to act on issues of common concern.
Twenty years ago, Moss and Petrie (1997, p. 15) had claimed that it was ‘time to welcome children, with all their diversity, as young citizens, equal stakeholders with adults in a common social enterprise.’ Twenty years later we still seem to lack resources and organisational structures to promote children’s moral participation and civic engagement (but click here for evidence that the landscape is changing).
Alex Scott’s legacy
At the beginning of this post I mentioned that Alex’s lemonade stand had raised 2,000 dollars for cancer research. But that was not the whole story. Alex carried on selling lemonade every year and, as her inspiring story spread, other children decided to build their own lemonade stands and to donate funds to support her cause. Alex passed away at the age of 8, having raised more than a million dollars to help fight the disease that took her life.
Besides her incredible support for cancer research, Alex left us another legacy: the hope that exceptional outcomes can be achieved through children’s involvement in community affairs. Morality may be bred in the bone, but it is our responsibility to create spaces for children to exercise citizenship rights and duties, such that their sensitivity and enthusiasm are channelled to the causes they – and we all – care about.
Hamlin, J. K., Wynn, K. & Bloom, P. (2007). Social evaluation by preverbal infants. Nature 450, 557-559.
Hamlin, J. K., Wynn, K., Bloom, P., & Mahajan, N. (2011). How infants and toddlers react to antisocial others. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108, 19931–19936.
MacNaughton, G., Hughes, P. & Smith, K. (2008). Young children as active citizens: Principles, policies and pedagogies. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Moss, P. & Petrie, P. (1997). Children’s services: Time for a new approach: A discussion paper. Institute of Education, University of London.
Piaget, J. (1932). The moral judgement of the child. New York, NY: Harcourt, Brace.
Vaish, A., Carpenter, M., & Tomasello, M. (2016). The early emergence of guilt-motivated prosocial behavior. Child Development, 87, 1772-1782.
Van de Vondervoort, J. W. & Hamlin, J. W. (2015). Young children remedy second- and third-party ownership violations. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 19, 490–491.
About the Author
Gabriela Pavarini is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford. She works on the Citizens: Early Intervention Ethics study under the BeGOOD flagship project.
This blog post is based on the opinions of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of the University of Oxford or the Oxford Department of Psychiatry.


Re-wiring Student Perceptions of What a Student Is
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At times it is necessary to reframe instructors’ thinking about what a student is. Within this process of reframing, instructors can find a new identity for themselves in both the in-class and online environments. Techniques for turning control of content over to the students are discussed, including using the students as classroom lecturers. The principle employed in this approach is that if a person learns content well enough to teach it, then real learning has taken place.


Many individuals develop lichen planus. It is a condition that develops on one or several parts of the body. It can manifest on the skin or within the mouth. Oftentimes, it can develop in both areas.
It is important to note that lichen planus can even change the appearance of the toenails and fingernails. In addition, it can manifest on the scalp or genitals. Luckily, the condition is not contagious.
What are the indications?
If lichen planus develops on the skin, it results to lumps that are firm, shiny and reddish or purple in color. Oftentimes, the bumps have small-sized white lines that run through them which are called Wickham’s striae.
Many individuals develop a few bumps that can manifest on various parts of the body. The usual spots for these bumps include the lower back, wrists and ankles but can occur anywhere on the skin including the genitals. If an individual develops lichen planus on the skin, the following can be observed:
- Dense patches of scaly, rough skin – if these bumps appear in the same place, dense patches of scaly, rough skin forms. These develop over time and quite common on the shins and around the ankles.
- Blisters can develop but considered rare
- Pain particularly on the genitals – the skin can be bright red and raw. Over time, open sores can manifest that makes sexual activity painful or impossible.
Once lichen planus develops within the mouth, it occurs in the interior of the cheeks as well as the lips, tongue and gums. If inside the mouth, the following occur:
- Redness and swelling
- Areas of small-sized white dots and lines that appear like lace
- Peeling on the gums
- Painful sores
When diagnosing lichen planus, the doctor will simply check the skin, nails and mouth. One way to confirm a diagnosis is by assessing a skin sample in the laboratory. Oftentimes, a blood test is also required to rule out other conditions.
Remember that there is no available cure for lichen planus since it often settles on its own. If the symptoms become bothersome, the treatment aims on providing relief and hasten the healing. The commonly used treatment for the skin include the following:
- Antihistamines to alleviate the itchiness
- Corticosteroids such as prednisone can be used if the condition lasts for an extended period or the individual has several bumps or painful sores.
- Topical corticosteroids in ointment or cream form are used to minimize the swelling and redness


|Beauty of Nature Can Be Deceiving||| Print ||
Lightning may be one of the most beautiful and awesome forces of nature, it is also one of the most deadly. Although elevations, such as mountains, buildings, antenna, trees, and power lines receive frequent lightning strikes, lightning will also strike flat terrain, such as baseball diamonds, parks, farm fields. Those are all places where a person may be the highest point around, and become a path to the ground for thousands of volts of nature’s deadly electricity.
But even if you are not the highest point around, do not stand near flag or power poles, bleachers, or other objects that may attract a cloud to ground discharge. Animals and humans, who frequently seek cover under trees at the onset of rain, have become casualties when lightning struck the tree.
An old adage that warns, “Beware the oak, it draws the stroke,” refers to the fact that hardwood trees serve as better lightning conductors than softwood trees. And in fact, that was the reason the Ancient Greeks and Romans decorated the heads of their leaders and heroes with laurel leaves, knowing the soft-fibered laurel rarely was hit by lightning.
If you hear thunder or see a storm approaching, it is no time to find your handy tree identification guide. Instead, seek shelter where you will not be hit by lightning, or be near the point of contact with the Earth and become a burn or electrocution victim.
Stay away from open vehicles, metal framed open canopies, or any tall metal object. Seek shelter in a building which is grounded.
If someone is struck by lightning, call 911 and care for the victim immediately. Richard Butler tried to administer CPR for Bethany Lott for 15 minutes, but without success. Because of their elevation in the North Carolina Mountains, his cell telephone unfortunately did not have service.
Heed the motto “If thunder roars, go indoors.” If you see lightning, seek shelter immediately.


Communication in a Diverse Classroom: An Annotated Bibliographic Review
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Students have social and personal needs to fulfill which they communicate these different ways. This annotated bibliographic review examined communication studies to provide educators of diverse classrooms with ideas to build an environment that contributes to student well-being. Participants in the studies ranged in age, ability, and cultural background. A bibliographic matrix included findings that showed positive correlations between the instructional environment and higher levels of student motivation, engagement, learning, and conduct. Differences in perspectives of traditional values within Western settings and the importance of intervention strategies to improve social and language communication skills were noted. The researcher concluded that effective communication practices, cultural awareness, and communication skills promote the fulfillment of students’ needs.


Reader Ben submitted a website that provides another perspective into the will of the people rather than the will of legislators. It is the referendum or public initiative. A referendum is a petition signed by enough citizens that it qualifies to be on a ballot along with the vote for elected officials. It is true that state legislatures may submit a referendum as well. The importance of referenda is that they are driven by pure populism; it is the mood of the people at the street corner. There is no better source about the American attitude than to track ballot initiatives based on signatures of individual voters proposing legislation. Ben recommended a very rich source for learning about the world of public initiatives. See:
Referenda are proclamations that rise out of discontent by the common masses. Typically, they are confrontational declarations reflecting a dissatisfied and often constrained public. While referenda allow the lowest personal emotional attitude to be expressed, the referendum process also demonstrates the fallacy of populist resistance.
For example, in California, a tax referendum was proposed that would change the state’s well being through to today (source: Wikipedia):
Proposition 13 (officially named the People’s Initiative to Limit Property Taxation) was an amendment of the Constitution of California enacted during 1978, by means of the initiative power. It was approved by California voters on June 6, 1978. It was declared constitutional under federal law by the United States Supreme Court in the case of Nordlinger v. Hahn, 505 U.S. 1 (1992). Proposition 13 is embodied in Article XIII A of the California Constitution. Proposition 13 has been part of the California Constitution for 38 years, 2 months, and 25 days.
The most significant portion of the act is the first paragraph, which limited the tax rate for real estate:
Section 1. (a) The maximum amount of any ad valorem tax on real property shall not exceed one percent (1%) of the full cash value of such property. The one percent (1%) tax to be collected by the counties and apportioned according to law to the districts within the counties.
The proposition decreased property taxes by assessing property values at their 1975 value and restricted annual increases of assessed value of real property to an inflation factor, not to exceed 2% per year. It also prohibited reassessment of a new base year value except for in cases of (a) change in ownership, or (b) completion of new construction.
In addition to decreasing property taxes, the initiative also contained language requiring a two-thirds (2/3) majority in both legislative houses for future increases of any state tax rates or amounts of revenue collected, including income tax rates and sales tax rates. It also requires a two-thirds (2/3) vote majority in local elections for most local governments proposing to increase special taxes.
The impact of this initiative brought the California government to its knees. Every category dependent on property taxes essentially went bankrupt – especially education. It remains this way today because the initiative requires a two-thirds vote to change it.
Alternatively, in many states, ballot initiatives have moved the role of marijuana toward legitimacy – in spite of Federal resistance.
There are two ideas in play that often are lumped together but in fact are clearly different. One is populism, which is an action in resistance or rebellion; the other is egalitarianism, which is a philosophy of government often in conflict with capitalist attitudes. The following is from a Stanford University tract:
Egalitarianism is a trend of thought in political philosophy. An egalitarian favors equality of some sort: People should get the same, or be treated the same, or be treated as equals, in some respect. An alternative view expands on this last-mentioned option: People should be treated as equals, should treat one another as equals, should relate as equals, or enjoy an equality of social status of some sort. Egalitarian doctrines tend to rest on a background idea that all human persons are equal in fundamental worth or moral status. So far as the Western European and Anglo-American philosophical tradition is concerned, one significant source of this thought is the Christian notion that God loves all human souls equally. Egalitarianism is a protean doctrine, because there are several different types of equality, or ways in which people might be treated the same, or might relate as equals, that might be thought desirable. In modern democratic societies, the term “egalitarian” is often used to refer to a position that favors, for any of a wide array of reasons, a greater degree of equality of income and wealth across persons than currently exists. End quote.
The philosophy of egalitarianism and the emotional act of populism have the same objective but require different processes for implementation. Egalitarianism requires a government which governs a culture of equality while populism does not require a pairing of government oversight with public attitude.
However, expediency is a tool of change. Bookmark Ben’s link.


|Abraham and Sarah (Providence Lithograph Company – Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons)|
In Tractate Bava Metzia of the Babylonian Talmud, we find a midrash explaining that the Israelites benefit later on as a result of Abraham’s kindness to these strangers:
Rab Judah teaches in Rab’s name: Everything which Abraham personally did for the Ministering Angels, the Holy One Blessed be God did for God’s children [the Israelites]; and whatever Abraham did through a messenger, the Holy One Blessed be God did for God’s children through a messenger [Moses].
Therefore, just as Abraham ran to the herd to get a tender calf to cook for his guests, a wind from God started up and swept quail from the sea and strewed them over the camp (Numbers 11:31). Just as Abraham took butter and milk, God rained bread from heaven for the Israelites (Exodus 16:4). As Abraham stood by the guests under the tree, God stood before them upon the rock at Horeb (Exodus 17:6). And like Abraham went with them to bring them on the way, God went before the Israelites in a pillar of cloud by day (Exodus 13:21). Finally, Abraham had water fetched for the three men, and similarly God commanded Moses to strike the rock for drinking water to come out of it for the Israelites (Exodus 17:6).
Abraham’s hospitality serves as a wonderful example for us all. The parsha begins with God visiting Abraham at the entrance of his tent, but as soon as the three men appear, Abraham turned away from God to attend to these guests. In so doing, he teaches us that hospitality (hachnasat orchim) is a significant mitzvah and value for us.
There are three fall holidays on which hachnasat orchim is emphasized. They are not all religious holidays, but we learn from their message nevertheless. The first of these is the pilgrimage festival of Sukkot, which began exactly one month ago this evening. On these eight holy days (seven in Israel), we invite Ushpizin (Aramaic for “guests”), or distinguished individuals from our people’s history, into our sukkot. Traditionally, we invite Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph, and David to join our families each night of the holiday. The more progressive and egalitarian among us include some illustrious women who made their mark on the Jewish people as well, including Sarah, Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, Hulda, and Esther.
In addition to these Biblical guests, it is important for us to open our sukkot to others as well, and especially to those who do not have sukkot in their own backyards and those unfamiliar with the tradition. This year, my family invited any student who wanted to join us for a barbeque on the Sunday night of Sukkot. Over seventy undergrads and graduate students, religious and secular, Jewish and non-Jewish, visited our sukkah and had the opportunity to recite the blessing of dwelling in the sukkah. I was proud to demonstrate this message of hospitality to my two-year-old son.
While the Halloween tradition is not celebrated among all American Jewish families because of its pagan roots, there is a positive side to its celebration as well. In today’s hectic times, neighbors so infrequently visit one another. The days of neighborhood kids, let alone their parents, dropping in on one another to say hello and shmooze is long gone. Yet, on Halloween, millions of children and their parents trek around the neighborhood ringing doorbells, offering greetings, and sharing candy. Ideally, this ritual would encourage some to invite their neighbors inside their homes to visit and become acquainted. For many, the Halloween experience is quite likely the first time they see the inside of their next-door neighbors’ homes. Therefore, for those who find Halloween a problematic enterprise, the opportunity for hachnasat orchim will hopefully serve as a positive.
Finally, the Thanksgiving holiday is inching upon us and this year we will celebrate the first day of Hanukkah on Thanksgiving as well. This festive affair is an opportunity for us to gather with friends and family, consider all the good in our lives, and give thanks to God for our good fortune. It is also a time for us to consider making room at our table for strangers to join us.
Opening our homes to guests on Thanksgiving is a way to share the experience with others and demonstrate our value of hachnasat orchim. With a mother who works in residential real-estate, our family always had strangers at our Thanksgiving dinner table. Each year, my mother would invite those clients who had recently bought new homes and relocated to Michigan and did not have family nearby. This quickly become an annual minhag (custom) and encouraged us to be even more grateful on Thanksgiving that we were able to celebrate together with family. And this year we’ll be able to invite guests to our Thanksgiving table and also share in the celebration of Hanukkah and its beautiful rituals.
The Jewish people place much emphasis on hospitality. We marry under a chuppah that is open on all sides to remind us of the mitzvah of hachnasat orchim. As we study the example demonstrated by our patriarch Abraham and our matriarch Sarah to welcome the stranger and make them feel at home, let us strive to be better hosts.


The Egyptian tomb of Qar has in its decoration program a funerary ceremony with all the main components. However it seems that there is missing a very typical image of Egyptian funerals: the lament.
Among all the images there is no scene showing a group of mourning women as we can see, for instance, in the mastaba of Mereruka or in the adjacent tomb of Idu.
But we know now that Qar (or the main artist) decide to codify or summarize the funerary rituals in the walls of his tomb. For that reason the Opening of the Mouth ceremony (the main Egyptian ritual for regenerating the mummy) seems to be represented (see posts of 13th and 22nd January), although not in an explicit way.
It could also be possible that something similar happened with the mourning practice. Reading at the translation of the inscriptions made by Simpson, we find that above the dancing women who are in front of the tomb (uabet building) the scribes wrote: “mourning by the two acacias”. It is obvious that the women below are dancing and clapping hands and not mourning. And does it make sense two trees mourning?
The Egyptian word shenedjet mainly means “acacia”, but it is also the holy tree which mythically protects the tomb of Osiris, and in the text it is written with a dual form (shenedjety) , so it refers to two. The pairing usually protecting Osiris is Isis-Nephtys, as it is proven in iconography and literature.
Could we then think that again we are facing a codified / summarized information? The expression “the mourning (made) by the two acacias” would be then referring to the image or the fact of the two mourners in the role of Isis and Nephtys mourning for Qar.
 Simpson, William K., The Mastabas of Qar and Idu. G 7101 and G 7102. Vol. 2. Boston. 1976, p. 6
 Wb IV, 521, 4


Smoking and Lung Cancer
Smoking is the number one cause of primary lung cancer, according to the American Lung Association. Eighty-seven percent of lung cancer cases are caused by smoking. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, many of which are proven carcinogens. Cigars and pipes also boost the risk for lung cancer.


Floating Photovoltaics (FPV) is the term for PV power plants that consist of modules mounted on buoyant elements that float on standing water bodies such as pit lakes or reservoirs or on the sea. FPV has shown very dynamic growth in recent years, with systems for more than 1.1 GW power installed by the middle of 2018.
In Germany, pit lakes from open-cut mining, former gravel pits and, in some cases, reservoirs are potential locations. The first German FPV plant on a converted gravel pit near Renchen in Baden has been connected to the grid since the end of May 2019 and has an installed power rating of just on 750 kW. Most of the generated electricity is consumed by the neighbouring gravel excavation plant.


The Civil War History of the 57th Indiana (#15)
Prelude to the Battle of Stones River, Tennessee
“Our numbers were largely increased by the arrival of one full company of drafted men from Indiana, who had been sent to the 57th by Gov. Morton.
“We remained in camp near Nashville just one month, having arrived on the 26th of November, and left on the 26th of December. This was the first incidence in which we had the privilege of remaining more than two weeks in the same camp. While there, our time was mainly employed in drilling, and procuring the necessary clothing and equipment for a winter campaign. Long before daylight on the 26th, the thousands of camp fires that shone brightly throughout the army and the scenes of activity that prevailed, gave evidence that a move of no small importance was just at hand. The men were ordered to carry, besides their guns and equipment, three days’ rations in haversacks, oil-cloths, and overcoats.
“On Saturday the 27th, our division had the front. The first duty was to dislodge the enemy from the village, where they were strongly posted. Hascall’s brigade formed in line of battle and moved forward; our brigade being massed immediately in their rear. The force now contesting our advance consisted mainly of cavalry, and their resistance was so obstinate that we were until in the evening driving them to and across Stewart’s Creek. Marching through the wet brush, our clothing was thoroughly drenched from the dripping branches, and constant tramping in the mud and water under foot. From a battery posted on the south bank, they kept up a constant fire, which was responded to by our artillery. As our regiment arrived at the brow of the hill, they were perceived by the rebel gunners who fired a shell which passed the entire length of the regiment, just over the heads of the men. But fortunately, it did not explode until it had passed. Had the first shot been fired only a little lower, it would have made great havoc in our regiment.
“The coming darkness soon put an end to the firing, and the men made preparations to pass the night. Large fires were built of rails, which we now used with an unsparing land. In our front was a large cotton field; and near was a house well filled with fine, clean cotton. This was discovered in due time by the men, and large quantities of it were carried up and used for bedding. Gen. Rosecrans rode over near out camp; and seeing the cotton which we had used, remarked, ‘The men can use it for the night, but it must be returned in the morning.’
“The men of the regiment received no orders for battle - they rarely ever do until it has commenced - though here seemed to be a settled conviction upon the minds of all that they soon would be drowned in the noise of battle. No one now thought of retreating. The Army of the Cumberland would now face the foe upon the field and prove, by deeds of valor, that they could fight.”
(Tennessee, December, 1862)
Excerpts taken from “Annals of the Fifty-Seventh Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry: Marches, Battles, and Incidents of Army Life” written by Asbury L. Kerwood immediately after the war.


Recent Research on Pet Therapy and Cannabidiol (CBD)
- National Cancer Institute Animal Studies
Cannabinoids are a group of 21-carbon–containing terpenophenolic compounds produced uniquely by Cannabis species (e.g., Cannabis sativa L.) . These plant-derived compounds may be referred to as phytocannabinoids. Although delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the primary psychoactive ingredient, other known compounds with biologic activity are cannabinol, cannabidiol (CBD), cannabichromene, cannabigerol, tetrahydrocannabivarin, and delta-8-THC. CBD, in particular, is thought to have significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity without the psychoactive effect (high) of delta-9-THC.
- Cannabinoid Receptor Type 1 & 2 Expression In The Skin Of Dogs
The endocannabinoid system and cannabimimetic compounds protect against effects of allergic inflammatory disorders in various species of mammals. Results of the present study contributed to knowledge of the endocannabinoid system and indicated this system may be a target for treatment of immune-mediated and inflammatory disorders such as allergic skin diseases in dogs.
- Targeting Cannabinoid Agonists For Inflammatory & Neuropathic Pain
There has been a growing interest in developing cannabinoid agonists. Many new cannabinoid ligands have been synthesized and studied covering a wide variety of novel structural scaffolds. This review focuses on the present development of cannabinoid agonists with an emphasis on selective CB(2) agonists and peripherally restricted CB(1) or CB(1)/CB(2) dual agonists for treatment of inflammatory and neuropathic pain.
- Behavioral Effects Of Cannabinoid Agents In Animals
Two subtypes of cannabinoid receptors have been identified to date, the CB1 receptor, essentially located in the CNS, but also in peripheral tissues, and the CB2 receptor, found only at the periphery. The identification of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta9-THC) as the major active component of marijuana (Cannabis sativa), the recent emergence of potent synthetic ligands and the identification of anandamide and sn-2 arachidonylglycerol as putative endogenous ligands for cannabinoid receptors in the brain, have contributed to advancing cannabinoid pharmacology and approaching the neurobiological mechanisms involved in physiological and behavioral effects of cannabinoids. Cannabinoid-related processes are shown to be involved in cognition, memory, anxiety, control of appetite, emesis, inflammatory, and immune responses.
- Comparative Metabolism Of Cannabidiol In Dog, Rat and Man
This study concludes that CBD could be used as a probe of the mechanism of several types of biotransformation, particularly those related to carboxylic acid metabolism, as intermediates of the type not usually seen with endogenous compounds were excreted in substantial concentration.
Information on Pet Health Conditions
Dogs and cats are susceptible to many of the same illnesses as people. This is why many of the conditions CBD is effective for in humans is similarly effective in animals. Follow the links below to read more about some of the most common canine and feline diseases and conditions.


A conflict occurs when the actions of one party attempting to reach its goals prevent, block or interfere with the actions of another party attempting to reach its goals.
If the two parties have mutual goals, they will work in cooperation with each other. If their goals are opposed, they will experience conflict.
The definition of conflict varies from person to person and ranges from minor disagreements, antagonism and incompatibility, to hostile, heated arguments, bullying and even physical violence.
Conflict can also mean:
distress due to opposition of incompatible wishes etc. within a person.
This article focuses on conflict within relationships. That is, how to cope with disagreements.
When we talk about physical fighting, most people would agree that this sort of conflict is not desirable or healthy, and should be avoided. However, even when referring to everyday disagreements, many people say things like: "I don't like conflict" or "I avoid conflict at all costs" .What they are in fact referring to here, is disagreement - they don't like disagreeing with others and avoid it at all costs. This usually happens for one of the following reasons:
Fear of not being seen as a 'nice' person;
Fear of being seen as a trouble causer;
The (mistaken) belief that they are doing the right thing/a good thing.
The truth is, avoiding conflict is unhealthy, and can lead to patterns of interaction that are destructive in the long term.
People are unique. There are no two people exactly the same, and no matter how similar they are, there will always be ideas, issues, situations etc. on which they disagree. This is to be expected, and is not a problem in itself. It does become a problem, however, if the point of disagreement cannot be discussed, as this usually ends up causing more stress for all concerned. This happens because the resentment starts to fester and tension rises. What then happens is one of two things:
The person eventually explodes in inappropriate ways or situations. The person ends up blurting out their frustration and anger in a hurtful way. Instead of discussing the issue with the person concerned in a calm and respectful manner, they may complain to anyone and everyone else who will listen. We have all heard people moaning about their partners in this way. Perhaps you have heard someone complaining about the service after they have left the restaurant, instead of speaking calmly to the manager about their issues? Perhaps you have heard someone complaining about their spouse to anyone who will listen (sometimes deliberately in earshot of their spouse!)
The person bottles up their frustration and resentment, feels more and more hard done by, and eventually becomes depressed.
The healthy approach is to address and resolve conflict with the person concerned in a respectful manner.
If we want to be assertive - open, clear and honest so others know where they stand with us - we need to be prepared to open up points of disagreement for discussion. Raising the disagreement does not have to lead to an argument, but it should lead to a conversation or discussion. If both parties are listening to each other, it can be a valuable and constructive growth experience. The fact that we can cope with disagreement/ conflict is far more important to a relationship than not having disagreement/conflict.
Conflict in itself is not bad. Knowing how to deal with it is what counts. If we know how to cope with conflict, we will learn to be less fearful of it and learn to use it to enhance our relationships, be they personal, social or work related.
View conflict as an opportunity to analyse the situation objectively; assess the needs of all concerned; and come up with healthy solutions. Viewed in this way, conflict becomes an opportunity to create stronger relationships, creative solutions and clearer communication.
The Five Conflict Strategies
There are five basic strategies we can use to manage conflicts. Each of these strategies is appropriate at different times. Which strategy you use depends on the ratio of how important the goals are to you, versus how important the relationship is to you.
Smoothing – The Teddy Bear
The Teddy Bear is always there for you
When a friend/colleague feels strongly about something and you could not care less, then smoothing would be the most appropriate strategy.
If you act like a Teddy Bear, you give up your goals in order to maintain the relationship at the highest possible level.
When another person's interests are much stronger or more important than yours, smooth and give the other person their way. Example: Giving up the parking bay closest to the door, to a wheelchair-bound colleague.
Withdrawing – The Tortoise
The tortoise retreats from everything
When a situation is dangerous to you or out of control, then withdrawing might be the most appropriate strategy.
If you act like the tortoise, you give up both your goals and the relationship - you avoid the other person and the issue. Example: When being mugged.
Forcing - The Shark
Nobody gets in the way of the shark
When it is important that your goals are achieved and you don't care whether you have a relationship with the other person or not, then forcing would be the most appropriate strategy.
If you act like a shark, you try to achieve your goals at all costs. Example: Captain on a ship insisting that safety procedures are followed by his crew.
Compromising – The Fox
The fox is cunning & gets something
When it appears that neither party can get what they want, compromising may be the most appropriate strategy.
If you act like a fox, you give up part of your goals and sacrifice part of a relationship that is moderately important to you. Example: He wants to take you out to the movies. You want to stay home and sew. You agree to stay home and watch a DVD together, while you do some hand sewing.
Negotiating - The Owl
Wise old owl uses her head for the best
If both your goals and the relationship are important to you, negotiating would be the most appropriate strategy.
If you act like an owl, you initiate negotiations aimed at ensuring that both parties achieve their desired goals while maintaining the relationship at the highest possible level. You try to achieve a win-win situation.
Creating Win-Win Situations
"...O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console
to be understood, as to understand..."
These words from the Prayer of St Francis are crucial if we want to cope with conflict, because a major source of conflict is that we often don't understand what the other person is saying. This is either because we are not listening properly or because the other person is not explaining themselves properly.
Conflict management, or conflict resolution, requires effective communication skills – especially listening. To resolve conflict, each side must able to understand the other's needs, wants and point of view.
A step by step 'formula' to create a win-win situation is as follows:
Party A explains what they want in a descriptive, non-evaluative way.
Party B reverses perspective by summarising what Party A has said.
If party B has not understood party A, then party A explains again and the process continues until party A is satisfied that party B completely understands.
Party B explains what they want in a descriptive, non-evaluative way.
Party A reverses perspective by summarising what Party B has said.
If party A has not understood party B, then party B explains again, and the process continues until party B is satisfied that party A completely understands.
Party A explains their reasons for their wants, and how they feel about them.
Party B reverses perspective by summarising these reasons and feelings.
This process is repeated until Party A is satisfied party B completely understands.
Party B explains their reasons for their wants and how they feel about them.
Party A reverses perspective by summarising these reasons and feelings.
This process is repeated until Party B is satisfied party A completely understands.
Together party A & B brain-storm options that will maximise joint outcomes.
(Note: When brain-storming, do not put limitations on your ideas - be as creative and ridiculous as you can be. Very often it is a silly idea which triggers off the solution).
Agree on three good options that will maximise joint outcomes.
Choose the agreement that seems to offer the best win-win situation. Follow through and implement it. Be sure to stick to the agreed conditions.
Practical Guidelines for Coping with Conflict
Conflict is not always just about disagreeing on a specific topic. Often, it is also about how we treat each other. When we treat people with disrespect, it is bound to cause hurt, upset and conflict.
When coping with conflict do....
Remove or move away from distractions such as your computer, phone and TV while discussing your disagreement.
Allow the other person to talk without being interrupted. If it is a group of people give each person a chance to speak. If the conflict is antagonistic, consider using a timer or clock to ensure each person is given the same amount of time.
Pay attention to what the person is saying instead of mentally rehearsing your next comment. Remember, "Listening is not waiting to talk" (Scott Ginsberg). Acknowledge you are listening with noncommittal responses. Encourage the speaker to share his or her thoughts and opinions. You may want to write down what the speaker is saying.
Ask open ended questions to clarify anything you did not understand. Then paraphrase what you believe you heard the other person say. It is important to use indirect statements instead of confrontation and to use 'I" statements such as "If I understand you correctly..."; "It seems to me..."; "My impression is..."
Choose your words carefully. Try to avoid using extreme words like everyone, no one, always, never and replace them with more accurate words like some people, sometimes. Think before you speak to avoid saying things you will regret later.
When it is your turn to talk, make sure you have the attention of the audience (whether it is one or 100 people). Establish eye contact and wait until your audience is focused before beginning.
Make your comments meaningful – have a list of points you want to cover and refer to the list if the conversation strays from the topic.
Be prepared to concede on issues that are highly emotional to the other person, and push for concessions for yourself on issues they are not so emotionally invested in. Remember, "When you're at the edge of a cliff, sometimes progress is a step backwards." (Source unknown). The ability to read the feelings of others during a negotiation is crucial to success. Conflicts involve emotions – it is not just what the person says that counts, but how the person feels about them. (Note: Being able to read body language and being skilled at empathy are extremely helpful skills).
Allow the other party to vent if they are very angry. This helps release some of the pent up emotion. Do not tell them to "calm down" as it often aggravates the anger. Such comments are not empathic at all. Instead after they have finished ranting, calmly summarise what they have said with words like "If I understand you correctly..." Be empathic.
Take time out if things become too heated. This allows all parties time to cool off. Then you can come back and readdress the issue. The idea that you must never go to bed on an argument is an old wives' tale! When you are tired and it's late, it may be far better to agree that you will discuss it the next day, rather than say things you both regret, which is what will happen as you get more tired, irritable and irrational. 24 hours is considered an appropriate amount of time in an office setting.
Manage yourself – your emotions, words and actions. Ultimately, managing conflict is about managing yourself. Simple techniques like breathing deeply, listening attentively and choosing your words carefully can defuse a hot situation and help you and others move towards a win-win situation.
Smile. The tone you set can adjust the attitude of the person. If you are friendly first they are more likely to be friendly back. Set up the interaction to be a positive one and it probably will be. Don't go in with the attitude "I am going to win; you are going to lose."
When coping with conflict do not...
Make assumptions and guesses about the other person's feelings and motivations. "Assumptions are the termites of relationships." (Henry Winkler). Assumptions and guesses are based on your own interpretations and motivations, rather than the other person's, and they are often faulty and negative. An example of this is assuming that someone arrived late because they don't care about you. Such assumptions just cloud the issue and create hostility.
Generalise. A generalisation is a sweeping statement that usually blows things out of proportion. For example, "You are always late!" or "We always have to do what you want to do!" "You never let me choose." Think about whether this is really true before making such a statement.
Blame - blaming another person for the situation is about not wanting to admit to any weakness, or trying to avoid the 'shame' for being 'at fault'. It usually ends up being an attack on the person rather than staying with the issue. Once again, this increases hostility and leads us away from a mutually beneficial solution
Need to be right / win all the time. Having to be 'right', or needing to 'win' all the time, blocks the possibility of a compromise, or a real solution. Allowing yourself to see an issue from another person's perspective can produce solutions that you may never have thought of alone. There is not always a 'right' or a 'wrong' way; each point of view can be valid. If we focus on 'winning' the argument, the relationship loses! Try to find mutual understanding and come to a resolution that respects each person's needs.
There is a very poignant quote which says something like: "Don't try to win until you have counted the cost of winning" (Source unknown).
Bring up past injustices and wrongs -Bringing up past conflicts is often an attempt to move the discussion off-topic and avoid responsibility for one's own actions or lack of engagement. Stick to the topic at hand. If you are resolving conflicts as they arise, you won't have any past injustices to bring up!
Show contempt for the other person - Contempt is the body language that indicates you think little of the other person. It doesn't matter what words you use, your body language reveals your contempt and we are far more likely to believe what people do than what they say. Examples of body language that shows contempt include: Interruptions, eye rolling, sighs, not listening, not attempting to understand, turning your body away from the other person etc.
Please note: Contempt is the key indicator of a failing relationship.
Stonewall the other person. Stonewalling is when we ignore the other person. For example, when we put an iPod in our ears; walk away; cover our ears with our hands or when we start humming. Not feeling heard and understood is probably the greatest complaint of couples and is the cause of much resentment and unresolved conflict.
Be defensive. When you are defensive, you refuse to listen, attack back and escalate the problem e.g. "Yes, but that's not as bad as when you....." Defensive people often deny any wrongdoing and work hard to avoid looking at the possibility that they could be a contributor to the problem. Really listening and empathising with the other person is a powerful tool in conflict resolution!
"Anyone can be angry - that is easy.
But to be angry with the right person,
to the right degree, at the right time,
for the right purpose,and in the right way - that is not easy."
Aristotle (Greek Philosopher, 384 BC - 322 BC)


From the Respiratory Staff at Corner Medical
We hear it all the time- too much sodium in our diets is not healthy for us; but for people with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), it is especially detrimental because salt can cause a buildup of fluid, making it harder to breathe.
We found this article www.Healthfinder.gov and wanted to share it, because it really simplifies ways to reduce the amount of sodium in our diets.
Eat Less Sodium: Quick tips
Nine out of 10 Americans eat much more sodium (salt) than they need. Too much sodium increases your risk for health problems like high blood pressure. Use these tips to help lower the sodium in your diet.
Know your sodium limit.
- Healthy teens and adults need to limit their sodium intake to no more than 2,300 mg a day (about 1 teaspoon of salt).
- Some people, including children, adults age 51 and older, and those with high blood pressure, need to keep their sodium intake even lower (no more than 1,500 mg a day).
- Ask your doctor how much sodium is okay for you.
To eat less sodium, you don’t have to make lots of changes at once. If you slowly reduce the amount of sodium in your foods, your taste for salt will change with time.
Check the label.
- Use the Nutrition Facts label to check the amount of sodium in foods. Try to choose products with 5% Daily Value (DV) or less. A sodium content of 20% DV or more is high.
- Look for foods labeled “low sodium,” “reduced sodium,” or “no salt added.”
Shop for low sodium foods.
- Load up on vegetables, fruits, beans, and peas, which are naturally low in sodium. Fresh, frozen, and dried options are all good choices.
- When you buy canned fruit, look for options packed in 100% juice or water.
- When you buy canned vegetables and beans, choose ones with labels that say “low sodium,” “reduced sodium,” or “no salt added.”
- Compare the sodium in foods like bread, soup, and frozen meals. Choose the ones with less sodium.
- Limit processed foods – especially foods that are salted, smoked, or cured, like hot dogs, bacon, and deli meats.
Prepare your meals with less sodium.
- If you buy canned foods (like vegetables, beans, or fish), choose low sodium varieties.
- If you use canned foods that aren’t low sodium, rinse them before eating to wash away some of the salt.
- Use unsalted butter or soft margarine.
- Don’t add salt to the water when you cook pasta or rice.
- Try different herbs and spices to flavor your food, like ginger or garlic.
Add more potassium to your diet.
Eating more potassium can help lower your blood pressure. Good sources of potassium include potatoes, cantaloupe, bananas, beans, and yogurt.


The music education climate
The music classroom is a different place to the one I studied in as a child, and quite different to the one in which I began teaching in 2004. The environment is very different in 2018; music departments are likely to have more computers in their classrooms (Savage, 2010; OfstedThe Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services... More, 2012) and the way they are used varies depending on how many computers there are (Breeze, 2011). Sibelius seems to be the most common piece of software found in music classrooms (Wise et al., 2011; Savage, 2010) and, given the variety of software available, it is interesting to see the same piece of equipment appearing repeatedly. There could be many reasons for this, including awareness of what is available, willingness to learn new software, familiarity or a cost implication (Gall, 2013; Savage, 2010).
The last 10 years have seen the expansion of smartphones and tablets, and given that most people already own a mobile phone (Ofcom, 2013), the expensive bit of hardware has already been bought and can potentially be used to make music in lessons.
I have been involved with the implementation of music projects using mobile devices in classrooms for the last eight years and I began to spot a trend of mobile technology providing a useful tool. After every lesson, pupils asked what apps had been used so that they could ‘use them at home’. This began to make me interested in how mobile devices and tablets could be used more widely as part of the music curriculum, and whether teachers had explored the concept of BYOD (bring your own device) in music.
Bricolage – assembling the quilt
The use of technology as a scaffoldingProgressively introducing students to new concepts to suppor... More tool in music education has been observed (Reynolds, 2005) – for example, the use of pre-recorded loops and ‘smart instruments’ that automatically play the correct notes, and in tempo, to aid the less musically confident, and the ability to record audio to stretch others. The use of mobile devices in classrooms has also been studied (Burden et al., 2012; Fabian and MacLean, 2014), but little observation of the two has been done simultaneously. Some work (Kirkman, 2010; Gower, 2012) references the use of mobile devices in music classrooms but does not focus on accessing them in the music classroom. As mobile devices and tablets are part of everyday life for people, why are they not being more widely used within music classrooms?
The government has commissioned some research to investigate the effectiveness of music education, and they reported low levels of effective use of technology in music classrooms (Henley, 2011; DfEDepartment for Education - a ministerial department responsi... More, 2011; Ofsted, 2012; Ofsted, 2013). Given my passion for technology in music, I wanted to help teachers be more effective in their use of technology.
This piece of research therefore investigates the methods through which music teachers have overcome the barriers to using mobile devices and tablets within music classrooms.
Research took place in two phases. Seventy-eight teachers completed a survey, and respondents were asked to volunteer for phase two – semi-structured interviews that would explore some of the responses given in the survey and explore the barriers and solutions that those teachers had found.
Summary of potential barriers identified by interview participants
Five key potential barriers were identified that prevent teachers from successfully embedding tablets and mobiles into their music teaching, as shown in Table 1.
Table 1: Barriers preventing teachers from using mobile devices in music teaching
|Barrier 1||Purchasing/acquiring equipment and apps|
|Barrier 2||CPD and knowledge of how to embed technology|
|Barrier 3||Support from the school and infrastructure|
|Barrier 4||Impact of technical problems in the classroom|
|Barrier 5||Perception of technology in the classroom|
Overcoming the barriers
The five teachers interviewed in phase two identified several methods for overcoming the potential barriers identified in Table 1 that can potentially be used by other institutions and extrapolated into other subjects:
Purchasing/acquiring equipment and apps
Three methods were identified in the interviews that could aid the acquisition of equipment for music teaching:
- Generate funding
One teacher explored generating extra funding for her department. She wanted a set of iPads for her music department because she had some imaginative ideas of how to use them. Her solution for this was to ‘come up with an idea… If they don’t go for it, go do it on my own.’
Her method for ‘doing it on her own’ was to approach local businesses for sponsorship and purchase iPads for her department with the funds raised, despite the lack of central funding.
The second of these examples is to use pupils’ own devices for music-making. One school wanted to use devices in lessons but couldn’t afford them. The assistant head stated, ‘That’s where the “bring your own device” model comes into play… It is about sharing some of the cost with parents.’
However, this approach to implementing BYOD is not without drawbacks, as one music teacher added, ‘I think in an ideal situation they would all have the same model of mobile device or iPads.’
Planning and preparation is something that all teachers do and, if using technology, then the appropriate app must be found. It is more likely that a student will download an app if it is free or inexpensive.
CPD and knowledge of how to embed technology
One assistant head recommends experimenting with technology as one of the methods for his staff: ‘Staff need time to get comfortable with it, get trained on it but also just have a bit of a play as they are re-engineering their lesson plans.’
He also suggested one more useful option: visiting other schools. From this, teachers can learn from one another’s mistakes and successes: ‘Going to other schools to witness what has been happening, and to see that in action because that’s really the most powerful thing.’
Support from the school and infrastructure
It appears that schools that support the use of technology in their teaching are effective at implementing it – therefore, teachers need to justify their decisions to SLT (senior leadership team). As one teacher stated, ‘I always thought that the best way is to come up with an idea first and then present it.’
All the schools interviewed had gaps in their infrastructure, including struggling with Wi-Fi access. This was something that one school took into consideration when rolling out the BYOD programme. They were aware that the Wi-Fi was weak in some areas of the school, and the wireless infrastructure was upgraded as part of a larger programme. If it is possible to upgrade school infrastructure within your department as part of a larger project it is more likely to happen, because the perceived benefits will be wider than just one department.
Impact of technical problems in the classroom
Technical issues cannot be lightly covered, as with any work involving technology there will be problems that cannot be foreseen. These problems are not easy to quantify, as they will be different in every instance; however, some key suggestions from the interview participants may help.
When something goes wrong on one device, it is easy to work around; however, if it does not work on 30 devices then a lesson can be drastically disrupted. One teacher offered this advice: ‘I’m not sure if the barriers have been overcome, it’s just I’ve learned what they are and I avoid them.’
This practical piece of advice sounds obvious; learn what the likely problems are and avoid them.
Perception of technology in the classroom
The survey data and some of the comments from an assistant head suggest that some people remain unconvinced of the benefits of technology in the classroom. He said, ‘Some parents just disagreed in principle with the idea of having electronic devices in school in any circumstance.’
When asked for a possible method of overcoming this barrier of perception, he gave two suggestions: ‘All I can do is be very objective and refer, firstly, back to the research… and, secondly, [provide] testimony in terms of “I’ve been to a school, here’s how it works, here is what I have seen”.’
All it takes is positive thinking
Throughout the interviews, one solution to overcoming the barriers of successful implementation of tablets and mobiles into teaching was ‘positive thinking’. The teachers interviewed believed that they were doing the right thing and nothing was going to be a barrier to their implementation of it. One teacher stated, ‘I think everything is possible. You just have to have a certain mindset towards it.’
Other participants echoed this thought, and one assistant head suggested that the mindset of the whole school has changed, having an impact on the perception of mobiles and tablets in teaching: ‘It was a significant shift away from our previous policy where we said, “You’re not allowed to get your phone out”, and now we are saying, “That’s absolutely fine. In fact, get everything that you have got out and bring it to school.”’
These points are not designed to be a recipe for the successful implementation of tablets and mobiles into the classroom, but distilled examples of how other teachers have successfully overcome the barriers presented to them in order to implement the technology into their music classrooms. I recommend them as potential solutions to overcoming some of the barriers to embedding tablets and mobiles into teaching, whatever your subject.
However, this research is the beginning of the process; the longer-term impact of tablets and mobile devices in the classroom has yet to be fully researched. As one teacher suggests:
I suspect the issue is… that you hit a plateau where the next step isn’t so obvious, you’ve smashed down barriers to entry and everybody’s able to climb well. But then the step forward [to the next level] is massive, and that’s where there’s a gap that needs to be bridged somehow.
Breeze N (2011) Multimodality: An illuminating approach to unraveling the complexities of composing with ICT? Music Education Research 13(4): 389–405. DOI: 10.1080/14613808.2011.632083.
Burden K, Hopkins P, Male TMS et al. (2012) iPad Scotland evaluation. Faculty of Education, University of Hull, UK.
DfE (2011) The importance of music: A national plan for music education. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-importance-of-music-a-national-plan-for-music-education (accessed 5 November 2018).
Fabian K and MacLean D (2014) Keep taking the tablets? Assessing the use of tablet devices in learning and teaching activities in the Further Education sector. Research in Learning Technology 22: 1–14. DOI: 10.3402/rlt.v22.22648.
Gall M (2013) Trainee teachers’ perceptions: Factors that constrain the use of music technology in teaching placements. Journal of Music, Technology & Education 6(1): 5–27.
Gower A (2012) Integrating informal learning approaches into the formal learning environment of mainstream secondary schools in England. British Journal of Music Education 29(1): 13–18. DOI: 10.1017/S0265051711000490.
Henley D (2011) Music Education in England: A review by Darren Henley for the Department for EducationThe ministerial department responsible for children’s serv... More and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/music-education-in-england-a-review-by-darren-henley-for-the-department-for-education-and-the-department-for-culture-media-and-sport (accessed 5 November 2018).
Kirkman P (2010) Exploring contexts for development: Secondary music students’ computer-mediated composing. Available at: http://libsta28.lib.cam.ac.uk:2157/professional/britisheducationindex/docview/883076174/145C8BEDF7E207F5C3B/1?accountid=9851 (accessed 7 November 2018).
Ofcom (2013) The Office of Communications Annual Report and Accounts: For the period 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013. London: The Stationary Office Limited. Available at: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/files/2013/07/Ofcom_Annual-Report_AD600_ACC-2_English.pdf
Ofsted (2012) Music in schools: Wider still, and wider. Available at: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/music-schools-wider-still-and-wider (accessed 5 November 2018).
Ofsted (2013) Music in schools: What hubs must do. Available at: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/music-schools-what-hubs-must-do (accessed 5 November 2018).
Reynolds N (2005) The computer as scaffold, tool and data collector: Children composing with computers. Education & Information Technologies 10(3): 239–248.
Savage J (2010) A survey of ICT usage across English secondary schools. Music Education Research 12(1): 89–104.
Wise S, Greenwood J, Davis N et al. (2011) Teachers’ use of digital technology in secondary music education: Illustrations of changing classrooms. British Journal of Music Education 28(2): 117–134. DOI: 10.1017/S0265051711000039.


You can make your own glue – even specialty crafting glues. Why would you want to do that? Well, it’s true that store-bought glue is mostly cheap and effective, so you’re probably not going to save serious money by making it yourself. You might in some cases be able to make a better glue for your purposes, especially if you’re doing an arts or crafts project with particular needs. Basically, making your own glue is a form of crafting. You do it mainly because it’s fun, interesting and educational (many of these recipes are such that kids can help).
1. Flour glue recipe
The most basic homemade recipe, which you may already be familiar with, is just made of flour and water. It tends to dry out over time and stop holding together whatever it was holding together, but it’s fine for, say, making decorations a few hours before a party.
- Blend flour with water until it’s near the consistency of pancake batter.
- Beat your mixture until it’s smooth.
- Pour it into a saucepan on medium heat.
- Constantly stir while bringing it slowly to a boil.
- Let it cool before using.
Store it in a sealed container and apply it with a brush. If it dries out, you can mix a little warm water into it.
2. Cornstarch glue recipe
This is another basic glue recipe that works better than the flour recipe. It’s good for holding paper together without making ripples or bubbles.
- Pour 3/4 cup of water in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add 1/4 cup cornstarch, 2 tablespoons light corn syrup and 1 teaspoon white vinegar.
- Whisk the ingredients together until they’re blended well.
- Stir the mixture constantly until it thickens.
- In the airtight container where you want to store your glue, whisk 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup water together until smooth.
- Take the saucepan off heat. Slowly add the mixture from your saucepan into the container, and keep whisking constantly so everything blends together smoothly.
- Let it cool to room temperature before using.
3. Corn syrup glue recipe
This makes yet another basic glue.
- In a small saucepan, mix 3/4 cup water with 2 tablespoons corn syrup and 1 tablespoon white vinegar.
- Bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
- In bowl, mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 3/4 cups cold water.
- Slowly add the cold mixture into the hot mixture. Stir constantly for one minute.
- Remove from heat.
- Once it’s cooled, pour the mixture into its final container. Let it stand overnight at room temperature before using.
4. Basic paste recipe
This recipe makes a simple paste suitable for kids’ crafts.
- Slowly add cold water to 1/2 cup flour until the consistency is like heavy cream.
- Simmer in a saucepan for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Let it cool before use.
5. No-cook paste
This recipe is so easy, and kids can totally make it themselves. It makes a thick paste that won’t hold forever, but is suitable for kids’ crafts.
- Mix 1/2 cup flour water in a bowl, adding the water slowly while stirring, until the consistency is gooey.
- Stir in a pinch of salt.
6. Waterproof glue (without milk)
When you’re gluing something together that’s going to go under water, you need a glue that doesn’t melt. This is that recipe. This glue needs to be applied warm – the first time you cook it up, that’s simple. For future applications, put your container in a bowl, pan or sink of hot water to warm it up again. Apply it with a brush. It can take a few days to gel, but it’s good for lots of crafts.
A lot of waterproof glue recipes include milk, which of course spoils quickly. This one will actually keep for a while, but isn’t quite strong enough to hold together something like a broken china plate.
- Boil 6 tablespoons of water in a saucepan.
- Take the saucepan off heat. Stir in 2 packets of unflavored gelatin. (Unless you want your glue to smell like a gelatin flavor, which is an interesting thought.)
- Once the gelatin has dissolved, add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and a teaspoon of glycerin.
- Stir well. Let it cool a little before pouring it into your airtight container.
7. Waterproof glass glue (with milk)
This glue can be used to mend broken china, like super glue. It also works well to glue labels on cans and jars, or to glue glass to other surfaces. All in all, it’s pretty strong. For gluing glass to other surfaces, use it while it’s liquid (warm it by putting the container in a pan of hot water). To glue pieces of glass together, use it in its gelled (room temperature) state.
- Pour two tablespoons of cold water into a small bowl.
- Sprinkle 2 packets of unflavored gelatin over the water and set aside for about an hour.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of skim milk to just below boiling and pour it into the gelatin and water.
- Stir the mixture until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
- Optionally, add a few drops of clove oil as preservative if you’re not going to use all the glue immediately. (With clove oil, the glue will keep for a day or so – when it starts smelling like spoiled milk, throw it out.)
8. Papier-Mache paste
This paste will keep for several weeks. It’s perfect for gluing down layers of papier-mache or collages.
- Mix 1/4 cup of flour into a cup of room temperature water until the consistency is runny.
- In a large saucepan, heat 5 cups of water to a gentle boil. Stir your flour and water mixture into it.
- Gently boil for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Let it cool before use.
9. Gum Arabic (Superglue) recipe
This glue is designed to men broken china and crockery. For that specific use, it should perform a little better than the glass glue at #7. Use a matchstick to apply a very thin coat of it to both sides of broken crockery, and then fit the pieces together. As you would do with Superglue, hold the pieces firmly together until the glue dries, which could be up to an hour. Let it dry at least twenty-four hours before you use or wash the mended piece. This glue will keep for a year.
- Mix 3 tablespoons of gum arabic, 1 tablespoon of glycerin and 1/2 teaspoon of water thoroughly inn a bowl.
- Put the mixture in an airtight container. Will keep about 1 year. To Use: Apply a thin coat of the glue to each surface and fit the pieces together. Hold firmly until the glue dries – this could take an hour or so. Let the piece dry thoroughly (24 hours) before washing or using.
10. Envelope/stamp glue
If you making your own envelopes, you’ll need lickable glue for them. Mailartists has 4 recipes for stamp and envelope glue.
11. Library paste
This paste is used for binding paper and paperboard.
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon alum
- 4 cups water
- Optional: 30 drops of clove oil
Mix all the ingredients except the clove oil together in a saucepan. Cook on medium heat until the mixture is clear and thick. Optionally add your 30 drops of clove oil as a preservative. Store in small jars, so that only a small amount is being exposed to air and dried out every time you open it.