DEAR TEACHER
– by Peggy Gisler and Marge Eberts
Helping all parents make their
children’s educational experience
as successful as possible
Should Fidget Spinners
Be Banned in Classrooms?
Q
uestion: Many of the teach-
ers in our kids’ elementary
school have banned fidget
spinners. What about kids who use them to
calm themselves? — No Spinners
Answer: Just in case someone does
not know what a fidget spinner is, it is a
gadget with three weighted prongs that
spin. This is not a new gadget, as it has
been in existence since 1993. Today, how-
ever, stores cannot keep fidget spinners in
stock.
Now spinners are being marketed as
a medical intervention that is helpful for
students with ADHD, anxiety, and autism.
Individual student success is not the same
as scientific research. However, now more
scientific studies are coming out to support
the benefits found for ADHD and autistic
students.
So, what is the problem with fidget
spinners and why are they being banned
from classrooms across America? Many
educators feel fidget spinners are nothing
more than a toy, distracting to other stu-
dents and not needed by every student.
While spinners may focus some
students, they definitely distract others.
Since it is very difficult to teach distracted
students, the debate will continue as to
whether fidget spinners can or should be
used in the classroom. There are many oth-
er techniques that are less distracting that
help students focus from chewing gum to
squeezing a ball.
Answer: It is definitely possible that
their hearing could be damaged if they
frequently listen to music playing full
blast. We spoke with Shari Eberts, a hear-
ing health advocate, who told us that pro-
longed exposure to any sound at or above
85 decibels can cause gradual hearing loss.
In addition, once your hearing is damaged,
it is permanently impaired.
Loud noise exposure kills the delicate
cells inside the cochlea of the inner ear,
and once they are gone, they do not grow
back. Loud noises can also cause tinnitus,
the sensation of buzzing or ringing in your
ears when no sound is present.
While people know about concerts,
there are other venues and activities that
can be damaging to your children’s hearing
that are not obvious. Restaurants, sporting
events, and even children’s parties are get-
ting louder every day. Other venues on this
list that you need to be aware of so you
can protect yourself and your family from
noise-induced hearing loss include:
2) Speak up. If you think the environ-
ment is too loud, ask for the volume to be
lowered or to be moved to a quieter seat.
3) Move away from the sound. If you
have a choice of seats, sit far away from
the speakers. With distance comes safety.
4) Travel with earplugs. Carry ear-
plugs with you in your backpack or purse.
Be sure to bring extra to share with friends
and family. Acoustic earplugs provide the
best sound for music, but properly used
cheaper pairs will also do the trick.
5) Use a decibel reader app. Most are
not 100 percent accurate, but they will let
you know if you are near or in the danger
zone.
6) Vote with your feet. If a place is
consistently too loud and will not adjust
the volume level, don’t go there anymore.
If enough people do this, change will
eventually occur.
How to Have a
Healthy School Year
Question: I am concerned about the
upcoming school year because my chil-
dren missed so many days last year due
to illnesses. How can I make this year a
healthier one? — Missed too much
Answer: Schools are definitely germ
centers! And being absent from school can
definitely hinder children’s academic suc-
cess. One of the best germ fighters is to
teach your children healthy habits at home
to take to school with them.
• Movies: One of the “Star Wars”
movies boasted that it was the loudest
movie on record. • They should be regularly washing
their hands at home and at school because
germs and bacteria are everywhere. This is
an absolute must.
• Social events: Bar/Bat mitzvahs and
weddings can be heartwarming and fun,
but also incredibly loud. Most bands and
DJs set the volume at unsafe levels. • To avoid spreading anything to other
children they should cough or sneeze into
their upper arm by bending it at the elbow
and raising it to cover their mouths.
• School events: The noise at some
school programs like talent shows can be
at unsafe levels. • Healthy eating is essential to good
health. Help your children acquire good
eating habits that include fresh fruit and
vegetables at every meal. Pack lunches
for them if they don’t like or eat school
lunches.
Teach Your Children how
to Protect their Hearing The good news is that noise-induced
hearing loss is 100 percent preventable!
You can protect yourself from unexpected
noise by being aware of the risks and arriv-
ing prepared. Here are tips for protecting
your hearing and your children’s when out
and about:
Question: My children play their mu-
sic very loud. Is it possible that they could
damage their hearing? — Concerned 1) Turn down the volume. If you have
control of the volume, turn it down to a
safe level.
• Schedule doctor and dental visits be-
fore the school year starts.
Parents should send questions and com-
ments to dearteacher@dearteacher. com
or to the Dear Teacher website.
August 2018 WNY Family 25