Monday, March 16, 2015

I Hate Daylight Saving Time

In Daylight Saving Time Redux fri Janet Given's Blog, Janet Givens shares some interesting facts about Daylight Saving Time.  She shared some information that I didn’t know about such as who benefits from this change in time.

Even though this was meant to help save energy costs during WWI but that is not the case now. In fact, with air conditioning available now, it may actually increase energy costs.  I’m sure you can figure out that energy companies, oil companies, and gas companies really like that result.

I do not like this change at all for several reasons. First I’m a morning person and the fact that the time I get up is now completely dark longer irritates me. That is not how I like to begin my day!

The older I get, the harder it is to adjust to change. This change by one hour really throws my body clock off and I don’t like the way it makes me feel. I feel more tired when I wake up for some reason. I’m ready to go to bed and it isn’t completely dark yet which makes me feel ancient!

Students have a hard time adjusting to this change also. When they arrive in class they seem sluggish. Many are irritable and quick to anger. Teenagers already feel some of this from hormones and do not needed added fuel for this! They seem to have trouble concentrating and focusing on necessary tasks. I bet the amount of referrals increase during this time too.

Usually it takes about 2-3 weeks before they seem to be back to normal so I try to adjust my lessons to accommodate this. If I don’t, it only leads to frustration for all of us.

Arizona doesn’t change the time at all (other than the Indian reservation). European countries change the time also but not at the same time we do. This makes it really challenging when trying to connect with people from other countries!

Apparently according to this article, many people are against it but no one seems able to make the decision to just stay the same time. If the powers that be can’t manage a simple task like this, no wonder the country is in such rough shape!

How do you feel about Daylight Saving Time? Please share.

Image: 'Back from DST
http://www.flickr.com/photos/77476789@N00/1787142391
Found on 
flickrcc.net

2 comments:

Mr. Black said...

Personally, I support Daylight Saving Time. On a personal level, I prefer to have the daylight when I can use it more to my advantage, and that is after school is finished for the day. Second, the studies I have read maintain there is still a modest, though shrinking, energy saving with Daylight Time. Thirdly, my observation is that my students adjust pretty quickly to the new time, maybe better than adults. So this is more of an adult issue than a student issue.

Anonymous said...

I really hate it also. It messes up my system so much that it takes me about a month to feel normal again. I have learned to ease myself into it by setting my alarm back a little at a time for a month ahead of daylight savings time and going to bed earlier too. This way, by the time it is time to change the clocks ahead, my body has adjusted and I am ready.

It does affect the kids in my class (kindergarten special ed) very negatively. They are cranky, sleepy, fussy and take weeks to adjust.