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.
2 comments:
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.
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.
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