Penultimate - last but one in a series of things; second to the last.

Like any good tour guide on a trip worth a recommendation, they have to give you an overview of what the plan is so that you don't stray off course or get pick-pocketed at the common tourist attractions. It's in the handbook - tour guiding 101. A heads up so to speak!

Okay, I made that up...

I do believe though that our job as a teacher is knowing and recognizing when there is an unsavory amount of use of social media that we have access to 24/7. I had a conversation recently with my youngest son who is in his first year of university about this very topic. I asked him, could he give me some perspective on whether he thought social media took up too much free-time for someone like him? He thought so but did not really articulate what could be done about it other than simply to hope for better will power. This got me thinking, and so I watched the following video by Dr. Cal Newport that was recommended to me. I believe that it is important to know about the 'other side', for the sake of our future students. Not talking about the negative side does not mean it doesn't exist. Being informed allows for the confidence to do something about a problem and to learn that yes we are the ones in control. This video is just under 14 minutes, you could start watching it at 6:50 to save time.

https://youtu.be/3E7hkPZ-HTk

Watch the video! My takeaway message from the video though is this: 1. Social media is not essential - it's entertainment; 2. It is harmful and would need to have serious benefits to outweigh the negatives, on the continuum of thriving in the economy one is trading off high-value productivity time for easy to replicate and produce low-value fluff; 3.There is so much life to enjoy and find purpose in without social media. "Be on the road to awesome" just like Kid President says, thanks, Justin! "Create something that will make the world awesome."

Another part of my week was about why copyright matters by presenter John Finch. Note to self - DON'T be in the 3% minority that violates the copyright laws once a week in Manitoba! Use http://copyrightdecisiontool.ca/DecisionTool/

I'm going to make a go-to list of places to search for images and music that can be used as long as credit is given, just in case I need to play a game of musical chairs or a game of 'freeze' in the gym as
substitute teacher...but aren't those valid reasons to use music under the copyright law?