We very much enjoyed our faculty meeting cake sent by @educake.bsky.social as our pupils answered over a million questions between September and May.

'Unparalleled' snake antivenom made from man bitten 200 times Scientists hope to make a universal antivenom from the extraordinary blood of a man exposed to snake venom for decades.

Another GEM of an article here:

'Unparalleled' snake antivenom made from man bitten 200 times www.bbc.com/news/article...

@chatbiology.bsky.social
#ChatBiology

Great! My whole faculty are using your video tips from last time I saw you, so I'll be there taking note.

Yeah, I'm not exam marking this year and that would definitely have played a factor. It would be lovely to see you though.

School approved my cover for this 🧬
Who else is coming? #ChatBiology

@teacherhead.bsky.social's talk on some key walkthrus was definitely my highlight of #ResearchEdWarr today

Lovely to meet you briefly!

I am! I'll look out for you.

Today I learned the etymology of the word "gas" from an episode of @tpwky.bsky.social about the bends (an illness that didn't exist in humans until the industrial revolution) and I love it and you should all know about it.

100% which is why anything we can do to start the conversation is helpful. Masking is such a common part of life for ND women, and its so hard to be taken seriously if you look like you're coping.

Sorry to hear that you're suffering.

But please talk about it!

It currently takes an average of 9 years to be diagnosed, and those years only start when a person seeks help.

Knowing what is "normal" and not can make a huge difference.

KS5: reiterate the above.

Mention endometriosis when teaching about autoimmune diseases, risk factors and comorbidities.

Mention endometriosis when teaching about limitations in animal models.

And when teaching about racial biases in diagnosis and treatment.

KS4: reiterate the above in homeostasis.

Mention endometriosis and PCOS when teaching about infertility.

Mention endometriosis and PCOS when talking about non-communicable diseases:

Endometriosis is a common whole body inflammatory disease.

KS3: the menstrual cycle

Tell your students that the following symptoms aren't normal and that there are treatments a doctor can offer to help:

🎗️Periods lasting >10 days
🎗️ Pain that interferes with daily activity (cyclic or constant)
🎗️ Bleeding through a pad every hour

🎗️March is endometriosis awareness month.🎗️

Endometriosis is as prevalent as diabetes, but is pitifully funded and chronically under researched.

What can you do as a science teacher to raise awareness?

A Level choices - public

Someone reminded me of a spreadsheet I compiled a few years ago asking people to share their A-Level choices, where they are in their careers now and any thoughts/advice for teens choosing their A-levels.

The message is try not to stress!
Please share (and add yours)
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

Yes, but I guess that would depend on the classroom set up.

And my class did so much better than they would normally do with me modelling live from the front.

I could also share the video with my faculty to support staff who havent taught this before with how I chunk the explanation.

Thanks @simonpoliakoff.bsky.social - so useful!

I was inspired by @simonpoliakoff.bsky.social 's talk at @ttradioofficial.bsky.social connect to film my explanation in a rates lesson this week using the worksheet students would use.

This meant I could pause and re-play to do an I do/ we do. I could circulate the room helping while explaining.

Model eye demonstration with flask Demonstration: A flask and lenses are used to show short and long sight and their correction.

fluorescein solution. Here is a how to:

spark.iop.org/model-eye-de...

You can really see how the rays are focused and how long and short sightedness works. We also have a lens in front here correcting the vision.

Are lasers an integral part of that process?

Always

Potions is chemistry and this is definitely a biology/physics lesson.

Guess what I'm teaching today? #GWITT #ChatBiology

Yay! Great to see Phet here! Very useful interactive animations of important processes (see diffusion below) #iTeachBio 🎓

Clever!

What were you doing?

The best thing about working in a school for 10+ years is the community

In the last week: a doctor came to our iftar, a school data worker came to parents evening, a biomedical science 3rd year gave a talk, and an optometry student reached out to mentor a y12.

All my old biology students 💜

A decorated table with a bottle of water, iftar program, dates to break fast and a cone of sweets.

Sixth form student union did such a good job organising a community iftar event tonight 💜🌙