BC EDUCATION
Saved by @SteveeRogerr

Time for some thoughts on schools given the revised SickKids document and the fact that ON decided to leave most schools closed. ON is not the only jurisdiction to do so, but important to note that many jurisdictions would not have done so -even with higher incidence rates.

 As outlined in the tweet by @NishaOttawa yesterday, the situation is complex, and not a simple right or wrong https://t.co/DO0v3j9wzr. And no one needs to list all the potential risks and downsides of prolonged school closures.
On the other hand: while school closures do not directly protect our most vulnerable in long-term care at all, one cannot deny that any factor potentially increasing community transmission may have an indirect effect on the risk to these institutions, and on healthcare.
The question is: to what extend do schools contribute to transmission, and how to balance this against the risk of prolonged school closures. The leaked data from yesterday shows a mixed picture -schools are neither unicorns (ie COVID free) nor infernos. https://t.co/m74rtKp6qZ
Assuming this data is largely correct -while waiting for an official publication of the data, it shows first and foremost the known high case numbers at Thorncliff, while other schools had been doing very well -are safe- reiterating the impact of socioeconomics on the COVID risk.
Who is affected most by closed schools? Likely not the affluent folks with well-paid jobs that can mostly work from home. Maybe inconvenient, but able to support and supervise their children in learning virtually, or homeschooling, help by private teachers/tutors, learning pods.
Mostly affected by schools closures are kids of those that have underpaid jobs, have less resources for their kids, that require them to go work in crowded settings, and have as such also the highest risk to contract COVID -at work, at home, and possibly school (ex. Thorncliff).
In summary, prolonged school closures will further harm equity, will harm those that are already mostly affected by COVID. Structural inequities are playing into this, lockdowns and school closures will not solve this problem, paid sick days would. https://t.co/90LcGbZ8el
Solution for this complex problem? Do EVERYTHING to make schools as safe as reasonably possible, and open schools throughout the province ASAP. https://t.co/T1ubqDsOoJ
Having schools shut because of lack of surveillance testing , "inability" to offer smaller class sizes etc. is the easy way out. An arbitrary cut-off such as "it is safe <40/100k/week in a PHU" is inappropriate: we all know that within a PHU, there are huge discrepancies in COVID
Needless to say: the last time that we had been below 40/100k/week as a province was beginning of October. Has the government decided now that school had been unsafe and an inferno ever since? While it is not a unicorn environment, we can agree that it is not an inferno either.
Instead of focusing on keeping schools shut as long as it can justified with some arbitrary threshold, focus on re-opening ASAP with appropriate measures in place. We are in a different spot in terms of testing capacity than in November, we have rapid testing, simply use it!
The younger the kids are, the less virtual school is working out for them. If unable to get JK-Grade 8 back in class in smaller classes, start off with JK-Grade 5, but not only once below a overtly conservative magic <40 threshold, invest into schools and open up.
I supported extended school breaks despite being pro-opening school: I value schools very highly as one of the most important public goods for the future of our society, but epi and risk from Holiday gatherings prevailed in my mind over the last few weeks.
But now is the time for action, make schools as safe as possible rather than simply moving the goalpost to a lower and lower arbitrary threshold for re-opening school. Currently, we are on track to make the same mistake as last year, keeping schools closed for far too long.

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If you want to get into a PhD at a place like MIT, here's a thread with some advice based on my observations

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1. Grades do matter, especially in courses that are important for your chosen field

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4. Your statement of purpose should be the cherry on top of the cake

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When I say grades matter, it doesn't mean that you need 100/100 or A+ in every course. It does mean that you are expected to have strong competence (close to straight A/A+/A-) in technical courses relevant to your field of interest

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While grades show competence, a PhD is about research. So, the more your application demonstrates research potential, the higher your chances for acceptance. It's not about the number of papers (if any), but about the quality of research you pursue

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https://t.co/MgDgNe6REj


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https://t.co/FIij8J3r7z

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*Re: Teachers have passed the test the Government have failed*
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They lead with religious and political faith, and I'd like you to lend from their methods of applying faith over fact, if you could.

You see, I have faith in schools communicating clearly, consistently and safely as the facts have demonstrated they can. Unlike the cabinet.


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PLACENYC.ORG
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If You Want a Voice in NYC Education, You Must Vote for Mayor in the Primaries - Deadline to Register for the Primaries is February 14.

https://t.co/VGqli10Owu

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The Next Mayor Will Determine the Fate of Public Education in NYC: The Mayor will determine whether the city cuts or protects education budgets and whether highly successful G&T Programs are abolished or made more accessible and expanded to every district in the city. 2/

He or she will determine whether 8th graders have access to Algebra, Arts and Regents level science classes and will determine whether NYC’s selective high schools stay selective or dole out seats via lottery. 3/

Mayor and other NYC Races Decided in the Primaries:

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To Vote in a Party’s Primary, You Must Register to Vote as an Affiliate of that Party

To vote in the Democrat, Republican or any other party’s primary, you must submit a voter registration and check that you are registering with that party. 5/
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Supercharge your skills with effective learning⚡️

AVOID:
⛔️Wasting time with inefficient strategies ⏳
⛔️Spinning your wheels in tutorial hell ⚙️

A summary of the most effective learning strategies GUARANTEED to make you a better developer

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⚡️Deliberate practice

It's good to know the fundamentals well, but you will never improve by sticking to practicing only what you already know.

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Before each learning session, ask yourself whether what you will learn adheres to the above.

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⚡️Scoping the subject (credit to @AliAbdaal for this concept)

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Build a 'map' of the entire subject you're studying 🗺

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The first ever world map was sketched thousands of years ago by Indian saint
“Ramanujacharya” who simply translated the following verse from Mahabharat and gave the world its real face

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सुदर्शनं प्रवक्ष्यामि द्वीपं तु कुरुनन्दन। परिमण्डलो महाराज द्वीपोऽसौ चक्रसंस्थितः॥
यथा हि पुरुषः पश्येदादर्शे मुखमात्मनः। एवं सुदर्शनद्वीपो दृश्यते चन्द्रमण्डले॥ द्विरंशे पिप्पलस्तत्र द्विरंशे च शशो महान्।

—वेद व्यास, भीष्म पर्व, महाभारत


Meaning:-

हे कुरुनन्दन ! सुदर्शन नामक यह द्वीप चक्र की भाँति गोलाकार स्थित है, जैसे पुरुष दर्पण में अपना मुख देखता है, उसी प्रकार यह द्वीप चन्द्रमण्डल में दिखायी देता है। इसके दो अंशो मे पीपल और दो अंशो मे विशाल शश (खरगोश) दिखायी देता है।


Meaning: "Just like a man sees his face in the mirror, so does the Earth appears in the Universe. In the first part you see leaves of the Peepal Tree, and in the next part you see a Rabbit."

Based on this shloka, Saint Ramanujacharya sketched out the map, but the world laughed
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Have you ever heard about,"The Golden Ratio"?
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One day, a wealthy merchant visited him.


He wanted a gold girdle studded with precious gems, to be made for Prabhu Vitthal. Narhari refused to make it as it was for Vitthal.
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The measurement was given n he made the girdle. When the girdle was put on Vitthal, it was loose. Narhari had to shorten it. Now the girdle became tight. So Narhari was forced to take measurement on his own. He had to go to the mandir but went blindfolded to avoid seeing Vitthal


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He realised the truth that there was no difference between Vitthal and Shiva. Narhari at once fell at the feet of Panduranga. He then took the measurement of the waist of Vitthal and this time the ornament fit the Murti perfectly.

Narayan Hari🙏🏻
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