Educators

If you are an educator, a school nurse or a parent, you already recognize the challenge of protecting children from infection and teaching them healthy behaviors. Just reviewing and reciting “the rules” doesn’t get it. The nanobugs – our personified “microbes with attitude”- can engage them and make the learning fun. The nanobugs have been effective in teaching and training students at every level of development – from reinforcing the need for personal hygiene to stimulating some sophisticated science project ideas.

Comprehensive education and health education includes the study of microbes – or microbiology. It can be a bit overwhelming to learn about all the relevant microbes that affect our life and health. We encourage teachers to break from the conventional methods of teaching this science and let the nanobugs be the tutors. We are all about engagement and the nanobugs can easily engage students to learn about microbes – the pathogens as well as bacteria that make up our normal flora and probiotics that enhance our immune function. We have created powerpoints and teaching tools to stimulate natural curiosity and entertain the learner as they assimilate the practical microbiology. The animations allow a formal introduction of the microbe with correct pronunciation of their complicated proper names and offer a common nickname. Each nanobug speaks for itself – telling about the infections it causes or sharing a memorable detail of its habitat or lifestyle. Personification is a great tool for engagement, stimulating natural curiosity and assimilation of facts and characteristics.

The popular interest in CSI (crime scene investigations) has stimulated a lot of interest among children (and young adults) in this area of science and technology. We have learned the value of “profiling” to investigate a crime and a criminal. We suggest a profiling approach to investigations of infectious crimes against humanity! Hopefully, we can stimulate bright young people to pursue careers in epidemiology (the study of disease – especially infection) and promote self-directed interest in the relevant math (statistics) and science (microbiology) needed for those careers.

The Nanobugs Sexually-Transmitted Infection Prevention Program is now being utilized in correctional facilities and alcohol/drug treatment programs. It has been well-accepted by adults, adolescents and young adults. Our philosophy is to vilify the STI microbes rather than the sexual partners! Then the humans can unite in our efforts to sabotage these nanobugs.   So why not let the nanobugs make you a hero as you present this content in an engaging yet serious way?

Put the nanobugs to work in your classroom. Temporary tattoos and collectibles cards make great rewards for good classroom behavior. Allowing students to explore the menagerie on the nanobugs website or color one of the printed coloring pages, can provide a worthy and appropriate incentive for completing an assignment. We have Powerpoint programs for classroom use or independent study available. And we can create custom Powerpoints, tutorials and programs for any audience or event. To explore ideas, click here to send us a message on the contact page.

The mission of the nanobugs is to engage, entertain and educate your children about practical microbiology and infection prevention. Learning practical microbiology – sounds impressive, doesn’t it? This is important stuff that helps them take responsibility for their own health with the prevention of infection. Somebody’s got to teach them. Often, teachers think personal hygiene and infection prevention techniques are taught at home and parents think they are taught at school and the children don’t “get it”. Oh, they get the infections. And they bring them home to you and the rest of the family ….and you know where it goes from there: you have to stay home from work to care for a sick child and then another and then yourself. Those days off would be better shared doing something fun. And then, there’s the money you spend for co-pays at the doctor’s office, and the expensive antibiotics and medications, the extra tissues and toilet paper consumed during infections, carpet cleaning for ….. Need more reasons?

Food safety is another responsibility parents must assume. The nanobugs can help you “fine tune” your rules of the kitchen at your house and give you some insight into reducing risks when dining out. Nanobugs in the Kitchen – a food safety guide for mothers will be published soon and you will be able to order the book here on the website or on Amazon.com.

Mothers usually assume the role of health advocate for the family and activist for family health issues. So, Moms, you will want to check out the Nanobugs blog and our Facebook Page where the nanobugs are often the topic of debate and discussion related to current health issues.