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Is chalk dust OK?


blaze100

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Hi, I am 6 years out and still teaching math full time at the local community college.

I use chalk board extensively(math)and at the end of the day my hands, face, hair and clothes have light coating of chalk dust - probably my lungs too. Most of this is from chalk dust falling over my head when I erase the board.

I could switch to white boards, but have not been able to find much safety info on chalk vs dry marker fumes.

I've used white boards several years ago, and my face, hands and clothes were covered with ink particles when I got home. Plus the fumes burned my throat.

My doctors shrug when I ask them...so, does anyone here have any thoughts on safety of chalk dust verses dry marker fumes?

Barb

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Barb:

Let me say that I am not an expert on this by any means.....I spent some time doing a google search on your question here and you can only imagine how long it can take to exhaust everything such a search reveals to really help you.....

That said, chalk dust appears to be a not-so-great alternative for you -- apparently chalk dust can have metal components in it that aren't great for LC concerns; I could find no obvious concerns about white board markers/their fumes to LC.

All I did was look a bunch at the results I got from a google search on "safety of chalk dust for lung cancer patients" and "safety of white board marker fumes to lung cancer patients" to get this sense of what I am saying here to you.

I hope this helps -- as Treebywater said, an overhead projector might be a good option too but won't help if you do things like getting multiple kids working math problems on the board at times during class.

Linda

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Blaze100,

You brought up a subject I had never thought of regarding chalk dust. My sister, who is a never-smoker was dx 6/10/06 Stage IV nsclc. We all keep asking the same question, "how did she ever get lung cancer?". She recently retired from teaching after 35 years. Could chalk dust have played any part? I know that whatever was the cause of her cancer is not important now. Hope, prayers, and a CURE are the important factors. However, I would love to hear from anyone with an opinion on the subject of chalk dust. Many thanks. Sis

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When I taught advanced biology years ago, I used an overhead projector. Was so easy to use and no dust or fumes. The kids liked it because I saved the film and if they got lost during the lecture, they could come in after school and get the sheets they needed and copy them. Also, I didn't have to turn my head away from the students.

Nina

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Thanks for the ideas. You know as a math instructor, we like our chalk boards. I've used Overheads before...not crazy about them for math. Also PowerPoint is not especially good for math.

Perhaps I will go over to supply and just check out the smell of the new dry markers. Obviously chalk is poor choice. Also looking into a tablet projector, might be better for me.

Thanks for the validations. I've been feeling recently that chalk dust is bad but thought dry markers were worse.

Barb

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Not comparing my 3rd graders with your college kids, but I have put most of my lessons on power point. It allows me to break down the concepts into smaller parts and I just click my way through.

I also just got a smart board which allows me to write on my power point.

gail

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I am curious if lc is more common for teachers.

I know lots of folks use PowerPoint and overheads in their classes with ease.

My style is to do as much work as possible at the board "in the moment" and "off the cuff".

I've tried working with overheads in the past, but my eyes had big black spots after staring into light box for 3 hours every day. :P

I'm gonna feel like a 3-legged dog, but I'll just have to adapt. :P

Barb

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Dry erase boards have worked well for me... Like you most of the things that need to be written are easily done on a chalkboard and not so easy on a computer/power point/ or projector... You can get a dry erase board in just about any size.. you should see if the administrator will supply one for you..

I definately know what you mean about the chalk dust...

GOD BLESS!!

Jamie

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  • 15 years later...

My dad, a lifelong nonsmoker, taught high school math for 35 years and came home from work covered in chalk dust almost every day. About 17 years after he retired he was diagnosed with stage 3a adenocarcinoma. Happily after that everything has been positive so far - his treatment went well and he’s been cancer free now for over two years. It’s been almost four years since the diagnosis so I’m getting the idea it won’t come back though that’s still possible. 
when I heard the diagnosis I internet surfed and found out about a Chinese university that experimented with chalk dust on rats. They found the same kind of inflammation in the rats’ lungs that makes people susceptible to lung cancer.

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