Dear we are teachers,
My team of 3rd graders and I have to meet up close every day for PLC. One of our team members always comes to work even when he is obviously unwell. We were talking about coughing, tissues all over the desk, and not being able to keep our eyes open. When we encouraged her to go home, she said she didn’t want to use her sick days. (What she’s really saying is that she wants to use her sick days to travel.) Should I confront her about this?
—We have a team of plague soldiers.
Dear WHATP
I have two schools of thought regarding this issue.
On the other hand, I think she should be able to use her days however she wants. Teachers don’t have much flexibility with their personal days during the contract year (as if our personal needs would always magically match up with the existing calendar?), so for me, this is not a battle worth fighting. Because meeting spaces are crowded, set standards for the entire group first. Anyone who feels sick is committed to attending the PLC remotely via Zoom to prevent the spread of the disease.
On the other hand, I think it’s somewhat irresponsible for her to come to school when she’s obviously unwell, and if she comes to school with a fever (even if it’s brought down by medication), I’m sure other You’re putting people at risk. If a teacher refuses to respect the PLC’s boundaries about meeting remotely when they’re sick, I think it’s fair to involve the administrator in the conversation at that point.
Therefore, proceed with caution. And for the time being, we may use N95 masks during PLC.
Dear we are teachers,
My 6th grader, who once required regular 10-minute bathroom breaks during 50-minute classes, suddenly started spending 20 to 30 minutes in the bathroom every day. When this first started happening, I contacted his mother to let her know how much he was missing class, but she just thanked me for letting her know. His colleagues have begun to note how much he is missing during class, which is putting a strain on many of our activities (e.g. group work, missing notes and instructions, etc.). If it’s a personal/medical issue, I don’t want to pry into it, but it’s becoming an academic issue as well. Should I address this issue again or leave it alone?
—Toilet breaks are turning into bathroom credits.
Dear BBITIABC
Situations like this are always tricky. But if in doubt, let them go to the bathroom. I’m glad I didn’t intervene in what could be a medical issue.
Please talk to your administrator first about this additional check-in. Perhaps administrators are aware of the need to provide 504 and medical accommodations for students. Your administrator may be able to take over the situation completely (awesome!) or at least guide you to the right place and person to start this process.
By having the administrator already understand this situation, if the mother refuses the 504 and insists that bathroom breaks, which make up 40%-60% of the daily class, are fine, the administrator has already discussed a solution with the mother. We are ready to tackle this. .
Dear we are teachers,
I’m in my third year of teaching at a completely toxic school, and this morning I turned in my two weeks’ notice. I can’t stand it anymore. Do you want to put 1 semester + 2 weeks of school time on your resume for future jobs (you are applying for jobs at other schools or in completely different fields), or do you omit this year’s experience completely?
――Honestly, time has already passed.
Dear IPTH
I will leave you with your experience this year. A prospective employer will want to speak to the manager or principal of your most recent school. There is no need to burden yourself with contradictory information.
On your application or resume, you will be asked why you are leaving your job. Do not include “toxic work environment” or other subjective descriptions. I think the best thing you can do is find something to praise and state your reason for leaving by looking for a positive direction rather than trying to run away from the negative. What I want to say is:
“I am grateful for what I learned at Oakwood and am now looking for a school with more opportunities for growth and leadership.” “I had a great mentor at Oakwood, and I’m looking for a school where I can have the same impact on others that she had on me.”
Will they read between the lines you left halfway through this year? Yeah, probably. But principals and other employers know this happens. (And there’s always a chance that the principal already knows that Oakwood’s principal is also toxic. 👀)
Have a burning question? Email us at askweareTeachers@weareTeachers.com.
Dear we are teachers,
I’m in my first year teaching high school biology. Since the school year started, my students have either been completely disinterested or have been goofing around in class. I feel like I can’t do anything and that they really hate me. How do I do a factory reset? And please tell me it won’t take weeks.
—I’ve got the New Year’s blues