A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Banter Hall The thorn in my workday

Let me say I do like this job. It's sooooo much better than working at the Health Department. But I think this has become comical. One of the 5th grade teachers is bonkers. Today by 10:36 12 of her students had been to the health room. I think she only has 16 in her entire class. The 2 that finally pushed me over the edge were the girl who had "a stomah ache because I didn't eat breakfast", and the boy who had an asthma attack on Monday so his chest was hurting today. I went to the assistant principal on these two and she's going to have a talk with this woman. She has already been instructed to write a note with every student she sends to the office thinking she won't want to do that and it will stop. If I am not there, it is the job of the office staff to deal with these students so they are as sick of her as I am. I think even the students know she's inefficient.

It could be the teacher has an issue or it could be the teacher is afraid to NOT listen to these kids for fear of repercussion from the powers that be because the parents might complain, becaUSE "Bobby or Mary" are not being properly taken care of. and kids being kids, they have her number and are playing her like a fiddle??

what ever that number is, yes, they are obviously playing her!

That's what I was thinking....that she's thinking it's better to be safe than sorry. That is ridiculous though.

Sure it is rediculous, but I am betting some where, some time she got dressed down by some parent or higher up....and now is over reacting...

Maybe so but I can't see how her students are learning anything because they are never in the room. She used to send 10 or 12 a day for ice packs but when the principal came out with the edict that if a student needs an ice pack an incident report must be written she cut that out. Incidents take a little time to complete and have to be signed by the principal. I could tell yesterday that the students know that they're one up on her and I can't stand that. I want her to be the adult in this situation but I need to stop being a control freak I guess.

is there any chance that the principal will notice this behavior??

and yhes she does need to take on a differnt tact here---but I don't think it will happen this year, esp if the kids do "have her number".

Good luck----

What she needs is someone to go in and show her how to take control of her class again. That is just ridiculous! Ya know, it is the teachers like this that make me hate teacher's unions.....the protect the lousiest of teachers and the kids end up getting practically no education because of them. Unions would be great if they only protected the teachers who actually worked and not the slackers.....that is another topic tho.

When these kids get sent to the office, can't you just say to them, your chest hurts because of the asthma attack the other day and then send the kid back? how long do they have to stay there with you??? When I was in elementary school and you went to the nurse's office, she asked you what was wrong and if it wasn't important or anything like that, you were sent back to your room.

Jen, I do talk to the students and write a note to give to the teacher telling her exactly what I've told them and send them back to class. I have taken a student back to her class and said to her "he hurt his ear last Friday night. It's been 4 days, it's not bleeding or swelling. I'm not sure what it is you want me to do?" She always says well he's complaining. I sent her a note back the other day that said "she says her stomache hurts because she didn't eat breakfast. Is this what you were told?" I didn't get a response.

This is an inner city poor performing school. These students need all the help they can get with their reading especially. I think I want them in class but maybe they're better off with me in the health room.

this is so sad, Sheri.

Hey I have a Question,,,,,,,,, Does the School provide Breakfast and Lunch Free for the underprivileged?? Maybe the Little girl was running late that day and didn't have time for Breakfast,, maybe she is an individual that by not having breakfast it really does make her tummy ache,, BTW a peppermint would calm the tummy down, with a suggestion to get up earlier so you'd have time for Brkfst, Tre is like that and so is Dwight, Both of Them MUST have breakfast to prevent a stomach ache. As a Mother of an severe asthma patient Ambroja's chest and Back hurt for several days after having an asthma attack, especially a severe one, so I for sure understand both of those situations and would be okay with it( coming to the office) A back rub , or applied heat to relaxed the back muscles would help or arm stretches reaching for the ceiling helped Ambroja too, ), the Kid who hurt his ear a week ago,,,, better to check for innner ear infection,, and fever,, I know you know your Medical postition well Sheri,, But To cover your self and the teacher/schools behind is wiser than accusing the teacher of Being a lax Teacher that's a pushover. I didn't get the icepak thing,, I missed the reasons why the icepaks were needed or felt they were needed,, I would however have a problem sending kids in for " My finger hurts or a scraped my knee a week ago," things when it's obvious it just a play to get out of the room; I agree with Loz that it is ALWAYS better to be safe than sorry,,,, While I don't agree it's ridiculous,, Sound like this teacher is a compassionate one but just need clarity in how to distinguish a legitimate need to go to your office ,, But it would show her wisdom to have the child take a study book to read while in your office "resting",, as would be the condition for the child to sent from the class. ,, Seeing how this is a inner city Poor school,, doesn't necessarily reflect on the kids care @ home,, or a teachers ability to build learning skills for students, ,, Some kids just need the extra attention,, just like kids from High end schools,, where parents are always gone working or traveling,, Sometimes it's a cry for help in a whole different area other than a very minor medical need, and sometimes a kind voice with a compassionate heart is what heals them for that day.
As far as the teacher getting on the Office staffs Nerves with the many kids sent., and the paper work involved that is part of their job,, it can't take longer than ten minutes to write it up,, they should be thankful they have a job to complain about really,, IF it were Their child would they want to hear,,, the teacher wouldn't send me to the Nurses office because she didn't believe me,, How Upset would that make them?
OF course all the above is simply my Opinion and doesn't make it a statement of Right OR wrong, it's just an opinion,,,,
In this case,, as the School Nurse,, I would address her personally and compassionately asking if She Really Believes all the cases to be legimate ,?? and suggest a study book come along with the student,, teaching the student Yes you can go but you must read while your waiting or resting,, or No recess,,, IF a condition to going to your Office is implemented and privileges are revoked by not complying to reading while resting ( UNLess of course the Child is very ill and must go home) then maybe it will slow it down a bit, Or for every time a student request going to the nurse's station on a regular bases,, that student would lose a recess once it's established a pattern with that student,,,,,,, I guess what I'm saying is,,,,,,
instead of finding all the negative in the problem,,,,,,, Look for a simple effective,, positive solution that helps those Student medically and Academically and stop /slow down the consistent flow of runs to the Nurses office while at the same time give the teacher support and understanding that while one must rather be safe than sorry,, one also must be wise in deciding what is a legitimate cause to go to your Office ,, with out the teacher feeling like she is between a rock and a Hard place in the decision, or being 'Put on the Spot" when confronted about it.
Just my opinion,

Jiminy!
Sheri. I know that you know your job. And you do it well. Thank you for feeling you can vent a little with us. Getting a little outside 'air time' helps us all go back to work with a stronger step and broader shoulders. You go and do what you know how to do so well.

Jiminy!
it was just my opinion,, Nothing negative towards Sheri at all I know Sheri knows her profession well, and I respect her profession, , ,,,, in this forum We all can voice our opinions with respect and without judgements,..............

"Jiminy" was for 12 of 16 kids from one class in the first hour or two of a school day. I am just getting here. And I didn't see anywhere asking for an opinion. Just a place to share and vent. So I thanked Sheri for feeling she could.

we all vent and we all get opinions on the situation we're venting about,,, :wink: cause that's what friends do,,

I am slow to share my opinions. Unless they are truly asked for. Unasked for opinions are often resented.
I love reading Sheri's posts. She shows humor, a wonderful wit and intellect all over. Just my unasked for opinion.
That is the part of our online community I treasure.

Everyone that posted above mine most definitely gave an opinion,, with key descriptive words playing her and ridiculous,, , Far before I even posted,, None of us are right and None of us are wrong,, an Opinion is simply an Opinion as ones thought on a subject based on information set before us,, therefore resentment cannot be applied,,
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Sorry Sheri if giving our opinion isn't what you needed/wanted as feedback,, I hope the teacher can get a better understanding what constitutes a legitimate reason to go the nurses office,, and it gets resolved quickly so everyone is on the same page,, :wink:

I like getting your opinions and I wasn't at all offended.

Diane, these students are repeaters. Students will try teachers at the beginning of the year and this class has found out that this teacher either isn't too bright or doesn't care about keeping them in class and teaching them. At first I thought they needed attention and did exactly like you mentioned and gave them a piece of peppermint and a sticker. I posted about this at the beginning of the year. I kept them in the office for 15 to 20 minutes talking and trying to find out why they kept coming to see me. What I found out in these conversations is that the students aren't sick, that they think this teacher is a pushover and that they don't like math or science or reading and don't want to participate at that particular time in class. What I've also found out is that the teacher isn't responsible enough to keep her students in class.

The student who said his chest hurt doesn't have asthma that I know of. Every year parents fill out a chronic condition list and asthma isn't mentioned. He doesn't have an inhaler at school or at home. He saw that the other students were getting out of class (as happens every day) and thought up a reason to get out too.ck

Another example I think I posted a while back is when the girls started coming first 1 at a time, then 2 at a time, then 3 at a time needing a mini pad. I discussed girl stuff with all of them more than once (and found out that 1 of them hadn't started her period but thought she might soon). It happened every day for a while (even the girl that hadn't started came back again) until the principal asked me one day why all the same girls kept coming to the office everyday. When I told her she called the teacher and told her to send all the girls to the office right now. She told them that the school is not responsible for supply them with mini pads, that if they indeed need them they will have to bring them from home, and to not come to the office for another one unless it's an emergency. Furthermore she said, I'm going to call your mothers and explain this to her so that she will know to buy you supplies. With that all the girls started begging her NOT to call home, that they weren't having their period that day. The principal took them back to class and they haven't been back for that reason. This happened at the beginning of the year and I thought at that time that they were telling the truth and needed reassurance.

When a teacher starts sending students, as happened Wednesday, 2 and 3 at a time you know somethings up and the teacher should know too. How many times do 3 people in the same room get sick with the same thing at the same time? It's common sense.

I am a teacher advocate. They have a hard job with low pay. I wouldn't do it for the world but like I mentioned, this is a poor performing school. These students need all the help they can get. They need to be in class, especially I think, if they don't like a subject. Saying they don't like math usually means it's hard for them so they need to get the instructions.

I had some school nurses through out my school years that were to be avoided if at all possible. Some of the worst personalities around. But I also had some cool ones that were well worth visiting with just for fun. You sound like one of the latter to me. That is very good. If you have students with real issues not easily spoken of, you will be there when most needed. And as a parent, I truly appreciate that.
And I am so glad that you are so much happier in your current job.

and Dianne, yes the school provides free breakfast and lunch. I think this student was looking for an excuse to get out of class because several of her classmates were already in the office.

It is against the law for recess to be withheld for any reason.

Union County Publc Schools has a staff handbook that explains what to do if a teacher has a sick child in their classroom. If the teacher thinks the child is actually sick it is the teachers responsibility to call the parent for the child to be picked up. The school nurses job is to take care of the students with chronic conditions, instruct teachers and other staff in helping children with chronic conditions and administering medicines to them if the nurse is away, giving classes in first aid on the playground and things of that nature. It's not my job to put on bandaids or to hand out ice packs.

The ice pack situation with his specific teacher is that for a while all her students came everyday asking for an ice pack. They either had a flea bite that they'd gotten at home or bumped their finger or someone pinched them - anything to get an ice pack. And when I discussed the situation with the student they would say "well my teacher said I can have one" and on the occasions when I'd send them or take them back to the room telling the teacher that an ice pack wasn't appropriate, that student would be back later in the day with a note from her saying "please give him an ice pack" so I would. What I have done is cut up sponges, put them in zip lock bags and put them in the freezer. When a student REALLY needed one and they were all gone (because she doesn't return them as instructed in a note to her with each one sent) the principal had a fit and sent out an edict that every student requesting an ice pack will require an incident report completed by the adult sending them. Her students have not been back for an ice pack since. So, what does that tell me. That they didn't really need them in the first place.

I have children and grand children of my own and a sister who has been asthmatic all her life. I'm not insensitive. This teacher just doesn't have control of her class and my repeated conversations and notes to her haven't helped a bit.

As I keep saying, these are poor performing students across the board. They need to be in class.

I hope this issue gets resolved for you, Sheri.......

This is a 5th grade class and I'm concerned they are going to be woefully behind if the make it to 6th grade.

Am I the Thorn in your workday?

I was wondering when you were going to see that title.

Wouldn't we have a great time.

sheri, you are rightfully concerned. if more people looked out for the "greater good" we'd have a better bunch of folks running around! thank you for caring

I was also waiting for this. You were very late Thorny.

Better late than never??????????????

I hope this week goes smoother for you, Sheri.

I'm actually thinking of taking a mental health day tomorrow. Do you ever do that? For some reason I just don't want to go to work.

When you are a SAHM (stay at home mom) you don't get those. And never paid ones.
Yes. Everyone needs a refresh time. It does a body good.

I was a SAHM for a long time and when my youngest wasn't in school yet on Thursdays I took her to the sitter while my other daughter was at school. I did whatever the heck I wanted to on that day. Usually cleaning and shopping but it was nice. Sometimes I feel like calling my ex and asking if I can come back. Wonder what he'd say after 20 years.

yes, everyone DOES need refresh time---I was a SAHM (well now a SAHW).

I began taking every tuesday morning.-(ceramic's class)--as my mental health time back in 1988---and it has helped tremendously.

But believe me, my DH, my MIL and everyone else would try to impose upon my time---but i held fast to this time, until everyhone gave up and left me be on tuesaday mornings.

and yes, Sheri--I vote--take the day--go shopping---or stay at home in PJ's all day.

or, when you are like me and use up all your vacation by accident (illness)

a day off is always good

what is a SAHW?

stay at home woman

Or stay at home wife?

Jiffy, I hate having to use sick time. If at all possible I work when I'm sick so I can have my time off for play. Unless of course I'm highly contagious.

And yes, people will try to use my off time too, ask me to run errands, or pick up something, or take the kids to school. It took me a long time to be able to say no. Johnny has already asked me about taking care of Little Johnny's girls when I'm off work in the summer. I said no. I don't mind once in a while but I'm not working during my entire vacation.

I'd like to be a SAHW.

don't be too envious......as soon as I get well, if i ever do, I will be getting a job. If I don't we will not ever be retiring or getting a new vehicle.

Me too. There is no 'stay at home' part in my life right now. I live to be able to go to work one or two days a week. But my paid work is landscaping. So I get to play with posies and come home with cash. That works for me.