Job Discussion Forums

[Jetgirly]

I'm home sick today with horrible stomach pains, dizziness, a fever, a sore throad and congestion! I HATE staying home sick because it's so boring! However, illness becomes a big issue when you're working as a teacher. Some questions:

- How sick do you have to be before you make the decision to stay home for the day?
- How does your school manage sick days? Do they have substitute teachers? Do they cancel classes? Do you still get paid?
- What is your opinion of students coming to class slightly/very sick? Do you admire their determination or are you concerned that they'll contaminate you and the other students?

<- me with fever

[spiral78]

I stay home if I think I'm contagious or if I'm not going to be able to focus.
Doesn't happen often, thank goodness.
My uni finds subs who are paid for the day, and we lose the day's pay.
I suppose that's fair...
I hate it when students come sick to school.

[Jizzo T. Clown]

Same here--if I have a fever I'll definitely stay home. I used to know teachers who would stay home if they had a hangover, til it started cutting into their paycheck.

I have plenty of sick leave built up, so I can call in with no worries. They just cancel my classes or get someone else to teach them. That really is one of the best things about working where I do.

In China I could be barfing up my toenails and bleeding out of my eyes and they'd still insist that I was able teach, but only after three people came to my house to check on me.

I've sent students home before because they couldn't stop coughing. As teachers we're exposed to a lot more sickness than most people.

[Glenski]

My university doesn't find substitutes. I just have to make up the day later in the semester. Fortunately, there are 17 possible teaching days per semester, and I'm supposed to teach 15 of them.

[Ben Round de Bloc]