How to take a sick day if you work in a cubicle:
1) Decide you are too sick to go in to work.
2) Call supervisor.
3) Deal with extra paperwork/e-mails when you return.
How to take a sick day if you are a school teacher:
1) Agonize for 30 minutes as to whether you are sick enough to make this worth the hassle.
2) Determine you really are too sick to drive/walk/deal with kids all day long.
3) Call subfinder. Spend 10 minutes clicking through the menu to arrange for a sub.
4) Pray that a sub will actually be available.
5) Spend 45 minutes to 1 hour typing up explicit instructions for the sub, knowing that most subs display an underwhelming amount of intelligence when it comes to following rules and lesson plans.
6) E-mail PDF to school secretary.
7) Pray that the district e-mail doesn't go all weird again and that your PDF will actually make it to its intended recipient today -- instead of next week.
NOTE: The first 7 items must all be completed BEFORE 7:00 AM.
8) At 7:20, call the secretary and make sure she got the PDF and that someone is covering your classes.
9) Go back to bed.
10) Field e-mailed parent complaints because you're not there to do whatever it is they want you to check on, e-mailed administrator complaints because THAT ONE KID acted up for the sub (even though you left the sub specific directions on where to send THAT ONE KID and she ignored them and brought in the admin instead), and e-mailed kid complaints because you weren't there to answer whatever questions they could have answered for themselves by looking at your website.
11) Return to school when well for MOUNDS of paperwork, missing/stolen items, and a huge mess left by disrespectful kids and an apathetic substitute.
Yeah, my cold got so bad I actually stayed home today. This is my first sick day since last May. Really, it's usually easier just to go teach when ill.
Wow. No wonder teachers are forced to teach when for the good of all, including other teachers and students, you should be home taking care of yourself, and keeping any contagious germs in your own house. But of course why mention making sense. I hope you're feeling better SOON!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Karen. My cough is better now, but I still feel wiped out -- even though I had TWO naps today!
DeleteStill, I have a weekend in which to recover. :)
Well put. And so true. I've got most of my sick days still too. It's usually a lot easier to stick it out until the weekend and then sleep it off for two days. Hope you're feeling better soon!
ReplyDeleteAnd people say a teacher's job is easy with so many days off. PAH! Get well soon.
ReplyDelete