36. Staying Well: How Teachers Can Avoid Getting Sick During Cold and Flu Season

Are you sick all the time once the school year starts, and your students start passing around illnesses? Cold and flu season is here, and it's more important than ever for teachers and students to stay well. What do you do when you are surrounded by germs all day? Listen to this episode for some strategies for avoiding illnesses, even when your classroom feels like germ central. You and your students deserve to stay healthy - listen to find out the easy things you can do today to protect yourself and stay well.

Teacher wellness isn't just physical. You are meant for more than living in a constant state of overwhelm. Teachaholic: The 7-Day MindSET Shift to Conquer Burnout, Build Life-Changing Boundaries, and Reignite Your Love for Teaching, went to the top of the charts upon its release on Amazon. You can learn how to get your copy at www.erinsponaugle.com/book and download your free  Teachaholic Action Guide to begin your journey back from burnout here.

Get your copy of Teachaholic: The 7-Day MindSET Shift to Conquer Burnout, Build Life-Changing Boundaries, and Reignite Your Love for Teaching at www.erinsponaugle.com/book.

You can download the Teachaholic Action Guide to begin your journey back from burnout here.

Download your FREE checklist, The Great 88: Rules, Routines, and Expectations to Go Over and Over, and feel confident establishing classroom management.

For more resources on classroom management, time management, and preserving mental well-being to avoid teacher burnout, visit www.erinsponaugle.com.

Find more upper elementary classroom resources by visiting Next Chapter Press on Teachers Pay Teachers.

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Transcript

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Being a teacher isn't what it used to be. The good news is you don't have to figure it out on your own. If you're looking for truth, inspiration, and tips for success in the classroom and beyond, you're in the right place. It's time to turn the page to the future of the profession. This is the next chapter for teachers podcast. Hello everyone, I'm Erin Spinagle for the next chapter for Teachers Podcast. This is episode 36. I don't know about you, but last week for me was rough. Not necessarily because it was Halloween week and the students were a little off their A game, a little being an understatement, but personally last week was also very difficult for me too. I wanted to make the episode for this week something that would be very pertinent for what's going on with teachers and with schools this time of the year. So keeping in line with some of the issues I was dealing with outside of school last week, we're gonna talk about staying healthy. It's cold and flu season, there are viruses every which way you look, or worse, uh the germs are out there and looking for their next victim. And often that victim is us as teachers and our students. Classrooms are germ incubators. You don't have to teach very long to realize that you have put yourself at ground zero for a lot of different illnesses throughout the school year. The thing is, our health is essential, not just for teachers, but also for students and their families. Because without your health, you have nothing. Our health is what keeps us going and allows us to have a quality of life. I've been teaching for 23 years at this point. My first two years of teaching, I was the sickest I have ever been. I caught everything. I don't think I had a month where I didn't have something that made me sick or snotty or coughing. Uh, somewhere in those two years, I even had an emergency room visit for some issues. It's not easy starting out as a teacher and being exposed to all the germs you've never been exposed to before or haven't been exposed to for a long time, maybe even since you were a child yourself. My first couple years of teaching, I would just power through everything, every illness, unless it completely knocked me down and out, I would find a way to crawl the school. Uh, fevers, respiratory infections, I can clearly remember a Read Across America Day from about 15 years ago, where my stomach was very upset, and it was a good thing that the kids just got to or have were supposed to sit there and read for an extended amount of time in honor of Read Across America Day because I was good for about nothing else. Now, as a teacher 20 plus years in, I look back at that, how I powered through and didn't allow myself to take time off and rest, and I kind of shake my head because I was really just hurting myself and I was allowing, you know, my illness to potentially impact my classroom. I will say that a lot of my opinions and a lot of my feelings towards illnesses and being sick really changed with COVID and the pandemic. That was a big pivot point for me, mostly because that was a huge life or death issue for many people. And before we go any further, if if you are a COVID denier or an anti-vaxxer, maybe this is not, maybe I am not your person. Let's just put it that way. I I feel like it's my responsibility as a human being and a member of society to protect public health and to take care of my community and do what's best for the greater good. COVID, the pandemic really highlighted that, how our health can really have an influence on what kind of life we will we will live and what we will do. So what do we how do we combat germ central? Because that is what our classrooms are um heading for as we enter the cold winter months where colds, flus, etc., etc. are out in full force. Well, let's first talk about the kids because the kids come to us with the germs. Nine times out of ten. They're the ones that are bringing it into our classrooms. And someone who isn't in education has no idea how this impacts teaching in classrooms and schools. You know, it seems like you know, it's just about teaching kids, but really it's a little bit of a mindfield when you think about all the other issues, not just behavior, but keeping everybody well or keeping everyone in a state where they're able to be at school and to learn. Without the teacher there, you're gonna have a substitute, and while the substitute might be able to teach the class, they certainly aren't gonna be able to provide the quality instruction that the actual teacher can provide. And along with that, if the kids are sick, the kids are gonna be missing instruction, and makeup work does not have the same impact that it does if they were there in person on that day the instruction took place. Let's get into it. What do we do? We got to teach the kids about hygiene. That is the most important thing I think that we do to combat illnesses in our classroom. You might be the only person they ever learn it from. From how to cough into your elbow to blow sneezing into a tissue or sneezing into their elbow as well, washing their hands, even throwing away their tissues in the garbage can. Some of those things might sound like common sense, but it may not be something that they learn about outside of school. For those of you that say, well, wait, wait a minute, that's not my job. I'm I'm there to teach. Well, this is how teachers in schools are going to be different than virtual school or artificial intelligence learning, because we're able to provide some guidance to kids as to how you live life, how you function as a citizen, and how do you do things in a way that is hygienic and uh benefits your health. So it is kind of our job as teachers, especially when you are teaching the younger grades to teach them how to dispose of things, take care of themselves. Those basic things are going to be the things that they'll remember and will apply to their lives just as much as reading or math. So, along with just teaching them basic hygiene in your classroom, cleaning and disinfecting anything that kids touch is even more important. And getting them in on cleaning up after themselves too, because that also teaches them the importance, not just when you're doing it as a teacher, but having the students partake in the cleaning up after themselves as well. I have what I call a dirty wipe contest in my room where I'll give the kids a wipe or a sponge and we'll see who can get theirs the dirtiest, who can do the most cleaning. They love it, they'll they'll work really fast to see if they can be the first one to need another wipe. Uh, but those little things, even they may take just a few minutes, but they can make a huge difference in knocking out some germs on some surfaces. Something to also consider, especially this time of year as we enter the cold and flu hot months. Oh, which is kind of funny, they're cold hot months. Anyway, uh rugs, stuffdies, pillows, the things that are super cute in our rooms that look great on social media, they're often the things that are the hardest to disinfect and that will hang on to those germs. So I always try to think twice about bringing those things into my classroom because I know I won't be able to wipe it off, and I don't want to have things in my room that'll make the kids sick or that will hold on to things that'll make me feel sick as well. It's inevitable that we are gonna have kids that come into our classrooms that should not be there because they are ill. Sometimes it's just something like a little cold and they need just a little bit something to get them through the day. I could I keep little travel packets of tissues in my classroom. And if I have a student that is very snotty or sneezy, I will just give them a little pack of tissues so that they can even like a little empty box or an empty tissue box to keep at their table or their seat while they're in my room. So if they need to blow their nose, they have everything they need right there, and they can even dispose of it. They can either take that empty box with them as they leave the room and that little packet of tissues, or if it's full when they leave my room, they can just drop it in the garbage can. That might seem like a silly little thing, but it does a little does something to contain their germs and to give them a way to just kind of have a comfort item that they can use to blow their nose and they don't keep getting out of their seat and spreading those germs around the classroom. I mean, if you have a student that is in has a fever, vomiting, worse in your room, they need to be in the nurse's office and they need to go home because that is exposing you and your students to things that are just going to spread, that are gonna just be gonna be contagious. So we do need to advocate for those students to not be sent to c back to class that they need help and they they need to be uh given the assistance they need to get well. And often that's gonna happen outside of the school building. Cold and flu season is just one more uh reason we need to not take things home with us as much as possible. Even down to graded work. That might seem uh something like something at this point in your life or in your career that you feel like you just cannot do, not take work home. But when you're taking things home, you're taking things that have been in your classroom that have been exposed to the germs, things that the kids have touched, and you're taking in the into your house, and you're gonna touch it and have it around you, and it's just going to possibly keep spreading the the germy love. Now, let let me say this. Now, I have taken work home, obviously, and done a lot of the things that I am mentioning here. That's how I know they're not good things to do. But in the 23 years that I have taught, I have never taught in a classroom with windows that could open. Seriously. I one year I even taught in a classroom that had zero windows. If you do have windows that open, if you can ventilate your room and open a window or even just crack it a little bit to let some fresh air in your room if you're allowed to do that, that's a fantastic thing to do to help circulate the air and get some things clean, some clean air into your classroom. I will say that you know something that I am considering getting for myself in my room, and I don't think that teachers should have to spend money out of pocket for their classrooms, but something I am considering doing is getting an air purifier for my room, just a small one. Just, you know, one little one small step to try to keep things cleaner and healthier for myself and my students. I mean, because now as a teacher of I teach art, I teach all 600 plus kids in the school. That's a lot of people, a lot of kids that circulate through my room, touch a lot of things, breathe the same air. So I'm seriously considering adding that to my classroom, and it would be mine that I could take with me if needed out of my room or to other to other places to uh try to keep things healthier for everyone. And if that's something you feel comfortable talking to your administration about, about including in your classroom, I I would go for it. I think that would be something that's common sense to bring up. So let's talk about keeping you healthy as a teacher. And some of these things relate back to your classroom and your students, but let's talk about you because you are the person that keeps that classroom running. So we need to keep you healthy, not just to keep your classroom running, but because you deserve to have a high quality of life. And it's hard to have a high quality of life when you have a fever and a stuffy nose and you feel like you can barely move. That's no fun for anybody. Getting sleep really matters. Sleep is when your body repairs, and it's very easy to get caught up and not be able to calm down and relax and go to bed at a suitable hour or where the to get the amount of sleep you really need. But during these months where we are at high exposure for germs and illnesses, it becomes even more important that we let our body rest and get ready for what it's going to face the following day. And we can't do that if we don't go to bed and give ourselves time to rest. We have to let our bodies do what it can to keep us from breaking down. I hate bringing this up right after Halloween, but excess sugar, extra sodium, and even stimulants like caffeine, none of those things do a whole lot to keep us from getting sick. Sugar inflames us, makes us more susceptible to whatever's coming down the pike. And the only reason why I really bring up the caffeine is because a lot we don't usually drink straight up caffeine, like just coffee, black coffee. We put all kinds of fun things in it, like the sugar and the creamer and whatever else you like in your coffee. So it it's important, I think, not just for avoiding getting sick, but just to try to keep ourselves in as best health as possible, to really try to look at what we're putting in our bodies, especially this time of year where we've got Thanksgiving and and the winter holidays coming up, and we're gonna be hitting being being we're going to be hit with even more goodies full force here within a couple of weeks. Sometimes it's just good as a teacher to take time and just to just sit and let yourself rest during the school day. And that sounds ha ha ha, that never happens. But what I really mean by that is just taking your lunch break break even, just taking time to get off your feet, to let yourself rest. And depending on your situation, maybe the best way for you to rest isn't necessarily in the teacher's lounge talking in a small group of people or exposing yourself to more um excitement and germs and uh drama. Sometimes that's just taking quiet time for yourself, maybe even in your car, maybe just in your classroom during your lunch period where it's quiet, and letting your body recalibrate for a moment and to just meet your own needs. If you can, taking some time to go outside during the day is a great way to let yourself breathe in some fresh air, to even walk around a little bit, just to refocus and to breathe. If you can't do it during do it during the school day, just taking a few minutes to do that when you get home, to allow yourself to rest and to breathe in something besides the good old school air. I know I mentioned having the kids help you clean, but there are some things that the kids just won't clean as well as a teacher will. Wiping down any high contact surfaces this time of the year and throughout the school year is really valuable. That could include your school phone in your room, along with your own cell phone. It's important to wipe that down too. But if you have a phone in your room, wiping that down, door handles, light switches, things that you touch like staplers, the pencil sharpener. Oh my, I think about how many hands touch that pencil sharpener. Ooh, gotta wipe that down for sure. Something that I like to do as an art teacher, I like to have my own set of supplies that I use for when I am demonstrating or showing the kids how to do things that only I use. That way I clean it off, it's mine, I don't have to worry about other kids touching it and me accidentally touching it and then touching my face or my eyes. So that's something to keep in mind too. Always making sure that you have your own supplies that you use for things that these students do not touch. And if things get really icky, where thing you have something very contagious in your room and kids are just making each other sick, sometimes it's good to just take away some of those high contact items like a pencil sharpener, maybe just have a set of sharpened pencils on hand. So if kids need another pencil, you give them another pencil and they don't have to touch the pencil sharpener. But throughout all this, it's really important. Uh the saying is kind of cliche, but it it really does help make an impact. We have to put on our own oxygen mask mask before we can help other people. We have to take care of ourselves and keep ourselves healthy because if we don't keep ourselves healthy, we aren't there to do what we need to do in our classrooms, and we're not going to be able to be the people that we need to be. Sometimes putting on your own oxygen mask means that you have to give yourself a break. And by giving yourself a break, sometime that means sometimes that means you have to take a sick day. And even saying that makes me feel feel full of dread. Because when you take a sick day, it's not just like any other profession where you take a day off and oh, you're not there that day. No, you have to have plans, you have to have things in place. You may not be able to do what you usually do. That's my case now as an art teacher, because who else can do your job? Not too many people. So it matters being prepared or having a go-to set of lesson plans or activities that a substitute or another teacher filling in for you could do that is low prep and may be just review skills for your students, but it's something that they can do independently without needing somebody to really have been in the classroom to know what's going on. You are a human being, not a human doing. I mentioned this in Teach a Holic, my book, and I'm telling you now, you cannot push yourself and expect yourself to heal. You have to take care of your own needs because taking care of your own needs is indirectly taking care of everybody else's needs too, especially when it's the people that depend on you. So have things at the ready, especially this time of year, activities, plans, independent work to allow you, if you needed, to take time off for yourself, either a sick day or even if it's a mental health day. Because sometimes if our mental health isn't good, it can start to make everything else break down too. But I will tell you some of the most important words that we need to learn how to say as educators are please help me. Please help me. There are times as teachers that we need that we are either not well or we are going through difficult times and we need to we need help. We need to look out for each other. And being able to say to someone or having to ask for help and just say, Please help me, is humbling and it's humanizing. But that is what being an educator uh entails. We are a human profession. We're a profession where we're dealing with people, and if we're going to be able to do our work as well as we can to help the kids learn and to better society, we have to keep ourselves and everyone well. So I hope this episode helped you today. If you are looking for other ways to stay well and make good choices in your teaching career that will help you set boundaries and avoid burnout, I can highly recommend a book for you, Teach a Holic, is available now. It's a book that will help you stay in the teaching profession, hopefully. If not, it's going to help you make the choices that you need so that you can live the life that you deserve. So, have a great week, and I'll talk to you soon. That's all for this episode of the Next Chapter for Teachers podcast. If you like what you've heard, be sure to rate, subscribe, and leave a review. Join us next time when we turn the page to the future of the profession. Until then, remember to be different, but more importantly, be the difference. And I'll see you in the next chapter.