Newbie... T1 full time teacher.

[RA1975]

Hi All,

At 45 (23 years in teaching) this lockdown has proven clearly that my job (full time primary teacher) is not conducive to achieving my best BG control. Are there any others out there in the same position?

It’s not that my usual control is bad, but these few weeks have been so much better. I’m questioning whether I should be thinking about a different career for my next 20 or so years, or whether I could leave teaching with an ill health retirement? I’m a positive person but I don’t want to retire in the future and then find I am too ill to enjoy retirement. Life expectancy is realistically a bit less for us diabetics, and the stress of my job causes all sorts of issues anyway.

Has anyone else been in the same boat? Advice gratefully received!

 

[Inka]

Hi @RA1975 🙂

Type 1 teacher here. I left teaching partly for the usual paper-work reasons, but also because I found it imposed on my diabetes control. I then moved to an office job, and found it much easier to test and correct and eat when I wanted.

I very much doubt you’d be able to retire due to ill health (unless you have other problems, of course) but IMO life’s too short to stay in a job that doesn’t work for you. How about P/T while you find another job?

All but a handful of the people on my teacher training course have now left teaching and none of them had Type 1. It’s a stressful job and each of us needs to weigh up if it works for our individual circumstances - health, family, quality of life, etc.

 

[SB2015]

I was teaching when I was diagnosed with T1 (aged 53). It is indeed a stressful job, but I did love it.
I found the structure of the day helped me to keep a track of what I was doing and meant that I did eat at regular times during the week. I was secondary so I don’t know how primary would impact.

Are you using injections or a pump? I know that a pump made life a lot easier, once I had done the work setting it up to suit what I needed. It gives me a lot more flexibility. It is easy to forget the impact of the stress in BG levels so this might be useful. When I was still working I had different basal profiles for work days, and for weekends.

If you are not enjoying the teaching it is not a job to do, as it is all encompassing. If you enjoy it find a way of making your Diabetes fit what you do. Other jobs are not necessarily any less stressful, just different, and certainly I missed the interactions with the children, and finding ways of enabling them to learn hen I left.

 

[RA1975]

Thanks SB2015, I probably should have written more about me on my first post but I didn’t want to go on too much...

Diagnosed 2009 and have been on a pump for 5 years now, self funded FLibre before proving it helped so I now have that on prescription too. As I said, I’m not badly controlled *but* have found these few weeks a revelation in being able to check/adjust whenever needed, exercise to enhance control and the lack of stress bringing on those uncontrollable highs. I was part time for a few years, tried 4 days and 3 days, but found I was working on my days off and so financially that didn’t make sense. I also disliked sharing a class with no handover between staff built in. Being primary means that days are not as structured, I’m in a small school where things change daily with no notice and so this lack of organisation means it is difficult to make sure I have kept an eye on myself regularly. I had taught in secondary previously and so I know what you mean about that structure, also having older pupils who can be expected to work independently for 5 mins without interrupting whatever I need to do! And yes I also gave up UPS points to be able to say no to any extra responsibility, but it is getting harder and harder to maintain that stance when more and more is expected of staff.

Have to say I still love the fundamentals of teaching ie time with children in class - but over the last 22 years my experience has been that the job is less about this, more about paperwork, data, targets, dealing with behaviour, uncooperative parents...the list goes on. I had never considered being able to stay in the job until full pension age anyway, so I guess I’m weighing up losing the small part of the job I love but potentially gaining a more beneficial lifestyle and additional years to enjoy life!

 

[SB2015]

Thanks SB2015, I probably should have written more about me on my first post but I didn’t want to go on too much...

Diagnosed 2009 and have been on a pump for 5 years now, self funded FLibre before proving it helped so I now have that on prescription too. As I said, I’m not badly controlled *but* have found these few weeks a revelation in being able to check/adjust whenever needed, exercise to enhance control and the lack of stress bringing on those uncontrollable highs.

Have to say I still love the fundamentals of teaching ie time with children in class - but over the last 22 years my experience has been that the job is less about this, more about paperwork, data, targets, dealing with behaviour, uncooperative parents...the list goes on. I had never considered being able to stay in the job until full pension age anyway, so I guess I’m weighing up losing the small part of the job I love but potentially gaining a more beneficial lifestyle and additional years to enjoy life!

Targets, data , .... had started to dominate as I left. I had returned to teaching after a four year break, but gone back to main scale, and found I was able to fend off a lot of the unnecessary ‘stuff’ as I had a very laid back HoD, and a Headteahcer who was happy to join in with some of the more whacky lessons I did. He even came in to be measured as the group were building giants from a footprint we had found. One of those giants sat in his office for quite a while afterwards. He also thought nothing of spending the afternoon in the graveyard as the pupils collected data for their Stats project.

I know that it is a lot easier to hang on to these aspects now. Your teaching will have furnished you with an amazing variety of transferable skills. Who knows what you could do next.

 

[Inka]

Have to say I still love the fundamentals of teaching ie time with children in class - but over the last 22 years my experience has been that the job is less about this, more about paperwork, data, targets...

Very much so - and that was a big part of why I left. Unlike @SB2015 the management in my school were....less than supportive (new Head) and that was the final push I needed to leave. I do miss the children, but objectively I think I made the right decision.

I forgot to add I was a Primary teacher, if that helps.

 

[RA1975]

Have to say I still love the fundamentals of teaching ie time with children in class - but over the last 22 years my experience has been that the job is less about this, more about paperwork, data, targets...

Very much so - and that was a big part of why I left. Unlike @SB2015 the management in my school were....less than supportive (new Head) and that was the final push I needed to leave. I do miss the children, but objectively I think I made the right decision.

I forgot to add I was a Primary teacher, if that helps.

Thanks, I’m feeling like this lockdown has been my push! Opening my eyes to how life can be and although I might miss the salary I’m sure there are other things I can do. HT doesn’t have a clue really - day it was first announced that vulnerable should work from home I asked him what he suggested and said I wasn’t happy going into the confines of my classroom with 32 children & playground duty with 150+. I spent 3 hours in the staff room prepping for shutdown, which we knew was inevitable. He eventually said I “may as well go home” and since then I’ve only had generic emails so no idea if he has cleared it with HR re my pay, or whether I’ll be out of pocket. But I am working from home so I don’t think he can??
Ultimately though my health and happiness has to come first.

 

[Ivostas66]

I'm 44 and been teaching for the past 20 years. I was diagnosed just over 2 years ago and have found it really tough at times. I was seconded to Leadership, with a glowing endorsement from the Head and an all but guaranteed place on SLT at the end of the academic year just before I was diagnosed. It all went to pot around Christmas 2018 when I was diagnosed and had to have a lot of time off. I encountered a lot of ignorance and a distinct lack of sympathy from certain people in the school. On results day in the summer I popped to my pigeon hole in the Heads secretary's office to find it was no longer there - the Head then called me in to thank me for all of the work I had done, but that governors had decided not to expand SLT at this time.

I love teaching and remain a successful HOD, SLE and School Improvement Leader. I train lots of teachers in my role and couldn't be happier. The issue for me is being hit for 6 by whatever bug is going around school or the impact of a change to routine during the school day. Again this is met by some people at school by a roll of the eyes or hurtful offhand comments. A member of my department recently replied to an email in a very curt and rude manner after I had not been able to access the school system to set cover and instead I wrote a polite and detailed plan of what should be taught to him (none of which I actually had to do of course). School refused to speak to him or sanction him in any way as apparently he was stressed by my absence and it was not fair that I had put additional expectation on him in this way. One of my wife's best friends is head of HR for a multi national based in the UK and has been shocked at how bad HR in schools is.

Anyway, as mentioned I love teaching, but it is starting to get me down. I know of other diabetics who have left the profession due to a lack of understanding from colleagues and also because the school day/ routine does not really sit well with BG - what do you do if a tearful student wants to speak to you at 12:45 and you know that if you don't eat, the rest of the day could be a nightmare? Or when you are heading to that HOD meeting at 3:45pm having taught a 5 period day with a duty thrown into the mix - turning up 10 minutes late and getting grumpy looks from the others in attendance. It is something that I have spoken to my wife about over the past couple of months in detail - we have a toddler and my wife has lost of of her teaching work (peri music teacher) due to Coronavirus. Both of us could and probably should be Assistant Headteachers, but deep down I don't think we really want the extra work of to leave the classroom. I think a lot is going to change in education over the next few months and so we will hold of a decision for the time being.

 

[trophywench]

Well if it was stressful before the shutdown - I cannot imagine even in my wildest dreams it will be less so whenever schools open again. Last job I had we had a lousy HR dep't, I was off 3 months with a complete mental breakdown, they agreed readily to a phased return to work - so I was told to come in at 10 and finish at 4, so at 4 I asked what time shall I come in tomorrow? 9 to 5.30 of course.

ONE whole day = phased, apparently.

You are better off without it, frankly.

I missed the people (most of them) but not certain ones, or the work.

 

[stephknits]

I work as a learning officer in a museum and art gallery, which is far less stressful than in a school, however I have also noticed my control is much better since being furloughed. I guess all of us in this position suddenly have a lot more time to do all sorts of stuff, including managing our diabetes. I can, for example choose to do a bit of garde after meals so as to combat a peak, it go for my daily walk. I have time to pre bolus. Also, I resent doing the management much less because it is now using up only a tiny part of my time for me, if that makes any sense.
I do think in most public facing roles, diabetes management will tend to take a back seat and if you can afford to do less, have less stress and a better life balance then it's a no-brainer

 

[Amity Island]

Hi RA1975,

Your predicament doesn't only apply to the teaching profession. I've heard similar stories from other professions, especially regarding bureaucracy (paper work, evidencing everything you do), nursing is another prime example, more time spent on paperwork than nursing.

I was talking to someone two weeks ago that had left the teaching profession last year for all the reasons you mention to set up her own on-line business, safe to say she's never looked back, although she did say she missed the fact she could really help young children and provide some stability for kids who come from broken homes.

Two years ago I attended a DAFNE course and one of the other participants was a young teacher, some of the stories she told me, although were sort of "funny", she obviously struggled with her diabetes control.

It does make me wonder about diabetics trying to live a normal life. Personally I feel that type 1 diabetes requires nothing less than full time care. Expecting a type 1 diabetic to hold down an intensive full time job is a lot to ask. That said, I wouldn't want to not work, but it's got to be a safe, predictable, routine type job to stand a chance of having good management. Doesn't have to be a boring job, just predictable and workable.

 

[Bexlee]

I’ve found exactly the same with my levels the last few weeks. I teach full time in a secondary school. I had a nightmare 2/3 years with my previous head - who was a bully. We got a new head who we already knew (part of a multi academy trust) and the way I’ve been treated in the last year is out of this world. They (Head, school, trust and HR) couldn’t be any more supportive in everything they do. I’m no longer made to feel bad, there’s no longer the rolling eyes, there’s things in place for if I need 5 minutes out to eat, adjust etc. I very very lucky (now!!)

Not sure it’ll last for ever but now things are in place I can hope.

As others say I love teaching - not sure the kids think that some times!

Maybe @RA1975 you could start with asking for a meeting when ever normality returns and show your libre graphs before and after to the head and seeing if you can come up with something ..... or bypass the head and go straight to HR. They should be supportive and let’s face it all employers like a ‘disabled person’ .... we don’t feel disabled but we are covered under disability act...... on their books! Perhaps part time or just a system in place to allow time out.

In the meantime continue enjoying the time home oh and according to NASUWT it is pay as normal - we’re all working at home lesson planing, contacting children, setting work etc.

 

[mikeyB]

My mum was a primary school teacher till she retired. T1 for 35 years of that, no complications of diabetes. And that was mostly in the era of testing wee with tablets and sterilising reusable needles, and using colour charts for measuring BG.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Good luck with your decision @RA1975

I think, in a way, diabetes will always find away to be inconvenient and incompatible with any activity or employment. Because there are times when it just barges in and makes a mess of things.

But it is also possible to adapt, and accommodate it into anything you want to do - from airline pilot to tiger tamer. So if you love teaching, I’m sure you will be able to find ways to make it work. Though it does sound like there are other challenges at play.

Diabetes does like a bit of routine, and does occasionally demand that everything else goes on hold for a while. But jobs (even self employment, where you are theoretically completely in charge of your own timetable) can occasionally insist that they ‘come first’ and create times of stress and

Hope you find a way through the maze. 🙂