Diabetic Recipes
Olivia hasn't had too many problems with her teachers over the years. Most have been very accepting of her diabetes and the care she needs to take with it while she's in class. I have a packet of stuff I give to all of her teachers at the beginning of each year and thus far, that seems to be sufficient.
This year, though, she got switched a couple of weeks into the school year. She got a new English teacher and I just assumed that the old one would pass along the diabetes info. Wrong.
The teacher knows about her diabetes, but he makes Olivia nervous for some reason. Every time her meter beeps, he asks what it is. He rolls his eyes when she has to go down to the nurse’s office. He gets annoyed when she has to get water when her blood sugar is high. The school nurse has spoken to him twice and I’ve spoken to him once about what she needs during the day. I get an “OK, no problem, I understand,” response and then, a week or two later, Olivia’s telling me again that the guy is giving her a bit of stick about it. Given that this is the teacher who thought MLK was assassinated in 1963 and that Rosa Parks died last month, I don’t think he’s got everything on the ball.
I’m not sure what to do. I’ve told Olivia to tell me if it starts happening again. I’ll go down to the school and request a meeting with him and the principal and the nurse, if need be, but I really don’t want it to come to that. I’m happy to talk to the guy, but jeez, if he’d just retain a little bit of the information, it would be great.
She had problems once before, in 3rd grade, with a teacher, oddly enough, who also had type 1. That teacher thought we were completely irresponsible for putting Olivia on the pump (um, excuse me? My child. My decision.) and didn’t hesitate to let me know. I responded with a barrage of information on insulin pump therapy, including a letter from Olivia’s endocrinologist, stating that pumps were another form of insulin delivery. Not better, not worse, just different. It stopped the comments, but man, was I pissed.
Anyway. I digress. As usual.
I don’t want to come off all mama bear-ish towards this teacher, but I’m starting to get annoyed. I need to figure out a way to get it thru his head that she’s not malingering, that if she says she needs the nurse, she needs the nurse. And that one little beep during class is not the end of the world.
First of all, WTF is someone doing as a teacher who apparently is "not smarter than a fifth grader" -- and not just about diabetes care! (O *has* to have more diabetes-smarts in her little finger than 90% of the human population has in their whole bodies...) That's certainly something to put inquiry through the PTA, and the School Administration.
Second, since this teacher refuses to recognize that Olivia's diabetes exists and must be cared for, said teacher needs to have the Fear Of G-d put into him. A calm-but-angry, stern, involved parent is one of he key ingredients in same. If this behavior continues, however, you may need to move Olivia into another section (same class, different teacher).
I'd start with another face-to-face meeting with the teacher and some basic written info just for him. If that didn't work, I'd set up a meeting with guidance and the nurse. I'd bring in the principal last. We had a problem with two middle school teachers and were able to resolve it at the second stage. (It also helped that my husband was a teacher and was right there for all meetings!) Good luck with this, Julia. Sometimes a bear cub needs a mama bear to deal with the not-so-professionals.
You need to request a meeting with the teacher ASAP. This teacher needs to be educated on diabetes. You don't have to worry about what the teacher thinks of you....you need to make sure your daughters needs are taken care of when she is under HIS care. Education goes a long way. This teacher may not know anyone who has diabetes and has no idea of what diabetes is & his reactions are showing that he doesn't care. Also teach your daughter to stand up for herself (if she doesn't already) when it comes to her diabetes. I would also talk to her friends...make sure she has a diabetes buddy in each of her classes so they are aware if she is having a low & what to do in case the teachers are not aware. If may be helpful to talk to your daughters Endo/CDE/Social Worker for advise as well.
I speak very freely about my daughters diabetes. I test her and give her shots in public. I don't want her to have to hide her diabetes. I try to raise awareness in my community and am encouraging other diabetic families to do the same.
I agree, you need to meet wiht the teach ASAP!
Maybe it would be helpful to have your school nurse there too. Do not go in angry or you will not get anything solved. Does your child have a 504 Plan in Place? If so this should help the problem. If you do not know what a 504 Plan is you can go to www.jdrf.org and they have a sample as does www.childrenwithdiabetes.org. All children NEED to have one in place.Note: Public schools and any school receiving government funding MUST honor this plan, but you need to set this up and go in there "working together". Rememebr your child is jsuta child wheter they are 10 or 17. It is hard to deal with teachers sometimes.Good luck.
I am a big fan of this publication by NIH/CDC
http://ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/pubs/Youth_SchoolGuide.pdf
One of the wisest things I ever heard was "Just because they have a grown up body does not mean they have a grown up mind." That being said, this teacher needs to grow up. I live in San Antonio, TX, "Diabetes Central, USA" and you would not believe the ignorance that abounds, even in the medical community (I am an RN). I read a statistic that by 2015, 1 in 3 children born since 2000 will be type II diabetics. We need to get educated, educate others, and do what we can to change things. The old adage KNOW YOUR ENEMY is the key to beating this disease. This is a disease which affects the whole village--it will take the whole village to deal with it. As adults, we are ALL responsible (parents, teachers, those with and without children) for helping present and future children, the most vulnerable and valuable members of our community. A teacher is on the front line for assisting a diabetic child and educating others. I have a feeling this teacher may have some personal conflict or fears that keep him in denial.
As a teacher, I can tell you that there are some teachers who aren't going to go out of their way to help anyone no matter what. It sounds like this teacher is one of those. Scheduling an appointment ASAP and keeping it friendly is the best thing you can do for your daughter. However, if that doesn't work, don't hesitate to involve the administration. No teacher wants the principal coming down on them for something like this. Good luck.
My daughter has been pretty luicky with her teachers, but our diabetic educator told us through special ed. they have whats called a 504 plan(we live in new york it may be called something different in another state) they put the rights of the children first and the teachers have to adhere to it ex. extra time for tests trips to the nurse they cant be made to take a test if their blood sugars are too high or low b/c they cant concentrate we havent had to use it but im glad its there
Absolutely ridiculous. I've been a teacher for years, and I always know which of my students have special medical needs. A student once had a petit mal seizure in my classroom, and I knew exactly what to do. You need to talk to that teacher and not be afraid of being a mama bear. There are ways to get your point across without being offensive. You've stated your case very well here. I wish you the best of luck.
No. 1, Don't let the twit get you down!
No. 2, Tell them you are ready to call the State School Board and the ACLU - Yes, they will help! if they don't listen up and accept the doctor's orders!
No. 3, if the administration doesn't correct this guy's attitude, sue for a private tutor on the subject he teaches, as he is unable to deal with sensitivity and compassion to a disability or chronic illness of a child.
Don't let this shmuck bother your child with his willful ignorance. He definitely deserves to be fired, but perhaps he has an excuse for his anti-social behavior!
You are perfectly within your rights to get this twit off your daughter's case PERMANENTLY. I hope your school administrator is wise enough to see that.
Hello Julia:
I too am a teacher, though not of the "school book" variety. As others before me suggested all kinds of folks teach. Ok, my half baked thoughts here goes...
Remember the "consensus" idea of your childhood (ie Quakerism)? Well give the teacher as much time as necessary/required. Shoot straight, but don't sugar coat anything (to use a bad phrase), tell him, as you tell us exactly what's going on and your concern.
You don't have to bash him over the head, with anything that's the Principles job!!!! I would bet if you talked to him as an adult, with exactly whats happening "...my daughter thinks you don't believe her when she says she needs X... she feels you interfere... I don't know that accutate, but as her mom I gotta speak with you and see what's going on... I'm worried..."
As a teacher, (in my classroom), if a single kid "needs" water you'd think they were in a desert environment. "...I need water...", "...MEE TOO...", "...I'm thirsty, I need water too...."
One "needs" to goto a bathroom, and you would think they were dispensing cupcakes in there. Perhaps, just maybe he does not like the "precident"? I don't know... hopefully you'll talk with the man see where he's coming from... IMHO it must be face to face. Disarm the man, charm him...
Now, if one of his issues is the meter beeping... is turning off the sound/alarm a reasonable option? If that's one of his issues? Won't effect her readings in any way, right?
Have you considered spending some time chatting with the nurse to see what's going on, how to approach the difficult teacher?
Jeff