Teaching 3rd graders while on chemo/radiation

Hi sincerelyshells, I am a 2nd grade teacher. I didn't teach during chemo but went back to teaching 3 weeks after my last chemo treatment. My first day back which was the first day back for teachers was also my first day of radiation. I made it through with the help of my team and family. The team helped me out a lot with copies and gave me easy duties. I went to radiation everyday after school. I missed only one day and I remember sleeping that day. I am not going to say it was easy because it wasn't but I made it. You will too. I went to school and radiation, that was it. My family helped with shopping, cleaning and meals. I would not have been able to teach during chemo especially the AC treatments. My MO and breast surgeon would not let me teach during chemo. They both said no way. I never told my kids. I came back in a wig and after a few weeks I started wearing a hat (not really a hat but a chemo hat? I can't remember. Lol). It was too hot for a wig. The kids never questioned it. They looked at me but never said anything. When my hair came back and I stopped wearing it then a couple asked what happened. Parents noticed but never said anything and I was grateful. I know how hard teaching is. I kept up as best I could last year. I prioritized what would be the best way to move my students and focused on that and if some things didn't get done that was ok. I taught reading/writing to 2 second grade classes...40 kids. The kids ended up making great gains. Moved some from an end of kindergarten level to just shy of end of 2nd. Bulletin boards and that stuff was never really updated and admin was fine. I would put up work but nothing fancy. It has taught me to not sweat the small stuff and keep it simple. Anne

My MO would say no to teaching during chemo. The risk to catch an ordinary infection is too high because of the low blood count. However, others have done it. I did it too, but I've taught adults, in a smaller class size without the need to be in close proximity of others (as would happen with small kids). But in general my mo says no to any activity that involves coming in contact with many people. From physical point of view, it depends of the chemo. With AC would be impossible with taxol might be all right. Best wishes!

You are welcome.

Hello from first grade! My situation was different from yours , but I did have to deal with students, families and colleagues.

On Back to School Night, 10 days into the new school year, I told parents I would be out for surgery and treatment. Time frame was uncertain, but at least 3 months. I was honest and urged them to contact me if they had questions or concerns. I did that with the staff as well. I wanted to control the information and prevent gossip and rumors and by being open I was able to do so.

I did not have chemo, as I skipped straight to stage IV, so have no advice on head covering but am sorry about the lack of ac. However , if I had needed chemo, my mo said I could not be in the classroom due questionable grad1 hygiene .

Overall, I experienced great support and understanding from the entire school community. Students (1/3 of whom had been my kindergarten students as I changed grade levels that year) were very accepting. Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns . I am out of town with internet limitations but will do my best. I adore teaching and am still in the classroom even seven years after a stage IV dx . Wishing you the best

I teach high school and I was unable to teach while undergoing chemo. It made me too sick. My oncologist had warned me before I started chemo that it would be difficult, and he recommended not even trying it. In my stubbornness, I tried it, but because students are 'germ factories' ( my oncology nurse coined that phrase), I caught a bug right after the first one and was hospitalized for a week. When my counts dropped too low, I was forbidden to return to school until they were up.

When I did return, I wore cute hats because wigs were too hot and itchy.

If I can offer other guidance, feel free to IM me! Good luck with treatment.

Hi,

I'm a former middle/high school teacher, now working on my Ph.D and teaching undergrads in a School of Education. I have undergone chemo twice during my time as a grad student, once less than a year after I left the K-12 classroom, and then again this past spring. I'm doing radiation now.

I think the advice about which treatment you're undergoing is sound! If it's TC, then perhaps. If it's AC-T (and I had carboplatin in addition), then I would seriously consider going on leave if you can. I would also add that if you are going to need surgery in conjunction with chemo, it's best to know that before you make your decision.

I know that when I taught, my health insurance and short-term leave were poor, so when I went on maternity leave, for instance, I had to take my FMLA time unpaid. We had to be out for longer than three months or something in order to receive long-term disability. So, I get trying to be at work for your money, for your job (don't know where you are in your career, but suffice to say that I had this idea that I would be at school a WEEK AFTER I GAVE BIRTH TO MY FIRST BABY until like the moment I held my son), and also for the kids. So, I would just say that everything everyone else has said is true, and that you can expect to be very, very sick. I can't imagine a full day of teaching after chemo. I also can't imagine being in a school with a depressed immune system. But, people do what they have to do, and not everyone has the luxury to take off work.

Best of luck to you! And, I would add, that it will be important to decide how you want to treat it with kids. But, I can tell you that there are probably kids in your room who have experience with cancer, and this can be an awesome opportunity to connect with them over illness and differently-abled bodies. Good luck!

I taught middle school education during chemo. I did dose dense AC with Neulasta shots. With the shots, I didn't really have to worry about infections and I was so jacked up by the steroids that I would have just climbed the walls if I had been home. Everyone has a different reaction, but I would say, if it is possible, it is best (for your mental health if nothing else) to keep to as normal a schedule as possible. My chemo was in the spring of the year so that is a little different than right at the start of the year, but here are some tips that might help.

* I did my chemo on Fridays, lay low over the weekend and was back to work on Monday. I always had the same sub each time (and she had subbed for me post-surgery) so there was a lot of continuity for the kids; she was part of our normal routine, plus she knew the schedule and how we did things so I didn't have to do extra explaining each time.

* have everything possible in place beforehand, do the main things; some of the fun things you add on might have to wait. If you have teammates or an aide who could do the copying, bulletin boards etc. that would be very helpful

*make sure to talk to your administrator and keep them in the loop; also get yourself off any committees, extra curricular assignments, recess duties etc. this is the time to use 'the cancer card'. If you do want to keep teaching during treatment, that's what you have to concentrate on

*I had the office send out a group email to the rest of the staff & updated it a couple times because I didn't have the emotional energy to keep explaining what was going on. If anyone asks if they can help, say YES, and TELL them exactly what you need; whether it be take morning duty or bringing you meals, or anything else. People want to help but don't know how. (My staff had a meal tree and brought us dinner a couple nights a week, which was wonderful; especially for DH & DS!).

* I did contact my parents and let them know what was going on (you might want to clear that with your office if that's something you want to do). I also told my students very factually and unemotionally what was going on, that I would be gone some, and that I was going to be okay. You might want to ask a counselor about wording for younger kids; but if you treat it in a matter-of-fact manner they will too. And it can be a good life lesson for them on how to approach and overcome adversity.

* I did wear a wig; but if you get some funky scarves, turbans, dangling earrings, red lipstick etc. you can look cool and eccentric! For kids, the world revolves around them, so they won't notice as much as you might think. They will notice that you enjoy them, care about them, expect a lot of them, and want them to do well.That's what they will remember.

You are getting many great tips! Since I teach grade 1, I spoke to my students in very general terms and never mentioned cancer. I told parents the whole story and said that they could divulge as many or as few details as they felt appropriate, if their children asked questions.

As far as working during chemo, follow your doctors advice