Help how to deal with a difficult teacher

Nicki

grey_lady wrote: »

But surely teachers make sure that all kids shower (at least a good rinse) before and after swimming? certainly did in my day and surely its unhygenic not to?

Just wouldnt happen in Europe, takes what, 5 minutes for a rinse off and towel dry?
By that I mean - not showering would be very much frowned upon as poor hygiene.

Not sure I'd want a teacher with such poor hygiene principles in charge of swimming.

The maximum number of showers I have ever come across in one bank in a public swimming pool is 8 though. And most primary classes are 30, and some schools to save money take two classes simultaneously, so have 60 children with them. Say each child showers for 1 minute only and it takes 30 seconds to swop each rota of children over, that still takes 9 minutes to shower one class, or 15 minutes to shower two classes assuming none of the children mess around, plus 5 minutes from the last person to shower to get them dressed and into the bus. There won't be 15-20 minutes turn around times between schools, so for all children to shower either 10-15 minutes of a swimming lesson would have to be missed, or the school would have to pay a double session at the pool. Or the kids could get dressed immediately after swimming and shower when they get home.

I'm fascinated by this argument that you are filthy getting out of a public swimming pool and absolutely must shower for hygiene reasons. :rotfl: It is lovely of course to be able to have a luxurious shower after a swim, but those of us who take their babies and young toddlers swimming, don't have that luxury, and I've never come down with any illness or skin condition as a result after 3 kids. Added to which the public showers in most pools are the filthiest part of the facility

jellyhead

Most people seem fine after a swim but a few people are more sensitive to the chlorine due to conditions such as eczema. My eldest needed a shower but youngest should be able to manage without.

The coach is fully booked to take as many classes of kids to the pool as possible. Some kids never get taken swimming or to lessons, so it would be a shame if the number of lessons had to be cut in order to fit in showering.

Incidentally I HATED showering after swimming, because they made us go into the communal showers naked, and I was the only one with breasts.

ALIBOBSY

milliebear00001 wrote: »

As a teacher, this would be impossible for me to do unless the showers were clearly visible from the changing room. I need to be able to see all children at all times (pretty much). This can make it very difficult to have some children in one part of the changing rooms, and others in another.

There isn't just one memember of staff with the group and the showers are at the end of the changing rooms.

Just for info the final results are DD1 did get a shower-two of the TA's ensured she got one and anyone else who wanted one could quickly jump in and rinse off. Needless to say Mrs x wasn't best pleased and soon came in to tell them to hurry up, but DD1 wasn't bothered and had no issues with her eyes so fine.

The leisure centre had been in touch with the council over policy and I have had a lovely email from the councils head of leisure services and they are reissuing all the school swimming contracts to include a section on health and hygiene which will specifically include a section where the council strongly recommends a shower both before and AFTER swimming. The don't recommend allowing shower gels/shampoos etc as there can be a risk of allergies to other children plus of course time issues, but a shower under water to rinse out the eyes and off the skin will be recommended as important.

TBH I am pleasantly suprised by the council and lesiure centres reaction, I certainly did go in trying to change policy, I simply asked what the existing policy of the leisure centre and council was so I knew if what Mrs x had told me was correct or not.

So well done council and the leisure centre. Not heard anything more from school, but I am not sure I will and am happy to leave it with them now. DD1 is only in this year and swimming till mid July (9 wks ish) and will be with a new teacher next year so hopefully thats an end to it. Thanks for all the postings it is interesting to see other parents have had problems. Luckily the vast majority of teachers work hard and are great with kids and parents alike lol.

Ali x

ALIBOBSY

Nicki wrote: »

The maximum number of showers I have ever come across in one bank in a public swimming pool is 8 though. And most primary classes are 30, and some schools to save money take two classes simultaneously, so have 60 children with them. Say each child showers for 1 minute only and it takes 30 seconds to swop each rota of children over, that still takes 9 minutes to shower one class, or 15 minutes to shower two classes assuming none of the children mess around, plus 5 minutes from the last person to shower to get them dressed and into the bus. There won't be 15-20 minutes turn around times between schools, so for all children to shower either 10-15 minutes of a swimming lesson would have to be missed, or the school would have to pay a double session at the pool. Or the kids could get dressed immediately after swimming and shower when they get home.

I'm fascinated by this argument that you are filthy getting out of a public swimming pool and absolutely must shower for hygiene reasons. :rotfl: It is lovely of course to be able to have a luxurious shower after a swim, but those of us who take their babies and young toddlers swimming, don't have that luxury, and I've never come down with any illness or skin condition as a result after 3 kids. Added to which the public showers in most pools are the filthiest part of the facility

My understanding is in the pool concerned there are 8 showers at each end of the changing room and there are 27 children.

There are a number of staff with them. Did find out from another parent that all the boys had been showering as the staff that were at their end of the shower room told them to.

We tried to do a quick shower at home and DD1 could be in rinse and be out in around 30 secs so its doable for the class and in fact 4 yrs ago when my son went they all did.

Having spoken to a neighbour whose girls go to the next nearest school they have a large class of 31 and they have been specifically told they must shower (and they do).

Given that excema and asthma and allergies run in our family (I have all of them!) I feel it is important my kids do rinse off their skin and eyes as to expose them to something that studies strongly suggest can and does trigger issues in those who are sensitive/predisposed to it would be crazy.

TBH what I do with my toddler is shower together-I am not talking shower gel/shampoo and suds everywhere, but it is important to rinse out your eyes and rinse the chlorine off the skin. I would leave a luxurious shower for at home lol.

I just wanted to clarify the original postion of the teacher wasn't a calm DD1 can shower if she needs to.
Initally she claimed no kids need a shower and it was policy then she said in that patronising agressive tone "DD1 should have made a fuss and spoken up and we would have tried to sort her a shower". But how many kids at 8 are confident enough to speak like that to a teacher like that who is shouting straight through to dry off girls etc etc.

More to the point the head and so I assume the teacher was aware I had said she needed a shower and she appears to have disregarded this completely.

I only wish the teacher had been friendly and approachable- we could have discussed things and come to a compromise. I am sure those of you who are teachers on here would agree communication is key. But her whole attitude and tone (and I appreciate this is hard to describe on here) was very condesending and agressive as well as being imediately on the defensive like her word is law and even to question it I must be and idiot.

Looks like the issue is put to bed now though.

Ali x

daska

ALIBOBSY wrote: »

TBH I am pleasantly suprised by the council and lesiure centres reaction, I certainly did go in trying to change policy, I simply asked what the existing policy of the leisure centre and council was so I knew if what Mrs x had told me was correct or not.

did or didn't?

That sounds like a good result - and the fact that other children in the class were sent to shower when your DD wasn't rather proves that the teacher was acting independently of others, I hope the Head has had words with her.

shegirl

ALIBOBSY wrote: »

There isn't just one memember of staff with the group and the showers are at the end of the changing rooms.

Just for info the final results are DD1 did get a shower-two of the TA's ensured she got one and anyone else who wanted one could quickly jump in and rinse off. Needless to say Mrs x wasn't best pleased and soon came in to tell them to hurry up, but DD1 wasn't bothered and had no issues with her eyes so fine.

The leisure centre had been in touch with the council over policy and I have had a lovely email from the councils head of leisure services and they are reissuing all the school swimming contracts to include a section on health and hygiene which will specifically include a section where the council strongly recommends a shower both before and AFTER swimming. The don't recommend allowing shower gels/shampoos etc as there can be a risk of allergies to other children plus of course time issues, but a shower under water to rinse out the eyes and off the skin will be recommended as important.

TBH I am pleasantly suprised by the council and lesiure centres reaction, I certainly did go in trying to change policy, I simply asked what the existing policy of the leisure centre and council was so I knew if what Mrs x had told me was correct or not.

So well done council and the leisure centre. Not heard anything more from school, but I am not sure I will and am happy to leave it with them now. DD1 is only in this year and swimming till mid July (9 wks ish) and will be with a new teacher next year so hopefully thats an end to it. Thanks for all the postings it is interesting to see other parents have had problems. Luckily the vast majority of teachers work hard and are great with kids and parents alike lol.

Ali x

Right,so this and another post of yours show it is not policy that all children MUST shower afterwards as you originally stated.It is recommended/preferred,so the teacher was hardly going against policy -it wasn't a demand or instruction.

We never had showers in the school pool and never used them at the public pool either.

Scorpio33

So glad things worked out - lets hope that is the end of it and Mrs X will think twice abut being so condesending next time...

ALIBOBSY

daska wrote: »

did or didn't?

That sounds like a good result - and the fact that other children in the class were sent to shower when your DD wasn't rather proves that the teacher was acting independently of others, I hope the Head has had words with her.

Sorry I meant didn't. TBH was just suprised by the whole thing as always assumed kids would and should shower after swimming (never heard of this not happening anywhere till now lol).

Ali x

ALIBOBSY

shegirl wrote: »

Right,so this and another post of yours show it is not policy that all children MUST shower afterwards as you originally stated.It is recommended/preferred,so the teacher was hardly going against policy -it wasn't a demand or instruction.

We never had showers in the school pool and never used them at the public pool either.

Just to clarify when I intially rang and spoke to the head she went away and called me back to say DD1 would get a shower and when I said I just wanted to ensure she wasn't singled out-not suggesting she didn't shower alone, just meaning its done with descreation (it was in the end as one of the TA's quietly made sure she went in the showers staright away she came out the pool). It was the head who came back and said she thought all the kids should rinse off. Mrs X told me policy was NO CHILD should shower at all and in fact said it was policy at all the schools in the area. TBH after speaking to school I would expect them to have ensured my daughter had a shower as requested anything else is subject to their policy.

I have clarified the official policy from the council and leisure centre is to recommend a shower both before and after and in fact they intend to stress this more strongly as I said in new contracts to the schools.
The policy at THIS school is not to force the kids to shower, but a shower should be offered to all the children.

Mrs X was insisting to both me and the girls no showers were to be taken-meanwhile other staff memebers with the boys at the other end of the changing room were letting them shower.

Hope the policy thing makes sense now, i was told a few different things, but have now confirmed what is the correct policy.

Ali x