Finished chemo March 2008, rads May 2008 still on tamoxifen.
Occ health recognised in Nov 2007 that I had a condition that qualified for reasonable adjustments under DDA. Therefore work adjusted during treatment to 15 hours per week flexiblely worked.
In June 2008 started new job (same employer) whilst on phased return to 4 days per week. Pre requisite of being appointed that I complete a 20 credit masters module on teaching and assessing which involves having a student.
It was agreed that i should start in Jan 2009 to allow me time to return to full hours and get a feel of the new job.
However beginning Sept 2008 told starting the course in Sept 2008 and student commencing that month as well.
Wrote measured letter, line manager agreed it was not appropriate to start then but was overuled by senior management.
In Nov realised stress of course, student and demands of new role noot sustainable and affecting my health and preventing me continue physio so requested Occ health referal. Appt is next Friday, haven’t written a word for 3000 word assignment due in Feb 24th or done anything towards developing a portfolio. Tutor can give me 5 days extension only. Anybody any experience on whether uni will look at a longer extension and how to go about it.
I am doing a MSc at the moment. You should have a course handbook which tells you about the rules etc about extensions etc. In my university, if I became too ill to either complete the course or hand in an assignment, you need to contact the Course Leader as soon as possible. They will give you details of what you need - maybe a doctor’s note, may not be necessary in your case. You can then get either a much longer extension (usually three weeks) or defer your course completely, which means that you will restart it when it runs again. In your situation, I would probably go for a deferral - I did that when I had treatment and just restarted. My job also depends on me completing a Master’s and what my boss did was allow me six months off studying, still at full pay, to allow time to get better. I work for the NHS and Occupational Health were a good help also. At the end of the day, there is little point flogging yourself trying to do studying etc when you are not well. I now am feeling fine doing my studies, but couldn’t have done this at all last year. Speak to your course leader in the first instance and take it from there. Good luck!
I’ve only ever studied with the OU and they have been brilliant. The tutors were incredibly flexible about deadlines and the admin superb in arranging any support I needed.
I imagine the main thing is to be upfront with your problems - you won’t be the first person who has been affected this way and you won’t be the last, I’m sure. Perhaps talking to your Uni’s Disability Services would be a good place to start and maybe your GP could help with a supporting letter.
Hi,
I was in the middle of Year 2 of a Masters in teaching when I was dx. I forced myself to finish that year and my marks dropped but I got a B so not too bad. The problem is how high standard you have to get on Masters’ essays, I am finding. Being on epi really made it hard and I booked weeks with mysefl to do it, when I knew I could see properly and think better.LOL My course tutor has bent over backwards to help and offered any extension I want. You will notice that it is a 3 year course rather than 2 years, as set around fulltime teaching. I am now trying to get into Year 3 but the 20,000 word document will be tough. Mainly due to concentration when reading large amounts of text in one go.
I am slowly chugging through a year 3 portfolio right now but every tiny bit takes ages. I leave it out on the table ready for when in the right mood. I am back to work soon so trying very hard to finish a bit more. If you are like me it is thinking of the initial idea that is toughest so I now deliberately pick something I have already done research on in the past, to save a lot of that research time. I think you would need to formally write and ask for an extension or this student to be passed on to someone else. If you were off sick you would not be able to do it, so that is another avenue. If you do decide to try to do the work, can you look for documents you already have from lower level courses and copy them. The internet is another way to find lots of articles/documents and fill a folder up. Something looks better than nothing, even if it is other people’s research! Do you have a set topic or do you have to think of one? Can I send you anything useful???
Big hugs
Lily x
Hi,
woops forgot to say, just quote ’ a cancer dx means I am now covered under the Disability Act’. That usually calms them down as they realise they could easily breach this law if not acting correctly. As you can see from above my typing, even though I think I am spelling correctly is another big problem!
Lily x
Initially started this course which is a stand alone module in Sept 2006 and then hit a problem when my cousin admitted to a hospice and died 6weeks before submission so was granted a deferral and recommenced Sept 2007 just prior to diagnosis. thought I would manage the couse work as was putting in the hours teaching then hit tax and the course leader refused a deferral again as the goalposts from the professions governing body were changing.
So plan was to start in Jan 2009 but the uni said they were only going to run a course in Sept so I started. Have done all the practical time (well over the 90 hrs required) and the assessed practicals but am just not getting the reading round done as by the time I get home haven’t the brain power to manage it. gi8ven the course leader’s lack of support when i was diagnosed I’m not certain of her response this time and the senior manager who put me on the course is now off sick for an indefinite length of time.
Unfortunately my portfolio has to be my lesson plans ,assessments and reflections on them relating to educational theory and the ones I wrote up last year won’t count.
Have plucked up courage to email my tutor so fingers crossed.
Have also copied it to my manager and mentor. mentor has already replied and said she will look int owhether there is any support that the disabled staff network can give.
think what I really need is either HR or occ health to say that if the uni will allow me to defer that they will accept it.
Now have a reply from the courseleader advising I apply for personal mitigating circumstances and have to prepare a statement for the independent committee.
Anyone any experience of doing this after chemo and rads have finished?
There should be someone in your Uni’s student services dept who will be able to explain to you about the mitigating circumstances procedures. These days course leaders often don’t have much power to agree extensions for coursework, because Universities and Colleges have all introduced central procedures with the intention of being fair to everyone.
Do ask about Student Services…they will be able to help. (I used to be a Uni teacher.)
I’ve looked at the website and PMC do not seem to include long term medical conditions in an effort to make courses available to all.
Will try and get some sense from student services but if my students experiences in the past are anything to go by I could be on a fruitless search (6 weeks to get back to a student requiring a dyslexia assessment)
Are you in a union, Crispy? Even if you’re not a member you can usually get good advice from your local rep. And if you’re rep’s no good, there’s the fulltimer. And Jane’s right about Student Services.
I start teaching again tomorrow eve - even though quite an active tutor and move around a lot, 2 hours in front of a class doesn’t do much for the peripheral neuropathy, which i remember you’ve also posted on. End up walking like a penguin. To be honest I’d probably take a term out (it’s on top of main job) but the Uni were so supportive when I was diagnosed a year ago, I kind of feel obliged.
Haven’t gone as far as the union yet. There is a member who is very hot on DDA. Have a meeting with manager today to discuss her response to occ health (she’s actually been very supportive in some ways.
It’s not always student services that is the port of call. Sometimes it is the department running the programme. In any event, it would not be the tutor (Jane RA is right as always), but the tutor should know how to get an extension.
Have spoken to manager who is dismayed that I can’t fit in everything but I think understands. She has su8ggested that if we can get a deferment then she will give me two separate periods in the school holidays to write assignment and complete portfolio.
Put this to student services who will discuss with course leader. So fingers crossed.