teachers back to work

I am planning to go back to work soon after been off for nearly six months. I am a primary school teacher (year 4/5). I finished my chemo last month. I just wondered what information other teachers gave to parents/ children when they went back about why they have been off. Do not really want to go into lots of detail but the children are bound to have lots of questions and I also want them to realise why I may not be quite myself. All they know at the moment is that I have not been well.

Hi Sherbert,
I am a matron in a prep school but not residential. I was off 6 months, as was our head of PE both with the cancer chemo thing.
Our head wrote to the parents explaining why we were off and asked them to explain to their kids.
You are bound to get lots of curious questions, but sadly BC isnt very uncommon these days.
Good luck going back and TAKE IT EASY. I suggest you work half days to start.
Sue xx

Hi Sherbert
I teach 3 days a week in hackney, I job share in the nursery class of a primary school.
Started back last week after a mastectomy before Christmas and 3 weeks rads.
Phased return working till 1 last week, 2 this week and 3.30 for the rest of the term.
I’ve been at the school for 14 years so have talked to parents who asked where I had been and told them the details.
My children are 3 / 4 years old so most didn’t ask, I told the older ones I had been in hospital for an op and am better now. A couple of girls in year 6 who used to be in the Nursery had missed me and I told them what had happened and asked if they wanted to see the scar which they did.
Are you doing a gradual return? I was REALLY surprised by how tired I got. Did initially go back on Easter Tuesday but 2 full days was too much, so the week after I went in as an extra person and was able to catch up with admin and get to know the children who had started in Jan. And now its going well. I do think teaching is one of those jobs where you have to have almost as much energy as the children you are working with.
All the best
Magsi

Thank you very much for the information. It really helps knowing how others have tackled the situation. The head teacher seems reluctant to talk to the children or parents but I think I will be open if anyone asks.
Occupational health suggested I just do a couple of half days to start with and that I just help out. Although this does not seem a lot I will try and follow the advice because as Magsi said you do need a lot of energy when working with children and I am having some side effects from tamoxifen and zoladex.
Thanks again

Do follow advice from occupation Health - I didn’t!! then regretted it and had to pull back and start again.
My head didn’t tell any of the parents so they were asking me if I had enjoyed my travels!! and a couple thought I was a new teacher.
I prefer to be open as most of my parents are in their 20’s and I am old enough to be their mum. With that in mind, I am aware that they may encounter bc in their families in the future and it may be helpful for them to know that I’ve been there, done it - so to speak.
Really hope you have a good term, at least we have a couple of bank holidays and a half term break coming up. And if the sun shines we won’t have those wet playtimes and lunch breaks to cope with.
Magsi x

Hi Sherbert,
I’m a pupil support assistant and i was wondering what to say to the children when i go back. i’m about to go in for a 2nd op after that i’ll start chemo then radio, so i’ve still got a long way to go. i know that the children i work with has been asking why i’m off because i’ve kept in touch with the teacher. i do miss my job and have thought about going back if i have no problems with the chemo or radio, but i don’t know. in the playground kids jump at you and want you to play with them and that might use up all my energy. i suppose i would have to discuss that with the head teacher. take care all. x

My advice [retired teacher] is to tell any adults who ask but just tell kids you have had an operation in hospital and you are still a bit sore.

Hi
I am Head of an Infant School and am currently on a phased return following mastectomy in December. I asked my Chair of Governors to inform all staff and parents of why I was off and that avoided lots of questions on my return after Easter. I did a whole school assembly on my 1st day back and just told the children (aged 4-7) that I had been poorly, had been in hospital for an operation and that the Drs had made me better. I have to admit that I had a huge lump in my throat when I finished the assembly!
Most parents have made a point of asking how I am and said it’s nice to see me back.
BUT…I am absolutely shattered! Started off after Easter doing mornings only and now doing everyday until 2pm but am soooooooooo tired! Not the easiest of jobs to return to part time as what I don’t get done at school I either bring home or leave to the next day which is even worse!

Good luck to all you teachers out there! Don’t hesitate to ask your Heads to extend your phased return if you can’t cope-we’ve been through enough without getting worn out and stressed out at school. Roll on the summer hols!!

Love Gill x

Good luck with your return to work and dealing with the question of what to tell ppl. I was lucky that I work in a relatively small office and we are all adults - although mostly male but that was not a problem as they were all very supportive. I also had the advantage (for want of a better word) that I am not the only cancer sufferer in our office so I was not THE one but the OTHER one - which in a way made things easier.

I also had the advantage of only having WLE/node sampling then rads but no chemo…I suppose I had an unofficial phased return I went back to work full time for 2 weeks 14 days post op (my choice and I insisted I was not a poorly person) and then took a week off for intense physio and then left early for 6 weeks whilst I had my rads. Now I am back to working full time hours with an open ended agreement that I take time off for any appointments and if I am tired.

I’ve been really tired this week since going back to full time hours. Luckily I get Monday off for May Day holiday so next week is a 4 day one instead of 5.

I’m just being sensible (and that makes everyone I know laugh) about what I do in the evenings and am off to bed most nights at about 9ish.

Good luck with getting back to work but don’t try to be a hero - we are all only human.

Thank you very much for all the helpful comments. The Head is going to talk to the children today and give them some details so hopefully that will make it easier when I go in on Thursday.
I went in last Friday afternoon (training day) and as many of you have said I was surprised how tired I was.
Thanks for the advice, Gill, on extending reintroduction periods- that is something I will seriously think about particularly as it is a strange time of year to start back. It must be particularly hard going back as a head teacher so I hope it is all going well.

All the best for Thursday ( I take it thats tomorrow ) hope it goes really well - let us know won’t you.
Into my third week back - occ health would like me to work from 10 - 4 but not really possible so have compromised 8.15 - 3.30 but as Gill says its impossible not to bring work home otherwise its there the next day.
So have been doing a lot of catch up and admin and prep on my non teaching days. Reports to do and the new EYFS to get my head round for Sept.
Have to say tho I am beginning to enjoy it and the brain is getting to grips with names again ( be it slowly)
Magsi

Before my return to work, i went to visit my old class months after my sudden departure. One girl asked me what had been wrong with me. I said i had cancer. One boy said it was a good job i didn’t have Aids as there is no cure for that!
When i finally returned to a new class, I explained that the very strong medicine i had needed to cure my illness had affected my brain and meant that i often forgot what i was saying or even said the wrong word and i gave them some funny examples. They were very good and if i got stuck would try to help by guessing what the word was. They got very good at guessing correctly! It was great to think the children were on my side.
Make sure you have a very slow, phased return. I returned too quickly and regreted it.
Kelley

I teach secondary kids in a small school. Everyone knows everyone elses business and word soon got out that I was seriously ill with cancer. I was off for 11 mths and could have been off longer as returned a bit too early.

I had been full time but returned on a phased return but now only teach for 2 days.

The kids were great and not 1 child said anything hurtful, embarassing or inappropriate. It was good for them to see that there is life after cancer for some. Even though we are a small school, several children have lost a parent due to cancer, it’s shocking really.

I would say don’t say anything specific unless you are asked and for kids of that age, you don’t need detailed answers.

Take care of you, it’s a demanding job, and don’t worry if you have blips, I have had a few!

Irene