In the US, most teachers that I know hate to be absent. Missing class means even more work because you are now required to not only teach material, but teach someone else through a short missive how to teach the material you need covered for the day. And then you have to follow up with what was successfully covered and what you need to reteach the next day (if your substitute actually followed your sub plans). As someone who has spent time in both roles (the substitute and the teacher), I know it is easier to pop in a movie or print out some worksheets, but as someone who loathes busy work, this was not a solution I liked to resort to. So teachers are frequently the worst in taking time off when they need it, because it creates so much work to catch up.
Sick days are different in Abu Dhabi. At my school, we do not have a sub folder and emergency sub plans (staples of teaching in the US). We notify our vice principal, and if Cycle 1, the head of faculty, about our absence, and they find coverage from within our staff for the classes. For some teachers, it is a bonus bit of class time, or allows for an earlier class meeting. The real work takes place on the part of the sick teacher. The teacher must go to the hospital and see a doctor on the day of her (I will use the feminine pronoun because hey, I'm a girl) absence. It may be a long wait depending on the hospital chosen. The doctor will diagnosis; prescribe any medicines, vitamins, procedures, etc. to treat the sickness; and give a stamped sick note certificate to the teacher. The teacher then must go to the pharmacy to fill any prescriptions (usually in the same building). After which, the teacher will take the sick note certificate to the Health Authority for a stamp.
The Health Authority stamp does not need to be done the same day, but it is open from 8-1:30 in my town, so if I want it stamped, I need to do it the day I am out or take time off to get it stamped. After getting all the stamps on the sick note, the absence must be entered into our employee system, and the sick note digitally uploaded. It will require three people to sign off that the procedure was followed correctly.
It does not lend itself to a restful day, which, in truth, is probably what the teacher needed in the first place.
4 comments:
Are you okay?
Sinus infection... It is lovely. :( But I am hoping the antibiotics will do the trick. I have a follow up next week with the regular doctor.
I don't think I could make it through all the procedure if I were really ill. Interesting...
It is kind of hard so it is better to go the moment you start feeling sick rather than hoping to wait it out... I'm much more proactive about seeking medical care at the moment to avoid that reality.
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