Teacher to Teacher Question

[Bella the Ball 360]

Some of the teachers and aides in my school walk around with coffee cups in their hands when they take kids to and from specials or to the bathroom(k-4). It DRIVES ME CRAZY. It is so unprofessional and it just looks so...juvenile. I think that they should be able to take 5 minute stretches without a paper cup in hand. Is it me? Anyone else find this annoying. I know it is not a big deal but as far as I am concerned when you walk out of the classroom you re on "stage" and your every movement is being observed by either parents of kids. It just looks so sloppy to me.

 

[luvdzne]

I'm not a teacher, but I do volunteer at the school and I have to say I agree with you.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

I'm not a teacher, but I do volunteer at the school and I have to say I agree with you.

Thanks , anyone who knows me knows I am not a prissy, fuddy duddy (quite the opposite) but when it comes to my professional personna, it is the total opposite and I feel that is the way it should be.

 

[Blondy876]

I agree that it does seem unprofessional to me.

This year in our school they implemented a new policy that doesn't even allow us to have coffee outside of the teachers lounge. We are not allowed to eat or drink anything in front of the kids that they do not have access too. That means we can eat what they eat at lunch and snack and we can drink water. It was tough to get used to but that's the rule and I follow it.

 

[MOMOFMNM]

we have rules about that at our school too...

can be at our desks in a cup but not carried around or drinking while teaching, etc


water or bottled water is ok

 

[Kallison]

Boy I would be in trouble, I eat and drink all day long. Of course I always offer the kids what I am eating -- usually pretzels, crackers, cookies, chocolates, hard candy. Now my drinks are my own alone - Diet Coke, water or tea. Kids that aren't even in my class come in when they are hungry. I also keep pop-tarts and cracker sandwiches for big test days, I hate to hear a kid say "I"m hungry", especially when they are testing.

 

[daisyduck123]

Our school does not have any policies about eating/drinking etc. & I do not carry a drink with me outside of the classroom either.....but I do sometimes have a Diet Coke on my desk which I need to drink out of occasionally....hey, doing all that loud talking in front of 2 dozen students does make a person's throat very dry & coughing results. Hey, even talk show hosts have a glass of water nearby & I do more talking than they do all day, louder too.

In defense of teachers that do carry coffee mugs...I know some that do at my school & the reason is....when they take their kids to specials (P.E., Music, Art, etc.) those classes are often on the other side of the building near the office & that is the only time during their short break that they can get to the office (where the coffee machine is) to refill their mugs. So when they drop the class off at a special, then they go in & refill. Our breaks are so short that their is not enough time to be running back & forth all over the building ( a 2 level building at that). I hope that made sense.

 

[disykat]

I don't eat or drink (other than water) in front of my students unless they are having a snack. I have carried a coffee mug around school (as mentioned above) to microwave my water (I drink hot to soothe my throat) after I drop the kids somewhere.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

I am not talking about carrying a coffee mug I am talking about ALWAYS carrying a Dunkin' Donuts cup that is not refillable. When you carry a coffe mug to get it refilled at the teachers lounge, it is just not the same thing. It is like you are taking it for a purpose NOT carrying it all day long making it look like you are out for a an afternoon of shopping with the girls. I also have bottles of water on my desk and it is necessary when you talk all day but do not carry them to an assembly, or when I am taking my kids to appear on our weekly tv show.

 

[paigevz]

Boy I would be in trouble, I eat and drink all day long. Of course I always offer the kids what I am eating -- usually pretzels, crackers, cookies, chocolates, hard candy. Now my drinks are my own alone - Diet Coke, water or tea. Kids that aren't even in my class come in when they are hungry. I also keep pop-tarts and cracker sandwiches for big test days, I hate to hear a kid say "I"m hungry", especially when they are testing.

We have very strict rules on what can be given to the kids. Absolutely no candy, chocolate, cookies...............unless it's one of the three party days we're allowed, a birthday treat to be given only at lunch, or Valentine candy on that day. We also are very limited in when and how much of other snacks we could give. I'm very surprised you have that latitude (though I'm glad you do, it's quite a pain to be so careful), as I thought the rules we are required to follow are Federal Law. I did give animal crackers and breakfast bars before the law was passed. We are given snacks to give to the kids during their big tests.

As for drinking/eating myself, I drink coke in class, and do have to carry it to class, but don't carry it around after that. Bad role model, but it's a hard one to give up. I only eat if my blood sugar falls, and then just saltines. The kids have never asked about my coke or my saltines. They are allowed their own water bottles in class, and I always send them down to pick up a breakfast if they come in hungry, even if the cafeteria is "closed" (they know me well now, and give my kids a tray when they come in to bring to class).

 

[icebrat001]

One of my coworkers has the stainless steel starbucks mug and everywhere she goes that cup goes with her and she refills it several times a day. We teach 3 and 4 year old we have to run at a moments notice, a kid is almost always attached at our hip, I really don't see how she gets any work done. She manages I suppose, she's a great person otherwise, but geez her and that darn cup.

 

[Daxx]

Teacher here. My classroom is located in a very remote area, away from all the other classrooms. I'm on one side of the building, at the end of a hallway. The nearest classroom is down that hallway and around the corner.

With that said, "specials" classes (art, music, gym, etc.) are completely across the school and on the 2nd or 3rd floor. The teacher's lounge is on the 2nd floor. By the time I take my students up to their specials class, walk back to my room, grab my mug and walk all the way back across the school and up the stairs to get to the teacher's lounge, it'd be time to pick up my kids from class again! If I didn't carry my mug when I dropped my students off, I wouldn't have anything left of my prep period.

Sorry if it offends anyone, but I have to "multitask" on getting my drinks and using the teacher bathroom b/c I have a long trek to get there! I have to use my time wisely, and that means carrying my mug w/me.

No ... I do not drink in the hallway while I'm walking my students to/from specials class. And, yes ... my students are allowed water bottles in the classroom. If they're allowed water bottles, then I'm allowed to have a beverage, too.

I do not eat in front of my students unless they're eating, too.

 

[daisyduck123]

We have very strict rules on what can be given to the kids. Absolutely no candy, chocolate, cookies...............unless it's one of the three party days we're allowed, a birthday treat to be given only at lunch, or Valentine candy on that day. We also are very limited in when and how much of other snacks we could give. I'm very surprised you have that latitude (though I'm glad you do, it's quite a pain to be so careful), as I thought the rules we are required to follow are Federal Law.

No, these rules you are following are not Federal Law...either your principal, district, or maybe the state came up with these.

 

[AC7179]

Pretty sure it's State of Texas. We have to follow them too.
That said, eh, I'm sure I've been guilty of carrying a cup around.
I'm not too worried about it. I teach 8th grade. If kids come in with drinks or small snacks I tend to look the other way. We try to be mature about it. I don't flaunt it, but geez, it seems like every other day there is something we can't do. The new thing is that our school district has no money that we have to start bringing coffee to donate to the office if we drink it. I don't drink it---but I just think it's sad that there is not even enough money to have coffee in the morning. My hubby is a computer programmer and gets free candy, coffee, hot chocolate and water all day long. We don't even have enough money for substitutes. When a teacher is out, the district charges that teacher a day from their bank, and then other teachers have to fill in for her during their "conference" periods because of the budget crisis. It's so not funny---but the point is, I'm not worried about walking around with a coffee cup!

 

[Rock'n Robin]

Maybe it's because I teach high school, but geez, pick your battles. I always have either diet pepsi or water. Between classes I go fill up my bottle at the fountain. If a student wants to go get a drink I will often say "sure, if you fill mine up too." No one is going to fail the Ohio Graduation test if I am drinking water or pop during the day.
Robin M.

 

[bobcat]

Walking around with a coffee mug doesn't bother me. I guess there are so many other "unprofessional" things that teachers could be doing that this doesn't even cross my mind. I do usually have a drink at my desk, and if I pick up a coffee in the morning I will usually have it with me while I multitask during my morning planning period.

We have one teacher who always drinks the coffee but never brings any in. It infuriates those teachers who do bring in a can. One teacher keeps threatening to fill the pot with Dr. Pepper. Don't think she would really get the point anyhow.

 

[paigevz]

No, these rules you are following are not Federal Law...either your principal, district, or maybe the state came up with these.

Yeah, okay, State of Texas. I get so confused you know, because we have Texans making all sorts of laws at all sorts of levels!