The Challenge of Taking a Sick Day as a Teacher
The Challenge of Taking a Sick Day as a Teacher
Being absent from school is always a tricky topic for teachers. There are countless memes about how, for most jobs, taking a sick day is simple—stay home, rest, and everything runs as usual. But for teachers? The moment you call in sick, everything seems to fall apart.
Many teachers have shared how difficult it is to even request a sick day. Sometimes, responses from administrators can feel discouraging: “Yeah… that’s tough, we already have five teachers out. You’re going to have to see what you can do.” or “That’s fine, just make sure you send in your substitution plans so we can divide your students between two other groups.”
Fortunately, that’s not the case where I currently work, but it’s something I experienced early in my career. Those moments stuck with me, making me dread being absent.
When the Unexpected Happens
Last week, I got sick. On Monday, everything seemed fine—I even took my wife and son to the beach on Sunday, part of a tradition we have to make sure we start the week refreshed. My wife is also a teacher, and my son is a reluctant student, so every little thing helps to get the week started on the right foot.
Monday came, and I went through my classes as usual. I even rearranged my classroom (because I’m one of those teachers who can’t leave their room the same way for too long). Everything was going smoothly until lunchtime. That’s when I started feeling completely drained. I couldn’t focus. Even during my last period, which was a club session, I turned to my co-teacher and said, “I’m not coming in tomorrow. Something is up.”
After school, I picked up my son from therapy and stopped by Walgreens for cold medicine. I also emailed my principal right away to let them know I wouldn’t be coming in. This is always a nerve-wracking moment for me—there’s something about telling an administrator you’re sick that makes me feel like a kid trying to convince my mom I need to stay home. Do they even believe me?
Growing up, my mom never let me stay home, no matter how sick I was. She had no other choice, as there was no one to watch me. Looking back, I realize that shaped the way I view sick days even now—there’s always guilt, as if I’m somehow faking it or making things harder for everyone else. (To be fair, I did almost burn the house down once as a kid, but that’s another story.)
The Doctor’s Verdict
Tuesday morning, I felt better after a good night’s sleep, but I still knew something was off. After many failed attempts to contact my doctor, I finally got an appointment in the afternoon. After explaining my symptoms, she recommended a COVID and influenza test just to rule them out. Then she asked, “Do you need a medical excuse for work?”
Of course, I said yes. She calculated the recovery time and said, “This virus tends to last about five days, so you’re going to be out until next Monday.”
I was stunned. I expected maybe one extra day off, but an entire week? My inner child was thrilled—No school for a whole week! But my responsible teacher brain went into panic mode—An entire week? I’m going to be so behind on my lesson plans! This is going to throw everything off!
The Teacher Mentality
This is what teachers do—we don’t think, I’m sick. I need to rest so I can come back at 100%. Instead, we stress about how much we’re messing up our own schedules. How did I get sick? I take my vitamins! I wash my hands constantly! Why me?!
After the shock wore off, I told my wife about the week off. She was understanding but not exactly thrilled. Fortunately, my school gives me the flexibility to take the time I need to recover—something I deeply appreciate, as I know many schools don’t offer this kind of support.
As the days passed, my condition worsened. It wasn’t COVID or influenza, but it was something equally rough. I spent the week preparing sub work and sending it in daily. It wasn’t until Saturday that I finally felt like I had “woken up from the dead.”
Lessons Learned
This whole experience made me reflect on how teachers handle sick days. We often feel guilty about taking time off, even when we absolutely need it. But the reality is, we can’t teach effectively if we’re pushing through sickness. The key is preparing engaging, relevant substitute work—not just busywork—so students stay on track even in our absence.
If you’re a teacher, how do you handle sick days? Do you push through them, or are you able to get the support you need from your school? Let’s talk about it!
— Prof. Rock