Australia's Science Forum

Hi All, hope today is treating you all well!

I was just wondering if anyone's school makes their science teachers & lab techs sign declarations that they have received the appropriate lab orientation & safety information in order to work safely in your lab?

We have a teacher who we think may be unsafe & are tightening up the reins so if there is an accident due their negligence it will quite obvious....!

Waiting for you answers eagerly!

Cheers Kel

kel,
At the start of each year Science staff do a tour of the labs and I show them where the master switches for gas and water and electricity are and point out first aid kits,fire blankets and extinguishers.
They are given a handbook on employment that covers fire drill and lockdown etc.
I record that they have done the orientation however they don't sign anything.
You have the best control over what goes on in the Lab via risk assessments(the teacher Should read them) and if I am unsure of any teacher I point out any issues that could arise before they get the equipment.As well if you are worried about an expt or dem your HOD should be informed and HOD makes the decision.
If you speak up about your concerns for that teacher you are not responsible for what happens in the classroom.
Hope this helps

Kel we have one of those teachers here too. I cringe everytime he orders a prac. Its not so much the practical he is doing because I dont let him do too much, but its the amount of broken and lost equipment that comes out of his classes. The spill kits always need replacing because the students in his class totally wreck everything. There is absolutely no control in there whatsoever. I am just waiting for the day when something drastic happens. Unfortunately there is not a lot we can do except watch very closely and between you and the HOD determine which practicals you deem safe enough. I have written up an induction booklet and hand one to all new staff members and show them the fire extinguishers etc. But the teachers you worrry about are the ones that dont read the booklet.

Hi Kel,

a few years ago we put together handbooks for our science teachers. There's one for middle school science, & one for senior physics, chem & biology.
The handbooks have info covering pretty much everything they need to know (so they have no excuse!) including lab rules, equipment instructions, evac drills, how & where to order pracs, risk assessments & chemical safety, everyday duties etc.

Each teacher gets a copy at the start of the year, & in the back is a questionnaire they have to fill out & give to the HOD, with tick boxes indicating that they've toured the labs & know where the emergency cut off switches, fire extinguishers, emergency shower, first aid kit et al are in the labs they teach in. They get taken through the labs by me or another labbie & shown everything, then they fill it out & sign it.

It was a lot of work to put them together originally, but it gives them all the info they need in a handy ring-bound booklet......& of course they all read it from cover to cover with looks of fascination & awe on their faces Suuuuuuuuure they do

Sometimes I wait a couple of weeks into the year, then walk into a lab & say nice & loud "there's a gas leak....hit the cut off switch!!"
It's an easy way to find out what they don't know.

I guess we can only do our best & try to keep an careful eye on the ones we know aren't up to speed, or don't want to bother.

On a happier note.....today I'm merrily churning out lovely little 3cm pink agar blocks in the divider trays, & thanks to the tips you guys have shared, the prac is working beautifully.

Cheers,

We do the same as bindibadgi, except for the questionaire, but will be telling the HOD all about it, for next year. I'm sure they don't read it though, either that or I have 2 that think it doesn't apply to them. I just keep repeating myself, and so does the HOD at meetings. one day

Is UNsafety a subject they learn at uni, or is it a teacher gene "that doesnt apply to me"

I have read the comments here and am a little concerned at some schools' expectations.

Putting together an induction/orientation package for new teaching staff is a job for the Education Department, School hierarchy, OH & S committee and HOD. I do not think it is a part of our duties, nor are we remunerated well enough or properly trained in delivering this important information.
I do believe that we should provide induction for new lab staff, providing we have sufficient background and experience to do so; otherwise it falls to the HOD once again. (That way, his bum is the one that is kicked if something does go wrong.) I think it's great to be asked to contribute to the induction package and perhaps be asked to 'proof read' the contents - the more proof readers the less likely the chance of incorrect information - but I don't think we should be putting it together.

I realise that we all have to work together to ensure that our departments operate safely and smoothly, but I think it's the Head of Department's job to ensure that teachers are aware of the correct procedures and play by the rules. We can report lack of organisation/poor classroom control/lack of cooperation, etc. to the HOD, but it's up to him to do the rest.

Cheers,
Fran

Hi Fran
I am with you it is not your job or should it be our job
Noona

Thank you so much everyone! Unfortunately I work in an independent school so don't have the Ed Dept to fall back on, nor a HOD (only our principal).

We do have a manual & I might throw in the questionnaire bit. Thanks for that idea Kiah!

I think you're all right though - the teachers who really need to read & absorb it, think they are awesome & it doesn't apply to them - that's my main problem with this particular teacher. Here we go.... got your whinge on?? .....

He rarely puts in prac requests. I don't work full time & when I'm not there he doesn't bother with RAs, he organises pracs in the middle of a single or double lesson (leaves the kids unattended while he scrummages around in the lab), uses stuff & doesn't tell me when he's used it all, owns the record for the most things broken in the first 7 weeks EVER (inc. a thermometer that was just dumped on my desk with lots of bits of glass everywhere & kids in the next class found bits of glass too), puts things back in the boxes dirty (but I don't know until I get them out for the next prac because he doesn't communicate with me!), never wears a lab coat, has an experiment (HCl in test tubes with steel wool etc... in them) left out in a lab with no signs or comments to any other staff as to what they are or how long they will be there & now kids are 'playing' - I found bits of paper pushed down them...., arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

His continual flouting of our rules (& for the most part general safety rules!! & he is a Chem major too!) is wearing! Really getting me down. And I'm really not a confrontationalist. Perhaps I have to become the 'bitch from hell'?? Apparently they are having troubles with him in other areas too... So that's why we're aiming at something he signs - then we can enforce the rules better.

If he ever gets a job here doing senior science I am quitting. I couldn't take the agony of thinking some poor innocent child will be deformed for life! Plus my daughter is in his class! I know I've been lucky so far - great teachers who are thoughtful & competent... & I know some of you are dealing with the opposite sort all the time.... tips on how you do it????

Anyways, thanks for listening to my tirading whine.... & yes I did want some cheese with that!!!!!!!!!

I know everyone put a great deal of work into their manuals - is anyone willing to share? Thanks! I'd love to make mine tight as a frogs...... !

Kel

Kel, What does your principal say? Maybe he should be the one saying to the teacher that he is the example for the kids, and if he doesn't want to wear a lab coat that's fine in his own time but at school he must set an example to the kids. If the kids aren't wearing coats because the teacher doesn't have to, and something happens to the kid (even just their clothes!!) the school has no grounds to say 'they were told, they were shown...' Get your principal to randomly walk in to his classes with a camera saying he's getting some photos for the next school letter or something... which will give the principal an idea of what is really going on by seeing it, not just hearing what you say. It's just an idea... And DOCUMENT EVERYTHING! When stuff is broken - write it down, when stuff goes missing - write it down, when stuff is finished and not reported to you for re-ordering - write it down AND DATE THEM ALL TOO. Maybe get a little cheap diary to write it in on each day as you find the problems.

Every school must have one of those teachers who are a walking disaster zone!
I have one who thinks students should be allowed to explore chemistry and try new things - like adding all sorts of chemicals toether ot see what happens.. yes this one never does RAs, never puts in a request, leaves everywhere a mess, throws expensive equipment out of special containers because she wants ot plant seeds in the container - I could write pages!!
And another one who is sooooooo intelligent he is scary. BUT he can never find anything - even if I put it out on the teachers desk right in front of him, who NEVER has filled out a prac request in 10 years nor a RA nor read an MSDS- who stand at the front teaching while boys are having a fist fight down the back or girls are having a bitch fight - who lets students wander into prep rooms pinch gear and create mayhem..
management knows because when timetables come out no one else wants to follow him into a lab in the next period..
Teacher gene - yep there is one - its called arrogance!

Does anyone else find this as frightening as I do? Why isnt anything done about them, they are not teaching good habits let alone good science, and cant be good teachers; what idiot thinks that mixing random chemicals is fun or a good idea, this is my observations , not a criticism.
Hope everyone has a great and safe incident free day
Cheers
Lisa

Oh thank god I thought we were the only school who had teachers like that. Sunray you have meda me feel a lot better knowing that I ony have or maybe 2 difficult teachers, the rest are great.

I will try to attach my induction booklet. I will point out that it is only written for new science staff and not the whole school. I wrote it and the HOD proof read it simply because there was nothing for the new staff to look up information about how we run the science department. It is not an education qld document merely a "this is where such and such is or this is how we do this" etc.

None of us should ever apologise for having a good whinge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I seem to get a new one ever year, I'm lucky now, it's taken being the labbie from hell.
I have 2 chemical rooms side by side, diluted and concentrated. Both rooms are locked at all times. I'm the only one with a key, HOD has one but only uses it when I'm away and gets very nervous he has to tell me straight away , office has one for emergencies. Nobody gets any chemicals unless it's been booked 24hrs in advance.

The new one this year is learning quickly that if he's not organised he doesn't get, as for helping himself. "excuse me you need to book any pracs" lucky he's doesn't know where anything is. If I have to be accountable for stocktakes, everything is going through me, including breakages did I mention I'm the labbie from hell

At my old school they use to call me the dragon lady the kids would not come as they were scared of me
I just carried it on at this school
Noona

LOVE IT!!! wish I could strike fear into teachers and students alike . Last time I tried to yell as a year 10 class for stuffing around they ignored me becasue they couldn't see me i.e i was not with in their line of sight becasue I am only 5'2 and they were all atleast 5'10! .

I am up for a whinge this morning also. I do not have any science staff, at the moment, who are the devil incarnate but I do have another problem.
Maybe some of you would not have a problem with this, but I do.
I am called, 'sweetie', 'honey' and other 'loving' terms. Last year, whilst stuck in the school lift, the acting Principal called me 'luv'. She was lucky I did not verbally tear her to shreds in front of firemen and other staff. I had no problems in the lift whatsoever and let everyone know that.
But this year I have two wonderful female Science staff who call me 'sweetie', 'honey', etc...
I have spoken to them both about it, as gently as I could, and asked that they use my name. I now work in a Prep. to Year 9 school and it is common for staff to call the students these names.
I am 60 years old!
How do/would others feel about this?
Maree

YEP, that yerks me too, I don't get it at school, although we do have a male who has to touch you when he speaks to you, not me or funny enough the other women on staff who I would refer to as being very strong women.

Back too luv, sweety, etc., my 13yr old son was horrified as I 48yrs when going through Macca's and an all of 14yr old girl said thanks Luv.

Well all you sweeties, darlings and honeybunches, I am extremely guilty of this verbal mannerism. I consider it to be good practise for when I lose my marbles and REALLY don't know anybody's name. They'll all just think it's a continuation of what I've always done.

Yes, I call kids sweetheart, darlin', I refer to them as cherubs, except for the Yr12's who I insist upon calling "young adults" - makes us all laugh . It helps when I really can't remember the name of some earnest little thing who has just skated along the mid-line for years, and suddenly needs my help. Inexplicably, just because they've done five years of elective sciences, they expect me to know their name. The only year group where I knwo most of their names is Yr9's, because that's where my personal piece of creation is!

So I guess I apologise to all that find it annoying. I do it to be nice!

My question is Smiley,
If I came to you and asked that you not call me by those names, would you make an effort not to?
Until this school, everyone had called me by my name. Rarely Mary or Maria, but the effort was there, and that was enough. No one was castigated for that! One staff member, 15+ years ago, called me M. Yes, I spoke up about that!
2 of my best friends tried to call me Mum when dealing with me at school regarding science stuff. They also got short shift!
I expect my colleagues to call me by my name!!!!
Anything else demeans me!
It puts me in the same category as students.
It is lazy because it means no effort is made to remember my name and therefore my individual character.

I have 'never' liked affectionate terms being used on me when shopping. It has always been that way. What is wrong with, "Can I help you?"? Why does it have to be, "Can I help ya luv?" etc...........?

I forget people's names. After all, I am 60 and in a new school of 1300 students, I am going to forget quite a few staff names. However, I am an adult and accept that I cannot remember them all quickly. Therefore, I apologise and admit when I do not know someone's name. What is wrong with being an adult and acting like one?

I am having a great whinge this morning. I don't know why.
Anyhow, that's it for now.

Maree