Secondary teachers - No training at all
It is worrying that so many teachers have such little information about diabetes
I had been teaching in a secondary school for nearly thirty years when I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. It is only since then that I realise how little I knew about it all. I had had no training at all and had picked up very little information from one pupil in my form who was diabetic, because she managed her diabetes so well. I am horrified now at my lack of knowledge in the past.
Once I was back in school after my diagnosis I got together with the small group of students who had diabetes to discuss any difficulties that they had had, so that we could address these and develop a school policy. (These students were also brilliant at helping me understand it all and helped when I was not sure what to do at the start of it all)
Issue raised - Exams
Exams were a big issue, especially for those recently diagnosed. Some were too embarassed to ask to take their test kit into exams as well as a hypo treatment. We made sure that teachers and invigilators were aware that they needed to allow them to test for and treat hypos in their exams.
For external exams they should be allowed rest breaks so that they can treat a hypo without losing exam time. I also encouraged them to make sure that they gave themselves enough time to recover properly from a hypo rather than rush back into doing their paper. They need to be at their best.
I am no longer teaching and I hope that the training has improved in schools, but I think that it is difficult to understand it all until you are directly involved. Think how many doctors and consultants in other specialisms have so little understanding of it all!!!!
It is worrying that so many teachers have such little information about diabetes
I had been teaching in a secondary school for nearly thirty years when I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. It is only since then that I realise how little I knew about it all. I had had no training at all and had picked up very little information from one pupil in my form who was diabetic, because she managed her diabetes so well. I am horrified now at my lack of knowledge in the past.
Once I was back in school after my diagnosis I got together with the small group of students who had diabetes to discuss any difficulties that they had had, so that we could address these and develop a school policy. (These students were also brilliant at helping me understand it all and helped when I was not sure what to do at the start of it all)
Issue raised - Exams
Exams were a big issue, especially for those recently diagnosed. Some were too embarassed to ask to take their test kit into exams as well as a hypo treatment. We made sure that teachers and invigilators were aware that they needed to allow them to test for and treat hypos in their exams.
For external exams they should be allowed rest breaks so that they can treat a hypo without losing exam time. I also encouraged them to make sure that they gave themselves enough time to recover properly from a hypo rather than rush back into doing their paper. They need to be at their best.
I am no longer teaching and I hope that the training has improved in schools, but I think that it is difficult to understand it all until you are directly involved. Think how many doctors and consultants in other specialisms have so little understanding of it all!!!!
