Teacher / cleaner?!?

highly1111

Hi

Starting a new job tomorrow but got to see classroom today when I collected some documentation.

Was bemused when the hoover was pointed out to me along with a very polite indication that it was for my use as they don't have the economic resources to clean the classrooms regularly??? I was told I was lucky that it would be my Hoover - and that I wouldn't have to share it with another teacher!!

To be honest, I'm not annoyed - hoovering is not above my station! - but more bemused!! I'm delighted to have a job and am not giving out - but just thought it was very very odd!!

Anyway, i don't really know what my point of posting is other than to ask if it's a common occurance and how would others feel?? This is my 5th school and I must have been very sheltered until now as I've never been told to clean my classroom!! Sign of the times hey?!?!?

Not that it makes any odds but it's a VEC.

Boober Fraggle

I've never heard of that before... I would maybe explain to the principal that the moratorium doesn't count if there are no cleaning staff in the school, and that he can apply for a cleaner on those grounds.

rainbowtrout

Never heard of it happening before to be honest. We have cleaners in our school. Their hours were cut back last year but the work still gets done. While I would ask students to pick up any papers or whatever is under their desk at the end of class if I spot anything ( a very quick way of tidying) and I'm not above hoovering I still don't see it as my job to hoover a classroom in the evening either.

looksee

I went in after the start of the holidays and cleaned up the art room and store, scrubbed and painted work tops. Sweeping is done by cleaners, but in fairness they would not have a clue how to sort the residue of a year of art. One person's art is another person's rubbish

rainbowtrout

looksee wrote: »

I went in after the start of the holidays and cleaned up the art room and store, scrubbed and painted work tops. Sweeping is done by cleaners, but in fairness they would not have a clue how to sort the residue of a year of art. One person's art is another person's rubbish

Ya it's the same with the science labs. The cleaners, hoover/sweep/mop floors and empty bins. We do the rest.

byhookorbycrook

I clean my room, make sure no paper on the floor etc.

highly1111

Hey, I understand the point about the labs and art rooms but I'm in a general bog standard classroom and at the end of every class I always do a check to ensure there's no rubbish on the floors and nothing on the tables etc - that the students pick up after themselves etc - but I've never been shown a Hoover and been told/asked to hoover the room at the end of the day!

Again, don't want to come across as being obnoxious or anything. Just thought it very strange.

sitstill

There are cleaners in my school. They sweep my floor and empty my bin.

I still sweep the room, clean the desks, tidy up and pick up paper myself. I don't think I'm above that.

doc_17

I regularly clean the 3 rooms I use - science, ICT and Maths room. But never used a hoover in them!

Dig in and say nothing!

Tristram

Over here in Japan there is a dedicated cleaning period of approximately fifteen minutes when both students and teachers clean every bit of the school themselves. I couldn't believe it when I first arrived but having taken part for a few years now I think it's a great system. It certainly teachers students (and perhaps teachers) about responsibility and team-work. I think it would be a good idea for back home too!

jonseyblub

Tristram wrote: »

Over here in Japan there is a dedicated cleaning period of approximately fifteen minutes when both students and teachers clean every bit of the school themselves. I couldn't believe it when I first arrived but having taken part for a few years now I think it's a great system. It certainly teachers students (and perhaps teachers) about responsibility and team-work. I think it would be a good idea for back home too!

Think that's a fantastic idea. However after getting grief from a parent whose son I'd given out to for leaving rubbish in the canteen area, I reckon an almost impossible one to implement. The so called good times we had over the last 10-15 years seems to have ruined a whole generation in terms of general manners etc. And i honestly don't think they do it out of badness. They just don't know any different.

gaeilgegrinds1

After each lesson my students clean up after themselves, I often run around with the brush too. But we also have cleaners.

implausible

I would regularly go around the room myself and get students to pick up papers, but only to avoid getting grief from our caretakers!

I don't think the OP thinks herself above this kind of day-to-day maintenance. We all do it, but like everything else, there's a difference between doing what comes naturally voluntarily and being instructed to do it:rolleyes:.

I haven't heard of this being done anywhere else.

looksee

Yes I agree there is a difference between practical rooms and general classrooms, and there is also a subtle difference between being told where the hoover is, and going looking for it!

Its a bit difficult to know what to say, on the one hand I hate going into a messy room and feel it is easier to tell the students to clean up after themselves if the place is tidy to start with.

I would not have any problem with children being trained from primary that they clear up after themselves, and have cleaning staff to do corridors and public areas, windows etc. So that by the time they got to second level they would take it for granted that they keep the place clean. I think it would be good from a number of angles. If it were made an official thing though there would be complaints from people looking for janitorial positions, and teachers who do not see cleaning as part of their remit.

We have lost 3 janitors in the last two years, we are down to one and even though there is a cleaning firm that comes in, the one janitor left cannot possibly do all that has to be done. That could be three people off the live register. How do you work it out?

ethical

I think it is part of a good education to encourage tidying up after class,a general tidy up picking up papers etc as well as arranging chairs,desks so as to have the place looking presentable for the janitor who does the hoovering

looksee

jonseyblub wrote: »

Think that's a fantastic idea. However after getting grief from a parent whose son I'd given out to for leaving rubbish in the canteen area, I reckon an almost impossible one to implement. The so called good times we had over the last 10-15 years seems to have ruined a whole generation in terms of general manners etc. And i honestly don't think they do it out of badness. They just don't know any different.

That sums up so much! Who would go home and tell their parent they had been given out to for leaving litter? And what parent would then contact the school to complain? You would imagine a parent's response would be 'well quite right, and now you can go and sort your bedroom'!