Back to School Health Tips for Teachers

Gird your loins, fellow educators, they're coming! Yes, those lazy, crazy, hazy daze of summer are almost at an end, and a new year of learning is about to start. The students will soon arrive and, with them, millions, if not billions, of germs.

Here are some tips that will help you stay healthy during the upcoming onslaught:

All teachers should buy anti-bacterial gel, lotion and wipes in bulk. (And if enough people read this article, it might be a good idea to buy some Bath and Body Works stock.) Use the wipes on your computer keyboard, phone, pencil sharpener, door knob and other frequently touched surfaces.

Don't eat at your desk. I've read that people's desks contain more germs than a toilet. If you decide to eat at your desk anyway, clean with the aforementioned anti-bacterial wipes when finished.

Practice good hand washing techniques. Use warm water and soap and be sure to clean under your fingernails as well as the backs of your hands. Sing the happy birthday song or Old MacDonald while you wash and don't finish washing until the song is over. Teach your students this procedure. It could be the most important skill some of them learn all year.

While having clean hands is a good thing, believe it or not, it's not an absolute must. You could get multiple varieties of nasty germs on your hands, but if you don't let them inside your body, they're harmless. Don't bite your fingernails and don't rub your eyes. You don't get to pick your class, and you don't get to pick your nose, either. Leave that to the kids.

Keep your own personal supply of pencils and pens. Do NOT share them. Kids do a lot of things with their pencils...and some even write with them.

Don't drink from the water fountain. Haven't you ever seen a child make-out with the fountain? Guess they all "love" water. I teach all my students not to put their mouths on the fountain, but it doesn't seem to help. Don't touch the handrails, either. They are not only home to germs from everyone in your classroom but also from pretty much everyone in whole building.

Get any and all flu shots that are available. This year there may be an H1N1 vaccine in addition to the flu shot. If these vaccines aren't offered to school staff, threaten to hold your breath (also a health hazard) until your administration gives in.

And, last, but certainly not least, for the health of your feet (and knees and hips and back), invest in a good pair or shoes (or two or three). A wise person once said that the best way to get your mind off your troubles is to wear shoes that are too tight, and I think this saying is very true.

If you follow these tips during the coming school year, the only reason you'll need a sick day is for your mental health.