My classroom has been miserably cold for weeks. Think 63-65 degrees. I have a jacket and a blanket. The a/c is still on. I was told there was nothing they could do. Today it's 61 degrees. It's been so miserably cold I can't even focus on what I'm doing. It's just ridiculous.
I tend to run hot, but that is too cold for an extended period of time. What was their reasoning for “there’s nothing we can do?” No one knows where the on/off switch is???????
That temperature all day is miserable. Their thinking maybe that germs are more resistant in cold or Indian Summer is coming and everyone will be crabbing about the heat.
One thing that helped me was to have a folded blanket or foam cushion so my feet were insulated from the floor. Because of my spine/back issues I got away with having an over sized heating pad. (just remember to un-plug when not in the room-mine went in my tote bag at night) I have also learned to wear my 'summer tank tops' as undershirts tucked into my undies. It makes warmth right against my skin and keeps the draft off my back.
When you come back from medical leave have your doctor state your work area must be __ degrees. That might get some heat.
They make electric throw blankets...I mean, it’s ridiculous you have to resort to that, but it’s also ridiculous to have to freeze in your own classroom.
DH has colleagues that put small space heaters under their desks because maintanence won’t turn on the heat until a certain time. Are they allowed? Not really, but they’re also not willing to freeze in November because the heat still isn’t on and it’s snowing.
Space heaters were a hard no. I have a blanket. I think part of the issue is there are no kids so if you don’t have 20-something other bodies the room doesn’t warm up. I also think they still have the a/c on. I was pretty patient about it a week or so ago, but now I’m just cranky.
Well, that's the temperature in my house also. 61. I'm a little cold, but not too bad. I do dress in layers. I've got a cotton cami under a long sleeved t-shirt under a 3/4 sleeve cotton sweater under a fleece. And definitely socks. You might want to see if wearing a hat helps.
Our furnace gets its fall clean and check tomorrow and then we're turning it on!
We had that problem in early September, except the air wasn’t on. NOw they turned on the heat and the air isn’t available. Of course the air would be nice on most days and we don’t need the heat yet. I sit back by the heater and I am sweating most afternoons.
My building was built in the early 1900s - of course it's been updated since then but the heating system is so wonky that sometimes it's freezing cold and sometimes it's sweltering. (And no, we don't have AC.) We were also given a hard no on the space heaters... when it's 62 in my room and I have kids with significant disabilities I don't give a flying F what the rules are. Fortunately my P never ever steps foot in my classroom (which is a whole other story ). Aren't you virtual? Does anyone actually come in your room? That heater would be under my table and out of sight keeping my feet warm for sure.
I feel your pain - literally. That’s what it’s like in my classroom in winter. I’m at the end of the line and it seems only half the distribution system in my room gets heat in pipes. I use fingerless gloves when there are no kids. Those extra bodies help! I bought an outdoor black vest to keep in my room, along with sweaters and sweatshirts of different weights.
They make small space heaters that you can stick under your desk or table.
Some teachers in my building will put items over the air conditioning vent.
Our heating/air system is on a timer supposedly controlled at the main maintenance site. It turns on and shuts off on a calendar schedule and lowers/raises the temp after a certain time of day, usually about 2 hours after school dismisses.
Makes for some cold parent/teacher nights and basketball games.
In my previous job, I often had to deal with that. The fitness center, which was open to the community, was in my wing so our whole wing was over air-conditioned and under-heated. My solution was a base layer of thermal silk.
Of course, every now and then someone would gripe that the fitness center was too cold. Then they'd crank the heat and it would be beastly hot for a few days. I'd have to go to the ladies room and peel off my base layer or sweat all day. I'd better not leave my thermal silk at home, though, because inevitably somebody would then gripe that the fitness center was too hot and we'd go back to being chilly. That's if the heat was working. Every now and then it would just quit. I've taught in a room that was 55-58 degrees all day.
Now I'm in a room that's always hot. There's no air-conditioning in the building, except in the front office. My room has big windows that face south so the sun shines in all day. The only time it's not hot is if it's really cold outside and there's no sunshine. To make it even more perfect, only one of the windows has a screen on it.
What about an electric blanket? I would be so cold and miserable if the temp was that low in my classroom. I'm sorry...hopefully they will adjust it soon for you!
There's no worse torture than being miserably cold at work. Ok, yes there is, but this is definitely top 5. I have a space heater that I use(I know you said that you couldn't). Good luck layering up. I'd be obnoxious and wear my coat and gloves.😆
That was me last year. The heat went out in my room. Since we were moving into a new building they would not fix it. I did okay for a few days, but then I just got so tired of being cold I cried!! I was miserable. I could not use a heater either because it would blow fuses. I bought one those heated jackets. I could not stand the cold all the time!
I agree that it could be a union issue, as it relates to your work environment. You might also have some luck going personally into the district office to talk to someone about it. If the thermostats are controlled remotely, it's probably a sure bet that they don't even think about what it's like in your room without students. Worth a try, if your admin won't go to bat on this.
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10-05-2020, 07:55 AM
