Course:	Talking to Teachers about Asthma / Talking to Teachers about Allergies and Anaphylaxis
ID:	SKTTA / SKTTAAA
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Talks to be given to school staff

Making a presentation to school staff is not as easy as making a presentation to a general audience. School personnel – whether teachers, counsellors, support staff, janitorial staff or school bus drivers – have, by law, an added responsibility to children in their care. They are “in loco parentis”. That is, they stand as parents and have the same responsibilities to ensure the well being of their young charges. Hence a presentation to school personnel has to be very different from one you would make to a general audience. Your presentation will not be well received if you tell them what they have to do. Your approach must be one that presents asthma or allergies from their viewpoint; that shows you understand the demands and difficulties they face; and clearly indicates the responsibilities of parents and school personnel.

To make it easier for you, we have two kits appropriately titled:

Talking to Teachers about Asthma
Talking to Teachers about Allergies and Anaphylaxis

Both kits have been carefully designed and tested to ensure that the presentation is appropriate to the needs of school personnel.

Each Kit contains all the material you need in order to give a talk. The only thing missing is an overhead projector, which you can easily rent or borrow. Each Kit contains:

• the complete text of your talk (what you have to say, written out in full)
• a full set of overhead transparencies (sometimes called “slides”) with pictures and text, to accompany your talk
• handouts that you can photocopy and leave with your audience.

Each Kit also contains useful support information. It tells you:

• how to obtain an invitation to give a talk
• how to prepare for your talk
• the best way to organize your materials
• how to use visual aids
• how to customize the talk
• how to practise the presentation
• what to do and what not to do before, during and after your presentation
• ways to handle questions
• what to say when you don’t know the answer to a question.

Every presentation in this series emphasises four points.

1 - how to deal with a student who is having an asthma exacerbation or an anaphylactic reaction

2 - what the school can do proactively to prevent incidents by both providing a safe environment and ensuring they have the medical information they need for each student

3 - the responsibilities of parents whose children have these diseases or conditions, and where they inter-relate to the responsibilities of the school

4 - where to go for more information.

The Talking to Teachers about Allergies and Anaphylaxis kit has two further advantages

1 - It comes complete with a trainer Epi-pen so that school staff can practise using the Epi-pen in comfort. Handling it reduces their trepidation in “giving needles’ and because they have had a chance to practise using one, they are less reluctant to use the actual Epi-pen in times of need. The fear of having to inject a student is a very real fear and many school personnel will avoid doing so. Unfortunately, that is often a reason in why students die of anaphylaxis. So, having the medication “trainer” helps reduce the fear factor.

2 - Since the time provided for your presentation is often limited because of other duties, this Kit provides both a short and long presentation that you can adjust to suit the time constraints.

The Kits use simple overheads rather than computer-based presentations. This allow you to give your talk almost anywhere, and with a minimum of equipment. Many audiences prefer the relaxed and friendly atmosphere created by a presentation that uses overheads. You don’t need to dim the lights (as with a slide presentation). This allows you to observe your audience and whether or not they understand what you are saying. Getting feedback from your audience is helpful in making sure that your are “connecting” with them.

The kits provide handouts that the school can photocopy and distribute to all its staff. Forms for parents to fill out are also included in each kit so that even as you make suggestions, you provide them with the means to implement them. All other handouts are kept to one page for quick reading and easy reference. This also ensures that they well be read and not filed away to be read "at some other time" (the same as being lost!)

The kits are complete. All you need is an audience of school personnel and an overhead projector.

Talking to Teachers About Asthma

• for parents and others wishing to make a presentation at school
• comes complete with handouts and 15 transparencies in a binder

Talking to Teachers About Allergies and Anaphylaxis

• for parents and others wishing to make a presentation at school
• comes complete with handouts and 29 transparencies in a binder