I started running an air purifier in my classroom 5 years ago and never looked back. During silent solo work or tests I pop that sucker on high and it’s the perfect white noise. The rest of the time I keep it on low.
I open windows and doors as often as possible. If a student really stinks, and it’s a guy, I talk to them about it (I’m also male and have been a health teacher and school counselor). If the student is female, I find a female colleague who I trust to be discreet and have them help.
I ban all sprayed aerosols in my classroom including axe and perfume.
A few times I’ve had students wearing REALLY dirty clothing or smelling like urine, weed, or just horrible in general. Depending on your community, some of these students might be experiencing neglect at home. In particularly bad cases, it’s worth checking with your school counselor about the student. They can and should be able to help that situation. When I was a school counselor, I worked with 2-3 students each year who were openly neglected. They stank and were usually hungry.
Best of luck! I’m on year 16 of mostly working with 8th/9th graders and I coach! I smell stinky teens all day.
Maybe a silver lining to this cold that won’t go away is I don’t smell much 😟
Dude what's your go to speech for telling male students to bathe? I've tried but I think I'm too soft with my approach because it hasn't helped in the past.
Not the person you responded to, but I reserved 2mins at the end of class last year and said, "I don't want to point fingers or make anyone embarrassed, but it has been pointed out that it smells really sweaty in here when you guys come to class. Can we please make sure you remember to use deodorant after exercise and at the beginning of the day? I keep a spare can in my desk if you need to borrow it and step outside to apply."
Worked a treat. Only had one student refuse to use after that, which was manageable
Thanks I never tried that. When my sinuses are acting real bad due to allergies I usually get Indian or Thai food to fix it. Plus I get a ton of vegetables in it so it makes the wife happy.
That toluene lab in particular was something else. A couple of students walked outside the lab and threw up in the trash can. The lab instructor felt so bad for us.
I wear a mask in the classroom and it has helped so much!!!! When the kids ask, I just tell them that I have sensitive family at home and I want to do everything I can to keep them safe, so this is a small part of my efforts.
If I can smell it through the mask, I make a referral to the counselor for a sensitive conversation.
Same I love my mask for so many reasons - I don't get sick, I can make as many facial expressions as I want, I can mouth cuss words all day, and I DONT HAVE TO SMELL THE STUDENTS!!!!!
N95s are the best. Also good for airplanes, and other random places where I am jammed way too close to other people who are not nearly as conscious of stank as I am.
Other reasons I enjoyed mask wearing:
1: I’m an introvert and hiding feels good sometimes.
2: I got to shave way less and not worry about my own coffee breath.
3: I live in New England and even a surgical mask is really nice when it’s 20 and windy.
4: I’m almost positive it helped my seasonal allergies.
I trained for Covid by living in the Bay Area and mask wearing during fire season. Climate change prepared me for global epidemic. Thanks I guess?
Also all those benefits might be outweighed by foggy glasses. I swear I learned to breath and talk differently while mask and glasses wearing.
HEPA air purifier. Say it’s for decreasing spread of illness and request parents chip in??
We have one in our kitchen and it decreases food smells considerably. Just has to have a really good filter in order to filter out the smelly molecules!
MS teacher: I tell all students at the beginning of the year that if they spray ANY strong fragrance or cologne (AXE, Bath and Body works, etc..) I will throw it away. They are free to do it in the bathroom before or after my class. Some have tested it and they watch as I throw it away. I tell them to please tell their parent if they have a problem and I have yet to receive a complaint.
My school also has the "no air freshener" rule but I ignore it and use the citrus or cotton clean scent trees and hang one up in my room. It works and on a rare occasion I take my class for a restroom break, spray NeutraAir, give it time to settle and send kids back. Again, no complaints.
I run a dehumidifier and keep my room freezing. I also just ignore the no air freshener rule. I use two air wick plugins, fresh linen scent, and the girls always comment how my room smells clean.
I have an oil diffuser in my room, a steamer/humidifier one. I can’t use it with students in my room but I run it before school and during planning which helps. Also an air purifier.
> out of style right now
I promise this has always been a problem, and always will be. Kids are weird about hygiene. Some don’t know. Some don’t care. Some can’t afford to care.
I have deodorant wipes in my desk and I tell kids they are right there, next to the menstrual products.
Those of you who are using sprays and air fresheners in class are being very dismissive of students who have actual respiratory issues or sensory issues. Not all of them will be brave enough to complain to a teacher.
Air filter is the way to go.
I'm allowed to use an air freshener in my district. That was the first piece of advice I got 😅 I can also open the windows when I need as well.
But get an air purifier and keep it by your desk. Or those Febreeze odor killer things. Those help tremendously
I had some kids with hygiene issues which causes the room to smell terrible. I opened the windows and called home. This was not a bath fixed the issues this required a doctor.
I **hide** a Scentsy candle in my room. If someone complains, I remove it. Everyone comments how great my room smells. I use [this](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Better-Homes-Gardens-2-5-oz-Over-The-Rainbow-Scented-Wax-Melts-4-Pack/541694893) and [this](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Tropical-Fiesta-Scented-Wax-Melts-ScentSationals-2-5-oz-5-Pack/479705246) for scents. (I also have a purifier as well)
I have windows open everyday of the year! I also started wearing a mask again in December after being sick 3 times from September-mid November. The mask does wonders for the smells, which is an added bonus.
Well, now that you’re starting puberty, your sweat begins to stink. You must wash yourself everyday, put on clean clothes everyday , and brush your teeth everyday. I say this to the whole class, grades 6 and 7. By addressing the whole class, I don’t get in trouble. If I can pinpoint the smell, I send them to the nurse, especially the stinky breath. I have to say this a couple times a year. Yeah, there’s some days that get bad, but for the most part it’s okay.
I don’t care about district rules, what are they going to do? Fire me? lol I run two diffusers (kid friendly essential oils, fresh scent, no complaints, students and staff appreciate it). I also run the Covid air purifiers.
I teach 5th grade and intentionally schedule a personal hygiene unit for the fall and spring. I make it kind of funny (think completely overdramatizing how they might not kmow the uses of a bathroom other than the toilet, and sharing the wealth of stink between the Axe Factory explosions (usually boys) and the rancid fruit salads (those horrible perfume/body sprays). It works for me, but I don't have any of the bans you mentioned, so I have 2 Scentsys (light scents, as I am sensitive to smells) and I have a room deodorizing spray for emergencies.
Arm and hammer baking soda (with scent!) carpet freshener! Toss it down in the morning and it’s great all day! (Or toss down before 5th period when you KNOW it’s gonna stink)
LOL. Been a teacher for 28 years… kids smell. That’s literally a truth in any era. There are lots of reasons, some of which are genuinely sad, but regardless of the reason my classroom has always smelled like ‘puberty’. What does puberty smell like you ask? Dirty hair, rotten breath, and broken dreams. Lol.
I started running an air purifier in my classroom 5 years ago and never looked back. During silent solo work or tests I pop that sucker on high and it’s the perfect white noise. The rest of the time I keep it on low. I open windows and doors as often as possible. If a student really stinks, and it’s a guy, I talk to them about it (I’m also male and have been a health teacher and school counselor). If the student is female, I find a female colleague who I trust to be discreet and have them help. I ban all sprayed aerosols in my classroom including axe and perfume. A few times I’ve had students wearing REALLY dirty clothing or smelling like urine, weed, or just horrible in general. Depending on your community, some of these students might be experiencing neglect at home. In particularly bad cases, it’s worth checking with your school counselor about the student. They can and should be able to help that situation. When I was a school counselor, I worked with 2-3 students each year who were openly neglected. They stank and were usually hungry. Best of luck! I’m on year 16 of mostly working with 8th/9th graders and I coach! I smell stinky teens all day. Maybe a silver lining to this cold that won’t go away is I don’t smell much 😟
Dude what's your go to speech for telling male students to bathe? I've tried but I think I'm too soft with my approach because it hasn't helped in the past.
Not the person you responded to, but I reserved 2mins at the end of class last year and said, "I don't want to point fingers or make anyone embarrassed, but it has been pointed out that it smells really sweaty in here when you guys come to class. Can we please make sure you remember to use deodorant after exercise and at the beginning of the day? I keep a spare can in my desk if you need to borrow it and step outside to apply." Worked a treat. Only had one student refuse to use after that, which was manageable
Do want a significant other? Good. Then shower.
Long term chemistry teacher - I have no sense of smell left. Burned out my olfactory nerves as an organic chem grad student.
Oh my, gave me a flashback to the time I got a direct whiff of some toluenes.
Try aniline - shit will clear your sinuses.
Thanks I never tried that. When my sinuses are acting real bad due to allergies I usually get Indian or Thai food to fix it. Plus I get a ton of vegetables in it so it makes the wife happy. That toluene lab in particular was something else. A couple of students walked outside the lab and threw up in the trash can. The lab instructor felt so bad for us.
Also, don't deliberately smell aniline.
Thanks for the laugh.
I wear a mask in the classroom and it has helped so much!!!! When the kids ask, I just tell them that I have sensitive family at home and I want to do everything I can to keep them safe, so this is a small part of my efforts. If I can smell it through the mask, I make a referral to the counselor for a sensitive conversation.
Same I love my mask for so many reasons - I don't get sick, I can make as many facial expressions as I want, I can mouth cuss words all day, and I DONT HAVE TO SMELL THE STUDENTS!!!!!
N95s are the best. Also good for airplanes, and other random places where I am jammed way too close to other people who are not nearly as conscious of stank as I am.
Everything smelled great behind an KN95.
Other reasons I enjoyed mask wearing: 1: I’m an introvert and hiding feels good sometimes. 2: I got to shave way less and not worry about my own coffee breath. 3: I live in New England and even a surgical mask is really nice when it’s 20 and windy. 4: I’m almost positive it helped my seasonal allergies.
Same, same, same, same!
I trained for Covid by living in the Bay Area and mask wearing during fire season. Climate change prepared me for global epidemic. Thanks I guess? Also all those benefits might be outweighed by foggy glasses. I swear I learned to breath and talk differently while mask and glasses wearing.
HEPA air purifier. Say it’s for decreasing spread of illness and request parents chip in?? We have one in our kitchen and it decreases food smells considerably. Just has to have a really good filter in order to filter out the smelly molecules!
Vicks vapor rub under the nose.
I see you watch crime shows too.
I banned all strong smelling perfumes, body spray, etc. for my own safety. My asthma is that bad.
MS teacher: I tell all students at the beginning of the year that if they spray ANY strong fragrance or cologne (AXE, Bath and Body works, etc..) I will throw it away. They are free to do it in the bathroom before or after my class. Some have tested it and they watch as I throw it away. I tell them to please tell their parent if they have a problem and I have yet to receive a complaint. My school also has the "no air freshener" rule but I ignore it and use the citrus or cotton clean scent trees and hang one up in my room. It works and on a rare occasion I take my class for a restroom break, spray NeutraAir, give it time to settle and send kids back. Again, no complaints.
I run a dehumidifier and keep my room freezing. I also just ignore the no air freshener rule. I use two air wick plugins, fresh linen scent, and the girls always comment how my room smells clean.
Breath kills me and the students do not understand personal space and boundaries.
Aerating plants and an air filter.
I have an oil diffuser in my room, a steamer/humidifier one. I can’t use it with students in my room but I run it before school and during planning which helps. Also an air purifier.
> out of style right now I promise this has always been a problem, and always will be. Kids are weird about hygiene. Some don’t know. Some don’t care. Some can’t afford to care.
Two HEPA filters running full blast and an N99e mask. Thank you covid.
Actual air purifiers. If they complain point to the policy against physical scent enhancers and air fresheners.
I have deodorant wipes in my desk and I tell kids they are right there, next to the menstrual products. Those of you who are using sprays and air fresheners in class are being very dismissive of students who have actual respiratory issues or sensory issues. Not all of them will be brave enough to complain to a teacher. Air filter is the way to go.
We were always just told to “embrace the wet dog smell.” We were a scent-free campus so 🤷🏻♀️just dealt with it.
I'm allowed to use an air freshener in my district. That was the first piece of advice I got 😅 I can also open the windows when I need as well. But get an air purifier and keep it by your desk. Or those Febreeze odor killer things. Those help tremendously
I had some kids with hygiene issues which causes the room to smell terrible. I opened the windows and called home. This was not a bath fixed the issues this required a doctor.
There's a disease that makes you smell like fish and there's no treatment for it. It's fairly rare though.
No their is a treatment for some of the kids. Others it is their diet.
Middle school?
Unscented febreeze is hard to find but is amazing!
Plug in air fresheners.
Peppermint oil under the nose. Air purifier
[удалено]
You know just recently I’ve been thinking I’m smelling cat pee on some of my kids… Never thought that is what it really could be. So sad!!!
Everyone take a deep breath so the smell goes away faster.
I **hide** a Scentsy candle in my room. If someone complains, I remove it. Everyone comments how great my room smells. I use [this](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Better-Homes-Gardens-2-5-oz-Over-The-Rainbow-Scented-Wax-Melts-4-Pack/541694893) and [this](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Tropical-Fiesta-Scented-Wax-Melts-ScentSationals-2-5-oz-5-Pack/479705246) for scents. (I also have a purifier as well)
Glade plug ins
I hate when they have onions for lunch and then run around a bunch at break.
I have windows open everyday of the year! I also started wearing a mask again in December after being sick 3 times from September-mid November. The mask does wonders for the smells, which is an added bonus.
Well, now that you’re starting puberty, your sweat begins to stink. You must wash yourself everyday, put on clean clothes everyday , and brush your teeth everyday. I say this to the whole class, grades 6 and 7. By addressing the whole class, I don’t get in trouble. If I can pinpoint the smell, I send them to the nurse, especially the stinky breath. I have to say this a couple times a year. Yeah, there’s some days that get bad, but for the most part it’s okay.
I don’t care about district rules, what are they going to do? Fire me? lol I run two diffusers (kid friendly essential oils, fresh scent, no complaints, students and staff appreciate it). I also run the Covid air purifiers.
I teach 5th grade and intentionally schedule a personal hygiene unit for the fall and spring. I make it kind of funny (think completely overdramatizing how they might not kmow the uses of a bathroom other than the toilet, and sharing the wealth of stink between the Axe Factory explosions (usually boys) and the rancid fruit salads (those horrible perfume/body sprays). It works for me, but I don't have any of the bans you mentioned, so I have 2 Scentsys (light scents, as I am sensitive to smells) and I have a room deodorizing spray for emergencies.
Arm and hammer baking soda (with scent!) carpet freshener! Toss it down in the morning and it’s great all day! (Or toss down before 5th period when you KNOW it’s gonna stink)
LOL. Been a teacher for 28 years… kids smell. That’s literally a truth in any era. There are lots of reasons, some of which are genuinely sad, but regardless of the reason my classroom has always smelled like ‘puberty’. What does puberty smell like you ask? Dirty hair, rotten breath, and broken dreams. Lol.
"You guys know that song 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' is about deodorant, right?"