Calling any and all bathroom policies and procedures. We are one week into 4th grade and I can see using the bathroom too often is very quickly going to become a problem. What do you do? Thanks.
I use a system like a yacker tracker. My husband made me a stoplight (before you could manipulate the yacker tracker) When the light is on red, just like a traffic light you are not permitted out of your seat (this would be during a test, morning announcements, important directions, etc. ) yellow light - wait. You can move the room, but you cannot leave. Green free movement - Get the pass put it i\on your desk, check your name off the chart, go. If the pass is not hanging someone is there and you must wait. I use a chart so students have the opportunity to go once in the am once in the pm. I also use every opportunity to take the entire class or send tables so we do not have a potty parade.
So far, I've been using a bathroom pass. They can't go while I'm teaching unless it's a dire emergency (I only have one in the class whose parent spoke to me about bathroom issues and that's the only one I allow w/o thinking twice about). They can go when we have break as long as they take the pass. I don't let more kids go than I have passes for if that makes sense.
I do two different things. I have bathroom passes that I make from construction paper for some abusers. They can go to the bathroom twice per morning and afternoon. They can go anytime during lunch they need to.
I also have a bathroom sign up so kids write the time time they went in and time they came out. Kids have to say the condition of the bathroom when they went in and when they came out. It's real easy to see who is constantly in the bathroom. I also check with parents to make sure there is no medical reason that they need to go to the bathroom so often. That usually takes care of it.
BUT only one at a time. I have magnets with their names on them and a large magnet (Thankx Vista Print!!) that says "__________LEFT to go to the washroom, be RIGHT back"
They are to put their magnet on the blank so I know who is out. As a class, we go after gym and they have to have permission from staff during lunch and recess. I HATE when someone puts their hand up only to say "Can I go to the washroom?" It is NOT important enough for me to monitor their bathroom use!
That being said, I notice abusers and limit to once in AM and once in PM simply by putting their magnet on their desk in the AM and again in the PM.
I teach 5 and there has never been much trouble with this system.
When I taught fifth grade I made laminated passes and gave each child 5 each week. I put their name on them. I passed out the ones that I collected at the beginning of the next week. They were allowed to use these at anytime that I wasn't teaching. When they ran out they either had to give me a slip from our classroom economy or 5 minutes off of recess. They also had 3-4 other opportunities to use the bathroom during the day when we were going to or from lunch, before or after specials or our afternoon break.
I noticed the same problem with my fourth graders. I began taking them in between every subject. This has greatly eliminated any one asking to go during lessons. They use the restroom after eating breakfast, in between reading and writing, after lunch, and in between math and content I found it is worth the 3 or 4 minute break in between subjects as students know they have the opportunity to go and also it gives them a little break to chat with friends and have some "down" time.
I haven't started back yet, but plan to use my new clipboard that has a clock. They are to sign out and in when they need to leave the room. If they are staying out too long or going too often, it will be documented. I will call parents as needed. I'm hoping this will cut out some of the time my kids spent out of the room last year.
but they have bathroom passes they have to keep up with. They give it to the teacher when they leave class and she initials it. They can only go in dire emergencies. Each pass has 5 boxes and they get one pass every nine weeks. It encourages them to go between classes and during breaks.
For younger kids you could give them one pass for every 2 weeks. I've thought about doing this and giving a prize to the kids who don't use theirs. I take them to the bathroom 4 times a day so there is no reason for them to have to go during class unless they are playing in the bathrooms.
I teach fifth grade. When my class was in the lower grades (1-4 or 2-4) they were only able to go to the bathroom before and after recesses and specials. Other than that, they couldn't go. I'm not a fan of this because I know that if you really have to go to the bathroom, you often aren't focused on learning because you have to go so badly!
I started off the year by showing students where the bathroom passes were and that 1 boy and 1 girl could be gone at the same time. I then explained that they could go whenever, as long it was not when I or someone else was teaching or during a test. My kids were very excited about this...they liked having more freedom. However, right away I addressed the frequency by telling them that if people are using the bathroom too often, I won't hesitate to take away the privilege and go back to what their class had to do in previous years. We have only been in school 2 days, but so far it has not been a problem.
I teach 3rd. If a student asks to go during instruction, I ask him "Is it an emergency, or can you wait until instruction is done?" I try to make them wait until either recess, specials, or at least during independent work time. If a kid tells me it's an emergency, I let him go no matter what. Of course, if it's an emergency every day, I meet with the parent to ask about medical need. If there are none, I conference with the student about trying to get out of work. I might make him/her stay in for a few minutes at recess to make up for time missed if the work is not getting done. Once they know I have gotten their numbers about trying to get out of work, the desire to go stops
I have a very simple solution and rarely do kids need to use the restroom in my class!
(I'm on block schedule)
I pass out 8 bathroom passes on the first week of school. (can be adjusted)
2 per quarter. Students attach them to their agendas.
They may use them any time no questions asked. They don't need my permission.
They fill them out and leave them on my desk.
Any unused passes are extra credit at the end of the quearter - worth 1% each.
Simple and amazing how well it works. NO ONE wants to use the bathroom in my class.
They all save it for the extra credit points "just in case".
I tell my students they may go whenever they would like, as long as I'm not teaching. They do have to take a pass and only one girl and one boy can go at a time, but other than that it's up to them. I've done this for a couple of years now and it works out well. Every once in a while there is a student who abuses it, but I just nip it in the bud as soon as I notice. We've been back for 2 days now and there are probably a couple who are going more than they need to right now, but I'll keep my eye on it and as they get used to our schedule and being back in school we may talk about it more if it continues to be a problem.
Thanks all! I think I will limit it to once in the morning and once in the afternoon, I just wanted to read through responses here to see if that was evil or not
I do give some passes each six weeks. Once they are used up they can borrow from a friend if they'd like. However, I will never deny someone a trip to the bathroom if they really need to go.
I do this... I say, so you have no passes and you need to go? Okay, but you have to make up your time at lunch or after school and stay two minutes when the bell rings. That way I can see if it is really necessary for them to go. Some say, Yes, that's fine and some say nevermind.
Like many others I use a pass that the kiddos keep up with, I teach 5th grade and my homeroom students switch for Math and Science, while I get my teammates home room. We have a laminated pass that each student gets that have 20 passes for the quarter. This allows for them to use the bathroom at a non bathroom designated time or get something from their homeroom that they forgot with out getting penalized. When the smilies are up then their freedom to leave is restricted.
I am not a fan of not letting a child use the restroom when they have to, but this has cut down on the movement.
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09-04-2011, 03:06 PM
