I'm looking for suggestions on revising my restroom policy. Last year students were allowed to go as a class before the first bell and after lunch. They were also allowed to go on an as needed basis. Naturally, several abused this privilege by going several times a day. I want to start out much stricter with the restroom breaks this year - but don't want any accidents either! I've already planned for 2 classroom breaks in the morning and afternoon. Anyone have other suggestions on how to manage this?
I've done it before where each child had a cup with two reds (morning) and one blue (afternoon) for bathroom breaks. I don't have as many bathroom breaks built in as you, though. Our morning is much longer than the afternoon, thus the two and one. Maybe for your schedule everyone only has one chip for the day? (Really, if you are breaking for the bathroom 4 times a day, they should be fine! But we all know that it doesn't matter how many breaks we take!)
Also, I had a little boy this year that would NOT go to the restroom while other kids were in there. He always waited and went later alone, it was just a shy/privacy issue.
I've always had the policy of stop on your way to...... (wherever). My class was the first one on the hallway, so we were very near the restroom, and the kids would just stop on their way back to class from PE, or on their way to music, etc. Since we were so close, it was easy for them to get back to class quickly. I hate taking "whole class" breaks, as I feel it cuts into class time. If I get too many wanting to go at the same time individually, I'll stop and take a break.. but I always finish what we're doing, and then give them work to take with them. We sit in the foyer with books and clipboards and work while they wait their turn. I don't like wasting time, especially for those who didn't need to go in the first place!
This year I'll be back out in a portable building... so I may have to revamp again... :-(
I do whole class bathroom breaks. We play a gme called silent ball during our breaks. The kids LOVE it. The kids can't talk and they throw the ball to eachother. If they don't catch it they're out or if they make a bad throw. You can also add questions about what you're learning to the game. If they can't answer your question they are out or they can get back in the game by answering a question correctly.
I thought the kids would get bored of the game, but they still loved it up to the last day of school. We do this twice a day, before lunch and after lunch. It doesn't take too long because the kids who don't have to go don't go because they want to stay in the game. The kids also don't take too long in the bathroom because they want to get back to play.
This game works really well for me and I also use this time as a time for kids to make up missed HW assignments.
Also, if a child needs to go throught the day, I let them go, but they know they have to sit out of silent ball when we play. Only a rarely do they have to go, and I jknow it is a real emergency.
I only take one whole class bathroom break each day. It is about a half hour after lunch and right before P.E. We stop at the bathroom on our way to the gym. I allow my students to go on an as needed basis.
If the class is working on something, they can take one of the passes. I only have two passes, so no more than two kids are out of the room at any given time. If we are doing something whole class and it is an absolute emergency, then they hold up two fingers and I will nod yes or no for them.
We discuss bathroom behavior at the beginning of the year by taking a trip down to the bathroom and talking about how long they should be in the bathroom, what their behavior should look and sound like, etc.
Most years, that is all I have to do and we never really have any problems outside those 1-2 kids that just cannot handle that kind of responsibility yet. Some years, I have had to restrict bathroom breaks to one in the morning and one in the afternoon and one year, the boys were not allowed to go to the bathroom without a male chaperone, so they had to wait until the custodian could come down and take them.
My kids take big advantage of this situation, but we are far from the bathroom and there are only 2 stalls in each one (old building). I put a big piece of white construction paper on the door. Only one person may go at a time and they must sign out in marker on the door. When they get back they put ONE line through their name so everyone can see right away if anyone is out. In part, this is also a safety issue since I need to know where everyone is in case of a fire drill. Another benefit of the paper is that I can see who is going out a lot and then I can talk to them privately. I mark the beginning of each day on the paper and a couple of times during the year I need to mark off morning and afternoon to make a point about how often some people are going. If someone goes what I consider too often I either call home or send a note to make sure there is not an overlooked health issue. Usually, that puts an end to it. This is not perfect but it works pretty well without too much effort from me.
Before lunch we take a whole class bathroom break to wash hands and use the restroom. During snack students must ask but are allowed to go as needed.
During the rest of the school day they must "sign out" and take the bathroom pass. I have a form where they put their name and time they left the room and the time they came back. I have a hidden agenda, they are getting practice telling time. My policy is you may only use the restroom once in the morning and once in the afternoon (not including lunch and snack time). Of course if a child needs to go more I let them, but it is rare that they need to. They are strongly encouraged to wait until I am not teaching. Most will hold it until they start on an assignment or when they finish their work.
I like the signing out because they get practice telling time and I have a record of how often they go. One year I had 2 students who asked and went a lot. Turns out they had a bladder infection. Thank goodness I let them go, but it was also great to have documentation of how often they were going (8 to 10 times a day). Hope this helps.
I'm not sure which grade you teach, but if they are only k or 1st place a digital clock by the door so they can just copy down the time. I had my k's do this in the past and it gave them practice writing numbers and learning how to place the colon in writing the digital time. 2nd graders could write the time to the nearest quarter hour, 5 minute mark, where ever they are at academically. My 3rd's have to write it to the minute, but they manage fine.
I am going to definitely do a sign out. I will be taking breaks at specific times so that the kids don't get disturbed during reading/math core.
I know one teacher who gave their kids around 2-3 tokens a day. They would have to "spend" these. It really cut down on the breaks. I didn't like it only because if it was a big emergency, the kids would have to spend. I believe there was a reward for not spending the tokens. I don't feel there should be reward for not going to the bathroom. It only cut down because half the time, the kids just wanted out of the classroom.
When a child asks me if they could go, I ask them if they can wait to go with the class. usually they can because a break is just right around the corner.
I am a coffee drinker, so I don't mind taking breaks right after a long reading time or math time.
I have a very relaxed policy. I have 2 passes--a girls' and a boys'. they may use the pass any time they wish, except when I am teaching to the whole class. They may not leave a small group that I am teaching either. Only one girl and/or boy may go at a time. We also allow the kids to keep a water bottle in their cubbies to get drinks as needed. This eliminated a lot of the "bathroom breaks" my kids were taking--often they said they needed to go to the restroom, when in fact they wanted to get a drink at the fountain. I teach 3rd, and once they realize that I really WILL let them go when they want, they don't abuse it.
I don't really have a system, I explain that if they need to go they should go right before or after recess or lunch, if the as during other times I let them, if it's during a lesson, I ask them to wait, unless it's an emergency, but I like the idea of two fingers during teaching times, I hate having interruptions for bathrooms breaks. If somebosy goes a lot I talk with the parents, but I am not sure if they are abusing it or need it, I don't want to deny anyone, if they really need it.
I have my own bathroom in our classroom. Other classes do a group break but I do not. We use the bathroom also for criers (I have preschool and kindergarten). The mirror is very fun for them too. Our door is only a 1/2 door so I see in. No one else is tall enough.
I teach second grade and I had my own bathroom in my classroom. Since it was right there they could go anytime they wanted. They were not allowed to go if I was in the middle of teaching to the whole group. I had a small stuffed dog (Brady the Bathroom Dog) that was a signal if there was someone in the bathroom or not. The door had to be closed at all times for space reasons. If Brady was on a child's desk, then they were in the bathroom. Brady would stay on thier desk until the next child went to the bathroom. The system worked well.
I encourage my kids to use the bathroom during recess and lunch time instead of during class. If they do need to go, they know not to ask while I am teaching unless it is a crucial emergancy. If they ask me during a work time, I will let them go as long as they aren't abusing the priviledge (It is easy to figure out who is!). This has worked well for me. Most of them go during recess.
here is something that worked really well for me this year. each student gets 2 popsicle sticks with their name on them. these are kept in their desk. when they need to use the bathroom they raise their stick. i shake my head yes, or no. they place their stick in a cup up front, take the pass, and use the bathroom. if they need to go again during the day, they use the second stick. when both sticks are gone, they may not use the bathroom again. if there is an emergency after using both sticks then they loose recess (unless there is an extreme circumstance) we also use the bathroom together twice a day, depending.
Melissanne=have you ever had parents complain if they found out that their child lost a recess if they went to the bathroom in an emergency?? If the kid has to go really bad, I wouldn't hold that against them. I understand half the time that the kid can hold it, but sometimes they say it's an emergency and it's really not. Is that what you were thinking?
I'm not trying to criticize, I'm just wondering. What are your extreme circumstances?? I'm a new teacher and just wondering if I should tighten the ropes on bathroom breaks.
06-27-2006, 05:38 AM
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