Surprising techniques

[MsCoffeeLover]

What is the restroom policy at your school? For the most part, the students are supposed to go before, at lunch (the teacher takes them), and after school. Instructional time is not lost because some students take advantage.

Even though you take them to the restroom, many kids still ask to go. If you let one person go, then more students ask. Some kids are really dramatic, and I let them go, but I am still having a hard time trying to figure out when to let a student go, who is trying to get out of class, and what cases are true emergencies. Add triage nurse to the list of teacher duties.

Here is where the surprise technique came in. We were studying the Excretory/Urinary Systems in Science and discussed some of the things that could potentially happen like Kidney stones and UTI's and Bladder infections.

The students were asked what population of people had the highest incidences of Urinary Tract Infections? A million hands go up, and they all say, "Teachers!" Then they were asked how could that be? Why would teachers have more cases of this?

The kids were honest and said because we don't get to leave our classrooms, and we have to hold it all the time. BINGO. Pleasantly, but matter of factly I told the kids that we have to go all the time, but we can't. So think about that every once in awhile. When you say you have to go badly, we really have to go worse and CANT leave the room or the kids to do so!

No one has asked to use the restroom since. :) Kids listen when you least expect it.

Anyway else care to share an effective technique that was never thought about, but ended up being an added bonus? The "Who Knew" of techniques?

[busbus]

Early in my career, I noticed how my colleagues would reprimand students for doing the same things that they did. In class, they would sip on their coffee, tea, soda or water; but, would reprimand students for doing the same. They would slip a mint or piece of chocolate into their mouth; but, would reprimand students for doing the same. Some chewed gum or continued eating a piece of "something" from breakfast, lunch or recess; but, reprimanded students for doing the same. I also noticed that during staff meetings or professional development sessions, these teachers had continuing conversations with others while presenters were presenting.

Aside from the going-ons at staff meetings, students are aware of teacher behaviors and will speak on it! How can I get angry when I tell a student to empty his/her mouth and they respond with, "Why? You're chewing!" or words to indicate that somewhere their seems to be a "double standard."

So, early in my career, to avoid these kind of responses, I told my students, "If I am chewing, eating, drinking or talking when I should be listening, you can do the same. However, when I empty my mouth you must do the same." This kept me aware of my behaviors. So when we began the day and I had been drinking coffee, I put my coffee aside. If I were chewing gum or eating something, I wrapped and threw my gum in the trash and/or put whatever I was eating aside. I did the same throughout the day. This made life easier for me and the students saw that I was being fair.

Still, today, I cannot understand how so many of my colleagues talk about their students' talking when they are trying to teach when they do the same thing during staff meetings and professional development! This has always bothered me. It is so annoying! :confused:

[MsCoffeeLover]

Still, today, I cannot understand how so many of my colleagues talk about their students' talking when they are trying to teach when they do the same thing during staff meetings and professional development! This has always bothered me. It is so annoying! :confused:

That has always bothered me too! Granted, none of us really want to be there, but we have to be there, so we might as well take something from it.

Also, kids notice and appreciate fairness and keeping your word. I am a big stickler for that. You don't know what a child deals with at home, but you do know what they deal with in your class. The world is cynical enough, and I would rather be the reason they have a little faith in humanity than the reason they don't. Not only do I try to teach, but I also try to restore hope to students that may not have any.

It is good that you do what the kids do because that is the fair thing to do, and it does send a message to the kids. How can they not follow a policy when the adult is also following policy?

With that said, I don't chew gum either or eat in class. My cell phone is locked away and turned off in a closet because if the kids bring them to school, they also have to keep them in their locker. And YES! even when I walk in the hallway, unless I am walking next to them to monitor, I walk inside the same line on the same side of the hallway as they do.

It is the littlest things that really make a difference.

[Bananas]

I call this the revolving door syndrome. One asks to go, and somehow three or four more need to go. I don't allow them to leave during my instruction time--they must wait until independent seatwork. If they ask twice, they are desperate and I might let them. There are a few of mine who have a physical necessity in going when they need to.

Our passing periods are only three minutes long. We ask that they go to their lockers, get the supplies needed, not carry their bookbag, use the restroom, which are few available for the number of students, get a drink, where their are long lines, etc. while not being late. Most of my resource kids are short on the organizational skills.

I know the few who use it as an excuse. Some of mine find the restroom as an outlet for them when they are overwhelmed or very frustrated. It is a means of them to get out of the environment and get themselves in better self-control.

I am also conscious of being female with "that time of the month" needs, and mine were excessive. These times are difficult for the middle school students, and cycles don't always accommodate the bell schedule.

I always have some food to share when I feel the need to nibble in my class. They just might get three M&M's when I feel the taste for a little bit of chocolate. Baby carrots would seem like steak to them also. They go over big! Kids in my 4th hour class are often lucky as they get freebies before my lunch hour. :)

[Mountshasta]

That has always bothered me too! Granted, none of us really want to be there, but we have to be there, so we might as well take something from it.

Also, kids notice and appreciate fairness and keeping your word. I am a big stickler for that. You don't know what a child deals with at home, but you do know what they deal with in your class. The world is cynical enough, and I would rather be the reason they have a little faith in humanity than the reason they don't. Not only do I try to teach, but I also try to restore hope to students that may not have any.

It is good that you do what the kids do because that is the fair thing to do, and it does send a message to the kids. How can they not follow a policy when the adult is also following policy?

With that said, I don't chew gum either or eat in class. My cell phone is locked away and turned off in a closet because if the kids bring them to school, they also have to keep them in their locker. And YES! even when I walk in the hallway, unless I am walking next to them to monitor, I walk inside the same line on the same side of the hallway as they do.

It is the littlest things that really make a difference.

The title "teacher" is just a title. It comes with no guarantee holder has cornered market on mutual respect, empathy, modeling, social skills, or professionalism. I often tell parents if they really want to see how their child behaves observe at recess when not supervised closely. Same applies to teachers. Watch them in their classrooms, staff rooms, at staff meetings.

I recall my first ST experience many years ago. I was required to attend staff meetings as part of program. Until then my vision of a teacher was someone who didn't drink, smoke, swear, and attended church nightly. A first-year teacher had attended a conference and was presenting her findings to the staff -- overhead, slides, handouts etc. In short she had put a lot of work into her presentation. I looked around the room. Two teachers were leaning towards each other talking and yukking it up. Two more had heads down, papers out, and grading. One female teacher was knitting. After her presentation the teacher began to cry and left room. I was shocked.

Later I asked the principal how these teachers could get away with behavior like that? In most "professional" jobs they would be fired. Principal let out a sigh, "I agree with you. I would like to fire them. I have tried. Their union protected them and said I was picking on them."

[RibbityRibbit]

I don't have a limit on times they can go to the bathroom. They give me a signal, I nod and they can go. I just want to know where they are.

I don't let them go every time at that exact moment... for example, if I am giving directions, they must wait until their work time begins, and they need to go quickly. I don't feel like I have a problem with kids going too much. I have a kid who goes just about first thing in the am every day. I have a feeling mom wakes him up, and sends him to school in a mad rush every day.

If I felt that kids were taking advantage of the bathroom, my policy might change. I have kids who rarely go, or I don't notice so much. I had one boy who went a lot and we realized had anxiety and this was one of the ways he would deal with getting out of class. When you think about why they are going, it can make more sense as to how you want to solve the problem.

1- are they antsy? need to walk around? Maybe allow some group work in the classroom that gets them moving around a little more?

2- are they bored? Any way to make the lessons more interactive or engaging?

3- is the work too hard? Any way to help that child with extra tutoring or some adapted assignments (if IEP present)

some things that may help are to have shorter lectures and more discussions with the group. If they are actively engaged, perhaps they will be thinking less about getting up to go somewhere. Also, there are times people just have to go. If one person does it, and that's it, then it's likely legit... otherwise, I would wonder what you can do to solve the problem aside from refusing to let kids go. That could cause some real problems, possibly legal. I had a student whose mother was furious that her other teacher wouldn't let her go to the bathroom and threatened to sue. (I don't think they could have, but you never know.) That kid did have a medical condition and the other teacher said that unless she had a note she couldn't go. I knew the day she came into my class smelling like urine I would let her go if she needed to. How horrible.

This year I have a goof off type boy and he asked to go to the bathroom. 20 minutes later, he still was not back. I was mad, thinking he was playing around or maybe worse (made a run for it and left school!) I went to check on him and he was in the bathroom, sick with diarrhea everywhere including in his pants!!!

Anyway, you never know what could be happening... poor kiddo was really sick! He could barely clean himself because he was so delirious and had a temp and everything. I felt bad because my first instinct was that he was getting into trouble.

[Bananas]

Bathroom story:

I subbed for one teacher, and a student asked if he could use the restroom. So he never returned the remaining 20 minutes of class. I popped my head into the Principal's office to let him know about the student. When I was subbing there the next day, the principal came in grinning to let me know that the student had used the bathroom, at home. Detention.

So on occasion, when a student asks to go to the restroom, I throw in--"the school's restroom?" They look at me.

[MsCoffeeLover]

What's ironic is that if they have to go during class, they can go, but they are assigned a detention. When you say that, several students don't have to go anymore. I have one that automatically has his agenda in hand and says, "I gotta go bad. I will take the detention." And, sure enough, he showed up for detention the next day. I think that kid just likes hanging out with me any way.

We don't mind if kids go in between classes as long as they have a teacher sign a pass. They can go before my class if the previous teacher or me signs the agenda because then we think they are late. If they have their agenda in hand right before class and ask, I will let them go. One teacher does not let the students go at all, and there is one kid with a medical excuse, so I let him go when he comes to class.

However, the kids then began to ask, "Why does so and so get to go everyday?" and I am not about to tell the kids his excuse. So I asked the kid that goes to the bathroom everyday if he wouldn't mind asking right before class instead of asking when everyone is in class. He does arrive first, and I sign his agenda.

But there is always that question.

[Bananas]

I notice a pattern by a few students in asking me to sign their agendas during my class a bit after breakfast or after lunch. These are kids who are pretty responsible, so I tend to think that they have the need. I know that my body has its own schedule upon digestion, so I respect the kids' needs. They simply must wait for the instruction to finish and go on to their individual work.