The Education Wonks
I like your policy. It wouldn't work at my school (buses leave about 30 seconds after the bell rings), but the solution puts the responsibility for staying in class on the children.
That's a great idea. My policy is to never say yes immediately. I'll say, let's finish this up first...half the time they forget they "need" to go. And I NEVER let more than one leave at the same time.
You handle the situation very well. I have NEVER denied a child's request to go to the restroom. At times I've asked if they could wait awhile, but I've never denied the request.
Just this morning, though, another teacher on bus duty with me refused to let a child go because he "should have gone before he came to the bus room." I wrote about this topic once after another situation occurred at my school. I should look up the URL if anyone wants to read it . . . (quick break to look it up) Here it is: http://themediansib.com/2005/10/...athroom-breaks/
We're in the middle of a "bathroom debate" at our school. Seems some teachers give extra credit if a student doesn't ask to go to the bathroom. Every time they ask, they lose some of their extra credit points. The result is that they get to their other classes and ask to go. We just got a memo from the principal yesterday banning this practice, so we'll see what happens with that.
Personally, I think teenagers ought to be able to go to the bathroom and come right back without an inquisition from me. I have one bathroom pass- if it's hanging by the door, you can go. If not, you have to wait until it comes back. The kids police each other and will say something if someone uses the pass too often or is gone too long.
This makes me sad, but also thrilled I work in an elementary school. I currently have second graders for Literacy for an hour and a half. They have the chance to go to the bathroom during the 10 min snack before class. I don't let any of them go in the first 45 minutes of class, because they shouldn't have to go that soon if they already went.
I have a concern about a school that punishes students for being late to class (possibly for stopping by the bathroom on the way), but also won't let them leave to use the bathroom.
This is all silliness! Let the kids go to the rest room. Who cares? You are not being paid enough to CARE!!!!! One day not too long ago, maybe 30 years ago?), I refused to let one of two brothers go to the bathroom. One brother said," Go ahead Ernie, whip it out and go to the bathroom!" He whipped it out, so I said, "Go to the bathroom, Ernie!"
If they want to go to the bathroom and NOT learn about "Gone With The Wind," then WHO CARES?????????????? Life is short...
I remember being in 7th grade and thinking I'd started my period in the middle of math class. Our teacher believed that the 5 minutes of passing time was adequate to get to our lockers, put up books from one class, get our books for the next, get to the bathroom AND get to our next class on time. So I wasn't allowed to use the restroom during class.
I wound up starting my period in class and spent the next SIX MONTHS being teased over it. I've hated math since. Perhaps there's a tie?
Either way, I agree with Quintilisu, to some extent: it's a teacher's job to educate. If a kid's going to the bathroom excessively, and missing instruction time in the process, keep a record of it. When Mommy or Daddy start bitching about grades, point out how much time Junior's butt's been in the bathroom instead of the classroom.
I'm with Kate and Lady S. Once I had a UTI and had a teacher who didn't believe in bathroom breaks. Apparently the five minutes between class (when we had to run from one side of the building to the other, get a drink, use the bathroom and stop at our locker to get books) was enough.
Honestly, and I can't believe I'm typing this, I ended up wetting myself. In the 6th grade.
I'm sorry some kids abuse bathroom breaks, but cripes -- people expect kids to perform under conditions in schools that aren't legal in the workplace.
Let them go to the bathroom already!
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