I'm currently teaching 7th and 8th grade students, and our school is having an issue with the bathroom usage. So I'm looking for both school-wide ideas on how to control bathroom usage. I am also looking for whole brain-teaching bathroom procedures.

Thanks,
S. Michele Holmes

Hi Michelle,
I give my kids two hall passes each semester. When they run out of passes, they can still go to the bathroom but they have to go to OCR (detention) instead of coming back to class. They don't like OCR, so this method works well for me. I'm not sure if there is any official "Whole Brain Teaching" bathroom ideas. I'm going to a WBT training next weekend. I'll ask anyone there if they have a method that works well that is a little more aligned with the WBT philosophy.
~Kristin

I'm particularly interested in the bathroom issue, as well. I came from a school in which every classroom had its own bathroom to one with "gang bathrooms." I hate hate HATE not having my own bathroom, because 90% of my behavior problems occur outside the classroom.

Of course every school may have a different bathroom policy for various reasons. I currently work at a school where classes are 80 minutes long with 5-minute passing periods. My classroom policy is that I only let one student leave to use the restroom at a time and when they return, the next person who asked may go. Each student can use this privilege once a day and only have five minutes to use the restroom and return to class. Should they abuse this privilege, then it is revoked for a few class days. Should I get any arguments, I simply ask them to recite my policy - this tends to end most arguments.

Thanks.

Mr. C

Here in AZ, and at our school, we have the ELL students for a four-hour English block, with breaks at the end of the period. I just let them go. No questions asked. So far, they are having so much fun in class, I am not getting any extra bogus BR requests!

I teach 7th & 8th grade math. All the 7th & 8th grade teachers give the students a "credit card" (different color for each teacher) with 3 restroom passes and 2 locker passes for the semester. If the students exceeds this number, they receive a detention for each additional request to leave. We also have a sign-out board at the door, that must be signed when students leave or enter the room. Few students use all their credit cards.

I start by telling my third grade students that I have to wait for break times to use the restroom so I think they can do it. The procedure is that students must use the restroom during their recess or lunch break, however if they can't wait they must be willing to owe 5 minutes of work at their recess or lunch time. I say, "If it's truly an emergency then you are more then happy to owe me work." I don't believe in idle detentions or time outs without tasks to complete so I have a basket of review work they can choose from. One side of a worksheet seems to fill the up the 5 minutes. Review work is a must because this should be a fairly easy task, not something they have never seen before or may need help with. They can even put it on a clipboard and take it out with them to recess, returning it at the end of the break time.

The procedure works like this: They signal for permission to use the restroom in sign language, I respond in sign language yes or no. During direct lecture (I'm making a highly valuable teaching point) I may signal for them to wait until I finish or if it's nearing break time they get a no. They are more likely to get a yes if it's independent work time or partner time and learn this pretty quickly because it is rehearsed and modeled. If the student gets a yes they go to the white board and write their student number under 'Owe 5.' They grab two place markers (plastic pooh character figurines) and quietly place one on their desk and one on a buddies desk, a person whom I signal is okay to take along. I do this because the buddy system is required at my school. (Another student can also signal to me quietly if they feel they have to go too and owe as well as be their buddy.) The person returns from the restroom, puts the place marker away then later on is responsible for grabbing work on their own to complete at their break. When they return from their break they must submit their work for approval, then they can erase their number from the board under 'Owe 5'.

This basket of work is easily filled by just printing a few extra sheets whenever you are already planning to print a class set of worksheets, then putting the leftovers in this basket after the lesson is done or homework has been completed. You can double their time if they take to long to return from the restroom. 10 minutes for 2 sides that need to be completed. You can also up the amount of worksheets owed, mid year if you feel students are taking advantage of the system or they enjoy one worksheet too much. Limited on copies? You could have them write down their basic math facts, spelling words, or have them summarize the main points of the lesson they just missed on a piece of paper.

Usually a reminder that they have to owe additional work if they miss class time halts most students from going and provides a choice for those who really do have to go. My motto is if you exchange work time for break time then you must owe some work during your break time. Besides they just missed out on crucial learning during those five minutes they were gone. Again students know the procedure and feel they have a choice. This creates buy into my system and no possible way for them to blame the teacher for not letting them go. This technique works like magic!!

I give my students 4 tickets each marking period that they use to leave the room. The tickets roll over and can be saved for later marking periods. This makes students think about whether they really want to leave the room or wait until class ends. Last year I gave my students a "you're responsible and can leave the room whenever you want" attitude....what a mistake!

Our MS school just implemented a school wide bathroom pass policy. Each grade has it's own color. Each student is issued one pass per month. They must write their name at the top in ink. Then they are allowed out of the classroom for any reason (BR, locker) twice each day. If they lose the first card, they are allowed to get a second free yellow replacement card. If it happens again, they get detention.

This card system alone has cut way way down on kids asking to leave the room.