August 4, 2024 • 21 mins
🎙️Get ready for a fresh episode of the Virtually I'm Possible podcast, where Lazy Learning Land takes center stage, hosted by your favorite, S.Dot! This week, we're tackling one of the classic classroom conundrums—student restroom breaks. Yep, we're diving deep into that endless parade to the loo that drives us all up the wall.
🔥If you're a teacher who's over the constant disruptions and on the hunt for ways to cut down those trips without losing your sanity, you're in the right place! S.Dot breaks down why limiting restroom passes can actually give you more teaching time, fewer distractions, and a more responsible bunch of students.
💡 Plus, she’s got some super practical tips on setting the ground rules, keeping track of who’s going where, and handling those “But it’s an emergency!” moments like a pro.
🎧Tune in to learn how to create a calm, focused classroom that keeps you cool and collected. Don't miss out—join our Lazy Learning Land community, where we believe in working smart, not hard. Live long, stay lazy, and keep those restroom breaks in check!
Follow me today and gain access to exclusive behind-the-scenes moments, and a supportive community– hit that follow button now!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
You are now tuned into Virtually I'm Possible presents Lazy Learning Land podcast,
where we teach teachers how to be lazier, yet more effective,
to increase student performance, but decrease teacher burnout and stress.
I'm S.Dot, your hostess that always gives you the mostest while doing the least,
(00:25):
with 15 plus years of experience working in the hood schools.
Today's episode is sponsored by Risky Rewards on TikTok.
That's R-I-S-Q-U-E Rewards.
This creator is dedicated to motivating women to get mentally and physically
(00:46):
fit so they can improve their body and bedroom confidence as well as performance.
Go follow Rescue Rewards on TikTok. I promise you won't be disappointed.
Now for today's episode.
All right, all right, all right, all right, y'all. Welcome back to another episode
(01:08):
of Lazy Learning Land podcast.
So today we are going to tackle that annoying topic, students having to go pee in your class daily.
So if you are sick and tired of being sick and tired of always having to stop
what you're doing 1,700 times a day so a student can go to the restroom,
this episode is definitely for you.
(01:28):
So stay tuned to the very end because y'all know I always let y'all into my game room. All right.
The eternal struggle of classroom bladder control.
You see, for secondary school teachers,
it's a constant battle of students needing to go to the a restroom.
It's like a daily saga for us. But y'all elementary school teachers, see,
(01:50):
y'all are free from having to limit restroom passes because most of y'all get
these scheduled potty breaks when you're walking your students to lunch,
walking them to special area,
although, you know, y'all get y'all scheduled potty breaks during the day.
But as secondary teachers, we are left with a variety of theories on how to tackle this issue.
(02:12):
Now, you see, some teachers, they adopt this laissez-faire approach,
letting students go to the restroom whenever they ask.
And then others, you know, of us, we kind of tighten up the reins,
limiting the number of restroom passes per marking period.
And as a math teacher, I can tell you that once one student asks to go,
(02:33):
So it's like opening Pandora's box, opening the floodgates.
I mean, suddenly, a little dingo sudden, half the class has this urgent need to go pee.
Usually in the middle of my lesson or usually when I'm getting ready to tell
them it's time to practice and do their assignment.
I mean, over time, it became very clear that these students were using the restroom
(02:56):
as an escape route from the joys of algebra.
And don't get me started on that one student who always has to go in your class,
my class, any class, every single day like clockwork.
Almost as if their internal bladder timer has been synced to my specific or
your specific class period. So irregardless of the subject, y'all,
(03:20):
I bet you y'all understand.
Y'all have seen the same patterns of a student that needs to pee.
You know, the I need to pee parade for your class.
And it really might seem like it's no big deal, but those frequent restroom
breaks can totally derail your lesson.
It messes up the flow of your student focus. And whether you're just starting
(03:43):
out in the teaching world or you are a classroom role like me,
tweaking how you manage these potty passes can really transform your teaching game.
So rolling right into it, we are going to talk about the benefits of limiting these restroom passes.
Why is this so important?
(04:03):
Well, the first reason is because it provides increased time in class for your students.
You see y'all, because when a student, When students head out for frequent restroom
breaks, they're missing out on previous, like, on precious learning time,
on precious learning time.
Like, by you limiting their restroom passes, you are helping them to stay focused
(04:26):
and engaged, which can lead to better academic performance.
It is all about maximizing those minutes in the classroom.
You can only control them when you got them. So let's be real.
Restrooms aren't just for quick pit stops, okay?
We are in this day and age of so many technology-based communication devices, right?
(04:51):
And these restrooms, they are prime time spots for sneaky phone use.
I mean, students might be making calls, texting, getting lost by scrolling through social media.
So by you being able to keep them in class more, you are reducing the number
of distractions, and you are keeping them on track with their studies.
(05:12):
So again, fewer restroom passes means more learning and less scrolling.
I mean, since we already kind of, you know, mentioned reducing distractions,
let's go ahead and roll into the second point of why you should limit these passes.
You see, each time a student got a pee in your class daily, them leaving the
(05:34):
classroom becomes the event of the century.
I mean, the entire class finds the need to watch the way they grab the pass,
how they stroll to the door. They even continue watching them walk in the hallway
until the door closes fully behind them.
Not to mention part two of the episode when they return.
(05:55):
You see, students feel the need to watch how that student reenters the classroom,
how they put the pass back.
And the highlight to them is the way they return back to their seat.
I mean, these students are watching in sheer anticipation to see whether or
not that student is going to play hit somebody who they're going to talk to
(06:17):
on their way back to their seat.
And even better, are they going to sit down and start back doing their work
or are they going to play a little bit?
You see, students watch their classmates like the way a mama bear watches her cubs.
Seriously. So by you limiting restroom passes, it will also help to limit these
(06:38):
interruptions, helping to maintain a more orderly and focused environment in your class.
Not to mention that benefit is for the benefit for you as a teacher is it limits
the amount of times you are disrupted mid-lesson,
disrupted mid-sentence in order to handle the students who got to pee in your class daily.
(07:03):
Another perk of limiting restroom passes is that it promotes responsibility.
I'm about to school y'all on this one now.
You see, limiting restroom passes can help teach students some important lessons,
such as self-discipline and time management.
(07:24):
It also promotes critical thinking because these children are going to have
to wager in on several different factors before making a decision to use a pass.
See what my students, I only give my students two passes per marking period.
That's the way I run my tight ship.
And as students, when they're asking to use the restroom the second time,
(07:47):
meaning they're about to use their last pass for that nine-week marking period,
I let them know a few things such as, if you use the restroom today, it is your last pass.
And this means you will have to use the restroom between classes until they start over on blank day.
Other times I will say, hey, you know what? We have less than 15 minutes left
(08:10):
in class. And I'm not lying. I do check the clock.
And if you can hold it, then you get a chance to save your pass for a day when
you have a greater emergency.
But if you can't hold it, I understand and you may go.
So by you limiting restroom passes, it really does make students have to think about it.
I mean, time management between classes, they know, dang, I'm about to go to
(08:32):
miss such and such class. I missed such and such class.
And I don't have no, you know, I don't have any more passes left.
So I can't talk to my friends. I need to go pee.
So it just forces them to be more responsible between classes,
but also use critical thinking skills before they use and lose their last pass.
(08:52):
And my last reason why it's so important to limit restroom passes is because
it provides less opportunity for your students to hang out with their little friends.
Yes, I said they little friends.
Let's keep it 100, okay? We can all recall times when we were in school.
(09:12):
You know those times when we scheduled to meet our friends out in the hallway
or in the restroom during a certain class period?
Well doing this now is so much
easier okay it's so much easier for these kids because
they just gotta send a quick text and the
next thing you know the entire gang is out of
their respective classes and they're back together again I
(09:34):
cannot fail to mention that friend that one friend that has that teacher that
don't limit passes and they get to go to the restroom every single day and they
already have a pass and they're in the hallway looking through the window of
your door to get your student's attention.
And now all of a sudden your student needs to use the restroom because they
(09:58):
just seen their friend in the hallway, right?
So in reality, they really ain't got to go to the bathroom, but they just want
to go talk and hang out with their little friend.
So again, limiting restroom passes can limit the opportunities that they have
to hang out with a little friend and get completely off task.
(10:18):
Now, I do need to leave y'all with some tips for limiting restroom passes,
okay? How to implement this properly.
And first things first, you have to set clear expectations.
Like your students need to know that you're limiting passes from the jump, from get-go.
So beginning the very first day of school and through the first weeks of school,
(10:42):
explain your restroom pass policy repeatedly.
Make sure they understand how many passes they will receive,
what is the process for asking to go to the restroom, and the outcome once they
have used all of their passes for that marking period.
You see, I covered in a previous post the importance of posting your classroom rules.
(11:03):
So if you haven't listened to that, you know, go ahead and double back to that
episode. It's called Don't Be a Fool, Post Your Classroom Rules.
And having this rule especially posted is a must because kids will be like,
I didn't know that. You ain't never tell me that.
Why are you making that up? You just don't like me.
(11:24):
Don't fall into the trap, okay? It prevents all sorts of issues from arising if it's posted.
So in a separate post, I did also cover what to do when a student has used all
of their passes and they claim it's an emergency.
And this post is called the Rules to Rule Classroom Management.
And you can use the chapter markers to go directly to the section that deals with the restroom.
(11:49):
Or you can be blessed and listen to the whole episode.
Because it's fire. But anyways, if a student claims to have a medical condition,
make a blanket statement to the entire class that medical conditions must be
properly documented with the school and the school nurse.
However, do have a separate follow-up conversation with that student and or
(12:13):
their parent just to make sure.
And you want to do this to determine if they really do have an actual documented
or undocumented condition because you don't want want to be calling no kid,
no liar. And they really do.
And if they do have an issue, but the school doesn't know about it,
you want to be the person to kind of help facilitate that process for getting
(12:34):
it documented, because I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be the only teacher limiting
restroom passes and all of their teachers need to be aware.
Another tip to dip for implementing limited restroom passes is going to be use
a pass tracking system, okay?
You need to be, now with this, you just need a way of knowing,
(12:57):
you know, who's used the restroom, who hasn't.
And you can be as creative with this as you would like.
I know some teachers who use physical items such as tickets,
cards, tokens, etc. et cetera.
But currently I use like Lanyards when I'm sending students out,
that one that helps me to know when a student is in the restroom.
(13:17):
I can just look where I normally keep the restroom pass.
And when a student asks, I can easily say, oh yeah, I already have somebody out.
Others use like a digital tracking system to know when students have used the restroom.
That's cool too. I myself, I'm really far from fancy to track exactly who has gone to the restroom,
I use a method of, I have a printed out roster and just next to each kid's name,
(13:44):
I write the date that they went to the restroom.
So when a student asks me and I say, oh, you have no more passes left.
And the kid always likes to reply, I ain't never went to the bathroom in your class, miss.
And I'd be like, okay, well, you know what, junior, let's see,
you went to the restroom on September 3rd, and then you went again on September 24th.
(14:06):
Then they have nothing to say because they genuinely know that you keep track,
but now you don't pull their car.
So now you just got to shut it on up.
But having a tracking system is an absolute must. No matter how you prefer to
do it, just make sure you are consistent with it and that students are aware that you're doing it.
And when they keep game literature tracking them, then they tend to be a little bit more responsible.
(14:31):
And again, it just saves you a major, major headache.
I work in a hood school, y'all. So there are times when the administration or
the discipline deans, they come to you and they'd be like, oh,
did such and such use the restroom during your class today?
You need to know. And then they're going to say, okay, well,
what time did they leave?
(14:52):
And what time did they come back? Because this kid got caught doing something
or has been accused of doing something they didn't have no business doing.
And it happens to be during the time they were in your class.
And they need to know if the kid was actually in your class or not.
So whether you work in the hood or not, it's still just a good idea to keep a restroom log.
(15:14):
And it's just important to know which student left the room,
what time they left, and when they came back.
Being in the secondary level, when I can prove that a student has gone to the
restroom and they've been gone for 10 plus minutes, it helps when I institute
a consequence for that because that's now skipping.
Like you really should only take four to five, four to five minutes in the restroom,
(15:37):
maybe six if you're doing a number two.
But come on, like I don't eat vegetables. So what you pooping for?
But no, seriously, sometimes when students are gone too long and I haven't documented,
I can give a warning to the student.
I can give a warning with a phone call home just to inform their people of,
(15:58):
you know, their excessive time in the restroom.
When I'm informing both the student and the parent about that,
I'll let them know that future abuse of the restroom pass will result in permanent
or temporary loss of the privilege.
And having documentation just helps to reduce the chances of being accused of
targeting or just not liking the student themselves.
(16:21):
Because kids love to do that. Man, she don't like me.
Man, he been writing me all year, mom. He ain't never like me.
Me he he don't he don't say nothing to nobody else but me so by you being able
to document it it really does take that out of the equation.
Another thing you need to be able to do when you are implementing limited restroom
(16:41):
passes is you have to have plans to be flexible for emergencies.
And I am talking about real deal emergencies, not the, oh, it's an emergency, I got to pee.
I mean, like real emergencies where you can use your teacher discernment and
you know that it's an actual emergency.
So if you want to rule classroom management on this, again, check out that post,
(17:04):
that episode, Rules to Rule, Classroom Management, and I go in depth about this whole restroom issue.
But you definitely should have a plan in place for students with true emergencies.
You got young ladies that are going to be on their menstrual cycles.
You're going to have someone who's nauseous. You're going to have a kid that
genuinely is about to poop their pants.
(17:25):
But these people may not have any restroom passes. So how are you going to handle
that without preventing a student with with a real emergency from going,
but also without advertising to the rest of the class that you have made this
special condition for them.
And you really must use your discernment and your teacher's spidey senses to
disseminate what is and is not a real emergency.
(17:46):
I'm telling you, if you fail to do so and you just start letting kids go because
they start throwing out that word emergency, you're opening up Pandora's box and a can of worms.
Because once one student, Once one student catches on that that's the buzzword,
then they're going to spread the word.
And now everybody is going to know that the word is emergency in your class
(18:08):
and you have to let them go.
So please, please avoid letting your students throw the word out emergency at
every twist and turn by using your discernment.
And when you do make special exceptions, do so on the low, low.
So the rest of the class don't know, know.
All right, now to sum it all up, to sum it all up, okay, about this churring
(18:30):
that have to pee in your class daily.
Limiting restroom passes is more than just a classroom management tactic, y'all.
It is really a way to foster a more focused and productive learning environment in your classroom.
By you strategically implementing this strategy, you can help your students
stay engaged. engaged, you can help reduce disruptions, and you are encouraging responsible behavior.
(18:57):
Remember, the goal is to create the most conducive learning environment possible.
Knowing this every single minute with your kiddos counts.
By you having clear policies and supportive practices, you'll be well on your
way to transforming your classroom into a climate of uninterrupted academic success.
(19:19):
You don't have to do it if you don't want to, right? Because I'm not the lifestyle police.
Just be ready to count the unnecessary gray hairs you're going to receive in return.
Yes, as teachers, we must pick our battles, but this is one battle that is more
like a war, all right? Right.
(19:41):
And because from this battle, it sets the tone in so many other areas when it
comes down to managing your classroom.
So I can't emphasize enough the importance of it.
Again, go check out the rules to rule classroom management episode,
as well as the episode for don't be a fool.
(20:03):
Post your classroom rules because all three of these really work in tandem if
you are just trying to be a master at ruling your students in.
Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Virtually I'm Possible Presents Lazy Learning Land podcast.
(20:24):
Comment below your thoughts on limiting registering passes. If you have questions
or concerns about how to implement this strategy, drop a comment below so our
community can love on you with responses.
And since there is strength in lazy, be sure to like, share,
and follow, as well as to subscribe to this podcast,
(20:48):
my blog, virtuallyimpossible.net, no apostrophe, and our social media platforms
on TikTok, we are Lazy Learning Land.
On Pinterest it's virtually I'm
possible with no apostrophe and on
Instagram virtually underscore I'm
(21:08):
underscore possible so you can feel at home among other lazy learners y'all
this is your girl S.Dot signing off and until next episode remember to live
long and lazy and never ever work too hard.
You are now tuned into Virtually I'm Possible presents Lazy Learning Land podcast,
where we teach teachers how to be lazier, yet more effective,
to increase student performance, but decrease teacher burnout and stress.
I'm S.Dot, your hostess that always gives you the mostest while doing the least,
(00:25):
with 15 plus years of experience working in the hood schools.
Today's episode is sponsored by Risky Rewards on TikTok.
That's R-I-S-Q-U-E Rewards.
This creator is dedicated to motivating women to get mentally and physically
(00:46):
fit so they can improve their body and bedroom confidence as well as performance.
Go follow Rescue Rewards on TikTok. I promise you won't be disappointed.
Now for today's episode.
All right, all right, all right, all right, y'all. Welcome back to another episode
(01:08):
of Lazy Learning Land podcast.
So today we are going to tackle that annoying topic, students having to go pee in your class daily.
So if you are sick and tired of being sick and tired of always having to stop
what you're doing 1,700 times a day so a student can go to the restroom,
this episode is definitely for you.
(01:28):
So stay tuned to the very end because y'all know I always let y'all into my game room. All right.
The eternal struggle of classroom bladder control.
You see, for secondary school teachers,
it's a constant battle of students needing to go to the a restroom.
It's like a daily saga for us. But y'all elementary school teachers, see,
(01:50):
y'all are free from having to limit restroom passes because most of y'all get
these scheduled potty breaks when you're walking your students to lunch,
walking them to special area,
although, you know, y'all get y'all scheduled potty breaks during the day.
But as secondary teachers, we are left with a variety of theories on how to tackle this issue.
(02:12):
Now, you see, some teachers, they adopt this laissez-faire approach,
letting students go to the restroom whenever they ask.
And then others, you know, of us, we kind of tighten up the reins,
limiting the number of restroom passes per marking period.
And as a math teacher, I can tell you that once one student asks to go,
(02:33):
So it's like opening Pandora's box, opening the floodgates.
I mean, suddenly, a little dingo sudden, half the class has this urgent need to go pee.
Usually in the middle of my lesson or usually when I'm getting ready to tell
them it's time to practice and do their assignment.
I mean, over time, it became very clear that these students were using the restroom
(02:56):
as an escape route from the joys of algebra.
And don't get me started on that one student who always has to go in your class,
my class, any class, every single day like clockwork.
Almost as if their internal bladder timer has been synced to my specific or
your specific class period. So irregardless of the subject, y'all,
(03:20):
I bet you y'all understand.
Y'all have seen the same patterns of a student that needs to pee.
You know, the I need to pee parade for your class.
And it really might seem like it's no big deal, but those frequent restroom
breaks can totally derail your lesson.
It messes up the flow of your student focus. And whether you're just starting
(03:43):
out in the teaching world or you are a classroom role like me,
tweaking how you manage these potty passes can really transform your teaching game.
So rolling right into it, we are going to talk about the benefits of limiting these restroom passes.
Why is this so important?
(04:03):
Well, the first reason is because it provides increased time in class for your students.
You see y'all, because when a student, When students head out for frequent restroom
breaks, they're missing out on previous, like, on precious learning time,
on precious learning time.
Like, by you limiting their restroom passes, you are helping them to stay focused
(04:26):
and engaged, which can lead to better academic performance.
It is all about maximizing those minutes in the classroom.
You can only control them when you got them. So let's be real.
Restrooms aren't just for quick pit stops, okay?
We are in this day and age of so many technology-based communication devices, right?
(04:51):
And these restrooms, they are prime time spots for sneaky phone use.
I mean, students might be making calls, texting, getting lost by scrolling through social media.
So by you being able to keep them in class more, you are reducing the number
of distractions, and you are keeping them on track with their studies.
(05:12):
So again, fewer restroom passes means more learning and less scrolling.
I mean, since we already kind of, you know, mentioned reducing distractions,
let's go ahead and roll into the second point of why you should limit these passes.
You see, each time a student got a pee in your class daily, them leaving the
(05:34):
classroom becomes the event of the century.
I mean, the entire class finds the need to watch the way they grab the pass,
how they stroll to the door. They even continue watching them walk in the hallway
until the door closes fully behind them.
Not to mention part two of the episode when they return.
(05:55):
You see, students feel the need to watch how that student reenters the classroom,
how they put the pass back.
And the highlight to them is the way they return back to their seat.
I mean, these students are watching in sheer anticipation to see whether or
not that student is going to play hit somebody who they're going to talk to
(06:17):
on their way back to their seat.
And even better, are they going to sit down and start back doing their work
or are they going to play a little bit?
You see, students watch their classmates like the way a mama bear watches her cubs.
Seriously. So by you limiting restroom passes, it will also help to limit these
(06:38):
interruptions, helping to maintain a more orderly and focused environment in your class.
Not to mention that benefit is for the benefit for you as a teacher is it limits
the amount of times you are disrupted mid-lesson,
disrupted mid-sentence in order to handle the students who got to pee in your class daily.
(07:03):
Another perk of limiting restroom passes is that it promotes responsibility.
I'm about to school y'all on this one now.
You see, limiting restroom passes can help teach students some important lessons,
such as self-discipline and time management.
(07:24):
It also promotes critical thinking because these children are going to have
to wager in on several different factors before making a decision to use a pass.
See what my students, I only give my students two passes per marking period.
That's the way I run my tight ship.
And as students, when they're asking to use the restroom the second time,
(07:47):
meaning they're about to use their last pass for that nine-week marking period,
I let them know a few things such as, if you use the restroom today, it is your last pass.
And this means you will have to use the restroom between classes until they start over on blank day.
Other times I will say, hey, you know what? We have less than 15 minutes left
(08:10):
in class. And I'm not lying. I do check the clock.
And if you can hold it, then you get a chance to save your pass for a day when
you have a greater emergency.
But if you can't hold it, I understand and you may go.
So by you limiting restroom passes, it really does make students have to think about it.
I mean, time management between classes, they know, dang, I'm about to go to
(08:32):
miss such and such class. I missed such and such class.
And I don't have no, you know, I don't have any more passes left.
So I can't talk to my friends. I need to go pee.
So it just forces them to be more responsible between classes,
but also use critical thinking skills before they use and lose their last pass.
(08:52):
And my last reason why it's so important to limit restroom passes is because
it provides less opportunity for your students to hang out with their little friends.
Yes, I said they little friends.
Let's keep it 100, okay? We can all recall times when we were in school.
(09:12):
You know those times when we scheduled to meet our friends out in the hallway
or in the restroom during a certain class period?
Well doing this now is so much
easier okay it's so much easier for these kids because
they just gotta send a quick text and the
next thing you know the entire gang is out of
their respective classes and they're back together again I
(09:34):
cannot fail to mention that friend that one friend that has that teacher that
don't limit passes and they get to go to the restroom every single day and they
already have a pass and they're in the hallway looking through the window of
your door to get your student's attention.
And now all of a sudden your student needs to use the restroom because they
(09:58):
just seen their friend in the hallway, right?
So in reality, they really ain't got to go to the bathroom, but they just want
to go talk and hang out with their little friend.
So again, limiting restroom passes can limit the opportunities that they have
to hang out with a little friend and get completely off task.
(10:18):
Now, I do need to leave y'all with some tips for limiting restroom passes,
okay? How to implement this properly.
And first things first, you have to set clear expectations.
Like your students need to know that you're limiting passes from the jump, from get-go.
So beginning the very first day of school and through the first weeks of school,
(10:42):
explain your restroom pass policy repeatedly.
Make sure they understand how many passes they will receive,
what is the process for asking to go to the restroom, and the outcome once they
have used all of their passes for that marking period.
You see, I covered in a previous post the importance of posting your classroom rules.
(11:03):
So if you haven't listened to that, you know, go ahead and double back to that
episode. It's called Don't Be a Fool, Post Your Classroom Rules.
And having this rule especially posted is a must because kids will be like,
I didn't know that. You ain't never tell me that.
Why are you making that up? You just don't like me.
(11:24):
Don't fall into the trap, okay? It prevents all sorts of issues from arising if it's posted.
So in a separate post, I did also cover what to do when a student has used all
of their passes and they claim it's an emergency.
And this post is called the Rules to Rule Classroom Management.
And you can use the chapter markers to go directly to the section that deals with the restroom.
(11:49):
Or you can be blessed and listen to the whole episode.
Because it's fire. But anyways, if a student claims to have a medical condition,
make a blanket statement to the entire class that medical conditions must be
properly documented with the school and the school nurse.
However, do have a separate follow-up conversation with that student and or
(12:13):
their parent just to make sure.
And you want to do this to determine if they really do have an actual documented
or undocumented condition because you don't want want to be calling no kid,
no liar. And they really do.
And if they do have an issue, but the school doesn't know about it,
you want to be the person to kind of help facilitate that process for getting
(12:34):
it documented, because I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be the only teacher limiting
restroom passes and all of their teachers need to be aware.
Another tip to dip for implementing limited restroom passes is going to be use
a pass tracking system, okay?
You need to be, now with this, you just need a way of knowing,
(12:57):
you know, who's used the restroom, who hasn't.
And you can be as creative with this as you would like.
I know some teachers who use physical items such as tickets,
cards, tokens, etc. et cetera.
But currently I use like Lanyards when I'm sending students out,
that one that helps me to know when a student is in the restroom.
(13:17):
I can just look where I normally keep the restroom pass.
And when a student asks, I can easily say, oh yeah, I already have somebody out.
Others use like a digital tracking system to know when students have used the restroom.
That's cool too. I myself, I'm really far from fancy to track exactly who has gone to the restroom,
I use a method of, I have a printed out roster and just next to each kid's name,
(13:44):
I write the date that they went to the restroom.
So when a student asks me and I say, oh, you have no more passes left.
And the kid always likes to reply, I ain't never went to the bathroom in your class, miss.
And I'd be like, okay, well, you know what, junior, let's see,
you went to the restroom on September 3rd, and then you went again on September 24th.
(14:06):
Then they have nothing to say because they genuinely know that you keep track,
but now you don't pull their car.
So now you just got to shut it on up.
But having a tracking system is an absolute must. No matter how you prefer to
do it, just make sure you are consistent with it and that students are aware that you're doing it.
And when they keep game literature tracking them, then they tend to be a little bit more responsible.
(14:31):
And again, it just saves you a major, major headache.
I work in a hood school, y'all. So there are times when the administration or
the discipline deans, they come to you and they'd be like, oh,
did such and such use the restroom during your class today?
You need to know. And then they're going to say, okay, well,
what time did they leave?
(14:52):
And what time did they come back? Because this kid got caught doing something
or has been accused of doing something they didn't have no business doing.
And it happens to be during the time they were in your class.
And they need to know if the kid was actually in your class or not.
So whether you work in the hood or not, it's still just a good idea to keep a restroom log.
(15:14):
And it's just important to know which student left the room,
what time they left, and when they came back.
Being in the secondary level, when I can prove that a student has gone to the
restroom and they've been gone for 10 plus minutes, it helps when I institute
a consequence for that because that's now skipping.
Like you really should only take four to five, four to five minutes in the restroom,
(15:37):
maybe six if you're doing a number two.
But come on, like I don't eat vegetables. So what you pooping for?
But no, seriously, sometimes when students are gone too long and I haven't documented,
I can give a warning to the student.
I can give a warning with a phone call home just to inform their people of,
(15:58):
you know, their excessive time in the restroom.
When I'm informing both the student and the parent about that,
I'll let them know that future abuse of the restroom pass will result in permanent
or temporary loss of the privilege.
And having documentation just helps to reduce the chances of being accused of
targeting or just not liking the student themselves.
(16:21):
Because kids love to do that. Man, she don't like me.
Man, he been writing me all year, mom. He ain't never like me.
Me he he don't he don't say nothing to nobody else but me so by you being able
to document it it really does take that out of the equation.
Another thing you need to be able to do when you are implementing limited restroom
(16:41):
passes is you have to have plans to be flexible for emergencies.
And I am talking about real deal emergencies, not the, oh, it's an emergency, I got to pee.
I mean, like real emergencies where you can use your teacher discernment and
you know that it's an actual emergency.
So if you want to rule classroom management on this, again, check out that post,
(17:04):
that episode, Rules to Rule, Classroom Management, and I go in depth about this whole restroom issue.
But you definitely should have a plan in place for students with true emergencies.
You got young ladies that are going to be on their menstrual cycles.
You're going to have someone who's nauseous. You're going to have a kid that
genuinely is about to poop their pants.
(17:25):
But these people may not have any restroom passes. So how are you going to handle
that without preventing a student with with a real emergency from going,
but also without advertising to the rest of the class that you have made this
special condition for them.
And you really must use your discernment and your teacher's spidey senses to
disseminate what is and is not a real emergency.
(17:46):
I'm telling you, if you fail to do so and you just start letting kids go because
they start throwing out that word emergency, you're opening up Pandora's box and a can of worms.
Because once one student, Once one student catches on that that's the buzzword,
then they're going to spread the word.
And now everybody is going to know that the word is emergency in your class
(18:08):
and you have to let them go.
So please, please avoid letting your students throw the word out emergency at
every twist and turn by using your discernment.
And when you do make special exceptions, do so on the low, low.
So the rest of the class don't know, know.
All right, now to sum it all up, to sum it all up, okay, about this churring
(18:30):
that have to pee in your class daily.
Limiting restroom passes is more than just a classroom management tactic, y'all.
It is really a way to foster a more focused and productive learning environment in your classroom.
By you strategically implementing this strategy, you can help your students
stay engaged. engaged, you can help reduce disruptions, and you are encouraging responsible behavior.
(18:57):
Remember, the goal is to create the most conducive learning environment possible.
Knowing this every single minute with your kiddos counts.
By you having clear policies and supportive practices, you'll be well on your
way to transforming your classroom into a climate of uninterrupted academic success.
(19:19):
You don't have to do it if you don't want to, right? Because I'm not the lifestyle police.
Just be ready to count the unnecessary gray hairs you're going to receive in return.
Yes, as teachers, we must pick our battles, but this is one battle that is more
like a war, all right? Right.
(19:41):
And because from this battle, it sets the tone in so many other areas when it
comes down to managing your classroom.
So I can't emphasize enough the importance of it.
Again, go check out the rules to rule classroom management episode,
as well as the episode for don't be a fool.
(20:03):
Post your classroom rules because all three of these really work in tandem if
you are just trying to be a master at ruling your students in.
Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Virtually I'm Possible Presents Lazy Learning Land podcast.
(20:24):
Comment below your thoughts on limiting registering passes. If you have questions
or concerns about how to implement this strategy, drop a comment below so our
community can love on you with responses.
And since there is strength in lazy, be sure to like, share,
and follow, as well as to subscribe to this podcast,
(20:48):
my blog, virtuallyimpossible.net, no apostrophe, and our social media platforms
on TikTok, we are Lazy Learning Land.
On Pinterest it's virtually I'm
possible with no apostrophe and on
Instagram virtually underscore I'm
(21:08):
underscore possible so you can feel at home among other lazy learners y'all
this is your girl S.Dot signing off and until next episode remember to live
long and lazy and never ever work too hard.
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