Sometimes I have to follow through with a threat just on principle. Today I wrote a discipline referral because a student walked out of my class to go to the bathroom. It normally wouldn't come to that because I would let them go pretty freely in the past. Two weeks ago I enforced a no-passes rule in my 7th hour because I felt it was being abused (at least ten students would want to go each day. I let it go on a lot longer than it should have.) So today someone tested that and asked me to go after class had started.
I feel a bit like a hypocrite because since the rule went into effect, I have made small concessions like letting them "take a tardy" to rush out at the beginning of class. They don't go before my class because they don't want to be late, but they think I will always allow them to go.
Also, note to kids: arguing about it makes it worse. If she had talked to me about her problem privately, respected my rules, and still had to rush out to pee, then I still should have followed through with a school policy. No student leaves without permission.
Next year I may charge for a bathroom visit. Owe time after school? One tardy and one freebie? There are a lot of ways to handle this. At the end of the school year it's hard to redo the rules and procedures in your classroom. I find my demeanor becoming stricter because I didn't design my classroom management to be airtight in the first place. With five days left to go, I have so much miscellaneous business to take care of. I am trying to give the kids a rewarding experience, but they come to school pretty much uninterested in anything but saying goodbye to their friends. I want to give them time for that sort of thing. Time to plan my celebration day.
Amanda writes to find her voice and to follow the footsteps to see where they lead.
I would be wary of setting rules for every student. You set a rule that bathroom breaks in 7th hour result in a detention or something, and you'll get that perfect student, the one who never causes you any problems, having to go potty. Do you make an exception for that student in front of the whole class?
ReplyDeleteThat's the exact moment to maintain that you mean business and that you treat everyone equally. I have given detentions to the brightest students for whispering during a no-talking time, and I have given those same detentions to the squeaky wheels.
ReplyDeleteThe very next day the same thing happened, same class, different girl, and I did the same, plus a detention since I knew the office wouldn't read my discipline referral.
It was only for two weeks at a time when I needed to regain some control and order. And at the end of the day, everybody does have to pee, even I do. We can all hold it or accept the consequences.