Student Contributor: C. Shimasaki
This tool is helpful for students to not constantly bombard the teacher by asking to go to the bathroom one after the other. With this, they’ll be able to know that someone is already in the restroom and they need to wait to ask when they come back/the light is off.
You would have those same simple wall-click lights close to the door where everyone in the classroom can see. I would ideally have 2, one for boys and one for girls (colored would be great). When a student is on their way out to the bathroom, they click the light on. When they return, they turn it off. If the light is on, students know not to ask to go to the restroom, until that person has returned (the light is off) unless an emergency. I have a problem like this within my placement class and think if this was implemented at the beginning, it would solve many problems we face now. You can probably think of a similar alternative for the water fountain, your classroom’s “Australia” etc. Overall great procedure to have.
This tool is great for a collaborative classroom. It allows students to take responsibility for using their restroom breaks, properly. This is something that typically the teacher has strict rules around or the students' abuse for playtime with the sinks or paper towels. With this tool, both the teacher and student have established a procedure in which both party's trust is in use.
More Information –
Tool Source: Ms. Atkins on Tik Tok. A fifth grade teacher.
@ms_atkins I love using my Bathroom Button as a management tool!! #backtoschool #classroommanagement #SyncYourMiO
