social story Archives - Check in with Mrs G

Teaching hygiene in the classroom is one of those topics that I have a love hate relationship with, I love knowing that my students are getting accurate information while developing their independence. I love that their morning routines for school will become easier. Let’s face it… I love knowing my students will smell good. But, I hate the awkwardness that inevitably comes with it.

Teaching Morning Routines

Learning hygiene routines can be a source of stress, specifically when it comes to the morning routine for school. Alarms ring, parents need to be at work, buses come, and schools start without a ton of room for error. A stressful morning at home can lead to a difficult morning at school. As a teacher and a mom I know that the more independent my kids can be, the less chaos will ensue.

I created a free morning routine checklist you can share with the parents in your classroom. You can read about it or go straight to downloading it! As a teacher, it is worth my time to teach morning routines in the elementary classroom!

Resources for Teaching Hygiene

I created a mini unit to support teaching students about bathing, getting dressed, tying their shoes, and having breakfast as a part of my hygiene bundle for my students (read more about it here!). Navigating the morning routine with confidence and independence can set the tone for a wonderful day at school.

Start the day by using a social story to introduce your topic. Then, enhance student learning by using the sequence cards and vocabulary pages. In my classroom I like to incorporate this word work into our Daily 5 ELA rotation.

Watch your students confidence grow as they gain independence in self care and learn to navigate their morning routines and enjoy the painfully awkward questions and thoughts that it will prompt!

Ah, the beginning of the year. I love the fresh faces popping through the door. I love the energy, the enthusiasm, the hopefulness that fills the air! I am not as fond of teaching the same routines for two weeks (some years, two months) straight. One of the most critical is teaching your students the rules of the school bathroom.

As if the first few days of school are not difficult enough for our littles, the school bathroom brings its own set of rules and challenges. Ask. Use a pass. Wait if you can. Don’t wait too long. Go straight there and come straight back, unless you want to get a drink. Be friendly in the hall, but don’t talk. Go quickly, but only use walking feet. It is no wonder our students have a difficult time navigating the rules!

I originally created this bathroom student story as a part of my Student Hygiene Bundle (read about it here!) with one of my all time most favorite Learning Support students in mind but, I have used it for many students since. The story comes both in color and black-line and walks through the specifics of the school bathroom. In my classroom we have a laminated copy that lives in a bucket underneath the bathroom passes. When a student has a difficult time following the guidelines of the school bathroom they are able to use the book to review. Not in punishment, but in the spirit of creating a genuine teaching moment because that is what the first days of school are all about!