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!
