Bathroom Issue

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Classroom Management Chatboard

Bathroom Issue

by Cat

May 6, 2014

I’m a first year teacher and I’m teaching English at a Catholic girls’ high school. Saturday was my first time supervising Saturday detention. It’s from 8 AM to 12 Noon and they get a bathroom/stretch break from 9:55 to 10:05. That’s the only time they are supposed to be out their seats for the whole 4 hours. I understand all that, but I had a situation on Saturday that I had to deal with.

I had 12 girls on Saturday and it wasn’t 15 minutes after the bathroom break that one of the girls came up to me and asked to go again. Of course, I asked her why she hadn’t gone before when she was supposed to. She didn’t really have an answer for me, but she was insistent that she really did have to go now. She didn’t say it, but somehow I got the impression that she had to go #2 and she didn’t want to do it with 11 other girls in the bathroom at the time. She is a really shy and quiet freshman so I can kind of understand how she was feeling about that. She apparently ...See MoreI’m a first year teacher and I’m teaching English at a Catholic girls’ high school. Saturday was my first time supervising Saturday detention. It’s from 8 AM to 12 Noon and they get a bathroom/stretch break from 9:55 to 10:05. That’s the only time they are supposed to be out their seats for the whole 4 hours. I understand all that, but I had a situation on Saturday that I had to deal with.

I had 12 girls on Saturday and it wasn’t 15 minutes after the bathroom break that one of the girls came up to me and asked to go again. Of course, I asked her why she hadn’t gone before when she was supposed to. She didn’t really have an answer for me, but she was insistent that she really did have to go now. She didn’t say it, but somehow I got the impression that she had to go #2 and she didn’t want to do it with 11 other girls in the bathroom at the time. She is a really shy and quiet freshman so I can kind of understand how she was feeling about that. She apparently had waited in the hopes of being able to go later when she’d have the opportunity to be alone in the girls’ room.

So I let her go even though I wasn’t supposed to. Somebody apparently saw her coming out of the girls’ room at the inappropriate time. Tuesday, I got a letter from my principal reminding me of the rules of Saturday Detention and reiterating specifically that no one was to be out of the room except during the designated bathroom break. OK – I understand all that but what was I supposed to do in this situation? Was I really supposed to tell this girl she couldn’t go to the bathroom when she obviously needed to? Obviously, she should have gone during the bathroom break when she was supposed to. But the fact was that she didn’t. Was I really then supposed to deny her for close to 2 hours and make the poor girl risk soiling herself just to adhere to the rules? I hated teachers that didn’t use common sense in these kinds of situations and I vowed that I’d never become one of those.

Comment

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Kent I think you did the right thing. You are an adult, you are in a position of responsibility and you made a decision based on the situation at the time. You were there and it is easy to second guess somebody from afar. We are not robots and we do need to use common sense and have some compassion.

On 5/06/14, Cat wrote: > I’m a first yea...See MoreI think you did the right thing. You are an adult, you are in a position of responsibility and you made a decision based on the situation at the time. You were there and it is easy to second guess somebody from afar. We are not robots and we do need to use common sense and have some compassion.

On 5/06/14, Cat wrote: > I’m a first year teacher and I’m teaching English at a > Catholic girls’ high school. Saturday was my first time > supervising Saturday detention. It’s from 8 AM to 12 Noon > and they get a bathroom/stretch break from 9:55 to 10:05. > That’s the only time they are supposed to be out their > seats for the whole 4 hours. I understand all that, but I > had a situation on Saturday that I had to deal with. > > I had 12 girls on Saturday and it wasn’t 15 minutes > after the bathroom break that one of the girls came up to > me and asked to go again. Of course, I asked her why she > hadn’t gone before when she was supposed to. She didn’t > really have an answer for me, but she was insistent that > she really did have to go now. She didn’t say it, but > somehow I got the impression that she had to go #2 and she > didn’t want to do it with 11 other girls in the bathroom at > the time. She is a really shy and quiet freshman so I can > kind of understand how she was feeling about that. She > apparently had waited in the hopes of being able to go > later when she’d have the opportunity to be alone in the > girls’ room. > > So I let her go even though I wasn’t supposed to. > Somebody apparently saw her coming out of the girls’ room > at the inappropriate time. Tuesday, I got a letter from my > principal reminding me of the rules of Saturday Detention > and reiterating specifically that no one was to be out of > the room except during the designated bathroom break. OK – > I understand all that but what was I supposed to do in this > situation? Was I really supposed to tell this girl she > couldn’t go to the bathroom when she obviously needed to? > Obviously, she should have gone during the bathroom break > when she was supposed to. But the fact was that she didn’t. > Was I really then supposed to deny her for close to 2 hours > and make the poor girl risk soiling herself just to adhere > to the rules? I hated teachers that didn’t use common sense > in these kinds of situations and I vowed that I’d never > become one of those. >

Sep 20, 2014

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Giovanna Doll Hi Cat,

When a student wants to get out of class, a bathroom break looks the ideal excuse for getting out. So, I understand school policies. It is part of classroom management, which depends upon our ability to avoid making big mistakes. However, it could be a big mistake if you misjudged and did not granted the permission to your student ...See MoreHi Cat,

When a student wants to get out of class, a bathroom break looks the ideal excuse for getting out. So, I understand school policies. It is part of classroom management, which depends upon our ability to avoid making big mistakes. However, it could be a big mistake if you misjudged and did not granted the permission to your student because time later she could lose control at her seat.

We, teachers need to balance the ideal with the practical. Then, exceptions to rules and procedures may apply when it is necessary and it is up to the teacher judgment. I think you did the right. It could be great if you explained to your supervisor the reasons of your decision.

On 5/06/14, Cat wrote: > I’m a first year teacher and I’m teaching English at a > Catholic girls’ high school. Saturday was my first time > supervising Saturday detention. It’s from 8 AM to 12 Noon > and they get a bathroom/stretch break from 9:55 to 10:05. > That’s the only time they are supposed to be out their > seats for the whole 4 hours. I understand all that, but I > had a situation on Saturday that I had to deal with. > > I had 12 girls on Saturday and it wasn’t 15 minutes > after the bathroom break that one of the girls came up to > me and asked to go again. Of course, I asked her why she > hadn’t gone before when she was supposed to. She didn’t > really have an answer for me, but she was insistent that > she really did have to go now. She didn’t say it, but > somehow I got the impression that she had to go #2 and she > didn’t want to do it with 11 other girls in the bathroom at > the time. She is a really shy and quiet freshman so I can > kind of understand how she was feeling about that. She > apparently had waited in the hopes of being able to go > later when she’d have the opportunity to be alone in the > girls’ room. > > So I let her go even though I wasn’t supposed to. > Somebody apparently saw her coming out of the girls’ room > at the inappropriate time. Tuesday, I got a letter from my > principal reminding me of the rules of Saturday Detention > and reiterating specifically that no one was to be out of > the room except during the designated bathroom break. OK – > I understand all that but what was I supposed to do in this > situation? Was I really supposed to tell this girl she > couldn’t go to the bathroom when she obviously needed to? > Obviously, she should have gone during the bathroom break > when she was supposed to. But the fact was that she didn’t. > Was I really then supposed to deny her for close to 2 hours > and make the poor girl risk soiling herself just to adhere > to the rules? I hated teachers that didn’t use common sense > in these kinds of situations and I vowed that I’d never > become one of those. >

Sep 23, 2014

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Steph Schragen Your concern is admirable and your actions I'm sure were very appreciated by your student. I completely agree, if I were in your shoes I would have done the same thing. Yes she may have needed to "go #2" however, she is a young female student and could very well have gotten or had her period. I know this may be an uncomfortable discussion for you, ...See More