We have entered our second month of the academic school year. As we strive to strengthen all aspects of our community, our instructional practice, and our students developmental growth, its time for us to take a spot check. Look at where we are and were we need to go as an Academy.
The following areas we need to address:
Bathroom breaks
Transitions
Answer the following:
1. Currently there are several students in the hallway during instructional time. If students are in the hallway, what are we teaching them and what are they learning? What can we do to reduce the number of students who are going to the bathroom during instructional time?
2. Its been a month. Is it useful to repeat the expectation several times in one day? How will we insure all students understand and follow the academy expectations?
9 comments:
To improve upon the bathroom issue I suggest that we designate a specific time either during the day or within that specific class. Most importantly you need to be consistent, if you deny one student from going to the bathroom you can't say, "yes" to another.
We need to "erase". That means revisiting procedures, right down to lining up in the halls and entering the classroom. I've had to do this with Academy 3 and it seems to work, for a few days at a time, at least.
We could place a limit on the number of students allowed to go to the bathroom per period. For example, except in the case of extreme emergencies, we could allow only two students out during the period. Additionally, we could keep track of the number of times students can go to the bathroom in our class per week. For example, each student gets two bathroom visits per week. Once they're used up, they have to go during gym or lunch or some other point in the day.
As far as expectations are concerned, we could post laminated signs of the expectations in each room and use it as a point of focus when things start getting difficult in the classroom.
I always make sure that there's plenty to do in my classroom so that, if students do leave, they'll likely miss something that's really important. Also, the only time that a student is allowed to use the bathroom in my class is between 1:05 and 2:10. This is a core instructional time in my class since it is when I get a new class. There is never a time where I will let the student use the restroom during a transition. They must first come into the classroom, settle themselves, write the homework, complete the do now and follow my directions. If there is nothing going on after that time (which there always is) they may then use the bathroom on a case by case basis. Additionally, I make sure to tell the students that any work that they miss will need to be made up on their own time (I refuse to stop teaching when students are in the bathroom). Since the kids have laptops now, it is imperative that they are in the classroom to receive instruction.
Transitions are another issue. Some students need a reminder and some don't. For those who do, perhaps an academy detention several times will fix their bad habit. It is also difficult to hold some students to a high standard when others are being noisy and disruptive in the hallway.
students may only use the bathroom between a 15 minute window each hour? and maybe for 8th grade it is 12:15-12:30 and 7th is 12:30-12:45 and 6th it is 12:45-1:00... then it should only be 2-4 students per a grade level that is able to be in the hallway anyway.
engage the students and fewer ask for breaks.
I like the announcement made today that they will serve a detention. It will get to them if they have to serve a detention.
I like the policy at my mothers school - 4 or more tardies a quarter and for every tardy starting with #4 the student serves a 2 hour "deans" detention on fridays. something to think about
A bathroom bank of some sort where we can reward students by letting them earn points for everyday they DO NOT go to the bathroom during instructional time. Clearly if they need to go they can use their own time, such as lunch. We can offer some type of positive reward for those students who have earned points in the Bathroom Bank.
To ensure that students are following the expectations, they must remain consistent within each class, as well as the hallways. We should not permit students to break academy expectations as soon as we see an infraction we should voice it to them.
1. Only let kids go to the bathroom at the assigned time of day. Basically hey could only go from 1 to 2
well i think the bathroom break should be longer. what if it is an emergency.you want pee around you academy.but i am not there maybe it is for academic reasonds.
I think ur school is off the hizzook!!!!!! my daughter imanie sampson is the illest fo
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