bathroom and homework

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bathroom and homework
By Brooke S.

This is my 2nd year teaching 2nd grade and I am trying some new things that are working wonders for me. I have a bathroom in my classroom so my students can go whenever they want, except when I am teaching. Well, we kept
having "emergencies" while I was teaching and it was driving me crazy. I started something new. I give "chance tokens" each day. (3 per day) The students can have these taken away and they can also earn more. If they have 13 left on Friday then they go to Fun Friday (games, computers, art, etc.) If they don't have 13 they go to study hall. If a student wants to go to the bathroom while

I am teaching then they have to give me a chance. Last year when I didn't have a bathroom in my classroom I took the students on scheduled bathroom breaks and I could have taken chances if they wanted to go other times during the day. This really cuts down on bathroom usage that is not really needed. If a child really needs to go, he will be willing to give a chance for going. I really focus on how they are not in trouble for needing to go, but it is a choice they are making to not go at our scheduled time. We had several scheduled times throughout the day.

As far as homework, I send a packet home on Monday. It has spelling, language arts,math, and a reading log. It is due back on Friday. If the students don't turn it in, they don't go to Fun Friday. I had a big problem last year with students not turning in homework. This year after starting the Fun Friday rule, there is no problem at all.

I have a line walking trick that works wonders. It is called secret walker. I draw a name each day to be my secret walker. I watch that person all day and at the end of the day, I tell who it is and they get a small reward (sticker, stamp, caught being good ticket, etc.) The students love this and they are extra quiet because they might be the secret walker. Good luck.