I’m pretty easy going when it comes to bathroom breaks. My hope is that the kids have used the restroom during our dedicated breaks, and or brain break times. As long as it’s not during a whole group lesson, I an quick to say yes and they walk out the door, they don’t even have to take a pass.
THE MONSTROSITY! Call it easy going, or just call me lazy for not wanting to constantly send kids back for the restroom pass #TheStruggleIsReal.
The middle of this past school year, I finally woke up from my coma and realized that I had this one friend that would ALWAYS ASK TO GO TO THE BATHROOM! While I understand that we should let kids freely use the restroom, since they have tony bodies and are just now learning to understand them, the teachers reading this post know that you will always have a couple of kids try and stretch the boundary.
NOBODY NEEDS TO GO TO THE BATHROOM EVERY 3 MINUTES
NOBODY I TELL YA!
Well, this kid begs to differ.
How to manage student bathroom breaks
I came to the conclusion that I needed a way to document just how much this kids was going to the restroom. That way I had data to back up the behavior. If your school is like mine, it is very data driven.
Hence, the digital restroom pass was formed.
Like using tech to manage the mundane? Check out this No Homework Documentation trick!
How to create a Digital Restroom Pass
- Click here to create a Google Form (make sure you’re signed into your school account).
- Give the forma a title. Ex: Restroom Pass | Math 9 am | 2024
- Write your first question as a ‘text’ response : What is your name
- you could also make this a drop down for them to choose their name
- Click Add Item to add another question.
- I like to ask what subject we’re in. This way, if a child is ALWAYS going to the bathroom during writing time (true story), then I have documentation that there may be some avoidance behaviors.
- Suggested Task: Change the confirmation page (see example below).
- Change the theme if desired.
Why a digital restroom pass works:
I switched to a digital restroom pass because I really like that a Google Form time stamps when a students leaves to the restroom. I don’t have to worry about a sign out form, and there is documentation for when a child leaves the room.
Here’s how times stamp and documentation saved me:
One year, I had a ‘test the boundary’ little friend. He frequently displayed inappropriate bathroom behavior. One day, I had a teacher from another grade level come to me in the afternoon saying that a boy in her class was trying to use the restroom, but a little boy in my class was having inappropriate bathroom behavior. The boy said that he knew knew the kid was in my class but not sure exactly which boy. Well, all I had to do was click “view responses” on the Google Form and found the time stamp that was the same time they were in the bathroom. When the boy in my class saw that I had hard evidence, he admitted!
Having a digital trail protect me, especially since there are many times teachers are not given the benefit of the doubt.
Once I created the form, I pasted the URL of the form into a QR generator and pasted in on a sign like the one below.
See how to use this strategy to manage homework: Check out this No Homework Documentation trick!
Ashley Reed
February 13, 2016 at 11:16 pmWhat a cool concept. Love this. Thanks for this informative post! 🙂
Veronica
July 25, 2016 at 11:23 amGreat idea! For those looking to help kids with no internet. I just purchased a FIRE for $33 from Amazon during their sale days. Keep an eye out. I also have a reward system (I teach middle school, so I only have them for 44 minutes a day) they get three “passes” for the rest room and two “homework passes” to use for the semester. The homework passes allow them to turn homework in a day late with no penalty, because life does happen, sometimes they just can’t get to it. Here is where it gets good. First, they are responsible for this paper. If they lose it they are out of luck. I hole punch it and they put it in their binder to start. If they do NOT use ANY of the coupons, at the end of the semester they get a homemade cupcake. You would be amazed at the amount of students that ask to use the restroom and when I say, “sure, give me your paper to sign off on” they tell me “nevermind, I can wait” much of the bathroom stuff is to meet friends or text…. Of course there are those who really have to go and they do leave. I like your tracker as a way to make sure they are not gone too long. I am going to add it to my bathroom rules. If you wonder “does it really work?” My first semester students turned back to me 98 papers out of 118. Yes, I did a lot of baking one night – but it was worth it for the other 89 days….
Jenn MG
March 1, 2016 at 3:22 pmHey so I thought this would be a great idea to document my high school students comings and goings (especially with a sign in/sign out) but they have to log in before the form can get to me? Is there any way I can circumvent that? We are not a google school and not all kids have google accounts.
Kathy Scheffer
March 29, 2016 at 2:40 amJenn- I am NOT very familiar with google forms, but I think possibly you may be able to go up to settings (the little gear icon) & fix the "Who can respond?" to "anyone". I hope that works b/c I agree, I don't want my 3rd graders to log in-takes too long! Good luck!
Kathy Scheffer
March 29, 2016 at 2:37 amAmber this is such a great idea! I've always used a paper sign out where the students have to not only log there name, but time out & time in…as we usually have one or two incidents in the bathrooms where the students are goofing around and having the time helps call those students into question. I love though how google will time stamp it for them, since at the beginning of the year some of my third graders still are having trouble telling time! :0 I really appreciate you sharing this idea! I am trying it out tomorrow & hope it goes well!
Lyndsey Gresehover
April 8, 2016 at 7:11 pmThis is amazing! I can't wait to start this. But my question is, what do you do if they don't have something to scan the bar code w/ (no cell phone, etc.)?
Lit with Lyns
Garima
April 11, 2016 at 11:37 amnice
Hannah Houser
May 13, 2016 at 12:09 amHi Amber,
I LOVE your "No Homework Documentation" and "Restroom Pass" QR signs! Your blog was very easy to follow to make the forms! I was wondering if you could change the wording on the Homework QR sign. I want them to match with your adorable writing. Could you make is say, "Scan the QR code if you forgot to bring your homework today!"? My co-worker and I are stoked to get this in the classroom!
Thanks,
Unknown
May 19, 2016 at 8:01 pmI like the idea but what do you have them scan it with if they do not have a smart phone with them?
Melissa Funke
May 19, 2016 at 8:02 pmI like the idea but what do you have them scan it with if they do not have a smart phone with them?
Anonymous
May 20, 2016 at 6:24 amI love this idea! I teach 8th grade and I want to use something like this for next year, but I'm worried that my students will use someone else's name (a lot of them are very mischievous), Any suggestions?
Unknown
May 22, 2016 at 2:43 amI'm thinking about this for my 8th grade classroom as well, and was thinking I might change it to three responses: name, student ID, and homework date as shown. I also looked up the ways to circumvent student snot having phones/ QR readers and I saw something for the PC to download. I think I will leave the sign posted near my turn-in bins for students with the app, and then leave a P.C. on and open to the google doc form next to it as well. No excuses right? Fingers crossed this works!
Rachel Weidenhammer
June 12, 2016 at 11:25 pmI love this idea…but how do you document their signing back in? I find that is the data I really need…the length of time spent out of the room!
Amber Calderon
June 14, 2016 at 11:28 pmHello, Rachel!
Every teacher is different! Why don’t you just create another question that asks the student what time they come back on a separate QR code? You could also possible have a timer next to the QR code. The kids could press the button, them press it back when they return, THEN scan the QR code and just put the time in and elapsed time. Get creative! You go this! 😉
Keri T.
June 15, 2016 at 2:21 amHi Rachel!
I wanted to be able to do the same thing! I added one more multiple choice questions: Arrival or Departure. That way I can have both entries using the same form. (https://goo.gl/b7GrvY) Then when I pull up the spread sheet I will have the time that they left and the time that they came back 🙂 Hope that helps!
Laurie
June 18, 2016 at 12:33 amGreat idea! What so you so if they don’t have a phone to scan?
Amber Calderon
July 7, 2016 at 9:34 pmI don’t use a phone. I use iPads.
Why don’t you use an old iPhone (as long as you can connect to the wifi) and use it as the sign out device! It could even have a fun customized case on it! 😉
Ashley Money
July 28, 2016 at 10:33 pmLaurie, I LOVE THIS! I am new with using google forms and classroom this year. Could you tell me how you created this?!
Amber Calderon
July 29, 2016 at 4:23 pmI created it in PowerPoint then inserted the QR code image into the file! Thanks!
Johnna West
June 22, 2016 at 12:12 amAny idea why when someone does a sign out I get 2 entries instead of 1? I can overlook the duplicate, but I wasn’t sure if you knew of an easy fix with Google Forms which I’m still really new with.
Amber Calderon
July 7, 2016 at 9:31 pmI am not sure why that is. I would check your setting on the form! 🙂
Classroom Management: Setting up Bathroom Break Procedures - Teaching Made Practical
June 28, 2016 at 4:44 pm[…] There are many different ways to handle how your students take individual bathroom breaks. Some teachers allow students to go as needed, while other teachers have expectations in place about when individual bathroom breaks are allowed. (For example, some teachers don’t allow students to go during whole class instruction.) Some teachers have students use a sign-out sheet. Some teachers give their students a limited number of bathroom passes to use at their discretion. Some teachers simply have their students ask permission before going. Peppy Zesty Teacherista has digital bathroom passes to help document how often students were going t… […]
Holly
July 4, 2016 at 4:56 pmI would love to use this, but I have to ask: Do students have access to wifi in your building? My high schoolers would never want to use their phone data for this…they are always hesitant to do anything which requires their data use.
Amber Calderon
July 7, 2016 at 9:40 pmI teach elementary so we have wifi available for our devices.
Why don’t you use an old phone and connect to the school’s wifi (if possible). It can be the designated sign out device! This is just an idea 🙂
Nora Cardoso
July 9, 2016 at 10:36 pmI will try using an old iPhone as a sign out device. Its a wonderful idea, given that my students don’t have electronic devices.
Where did you get your digital restroom image. I love it and would like to use it to place the sign out device.
Robert Seals
July 14, 2016 at 4:03 pmHow long does it take to sign out? Seems time consuming.
Amber Calderon
July 14, 2016 at 9:32 pmHey!
It takes less than 10 seconds! Are you familiar with Google docs? Its super simple and quick!! So quick my 8 year olds have mastered it in a timely manner! 😉
Erika
July 22, 2016 at 8:34 pmHey Amber,
I am very new to using google docs. I found out how to make a form, now how do I make a QR code attach to my google docs form?
Amber Calderon
July 29, 2016 at 4:25 pmYou paste the link to the Google form into the free download that I made!
Thanks!
Amber Calderon
July 29, 2016 at 4:27 pmHas anyone in your school made a QR code before? Here is the website I use, thanks!
http://www.qrstuff.com
Dianne
August 4, 2016 at 12:30 amWhich QR generator do you use? There were so many when I googled the phrase.
Love this idea.
Amber Calderon
August 4, 2016 at 10:34 pmAny will work! I use QRStuff.com!
Kate
August 17, 2016 at 7:15 pmThis is going to save me from coping all those sign out pages this year! Thanks for this freebie and blog post!
Karen
August 30, 2016 at 11:54 pmI really love this idea and plan to use it in my classroom this year. However, I am having the same problem as Johnna West. Each entry is posted twice. I created a new form. I’ve adjusted settings. However, nothing seems to work. Any ideas?
Kayla
November 9, 2016 at 4:18 pmHi Amber, I love this idea! I am currently a sophomore studying Elementary Ed. and I am obsessed with QR codes! This is such fun and quick way to keep track of what students are coming in and out of the room and it has the exact time! It also gets rid of the bathroom passes that are full of germs! Perfect. Do you also have another QR code and Google form to keep track of when the students returned? If you don’t, what do you do in your classroom for when the students return?
Love this blog! So cute and helpful.
Thanks,
Kayla