Advice needed on class who are obsessed with water and toilet trips

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Hi,

Hope some of you wise people may have some suggestions. I am a newly qualified TA in my first job with an NQT. Our year 3 class seem to have somewhat of an obsession with either wanting to go to the toilet or going to have a drink. The drinking is more a problem as once one of them asks to have a drink they all want to have one. They have water bottles in school which are kept in a tray in the classroom. The school does allow children to have free access to their bottles when they need them but this class in particular have somewhat of an obsession about it. The head witnessed it yesterday and said they could have the water bottles on their desks but we tried that today and had a number of spillages so don't really want to continue with that. We don't want to deny children a drink but it really is ridiculous. I know the class well as I spent a lot of time with them in year 2 last year and they were like it then as well. They also had obsessions about sharpening pencils last year and there would be a crowd sometimes of 5 or 6 around the bin sharpening pencils. I have therefore made sure they do not have free access to pencil sharpeners this year. I am not sure how we go about cracking the constant requests for a drink though. Any ideas welcome.

Thanks

Tell parents to send drinks in sports bottles so they can have on desk and no spillages

Tell them all to have a drink at the start of the lesson because there will be no more till break? And then no more till break? Get it out if the way first.

Also - isn't this the teachers job not yours?

These are common distraction techniques, but I understand that some may be genuine.

Sme things I would suggest - offer a set 'drinking time' prior to the afternoon session etc and put the foot down after that. Say to the children 'we have had our drink, it's work time now'.

In terms of the toilet is there a school policy?

Thanks for the quick responses. George, yes technically the teachers job but she is new to the school and I know the class quite well so want to be as helpful as I can be. Also I like to think we are a team and I want to help her. I had thought about suggesting set times for drinks and then none until break/lunch etc but must admit I am a little bit wary of this as I know some of the parents will be in like a shot to complain. However, we can't carry on as we are as it is very disruptive so needs must. I will suggest it tomorrow. I worked in other years last year as well and none of the others were like this, the odd request for the toilet or drink but nothing like these levels.

Agree sports cap bottles only.

Junior children should not routinely be going to the toilet during lesson times.

I do not allow water bottles on tables. Firstly because of spillages, secondly because some children use them as dummies and suckle on them the entire time.
I do, however, not require my class to "ask" for a drink. If they are thirsty, they get up and get a drink. There is no moving while I'm doing the input or talking to them, but any other times are fine. It means they don't all rush to the sink after play/lunch. It also makes it much less of an issue. Getting a drink is no public spectacle and shouldn't require an audience.
I have the same attitude about toilet trips. It's not a big deal.
Last year, they had to ask and were usually allowed to go straight away (with the exception of the input again). It's never been an issue. This year, I'm trying the same method we had when I was their age. They just go. They don't even have to ask me. The expectation is that they leave quietly and return quietly. If they mess about, they lose the privilege. Yesterday was our first day back. Some of them seemed to need the loo every 10 minutes. They had to go in little groups. Today, it was much calmer already and they sorted themselves out very quickly.
I find drawing attention to it and making a fuss about it, creates more problems than it solves.

Is there a reason, why they constantly do this? Are they bored? (I've got a few, who will go to the toilet just to get out of the lesson for a little while. Usually when they've had a particularly rough time at home or something is bothering them. Fair enough. I don't mind that. They have to catch up with the work when they are back.)

I have to admit, I've got Year 6, though.

I've had this problem before. I have times for drinks in the morning then after play and lunch. Our longest session is 2 hours and in that one I will let them get a drink. They have to ask and can't have one in the input. If I think it's a distraction technique I say no when they ask (during something they don't want to do) and then remind them when we are doing something they are really into - often they won't bother (and I remember).
I am more lenient with toilet breaks - if it's not input (or the kid who has been 4 times already) I let them straight away.

Say one drink per lesson

I'm a TA and I've taught my class to make a T sign with their fingers to show they need the toilet. It means that I can see them and shake/nod my head, and the teacher's flow is not affected. I can also nod/shake head from across the classroom, allowing the child to go without fuss.

It's a year 2 class though, and I feel your pain OP, as also trying to 'train' them to go at playtime and lunch.

As soon as one child mentions toilet- ten children want to go.

I teach secondary so this may not be useful, but with toilet trips, I allow my KS3 classes to go if they need to but they are then 'out of the running' for an achievement point for that lesson (normally I give these out to 3-6 kids per lesson). They don't care about achievement points enough that they would wet themselves rather than not get one, but it does prevent the kids pretend to need the loo but really fancy a wander from going.
Perhaps some kind of reward system therefore? Although sorry if I'm way off the mark with regards to primary.

*prevent the kids who pretend to need the loo

LePample you are not so far off the mark there at all. We have been known to agree the child can go - but they receive a strike (punishment) if they do.
They soon decide whether they need to or not.

I have toilet passes. Nobody needs to ask to be excused but can only go if there's a pass. I don't actually mind if a child takes a pass for a minute's break, I've done it myself. But obviously messing around with your mates is not allowed. With two passes (one boy, one girl) there is no meeting their friends for a chat by the sink. And if you don't need to ask there's no fussing and nobody else starts asking because they've see the others.

laminated cards with 'toilet' and 'drink' on. If they request a drink then you give them the card, they get a drink and return it to you. The same with the toilet.

Or as panzee says don't even have them ask, just make sure they have the card.

I´d make the tray available for 5 mins. at the start and / or end of the lesson then put it away.

I´m presuming you´re in Britain where it´s really not that hot and they don´t need to drink water that much.

By Yr. 3 I would be saying toilet only at break times or other certain points during the day rather than wandering in and out of the classroom.

Perhaps it is just start of term excitement and they will soon get involved in the lesson activities and the novelty of water bottles and toilet trips will wear off.

Agree with lepamplemousse and beautifullymixed about housepoints, going on the happy face, gold card, etc. only being available to those who don´t get up for toilet or water. They soon learn to go at breaktimes if they want those rewards!

Don´t really agree with the suggestions about the laminated cards (although I´d be delighted to be proved wrong and do not wish to those who have suggested them) as I fear the novelty of getting and holding the laminated card might prove irresistible and therefore actually increase the water/toilet obsession.

^ please insert "offend" after "do not wish to" and before "those who have" above, apologies ^

lepample that would have been enough to stop my dd going when she needed. I had to speak with her P1 and P2 teachers about 'barriers' to her using the toilet as she would come home wet or dirty rather than lose a point or ask at the an awkward time.

Happy36 I have decided it's better for someone to enjoy the novelty of having the toilet pass for two minutes than to endure the constant conversations and interruptions of whether they actually need the toilet or not. What will they miss in those two minutes? Not much. They can slip out quietly while the lesson is continuing for the rest. I prefer that to having to stop the lesson for everyone while we debate about how desperate they are! It really does work. I've had my class for three days and there has been no fuss whatsoever.

I have found a lot of children need the toilet in the morning session because they have not been before school. Many children also do not go in the play times or lunch times because they want to play and will wait until the lesson starts after registration, very frustrating. You could pre-empt this maybe by offering a window after registration in the morning and lunch time for the toilet with a reminder on the way to play time/lunch time to go before going out to play, you could even take worst offenders to the toilet before play to get them in the habit. T sign and toilet pass sounds good for the occasional desperate toilet need.

Water before/between lessons only to remove distractions. If there is already going to be a transition then there will be movement and disruption already so getting a drink will be less problematic.

Worst offenders probably not the best terminology I realise having read that back, more like frequent toilet trippers. No offence intended.

Hi all,

Thank you for all your responses. We stopped water bottles on tables on Friday after yet another spill. Teacher decided that they would have one opportunity at the start of each lesson to have a drink and reminded them at morning break and lunchtime to have a drink and go to the toilet. We still had a lot of requests for drinks but hopefully they will get the message once they realise they will not be allowed outside of these times. We are hoping that if we can cut down the amount some of the children drink that the toilet trips will also reduce as we think in most cases the toilet trips are genuine.

I find this thread a bit worrying. I have two children with toileting issues. The medical advise I have consistently received is that they must be able to drink water, and a good amount of it, and go to the toilet whenever they need to. There seems to be a lot of suggestions on here that both water and toilet trips should be restricted which flies in the face of medical advice!! I will have to keep an eye on my children to make sure their teachers aren't following the advice here. I would be really cross to find my children were threatened with some sort of penalty for going to the toilet. Incidentally, the advise to drink and go when needed holds true for all children.