Out of the Class Management

Kiddos are constantly getting pulled out for one thing or another: Speech, OT, Learning Support, Reading Support, Gifted Support, DIBELS testing, hearing tests, vision tests... You get the idea.

I needed a way to easily see and manage who was pulled out of the room, and who was just not in their seat at that particular time.

I'm Out Passes

This small set up is simply a cheap Dollar Store cup with a paw-print shaped Post-It note taped with packing tape. Kids know that when an adult comes to the room to pull them, particularly if I am working with a small group or another student, they don't have to let me know. They can simply walk up, grab one of these passes, and when I come back to the whole group to check on them I know they've been pulled by another teacher. They work very well, and the kids always remember because they enjoy getting to put the cup on their desk (go figure!)

Restroom Light

Our restroom situation is complicated to say the least. In 2nd grade the kids had bathrooms in the classroom, so there wasn't a huge need to manage restroom breaks, but now they are in the "big kid" 3-5 hallway, and we share a standard "stall" bathroom between 9 regular classrooms and the reading support rooms. It's hectic. 

In order to get the kiddos used to when they may be excused and when they may not be excused I ran a strand of white rope lighting across the front of my room by my Smart Board. When the light is off I am teaching and giving directions, so students may not be excused unless it is an extreme emergency. When I am finished and it is time for independent work I turn the light on and hand the hall pass to the first kid on the list. 

In order to turn the light on and off there is a lovely, fancy outlet strip (classy, right?) that I can simply flip with my foot. 

That brings me to...

Restroom Sign-Out Sheet and Hall Pass

Kids can sign their name on the sheet to be excused, and once I turn the light on I hand the pass to the first student on the list. The pass, which is a jazzed up bottle of hand sanitizer (I love fancy duct tape) sits on their desk - so I know they are out. When they return they use the hand sanitizer, highlight their name on the list, and pass the pass to the next student on the list.

Ideally the entire thing is silent and is managed by the kids. It greatly reduces the number of times I hear "Can I go to the bathroom?" each day, because the kids now know that I don't repeat directions for them if they're at the restroom, and they know when it is very important for them to stay in the room, and when they may be excused.