Issue at school - Kindergarten

Just wondering how you guys feel about this or if you know what happens at your kids school.

DD is in kindergarten and her classroom this year is in a separate building to the main school. She walks to the main school for some classes and for the playground.

One teacher takes her class - 25 kids to the playground during recess. Today my DD needed to go to the bathroom, her teacher said she had to hold it as she could not take her back to the bathroom and leave the other kids...needless to say DD could not hold it and ended up wetting her pants. She had a change of clothes at school so she changed and that was it.

I am a little upset by it as I feel like the school should be doing more to make sure there is an alternative than the teacher taking all the kids back for one kid to use the bathroom such as a portable toilet set up near the playground or some playground assistant who is there for that purpose only.

I dont think a child can hold their pee especially in this cold weather and if they are running around - I know I couldn't

Re: Issue at school - Kindergarten

The teacher should bathroom the class before going to the playground so she won't have to deal with this.

Re: Issue at school - Kindergarten

Re: Issue at school - Kindergarten

Message edited 2/7/2012 8:53:10 PM.

Re: Issue at school - Kindergarten

I am out of the loop since it has been several years since I taught...but I am sure there are certain guidelines as far as how many adults need to be present if a teacher is taking students out to the playground.

What if a child fell and was badly hurt? How would they contact the nurse to get there ASAP for a wheelchair, or bring the kid to the nurse?

A walkie talkie is an idea, or a school aide, some other adult present who can help in the event of an emergency.

I would be calling the school first thing tomorrow morning. There could be bigger problems that could arise then just a child needing to use the bathroom -- such as a major injury! The school needs a better plan for this situation!

Re: Issue at school - Kindergarten

Thanks everyone So I emailed the teacher in my DD's classroom last night and am waiting for her to respond. I did get to speak to the assistant teacher for a couple of minutes at school this morning and she said that they do ask the kids to use the bathroom before they go outside. I said this was a great idea but some kids like my daughter feel they dont have to go and then when the cold air hits they have to. She responded that if that happens they ask the kids if they can hold it but if its a true emergency they do radio for asistance and someone comes. She said my DD did not indicate it was an emergency and she only wet a little bit.

I can see the logic behind it but the mom in me feels that if any child needs to use the bathroom they should be able to go there and then and there should either be a bathroom beside the playground OR an aide who does this type of thing...I know the budget probably does not allow for this.

She did say in an emergency they do radio for help so I guess if anything were to happen my daughter would be taken care of and maybe she didn't say it was an emergency like the assistant teacher said.

The assistant teacher said she will make sure that DD uses the bathroom before they leave for the playground anymore and will keep an eye on her.

Re: Issue at school - Kindergarten

I'd be taking that issue up with the principal.

Per NYS Department of Education § 125.7 Teacher-pupil ratio. for kindergarten:

Kindergarten.
There shall be no more than 22 children in one group in one room.
For five-year-olds, the ratio of children to teachers shall not be more than 15:1, with a qualified teacher in attendance at all times.

Source: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/nurseryschool/regulations/NurserySchoolsRegulations.html#teacher

Are you in NYS?

Message edited 2/8/2012 10:30:41 AM.

Re: Issue at school - Kindergarten

YEs we are in NYS. There are 25 kids in my DD's classroom - there is a teacher and a teachers assistant. For trips to the playground and for trips to her specials classes such as gym, science, library etc the teachers aide walks them to and from a smaller building to the main building...its quite a walk - not an adjoining building at all, they have to walk across two crosswalks but they are in the school premises at all times.

Re: Issue at school - Kindergarten

I do feel for you because I remember my kids having accidents & being upset about them being "that kid" that gets teased later in life.

It happens semi-regularly in school, so I think some teachers & nurses think of it as par for the course. They're usually understanding & keep it quiet.

Impress upon your daughter that is she has to go, she needs to tell the teacher she can't hold it (even if she can because at 5, I don't think a kid can really gauge how long "hold it" means) .

Re: Issue at school - Kindergarten

Thanks northsgirl...to be honest I dont think my DD was embarassed as I asked her if the other kids saw her and she said no but I was embarassed for her as kids can be cruel and I felt that this was an avoidable incident. Still waiting to hear back from the main teacher.....

Re: Issue at school - Kindergarten

Just wondering if you heard back from the teacher.

Re: Issue at school - Kindergarten