Monitoring Students by Terra Graves

Do you know where your student is, what he/she is up to?  Monitoring students outside the classroom is important. At times students may have to leave the classroom to go to the office or the bathroom. How do you account for them?

1. Make passes for the possible places a student will need a pass and keep them in a central location. You can keep them at your desk or instruction area, or by the door.
2. Possible places students will need a pass are: bathroom, hallway, library, computer room, office, clinic, counselor, music room.
3. Keep some paper on a clipboard for a sign-out/in sheet, so you can be accountable for your students’ whereabouts.
4. Decide if students will need permission for each destination.
5. It is a good idea to limit the bathroom passes to one per gender.
6. You may want to limit the library, computer room, music room to three or four passes (ask those teachers what is best for them) and the office, counselor, clinic to one pass each. The number of hallway passes you want to have on hand depends on their purpose.
7. When on teacher duty, it is a good idea to keep a clipboard with you that has behavior citations, passes, and blank paper. Keep a list of names of students with chronic behavior problems and notify their teachers accordingly.
8. Take a whistle/bullhorn with you.
9. Never miss your duty! You may be held liable for injuries.
10. Ask another teacher to cover your duty if you are unable.

This tips are meant for your safely (at all levels) and the safely of your students.  Bring these up for discussion at a staff meeting or a meeting with your principal and see what clarification others need and or additional suggestions that the staff can come together on.

© Terra Graves. Terra is an educator in Reno, Nevada. She has been a classroom teacher (elementary and middle school) and a mentor teacher (K-12). She continues to educate teachers through professional development courses and is currently the professional development coordinator for the Nevada Pathway Project, a technology integration project for middle school teachers across Nevada.

Terra is the author of Organized Teacher, A Guide for Beginning Teachers, and 102 Classroom Set-Up Tips for the Organized Teacher.  These items are available for purchase and immediate digital delivery at Teaching Just Got Easier.

Follow Terra on Twitter: @teachingeasier

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