Potty Training in the Classroom
Potty training. Not normally something you would associate with your teaching career. However, if you are a teacher in special education, especially to students in a moderate to severe classroom setting, this is something you are going to be responsible for planning. It's something that you won't learn in college, and it's something you probably didn't expect to be doing, yet, here you are, in all your glory, potty training. Here are a few tips and tricks that I have learned over the years when embarking on a potty training journey. Hopefully they can help you too!
1. Parents must be on board with the plan
This is a tough one, which is why it is my first tip. The family needs to be ready to embark on a potty training journey. It's not easy. It won't happen over night. It is a ton of work and if the family of your student is not on board to begin potty training, you are wasting your time. Let me paint a picture for you: You are the teacher of a classroom of multiple children, and you have decided a student needs to be potty trained. You feel they are ready and are capable so you begin to plan for potty training. You work your hind end off potty training them at school, but at home, they are not using the potty. The family isn't on board yet and they aren't ready to make that commitment. What's wrong with that picture? Well, for starters there is team behind you, no support for you or your student. There is no consistency in the that situation and therefore you are unintentionally, massively confusing your student. To them, they are expected to use the potty at school but not at home. That is not a good situation to be in and typically results in slow, or little to no success. In order for everyone to have a successful experience, everyone needs to be on the same page. Some families just aren't ready yet, and that's okay! They will get there, in their own time. It's important to keep an open conversation with your families about this topic. I always tell my parent's "let me know when you're ready!" and they do. When they are ready, they come to me and say "let's do this!".
Parent letter and parent questionnaire
2. Make sure your student is physically capable of being potty trained
This one is pretty self-explanatory but is worth mentioning. Unfortunately, there are some medical conditions that inhibit a child from being potty trained such as not being capable of holding their urine and/or bowels, not being able to detect when they have soiled themselves, etc. It's important that the student's family feels they are capable and has had a conversation with their doctor.
3. Have a meeting with the parents before you begin
I can't stress this enough. It is so important for the family and the classroom staff to be on the same page. Having a meeting between you and the family of the student is absolutely critical for success. During this meeting you can discuss things like possible rewards, what's expected of the student in the restroom, what language you want to use, how will the student communicate the need to use the restroom, etc. Having a sit down where you can communicate with each other and make a plan as a team is important!
Teacher check-list
4. Start with a trip-trained schedule
I always start my students on a trip-trained restroom schedule. This means that the restroom breaks are scheduled and that they are taken to the restroom at the same exact time every day. I typically start with a 2 hour trip-trained schedule, taking them every 2 hours, which results in 3 "potty sits" a day at school. We do this for awhile until we start catching on to their patterns, are they wet before we get them to the restroom at their scheduled time? If so, we bump up the time a half-hour until we start "catching" them on the potty. Once you start catching them when they need to go, you start giving them rewards and they start to make the association. I suggest before setting your meeting with the parents, have them document their restroom times at home. When they return it to you, you can analyze the data and develop a plan for that student. Catching them is key!
Bathroom log for data collection
5. Rewards must be special and immediate
Obviously, rewards are key to potty training. More importantly than rewarding the student is how you are using the rewards. Make sure that when you meet to decide which reward will be used that it is a special reward. The reward can't be an iPad that they get at home every day, because that won't have meaning. This needs to be a reward that they ONLY get for using the restroom. Make sure the reward is immediate! Whether you choose a special toy the student gets, or a special treat, keep it in the restroom! When the student goes on the potty, give them their toy or treat. My student's love to carry their rewards back to the classroom and proudly show it off to their friends. We keep a basket of rewards in the restroom and students put the toys back in the bathroom after they've earned them. They know they have to use the restroom to get them, and they know they have to put them back there to earn them again. Make sure the family uses the same reward at home and are aware that they also need to keep it in the restroom to be consistent.
6. What language will be used?
It's important that the family and staff are using the same language. Will you say bathroom, restroom, or potty? How will the student be prompted. Will the student use a visual to indicate their need to use the restroom? For nonverbal students, try having them use an AAC button every time they leave the room for their trip-trained restroom break. Eventually, they will make the connection that if they need to go, this is how they ask. Make sure that the family has the exact same language and resources that you use to communicate their need to go.
AAC button programmed to say "restroom, please!"
7. Use visuals in the restroom
Create a visual schedule of what's expected in the restroom and make sure the family receives the same schedule. Our typical routine (and therefore our icons indicate) pull down pants, sit on potty, use potty, flush, pull up pants, wash hands. We use it every time we're in the restroom that way the student's understand what we want from them.
8. Communicate with all staff that needs to be involved
If your student has physical needs, make sure you consult with the Physical Therapist before making a plan. There may be specialized equipment that needs to be purchased and the Physical Therapist will need to speak to the family about equipment needed for the restroom. Involve the Occupational Therapist if the student is going to be expected to pull up/pull down, button/unbutton clothing and attire. Involve the Speech-Language Therapist on what language and how the student will communicate the need for the restroom. It's important that the entire team knows the plan, has input into the plan, and is on board with the plan!
9. Give it time
This is an important tip to emphasize to the family. It's not going to happen in two days, it's not going to happen in two weeks. It's going to take a lot of adjustment, a lot of encouragement, and a lot of patience. If you are six months in and not seeing success, it may be time to reconvene a meeting and discuss what's going on. Do you need to adjust your time? Is your reward not motivating enough? How are things going at home? Are we still on the same page?
10. Potty above everything else
This is the hardest part, well, for me at least. It's very difficult to stop instruction if you are on a roll, and your student is fully engaged in a lesson but potty time must come first. Even if you are in the middle of a math class, if it's time to go, it's time to go. You have to remain consistent with your plan in order to see if you are having success. So therefore, potty above all else.
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