Bathroom comments can mean "potty talk."
Yes, I definitely discourage that sort of talk in the classroom, but this post is about something completely different!
The "bathroom comments" I'm discussing today have nothing to do with potty talk!
But you know how the mere mention of the bathroom grabs the hearts of the little ones? This gives is a whole new meaning to the words "bathroom comments" that helps children become better listeners and better report givers!
This post is about encouraging students to ask appropriate questions or give appropriate comments when another student is sharing or reporting!
I encourage my students to ask questions or give comments when a child shares a story. My only rule is: No "Bathroom Comments."
The question or comment needs to prove they were actually in the classroom listening to the story, not in the bathroom while the story was read.
Here's how it works:
Seth proudly gets up and reads his tree story.
Afterward, he asks for questions or comments.
Questions like these are encouraged:
Comments like these are encouraged:
These questions and comments could have been given,
even if the student had been in the bathroom when the story was read.
These have been my expectations for years, and the children can recognize a "bathroom comment" instantly! You don't have to use that terminology, but it does get their attention... and makes them giggle!
Why is it important to get the kiddos asking questions and giving comments?
Well, first of all, we always want the children thinking!
It's also important that the children learn to listen to each other.
A third reason is that it helps the reader (speaker/ presenter) think about what kind of information their audience wants to hear. As the year goes on, their stories become more complete and more interesting for their audience. They anticipate what the questions will be, and put that information into the stories and reports.
As a teacher, it's important to model the proper ways to ask questions and give comments.
In Seth's story above, I might ask how tall the tree was (with prompting... as big as a ____?) or what kind of tree it was. I might comment that I could picture him playing in the leaves. I might also comment how he engaged his reader by asking a question at the end. I avoid giving opinions, since the positive feedback comes from the quality of the questions and comments, plus these make better writers as well!
