Open    Access



Teacher’s Attitudes and Strategies when Schoolchildren Need to Go to the Toilet



Author(s)

Barbro Lundblad, Marie Berg and Anna-Lena Hellström

Full-Text PDF XML     1234 Views

DOI:10.17265/2328-7136/2016.02.006

It is well known that a lot of children avoid going to the toilet during school. This is mainly due to poor hygienic standards in the toilets but also due to fear and insecurity when visiting the toilet during recess. Studies show that children are not always allowed to go to the toilet during class and that many teachers decide when the children may satisfy their toilet needs. The purpose of this study was to describe teacher’s attitudes and strategies when schoolchildren need to go to the toilet. Interviews with 17 teachers working in five Swedish compulsory schools. The teacher’s attitudes were that the physiological need or children’s will should determine when they could go to the toilet and that children have different toilet needs. All teachers used rules to regulate toilet visits during class. The rules were not communicated and required the interpretation of the children. The teachers demanded openness and information about the toilet needs of the children. Suspected misuse of toilet visits led the teacher to make their own assessment of the children’s toilet needs, as a sanction toilet visits could be prohibited. The strategies used during class did not reflect the health-promoting attitude the teachers told about. In reality, the task of maintaining order and control was prioritised. The strategies used were not adapted to children’s needs, which could have significance for maintaining toilet habits consistent with health and well-being.

Children, health, rules, school, teacher, toilet needs