Germs, Germs...Go Away!

How many of you are frantically cleaning your classrooms as soon as you have students leave? If you are anything like me, your hands are dry and the classroom smells like a chlorox bomb exploded!

We have had so many sweet students absent lately due to a terrible virus, the dreaded flu, and strep. It seems like everytime we turn around, someone else is getting sick. Because my students change classes, I find myself constantly wiping down desks, doors, the pencil sharpener, and markers all day long. Because I feel like I am cleaning as much as I am teaching, I have put some new practices into my classroom:

1. Before the end of each class, I hand the first person on each row a wipe. They wipe each desk down while the others are lining up. If more wipes are needed, I give them freely!

2. I have a door wiper! This saves me time to do some last minute things in class. I usually choose a student whose behavior was good and who looks like he/she needs to get up and move around for a minute.

3. I assign a homeroom student to wipe down the pencil sharpener and another student to wipe down the "community" pencil cup.

4. I handle wiping down the markers for the SmartBoard and dry-erase markers.

5. I have hand sanitizer available in three places in the classroom, and encourage its use.

6. And finally, I preach to the students about washing their hands and the proper methods of covering their mouths when they cough or sneeze.

What are some ways that you keep your classroom as germ-free as possible?

This past week, my little girl had the flu. I have stayed home with her because she needed me and I just could't bear to leave her with anyone else as sick as she has been. My house has undergone a major deep cleaning. It needed it! Now, we are germ-free, fever-free and ready for the weekend!

I hope that each of you have a wonderful, fun-filled weekend!



6 comments:

  1. How bad is it that I was shaking my head the entire time I was reading this! Thanks for being my newest follower, I haven't been updating that blog as I am on medical leave and it's for my students use. I do have my other teaching blog at http://www.LiveTeachCreate.com

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  2. I cringe whenever I hear sneezes and coughs from students and nonchalantly make my way to the hand sanitizer every time! Great post!
    Using My Teacher Voice

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  3. I've gotten so bad that I make all my students hand wash with soap and water before leaving for lunch. I teach two classes before lunch (7th and then 8th), so I figure at least 40% of my kids will kill some germs. It's been an adventure- one of my 8th grade boys called me from inside the bathroom to ask for help turning the sink off--- he hadn't washed his hands ALL SCHOOL YEAR and didn't know how to turn off the water.

    I'm also a new follower!
    Amy
    http://over-caffeinatedandoptimistic.blogspot.com/

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    1. My students leave with hand sanitizer on, and now the first thing they do when they walk into the classroom is put more sanitizer on. I know it is not as good as soap and water, but I am at the end of the hall. If I waited for my students to get to the other end, wash hands, and then go to lunch, we would never get to eat anything! And I need my Diet Coke! :) Thanks for following! I follow you, too.

      Andrea

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