Can I Come In? It’ll Be Quick… {With a Freebie}

Don’t fall for it! Chances are that if you’ve heard this before, whatever they want won’t be quick.  Nope, it will be painfully slow and it will be an interruption during an important time in your day.  I’ve had many encounters in my teaching career with this scenario and sadly never did anything about it.

“Sure”, I’d say with an annoyed look on my face hoping the interruption would be quick.  I would also make the point to tell the kids to ignore the visitor since we were still reading a story!  Ugh, major eye roll.  Unfortunately, at this point your students are already too involved with whatever you are talking about or are already making a distraction of their own.

This year I had my ‘I’ve had it moment’.  During my story (yes, my STORY TIME!!!) I had someone bust my door open in the most dramatic  of ways.  It was also the first day school  while I was trying to establish carpet norms and expectations.  Are you annoyed yet?

I  turned around and told them not to come into my classroom and interrupt story time if I was on the carpet.  I might have also added, in an annoyed/angry voice, that it was my teaching time and not my ‘conversation with the adults’ time.  I turned around and ignored their last request to look at something.  Needless to say I did not make any friends that day.

But alas, I teach my students to be kind to each other and I must follow along to my own advice.  After some reflection time, and a much needed conversation with the adults that barge in, I created a very simple system to help curb most of the interruptions.  While this system is not fool proof and some people might still get through it will help keep the frustrations to a minimum.

I have two classroom doors, one of which is the at the front of the room.  This is the door that people barge in from.  I locked that door and placed the sign and a basket that hangs from the door.  My second door is always unlocked and if someone absolutely needs to get me or a student they can come in through that door.

I did have to have a conversation with my principal that explains why I locked the door and why this is the best choice for our classroom.  I am on the first floor, one door down from the main office, and we got a lot of “oops, wrong door” interruptions.  Thankfully she understood the need for this system and agreed to it.

Now any staff members who need to come into our classroom know the procedure and follows it.  It has been working well and we have had less interruptions.  When you download the freebie signs make sure that you check the box before the end of the day.  Now that you’re locking people out from talking to you there will be an expectation that all items/paperwork be sent home in a timely manner.

If you’d like to get less interruptions thoroughout the day download our awesome Do-Not-Disturb freebie!

This system has been working for me and I hope that it works for you too.  If you download the freebie tag us in a picture on Instagram.  We’d love to see you using our different products and freebies in your classroom!

Have a funny/ not so funny interruption story you’d like to share?  Let us know below!