Keeping Your Classroom Germ Free

It’s that time of year: Students are sniffling and sneezing — hopefully into their elbows — everywhere you turn. How do you keep from getting sick and reduce the number of children who pick up the virus of the week?

Pennsylvania teacher Lynn Cashell has the following tips.

I keep a pump bottle of hand sanitizer next to every computer, so students may use it before they begin working. I also keep a bottle next to every box of tissues and remind the kids to use it after blowing their noses. I do encourage hand washing as well, but the convenience of the sanitizer works well.

While our housekeeping staff wipes down the desks weekly, I hand out Lysol or Clorox wipes every Friday, so the kids can clean their desks. They actually love it and are always surprised at how dirty they become. The wipes are conveniently located under my sink, so kids often take it upon themselves to do some cleaning.

One thing I do to protect myself is to always use my own pen or pencil when revising and editing with my students. Those of you who teach elementary school know just where your students’ pencils — not mention their little hands — usually end up!

Read additional suggestions for keeping germs at bay from Scholastic, and find resources for teaching youngsters about cleanliness and disease prevention from TeacherVision.