Classroom Jobs for Students
Assigning classroom jobs to students based on their personality can help them feel more invested in their duties and make your classroom run more smoothly.
You might want to assign a student who is a natural people person as a line leader, so that he/she can socialize and encourage others. A more introverted student might be better-suited for the job of sharpening pencils (and maybe being left alone for a few minutes).
Think about each child in your class and what makes him or her unique. What does their personality bring to the room? If you’re having trouble answering this question, here are some ideas for getting to know your students better:
-
Take the time to sit down with them individually, away from the rest of the class, even if only for 5 or 10 minutes. Let them talk about whatever they want while you listen attentively; not everyone has an opportunity to be heard by an adult one-on-one like this, and it will likely make them very happy if you do it. You’ll learn something new about each student this way, which is exactly what you’re trying to achieve!
-
Try having students describe themselves during group discussions that are focused on getting-to-know-you activities in class. It’s probably most effective if they do it before they’ve had time to develop impressions of one another; that way, they’ll describe themselves more objectively than how someone else would see them, which was our goal in the first place! However you approach learning about your kids’ personalities, remember that you’ll want to give each child responsibilities according to his or her needs: honor their strengths as well as weaknesses rather than just plopping tasks down without consideration for who has what abilities! After all–people don’t always work well when their skills aren’t honored by others around them 🙂
Related Post:Stratford University Ranking: Requirements and Tuition
Contents
Classroom Jobs for Students
Classroom Job 1 – Paper Collector / Recycler
Paper Collector / Recycler
This student should be responsible for making sure that all of the paper in the classroom gets recycled. This is a great job for someone who likes to organize things and enjoys working at their own pace. Every day they would collect used paper from around the room, sort it into piles, and take them to the recycling bin outside the classroom door. They may also keep track of how much paper was brought to recycle each week and make charts or graphs showing this. As this job is pretty easy to do, Paper Collectors can often be assigned other jobs as well if you have lots of students in your class who want to participate!
Classroom Job 2 – Library Helper
As a library helper, you will be responsible for making sure the books in the classroom are organized and that all students know how to use the library.
-
Organize books in the library by subject and alphabetically within each subject.
-
Help other students find specific books.
-
Make sure all books are being returned to the correct shelf.
A few things to remember:
Classroom Job 3 – Pencil Sharpener
You’ll have to teach these children how to sharpen pencils properly. When your students are first learning, it can take a lot of time and energy for them to get proficient at sharpening. Make sure they learn correctly from the start. Show them how to hold the pencil in one hand and turn the crank with the other hand while holding the pencil steady. Explain that you don’t want their fingers getting caught in the sharpener, bruised on the blades, or cut by exposed metal if that happens. Also be clear that they need to remove any shavings from their work area when they’re done so nobody trips on them.
You’ll also want your students to know that a good point is not necessarily a long point! They should stop cranking once they’ve got a usable point, even if there’s still lots of wood left on their pencils. Finally, remind them not to push too hard when sharpening; this creates pressure inside the sharpener casing which can force shavings outside where they’ll end up on your floor or their desks instead of staying inside until someone empties the receptacle at regular intervals.
Classroom Job 4 – Line Leader
What does a Line Leader do?
As the name suggests, the line leader is the student that leads your class through the halls. They are always first in line and allow you to follow them from one place to another. You may assign this job as a reward for good behavior or simply randomly rotate through your students. Either way, it allows you to have an assigned leader that can often set the tone for your entire class while they’re transitioning through hallways and buildings.
Classroom Job 5 – Calendar Helper
Calendar Helper – The student assigned to this job will turn the classroom calendar to the correct date each morning. He or she will then add the date and day of the week to our classroom schedule, as well as in category charts and on any other graphic organizers we are using at the time. Lastly, this student will record the temperature outside, as well as whether it’s sunny, rainy, snowy or windy outside. (What a great way to practice math skills!)
Classroom Job 6 – Plant Waterer
The plant waterer is a wonderful job for students who are eager to learn and be responsible. They will learn about the importance of water, not only for plants but also for themselves. This classroom job will teach students how to be careful when watering the plants so that they don’t accidentally spill water on either their classmates or themselves. It will also make them feel important because they are taking care of something that they can see growing!
Classroom Job 7 – Chair Stacker/Un-Stacker
I hope your teacher will consider assigning this job to you! You can be sure to keep the chairs in the same place each time. Be sure to stack them neatly. Be sure to use caution and be safe. Be sure to ask for help if needed. Be sure to have fun. Be sure to tell your teacher when you are done stacking or un-stacking the chairs!
Give jobs to your students to empower them and help them build responsibility and community.
A classroom job is a task that a student does to help keep the classroom functioning smoothly. Many teachers have found that assigning jobs to their students has been helpful in creating a sense of community and responsibility among their class.
Student jobs can be:
-
Line leader
-
Bathroom monitor
-
Librarian, who puts books back on the shelf at the end of story time
Jobs can also rotate each week, so every student can feel like they are contributing to their classroom!
Create a classroom job training system if you have students with special needs.
If you have students with special needs in your classroom, you can implement a classroom jobs system by making a few changes to the procedure. For example, instead of assigning five or six students to the same job at once, you might assign three. This will give those students more opportunities to perform their tasks and earn positive recognition throughout the week while also minimize disruptions in the learning environment. It’s also important to consider what jobs would be most appropriate for each student based on his or her IEP goals and areas of challenge. Here are some examples:
-
A student who is working on improving phonological awareness can be assigned as a class librarian and tasked with putting books back in their proper place after they’re used by other children.
-
Another child who is working on improving upper body strength (e.g., raising her arms above her head) can take attendance for the class using a sheet of paper taped to the chalkboard; this will allow her to practice writing numbers and letters as well as fine motor skills such as pencil grip.
-
A third student who has trouble following directions but enjoys being helpful might be asked to help erase whiteboards every day so that he’ll get lots of positive feedback from his teacher without having too many expectations placed on him at once.
Related Post:List of Best MBA Programs in Texas
Write out clear, short descriptions of each classroom job.
Imagine amid the chaos of your seventh period class that someone is taking care of the trash, wiping down desks, and sharpening pencils. By clearly defining classroom jobs and making them easy for students to understand and complete, you can help students take ownership of their environment. Here are some suggestions for clear descriptions:
-
Pencil Sharpener: This student sharpens pencils to a point every day before first period begins and as needed at other times
-
Desk Wiper: As part of his/her daily routine, this person wipes down desks with a damp rag after each class
Ensure that students understand the importance of the classroom’s cleaning and organization.
It’s important to ensure that students understand the importance of the classroom’s cleaning and organization because they’re more likely to take stewardship of their environment. Additionally, this will help them recognize that cleaning and organizing is a group activity. You’ll want to emphasize how important it is for all students in the class to contribute.
Give students rewards for helping with classroom jobs
-
When it comes to rewards, make sure they are age-appropriate. If you hand out candy to students who do their jobs well, but you have a student in your class with diabetes, make sure the other students don’t feel bad that they’re getting something that the diabetic student can’t have. You could offer stickers or tokens instead of candy.
-
Make sure the rewards are fair for all students—and appropriate for the work done. If you assign someone to take the trash out and give them a piece of candy for doing their job, that seems fair enough; however, if you give everyone who finishes their work early a sticker at the end of class and one student gets ten stickers because he does ten different jobs every day, it doesn’t seem fair anymore
-
Use non-material rewards when possible. A simple “good job” can go a long way!
-
Don’t reward anything other than good work. Giving a reward for anything other than actually doing an assigned task could result in misbehavior just to get more prizes.
It can be helpful to give tasks to your students when they have down time.
Assigning classroom jobs has many benefits—it keeps students busy, teaches them to be responsible, and prepares them for work in the real world. More importantly, it makes your job easier by helping you manage a classroom full of young people who are likely filled with unspent energy and curiosity. Students who have jobs can also learn new skills that will stay with them throughout their lives. You’ll be doing your students a favor by giving them opportunities to shine in areas where they might not normally have a chance to succeed.
Related Post:How to Get into a Top MBA Program