When the Bell Tolls
While student teaching in 2nd grade, Fridays could not come soon enough. After long chaotic weeks, I looked forward to sending the kids on their way and returning home for a much-needed break. However, I knew the classroom wouldn't prepare itself for Monday. I had supplies to organize, lessons to tweak, and perhaps most tedious of all, classroom jobs to switch.
You know what I'm talking about... those little pocket charts with student name cards poking out of each sleeve. Teachers creatively think of a long list of classroom jobs to label these posters. Although students can only assist with about 14 valuable tasks around the room, teachers make up extra gigs so every student can participate daily. Of course, this causes some angst amongst the joyful student who gets to lead the line and the disappointed child who is in charge of looking up a word in the dictionary should the class ever wonder what "stodgy" or "doldrums" means.
What's My Job?
In my classroom of 24 students, that meant 24 different jobs. Every. Single. Week. On Monday, I’d teach the new jobs, hoping that this time it would stick. But by Tuesday, it was clear that we were far from mastery. Kids forgot their tasks, assignments were left incomplete, and I felt like I was constantly reminding them of their responsibilities. By the time Thursday rolled around, they finally started to get the hang of it—just in time for us to switch it all up again Friday afternoon.
Revolving Door of Help
As I prepared to manage my own classroom, I admired teachers who had a "helper of the day." It seemed so much simpler: one student to assist with whatever was needed. But then I realized it was like running a temp agency with a revolving door of new hires. Every day, I found myself reteaching procedures to a new student, trying to ensure they understood their role. I was starting from scratch daily. #classroomjobs
Team Jobs
When I transitioned to teaching 4th grade, I knew I had to find a better way. That’s when I instituted team jobs. Instead of juggling 24 individual roles, I divided my class into teams of four. I invited students to provide input on whom they'd enjoy working with throughout the entire year. It took some time sorting through their requests and arranging the schedule in August, but then the system ran itself. #teamjobs
Each team had a specific set of responsibilities. The Maintenance Crew took care of cleaning the floors, turning off the lights, and placing the trash bins in the hallway for the janitors. The Technology Team handled plugging in laptops at the end of the day and assisted with the Smartboard. The Communication Crew passed back completed work in mailboxes and took notes to the office.
This classroom job routine was a game-changer! Not only did it save me time, but it also ensured that the classroom ran smoothly even if someone was absent. Their team could step in and cover the tasks, ensuring nothing fell through the cracks. Best of all, I only needed to switch jobs once a month. By the end of the school year, each team had rotated through all the roles, gaining experience in every area.
Looking back, I realize that finding the right system for classroom jobs is all about trial and error. Determine what works best for you and your students so their jobs make your job easier. For me, the shift to team jobs in 4th grade was the perfect solution. It saved time, reduced stress, and helped my students develop a sense of responsibility that lasted all year long. Plus, since they kept their jobs for a full month, they became experts - never forgetting to take lunch count or return library books on time. My students loved their teams and this system provided a great cooperation project throughout the year.
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