I am a new teacher, and will be in 3rd grade. I was wondering what types of classroom jobs/student helpers you guys have used in the past? Do you switch them every day....every two weeks....every month? How many jobs is too many? I want to arrange tables in groups of 4-5....so I don't know if it would be better to just give each child in the group a job. Grrr.....as you can see I haven't a clue! I was thinking about having teacher helper, gardener, paper passer, line leader, caboose/light & door closer, mail sorter.... What are some ways you were able to keep track of jobs? THANKS EVERYONE!
In second grade my co-op teacher also had bathroom monitors, floor checkers, librarian, calendar (not sure if you still do that in third grade). She kept track of them with a chart that had all of the students names and also all of the job names. Her system was that she would change them once a week at the end of Friday. She would fill out the chart and try to make sure that each student got to do each job once. She also had a substitute job, in case anyone was absent. Hope it helps!
I had a great pre-made bulletin board set that I laminated and hung on an open spot of my wall last year. I ordered it through Steps to Literacy and it was probably just called "Classroom Helpers". The kit came with quite a few backpack cutouts which I labeled with my jobs. Then each student's name was written on a school supply cutout which I rotated daily. I kept one student at each job and rotated them each evening... the extras were stored at the bottom of the display with a clip. It worked very well, and students were always quick to remind me if I forgot to rotate them!
Class Jobs Usually, at teacher stores they have neat Classroom Job pocket charts you could use. My classroom theme is frogs so I am using the Hoppy Helpers chart. It's pretty cool because I can put in the class jobs I want (not some pre-made thing). I am only going to have 20 students in my class. I want everyone to have a class job that way the kids can learn that everyone contributes to our class. I plan on rotating every week. Here is a list of some of the jobs I am using: Line leader Door Holder Duster Pencil Sharpener (2) librarian Coat Rack Secretary Substitute Chalkboard/erasers snacks (2) Messenger lunch tub (2) Gardener Floors (2) Desk Cleaners (2) I hope this helps!
I've done a bunch of different things. I've done as much as 10 jobs. For me it was too much to keep up with and then I kept hearing the complaining of "Her job lets her do more". So then I went to just 1 and they did everything. I keep the jobs for a week. The last 3 years I was semi-departmentalized so jobs were kind of hard. This year I'm self-contained so I'm going to try a few more jobs. A week is a good time for me to keep the kids in a job. I think I'll have a Lights/Door person, Errands...and some more if I can find some. I have a promethean so I can't do a board eraser. I may code my library books so I may do a librarian.
I have a bunch of jobs, and we switch every Monday. I was thinking of creating a tally chart to keep track of who gets the jobs more...my main rule now is they can't have the job two weeks in a row. postal worker lunch basket (2) line leader caboose paper passers (2) panther packet (2) - fills our weekly flyer packet paws friends (2)- reads our character ed quote of the month door holders (2) reporter (2)- helps with newsletter This year I am also adding: pencil sharpener (2) substitute helper I may also be adding "rule carrier" b/c my P just went to responsive classroom and that's her new big thing b/c she loved it so much.
This year I had Helper, Messenger, Lunch Count, Paper Passer and Board Eraser. I'm thinking of adding librarian and custodian. I might combine messenger & lunch count since they both go downstairs every morning. I keep an excel form and rotate their names through in order. I can usually get through a quarter before any jobs repeat.
jobs The last couple of years I used a pre made jobs chart. I had to use push pins and it took up a lot of space. This year I am customizing my job chart on the computer and then laminating them. I alphabetize by first name and simply move down. Then I know that everyone gets a job. The extras are kept in a seperate slot and I just put the last name in the back and take from the front. I really liked the idea of a substitute job. I will be adding that to my job chart.
Door holder Bathroom Monitor (1 boy, 1 girl) Line leader equipment manager (2) - during recess they bring in and take out equipment Librarian (2) - straightens classroom library table monitors (4) - assist the teacher assistant in cleaning tables and sweeping floors during lunch
Try to avoid having too many jobs. You'll have a hard time keeping up with it, and the kids will have a hard time remembering what each job entails. It is a better to have a few, well-defined jobs than a job for everyone. If you rotate the jobs, they will all get a chance, anyway. Remember.. KISS ... Keep It Simple Sweetie! Don't make more work for yourself than necessary. There is already too much to do, without adding more "things" on your list of things to do and remember.
I have the same jobs as everyone else has listed here- thing special. But I do make sure there is a job for everyone. That is SIMPLE for me. If I had some kids with and some without each week, I think I would go nuts forgetting and trying to remember who has and has not had each job. We switch jobs each week. Jobs are only done a the end of the day. I have an assistant who does anything else I need like passing out papers and running errands.
The kids who don't want jobs for the week have their frogs put in the holding envelope...when its time to pick the following week, I choose from their frogs first. (Our job chart is frogs and lily pads!) It's actually really easy for me
My plan is to switch jobs once a month. That way they know the job and will more likely remember to do it. Also they will be able to teach the new person their job. I will have a job assigned to everybody. I will try to give them jobs they want while taking into consideration their strengths. I tried to name my jobs like real jobs: Train Engineer - line leader Secretary - teacher's assistant Lumberjacks - pencil sharpener Substitute-take over if someone is absent, be helper to any subs Ambassador - pledge leader, show new student around Librarian - take care of class library Nurse - get well cards, gather absent student work Cashier - cash checks they get for working Store Clerk - runs store (open once a month to spend $) Game Show Host - runs Homeworkopoly CSI Inspector - checks for clean desks Saitation Department - Checks floors, other cleaning tasks Mail Clerks - handles papers going home Cheerleader - stamps papers Tutor - helps students if the teacher is busy Some jobs have two people assigned
I have a President and a Vice President and they are my helpers for the day. They pass out all the papers, carry our lunch basket, and do random little jobs that are needed. Each table has a captain, Senator, and they get materials when needed for their table, like dry erase board and erasers. I could never have a lot of classroom jobs b/c I'd forget to change them, and it would be a mess. My kids loved being the President and Vice President! So that's what worked for me.
I have a job for each student (they have all been listed on a previous post) and I use a large pocket chart to display them. Every Friday I just move names around and they can see what their job is for the next week. I don't really track it as far as who has done what but every now and then someone will say I haven't been "____________" so I give them that job.
I have two helpers each day, and they do everything I need for the day-they are also my line leaders that day. I switch to a different two helpers each day.
