Put 'Em to Work!

Classrooms are communities.   Everyone within the community can contribute to making the classroom operate smoothly.  One way of doing this is having classroom jobs.  While teachers have different ways and reasons for creating and assigning jobs, common examples of jobs include messenger, line leader, taking attendance, lunch count, and homework checker.  If you’re looking for ideas on jobs for your classroom, check out Maria Chang’s book, Classroom Management in Photographs, which has some unique and clever ideas for classroom jobs. 

Some teachers have students apply for classroom jobs, leading to either a year-long job, or a job that rotates infrequently, say every two to three weeks.  Below, you will find some clever 5^th grade job descriptions and an example of a classroom job application, which Ree Chacon uses in her classroom.  Thanks, Ree!  Ree said her students get really creative with their job applications, which makes me think students are more likely to take ownership of their jobs.  Plus, since students apply for jobs at the beginning of the school year, it’s a quick way to learn more about students’ interests, beliefs about their abilities, and writing skills.  

I also like how some of Ree's jobs, like the Recycling Supervisor and Energy Patrol, support the school community in addition to the classroom community.  Notice too that the Shades Supervisor job is unique to Ree's classroom, which the sun beat down on every afternoon.  So, regardless of how you do it, be sure to delegate responsibility to students.  Model how jobs should be done and then trust that students are capable of taking care of the classroom. 

5^th Grade Job Descriptions

Fire Chief: Leads the class anywhere we go, including during fire drills.

Administrative Assistant: Helps the teacher pass out papers and other materials.  At the end of the day, sharpens pencils from the unsharpened pencil tub and puts them in the sharpened pencil tub.

Sanitation Engineer: Helps clean up the room at the end of the day; dismisses groups with clean floors to get their backpacks.

Class Emissary: Takes messages; delivers lunch count to cafeteria.

Librarian: Makes sure the classroom library is neat and that books are where they belong at the end of the day.  Alphabetizes chapter books to be put away.

Board Hygienist: Erases the boards throughout the day and at the end of the day.  Cleans boards with cleaner on Friday.

Botanist: Makes sure all classroom plants are watered daily. 

Veterinarian: Feeds the classroom pets daily; FOLLOWS THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE SHEETS TO MAKE SURE THIS IS DONE CORRECTLY

Substitute: Fills in for the job of anyone who is absent that day.

Shades Supervisor: Opens the window shades in the morning; closes the window shades after lunch. **An example of a classroom job that's really based on the classroom's specific needs.  The sun's hot in Albuquerque!

Recycling Supervisor: Responsible for taking classroom recycling to recycle dumpster.  On Fridays, takes office and workroom recycling too.  

Energy Patrol: Monitors the school’s energy use.  During recess, hands out red tickets to classrooms if lights are left on and green tickets to classrooms if lights are turned off. 

CLASSROOM JOB APPLICATION                                  NAME_________________________

Please list the 3 jobs you are most interested in applying for and give your qualifications for each:

1) Job:

Qualifications:

2) Job:

Qualifications:

3) Job:

Qualifications: