Classroom Jobs
How can you prevent chaos in your classroom when you are changing activities or ending the hour? Don’t shoulder the burden yourself. Instead, enlist the aid of your students who are certainly old enough to share some responsibilities with you.
► 1. Becoming responsible for yourself and your possessions is a part of growing up. Establish a daily routine in your classroom that students can easily follow. They should expect, for example, that Fridays are free reading days or that they must complete a journal entry at the beginning of each class. Also, make sure your students know it’s their job to bring the necessary supplies to class and to gather needed materials for the day’s assignment as they enter the classroom.
► 2. Although we expect middle and high school students to be individually responsible, there are some classroom jobs that can be completed more efficiently when done by one or two students. Imagine the chaos that ensues when the whole class is tossing calculators as you as they dash out of the room when the bell rings. Now picture the serenity of just one or two students moving about the room before the bell rings, collecting and checking in those same calculators. Other jobs that can be completed more efficiently by one or two students include distributing and/or collecting classroom textbooks, journals, homework, and other materials necessary for class activities.