Monday, August 7, 2017

Classroom Jobs



As the new school year is approaching, I am ready to get my classroom set up. For me, one of the most import parts of the way my classroom runs is classroom management. I work the best when I am organized and my students learn this very quickly. Last year, I had a job system for my students , but  I did not love it. Each week students elected a new person for classroom jobs. This became too time consuming so we switched every month instead. However, throughout the year I noticed that students often didn't fully understand their job descriptions which caused friction. This year I am determine to change this.
I created job applications that my students will fill out first week of school with 7 jobs that are crucial to our classroom running smoothly. Not every student has to apply and students who do not apply can change their minds later in the year and apply. Based on the applications I receive, I will pick the best candidates. Students are asked about why they are interested in each job, have to rate the jobs they are interested in and are expected to reflect on what challenges they will face in their jobs. Each student who is chosen for the job will hold this position for 1 month. Students in these positions are expected to be leaders and show appropriate classroom behavior. If they do not, they can be dismissed from the job held. After 1 month, I will go through remaining applications and select new students for the positions again. This will ensure that all students who apply have a chance at obtaining at least 1 of the 7 jobs available throughout the year. It will set clear expectations for the position students are applying for and will help students reflect and think about why they are interested in the jobs they are applying for. The job application component makes classroom jobs relevant to the real world and allows students to take leadership and responsibility in our classroom. My job application is above. I am happy to share the file with you if you send me an e-mail requesting it.

I hope you've had a wonderful and refreshing summer break!

Respectfully,

Mrs. Swanson