I don’t know a teacher who HASN’T struggled with classroom jobs for students at one point or another. Classroom jobs are great because they help students take ownership of their classroom and cultivate responsibility while making your teacher life just a bit easier. However, if you create a system that doesn’t work for you, you’re putting MORE work on yourself. So, what’s a teacher to do?
I’ve used several different ideas over the years. The one I’m sharing with you today is my very favorite, especially for upper elementary classrooms. The students love having a job to do, and they still do! But, it’s way less stressful than giving every student an individual job and rotating those every few weeks. I believe that they help improve your classroom community as well. If you’re looking to improve your classroom culture while saving time by setting yourself up for success, download my exclusive Classroom Community guide for free here. In it, you’ll learn the secret sauce to building an authentic community that makes room for more learning!
Why Classroom Jobs?
People love what they help create. So anytime you can include your students in creating something in your room – whether that is decorations, your class rules, or even classroom jobs – they will love and take ownership of it more and more. It’s one of the most important keys to building a solid community.
When you include your students in taking care of your classroom, they will feel a part of it. They’ll want to make it a better place. Not to mention, if you do it right, you won’t have to worry about some of those small but annoying tasks on your to-do list like cleaning the board, reorganizing your classroom library, etc. I see it as a win-win situation! If you’re looking for ideas for classroom jobs that stop the struggle, I’ve got you covered.
A System for Classroom Helper Jobs That Works
What are you looking for in your classroom jobs system? Here are my requirements: easy to organize, easy for students to do and remember, something that doesn’t cause arguments, something students can do for several months at a time, and classroom jobs for students that are actually helpful. I found a solution that fit that tall order and then some!
Team Jobs: Classroom Jobs for Students Made Easy
Hear me now, believe me later. Team Jobs are the way to go, especially for 3rd grade, 4th grade, and 5th grade! Stop hunting down a classroom jobs list with 25+ jobs so each student can have one. Team Jobs allow students to work together to accomplish a group of tasks. Here’s how it works.
I have six to eight different teams for students to be on. I use my printable classroom jobs chart to show what the teams are, what each team’s jobs are, and which students are on that team. We’ve got teams like the Book Bunch, who is in charge of our classroom library tasks, the Clean Up Crew, who makes sure the classroom stays tidy, and the Caregiver Club, who cares for their classmates and the plants in our classroom.
How to Manage Classroom Jobs Elementary
At the beginning of the school year, I invite my students to apply for the team jobs they wish to join. You can download my Classroom Job Application for free here! In the application, they share their top three choices, why they want those jobs, and why they would be a good fit for them.
Once we’ve settled into our routines for the school year and can take on another, I post my students’ class numbers on our classroom jobs chart for them to see. I laminate little number labels and attach Velcro to the backs and the chart, so I can easily move them around. You can also write their names/numbers on the chart. We go over the procedures and expectations around each job and how to navigate the responsibilities as a team.
For example, we talk about how to kindly remind their team members to do their job as needed instead of yelling, “Hey, Zeke! Come do your job!” We talk about when to do their jobs – the appropriate and inappropriate times. Like, the Clean Up Crew should comb through the room at the end of the day to make sure everything is picked up for the next day. But they shouldn’t randomly get up in the middle of math to do something that isn’t time-sensitive.
How to Increase Buy-In and Participation
I also talk about how there is a trial period when you get a new job. For 90 days, your boss (aka me) pays close attention to make sure you’re doing your job correctly. If I see that they aren’t participating, I may have to remove them from their team.
Another system I have in my classroom is Classroom Cash. I have another post on this coming soon, but as far as classroom jobs go, students earn $5 of classroom cash each week for doing their job. So they WANT to stay a part of their team and do their job well.
How Often Do You Change Class Jobs?
I only update our classroom jobs chart to change the jobs once a quarter or trimester. My students should have time to find their groove in taking care of our classroom. I also want to teach them to be consistent and find joy in doing a job well done. They may “get bored,” but it causes our classroom to run smoother when we’re not changing things so often.
Classroom Jobs Printables for Team Jobs
If you need help managing your classroom jobs for students in a simple way, check out my Team Jobs resource! It includes everything you need to create your classroom jobs chart and get started with Team Jobs.
My classroom jobs printables include colored and black and white posters for each team. You also get decor pieces to create a fun display. Currently, I’ve made two sets of classroom jobs posters for your Team Jobs: a brightly colored set featuring cute kids and a llama-and-cactus-themed set. I plan to make more sets in the coming months. Let me know what theme you want to see next to fit in your classroom!
My Favorite Part About Using Team Jobs
Every classroom is different, and the jobs students do in my classroom probably look different from how things work in your classroom. That’s why my classroom jobs printables are editable!
You can type in whatever tasks you need the teams to do to make your classroom run like a well-oiled machine. If you think the tasks will change often, you can also print out the Team Jobs posters with the space for the different duties and tasks blank. Then, simply laminate and write their responsibilities on the posters with a marker.
More Ideas for Classroom Jobs
Building a Classroom Community from Day 1
5 Fresh Classroom Management Ideas
Have I converted you to Team Jobs? I sure hope so! It’s simplified the class jobs process for me, and I know it’ll do the same for you. Creating a system will encourage student ownership which, in turn, builds up your classroom community. I dare you to try Team Jobs this school year and see what happens! It may just change your whole view on classroom jobs for students.
