I’m a stickler with my classroom. A clean classroom has so many benefits. And it’s not the janitor’s job to provide me with a clean classroom. With these classroom jobs, you will have easy ways to keep your classroom clean!
Set The Expectations
You can always introduce something new any time during the school year. However, I think it’s best to introduce these classroom jobs at the beginning of the year. I spend a ton of time talking to my class about the job of a janitor. Many students think its the janitor’s job to keep classrooms clean, and that clean up isn’t necessary.
Our janitors have a hard job and taking just a little bit off their plate is most appreciative. A janitor’s job is to keep our school clean of germs. It’s not their job to clean up messes we make in our own space.
I tell my students that I don’t clean up after my own kids’ mess, so a janitor shouldn’t have to either. All I had to do was show them what all a janitor does. I haven’t had a single student complain about cleaning our classrooms!
Give Your Students Jobs to Complete
I spend a good amount of time planning my jobs. The intent is to have things my students can do that will really help around the room. The last thing I want to do is to show my students that it’s another person’s job to clean up after them.
In my Modern Classroom Jobs resource pack, I include jobs that help keep a classroom clean and tidy, and it’s helped me tremendously!
- Clean Control– is in charge of making sure everything in the room is put away. They wipe down each table at the end of the day as well as helping with messes throughout the day.
- Trash Keeper– is in charge of emptying all trashcans and placing the bags in the hallway for the janitor to pick up.
- Floor Sweep– is in charge of sweeping away any messes throughout the day as well as sweeping at the end of the day.
Keeping it Consistent
I know many teachers who tell me that they stopped doing jobs for various reasons. The big reason was consistency. You’re probably nodding your head! You know how it goes. You spend a few days talking about each job and the tasks that it includes. Then weeks go by and you notice the jobs aren’t getting done or you get a TON of questions about what to do.
Each job has a ‘Job Description’ card. There are a few different ways to use these, however, I like to print them on the back of the Job card, hole punch them and add a ring at the top left corner. I hang the jobs and the descriptions using a thumbtack in a place that is easy to find and get to!
Who to Choose?
Not all students want every job. I’m not going to force them to do a job they don’t want. You’ll end up with jobs that aren’t completed and it defeats the entire purpose. That’s why I included a job application. When it’s time to change jobs, I have each student fill out an application with their three job wants. It provides them a chance to brag about themself and it shows me what they really want to do. I have some kids that put the same three jobs down all year long!
I’ve included a ton more jobs to do in my Modern Classroom Jobs resource pack! You’ll love how easy your classroom runs when you get a little help from your class!
