Classroom Leaders

Every class has some kind of classroom jobs. Some systems have 10 helpers and some only a few with substitutes. I considered those options but decided it was too much work for me; I just can't keep track of who is doing what.

During my final internship in college my supervising teacher used this procedure and it worked so, so well. I've adopted it and would use it with first graders the same way she used it with forth graders. It is probably one class procedure that is never changing because it works that well.

Instead of jobs you just have two leaders who do all of the jobs. As simple as that!

On a word document I typed up my student's names in two columns. Then I glued it to a piece of construction paper to keep it sturdy. And all you need is two clothes pins that move down each day to tell you who the leaders of the day are.. thats it!

Notice one student crossed out on the list and a couple students added by hand; gotta love a school with students who move frequently! This is actually my third leader sheet this school year since they get all messy with such a changing class.  I couldn't fit all my new students on it anymore!

What do I have my leaders do?

• Line leaders 
• Door holder
• Run errands if I need them to
• Put agendas in student's mail boxes at the end of the day
• Pass things out
• Water counter and water holder (each student only gets 5 seconds) 
• And any other task I need assistance with

Since my leaders do so much at the end of the day I pay them from the Teacher's Treat jar which right now is stocked with Life Saver Mints. They love mints! Students can get the treats on their own and the leaders for the next day move the clothes pins down to their name since they want to be a leader pretty badly. This system really runs itself.

Also if they show any sort of non-leader behavior or move their clip down on our behavior chart they are automatically fired and the next leader steps up. Students must show leadership as a leader!

It is so funny to see your more challenging behaved students as leaders because they turn into perfect little angels that day since they don't want to be fired. You'll see an entire different student; now if I can figure out how to get them to act like that every day!

How do you do your class jobs? Does having multiple students in roles work for you?