Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Morning Routine - Class Responsibilities


Today I've been working on what I would like my morning routine to look like. Both of my homeroom classes last year were chatty, especially the first group, and I liked giving them the time between the first and second bell to do some socializing before we got down to work. While I liked this, I also think that I would like my students to start getting focused before O Canada so that after we can get right into our work after watching the announcements. So I've come up with some ideas of what I would like our morning routine to look and sound like.

I would like to start the day with some French music playing in the background. When I bring the students down the hall from outside, I'll have them change their shoes before they come into the classroom (I'm a stickler for this. I don't like outside shoes in the classroom because it makes the floor messy). They then put their outdoor things and backpacks on their hooks in the back closet. Next, they choose their responsibility for the day by moving their name tag to the job they want for the day. This will help me quickly do attendance as well because I will see which names are not up. Then they will get their desk ready, do their job if it's one that needs doing before class, and then sit and do the anchor work on the board. I'm thinking it will mainly be writing in their journals or a word problem. I did this occasionally last year but would like to do it more consistently this year.

Behind the red sheet is an old blackboard. Everything on there
is on magnets.
The major change in the responsibilities is in having them pick for themselves as they come into the classroom. Last year we did responsibilities once a week. I would draw names randomly and ask the student which one they wanted, they would answer in a full sentence and I would place their name on the board. I liked using it as a chance to have them practice speaking but I think doing this I will also be able to have them say sentences. I can still ask who is doing a particular job or if someone has forgotten to choose one I can ask them which one they would like.

I would like to change some of my jobs as well. Many are the same as last year but I am also adding a few more. Some will not be available every day.


  • mini-prof - runs the morning routine
  • tableau - responsible for cleaning off the board at the end of the day
  • pizza - takes pizza orders and passes out pizza
  • dîner chaud - takes hot lunch orders and passe out hot lunch
  • du lait - takes milk orders and passes out milk
  • l'horaire - puts up the schedule for the day
  • bibliothèquaire - ensures the class library is in order and brings library books down to the school library
  • blogger - writes what we did that day on our school website
  • premier du linge - first in line
  • dernier du linge - last in line
  • annonces - on days when our class does video announcements, these two students will do them
  • messanger - brings notes to the office or other teachers
  • souliers - makes sure our boot rack outside our classroom is tidy
  • placard - makes sure our back cupboard is tidy
  • chaises - makes sure all chairs are down before announcements and up before they leave
  • aspirateur - gets to vacuum the carpet in our reading corner (I can see some fights happening over this job. They all want to do it.)
  • crayons - makes sure there are plenty of sharpened pencils ready for the class
  • A.V. - audio-visual, in charge of lights, taking pictures or videos, using the SMART Board for songs
  • billets - hands out tickets during the morning routine
  • gardien/ne des points - keeps track of class points and points in games
  • recyclage - brings recycling down to the photocopying room
  • extra - helpers for anyone who wants help with their responsibility, this job is chosen last. 

It seems like a lot of jobs but I will have around 25 students and I want them all to have a job each day. I've decided that they can only choose a job once each week. That way I won't have one person being the mini-prof each day and more students will be able to choose a variety of jobs. Some jobs won't be available every day, for example, we don't have milk on Wednesday so that job won't be available that day. Each job will also have a picture next to it as a reminder of what it means. I"m hoping that having a first come, first served way of picking jobs will also encourage my students to be on-time for school, something I've had trouble with in the past.

What classroom jobs do you have? How do you have your students pick jobs? Do you have them apply for the jobs or do they get to choose? How do you ensure that everyone gets a turn at the ones they would like to try?

2 comments:

  1. I teach little kids so I don't know if I would let them choose their job, but it might work with the olders. I always used a questions with my grade 5/6 for attendance. They put their name in one of the venn diagram circles to answer "Do you like swimming or skating better?"
    I also read on one blog today about a teacher with a morning song. She played one song (a different one each day) and they students had to be settled by the time the song was done.

    Jenn

    Back Hall collaborators

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  2. Love your class jobs! I always had a bunch, but like you, I have 24 students this year, so I want every student to have one too. I am going to have my students "apply" for their job of choice. (Not sure how I am going to do the application process yet though) I am going to let them do the job for a full month, then I wont have to worry about having to change them every week... I took your job list and modified it a little bit to fit my class:

    HW Manager - Check Homework in morning
    Board Manager - responsible for cleaning off the whiteboards at the end of the day
    Librarian (2) - ensures the class library is in order
    Class Blogger (2) - writes what we did during the week.
    Line Leader - first in line
    Messanger (2) - brings notes to the office or other teachers
    Chair Monitors (2) - makes sure all chairs are down before announcements and up before they leave
    Collectors/Distributors (2) - collects and distributes hand outs
    A.V. (2) - audio-visual, in charge of lights, Promethean Board
    Photographer (2) - in charge of photography and Videography
    Banker Tellers (2) - hands out student salaries each week
    Game Show Host - keeps track of class points and points in games
    Recyclers (2) - brings recycling down to the photocopying room
    Substitutes (3) - Fill in any job if a student is absent that day

    Thanks again for the job ideas! I have been looking for something like this...

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