Preface:
This is my 3rd year in a row teaching a 5th/6th grade combination class. For those of you who wonder what a combination class is... I have the same twenty-four 6th graders and ten 5th graders all day in my class. I teach them all the curricular areas, and it is expected that each grade is taught its grade specific standards.Therefore, I must absolutely have specified routines and practices in place that help me maintain an organized classroom, or I would be drowning each day in papers, emails and teacher responsibilities. Once I start falling behind and slack off holding my students accountable, I take the chance of losing the respect of my students and their families. I need both in order to be an effective teacher.
So, in my 18th year of teaching, I find that the following areas are important to
maintaining an effective classroom environment.
1. Delegating classroom tasks to students that don't involve the behavior and grades of fellow students.2. Informing students and parents of assignment and test dates and providing timely feedback.
3. Holding students accountable for ALL work assigned, but modifying for special circumstances.
4. Preparing for the next day, before leaving at the end of the day.
5. Planning out the year completely.
I will address each of these in 5 different posts.
Delegating Classroom Tasks to all Students
I know this may seem counter intuitive to many Type A teachers out there, but teachers should not do it all because as an "in control" teacher you are robbing yourself and your class of your energy. Students are very capable of assisting you in keeping the classroom running smoothly, and it helps build classroom community by delegating classroom responsibilities. It initially takes patience at the beginning of the year to train your students, but after that, it is smooth sailing. I get so accustomed to students knowing how to do their classroom jobs by the end of the year, that I get annoyed the 1st few weeks of school because I am having to do so much myself. Plus, training your class how to run your class, makes your life easier in the event you have a substitute teacher in your room for the day.
This is how I handle classroom jobs.
1. I have 34 students.
2. I have 17 classroom jobs.
If I had 32 students, I would have 16 jobs. I sometimes combine 2 jobs into one, so that my job list is always half the amount of students in my class. If I have an odd # of students, one of my jobs is going to be something I could do myself if that student was absent... like classroom ambassador.
If I had 32 students, I would have 16 jobs. I sometimes combine 2 jobs into one, so that my job list is always half the amount of students in my class. If I have an odd # of students, one of my jobs is going to be something I could do myself if that student was absent... like classroom ambassador.
3. For one month, 17 of my students are First Responders, meaning, they have a classroom job. The other 17 students are their subs, the Back Up. If someone is absent, the Back Up has that job for the day.
4. At the end of the month, the Back Ups become First Responders and the First Responders become the Back Ups.
5. I only spend 15 minutes every 2 months selecting jobs with the students.
For the first fourteen years of my career, I switched jobs every one to two weeks, just like most teachers. I found selecting jobs that frequently, to be time consuming (in the selecting and training the new team) and not all students had a job. Now everyone has job in my class.
6. Students select jobs based on the hierarchy of points earned on ClassDojo for the month. Therefore, students with the most points usually get the jobs that have the most built in fringe benefits, and these students are usually the most responsible.
7. All students earn a point each day on ClassDojo for completing their classroom job, in which the statistician awards each day.
6. Students select jobs based on the hierarchy of points earned on ClassDojo for the month. Therefore, students with the most points usually get the jobs that have the most built in fringe benefits, and these students are usually the most responsible.
7. All students earn a point each day on ClassDojo for completing their classroom job, in which the statistician awards each day.
Fringe Benefits
Each of my classroom jobs has a built-in Fringe Benefit.
Example:
I have a Security Officer whose job it is to open the classroom before we enter the class and hang my keys on the specified hook. Also the security officer needs to stand by the door until the last person exits the room, making sure that the keys are in his/her before closing the door and finally delivering the keys to me. This person also has to make sure the door is locked, which means he/she will be the last to exit (I really need this job, as I forget where my keys are all day).
BUT, wherever we go, I always wait for my security officer and classroom porters to line up before moving the next location. The Fringe Benefit for these jobs is the privilege to line up anywhere in line. These students may choose to go the front of the line or in the middle of the line with a friend. Still, in 6th grade, students love to be first in line, so this privilege is coveted!
Don't do the following, it may bring you drama:
1. Don't have other students deduct points for negative behavior. This will not build community; instead it creates animosity amongst students and will possibly irritate parents. I have seen this happen in other classrooms. So my statistician is only responsible for giving points to students under my direction.
2. Don't have students grade other student's work (unless you are trading and grading).
I know this seems like a good idea, until it goes wrong. Therefore, my administrative assistants only check in work, they do not grade work.
Knowing what to grade and how to grade is a Jedi Master skill.
That will be my next post.
Until then, delegate, it builds character, for you and your students.
