This week: Classroom Helpers

Each of us is a flower… Growing in Life’s Garden (by Charlotte Diamond)

Can I really GROW A RAINBOW? YES!

This is the entry into a world where ALL students are flowers in the classroom garden. Each is unique, colorful, and needs it’s own nurturing to THRIVE! How to create a classroom environment where each student with different needs and abilities will blossom. When we create our classroom bouquet, we have grown a RAINBOW from the seeds we have planted.

One time per week, I will post a TIP, a TRICK, and/or a HACK to help YOU, the teacher, nurture our students into thriving blossoms of learning! My hope is that through support, trials & tribulations, and time-saving tips, YOU may grow YOUR RAINBOW!

Today’s TOPIC:

CLASSROOM HELPERS

First, My number 1 goal in MY classroom is to make INDEPENDENT LEARNERS!

Because, I want my students to be active participants in society. I want them to be LIFE-LONG LEARNERS! AND…I want them to be independent THINKERS!

HOW? Model…TEACH…Model…TEACH…I DO. WE DO. YOU DO! Then, RELEASE THE KRACKEN!

In order to help support the independent learning, I give each child the OPPORTUNITY to be a HELPER.

A Leader. The person “in charge”.

For some this may the first time they have ever been given the WHOLE responsibility of a JOB!

(Think HELICOPTER PARENTS).

For some, it is a responsibility they take on JOYFULLY!

For others, they embrace the position, but NOT the RESPONSIBILITY!

Practice..practice…practice.

And so, to help nurture the independence of each of my little “seedlings”,

I CHOOSE DAILY Helpers.  I know, some classrooms have weekly helpers, some permanent helpers, but for ME? I choose them daily. In my class of 24, each student SHOULD be each of our helpers by the end of the month. I say SHOULD. I make no promises. We are in a continuous state of growing!

WHAT HELPERS DO I NEED?

If you go to pinterest there are thousands of samples of 

Classroom helper/job cards

in a MULTITUDE of classroom themes!

These are a few I have found on pinterest….

But…putting up the cards and

USING THEM TO YOUR ADVANTAGE

are two different things.

And that is THE OBJECTIVE…

Helper ( JOB )  Cards are a way for students to take RESPONSIBILITY

AND

HELP THE TEACHER! 🙂

Here is HOW I USE THEM!

Each morning our  bell rings at 8:20 AM.

We are working at 8:21.

My students put HW folders in the basket,

backpacks & jackets on the shelves,

and get ready for chromebooks.

(Don’t be tardy…you will miss computer  time) 

While they are “waiting patiently”..Ie: staring through my back, grinning quietly, hoping I call their name…

I take name cards ( nothing FANCY…3 X 5 cards with THEIR NAME ON IT 🙂 )

and 

change the helpers in a small pocket chart at the front of my room.

My pocket chart came from the $1 section at Target. Nothing FANCY!

MY JOBS are:

Line Leader

Door Holder

Messenger

Clean Up Crew (2 students)

Ball Handlers ( 2 for recess)

Tech Teachers ( 4 students )

They change daily.

They biggest change I have made is..

YOU MUST BE

 “ON TIME AND IN YOUR SEAT” – To be a HELPER!

WOW…no more tardies!

EVERYONE WANTS TO BE A HELPER!

AND after JANUARY… They can choose their job!

(I wait until January because I want to make sure they ALL know EXACTLY what the job is, and may have had a chance to be that “special” helper once before. I want them to see it in action, before they have CHOICE!)

When I turn over the name cards…

(Yesterday’s names to the back of the pile,,)

I ask..

“Do you want to be a ____   OR  _____?”

Whatever the next two jobs available are.

They CHOOSE what they want to do.

That choice allows them to take personal responsibility.

AND THEY DO!

Allow the little ones to be a PART of the classroom!

They LOVE IT!

I hope YOU check out the blogs and pins online to find the HELPERS that fit YOUR classroom and YOUR style! If you need a SPECIAL order HELPERS CARDS SET, email me. I do special orders, too!

1stgradefireworks@gmail.com

Whatever JOBS you choose…let them take RESPONSIBILITY! Don’t do it for them!

NO HELICOPTER TEACHERS! Even when YOUR OCD kicks in!

MODEL..MODEL..MODEL!

Come back next week for ANOTHER round of …

HOW TO GROW A RAINBOW IN YOUR CLASSROOM!

Here is a little “HELPER”

to help YOU get started… 🙂

Click HERE for FREEBIE!

See YOU next week! Wendy 1stgradefireworks