Here is the best classroom jobs list for elementary school. These classroom jobs have worked very well for my fifth graders for many years. Consider this best classroom jobs list for your students. Be sure to read my helpful companion article about how to assign and manage classroom jobs too. Just click on my author name, and look in my article cue.
Paper Passers (2) – These people pass around materials whenever needed. I use alliteration all year, and say, “Paper Passer people, please report promptly!” to summon them. They know to put any extra papers in the “extras bin”, which is where kids can search later, if they lost a paper, or didn’t receive one.
Rug Rats (2) – Rug Rats do odd classroom jobs, like making deliveries, posting student work on bulletin boards, etc. They report whenever I declare I need a Rugrat. They come and salute at attention, saying,”Rugrat reporting for duty!” I salute them back, then outline their job(s). at the end of the day, Rugrats automatically report. If I don’t have anything specific for them, I ask them to find three things that need to be done, and to do those things.
Line Leader (1) – This perennial favorite of classroom jobs entails leading the line whenever the class moves from place to place. I let the Line Leader determine when the class is quiet enough to move out the door. The Line Leader is allowed to flicker the lights or clap if necessary to get everybody quiet.
Roll Reminder (1) – Since I am notorious about forgetting to send in my roll count, I have a reminder to help. Each morning, the student with this classroom job sees who is absent, and reminds me to do the roll on my computer.
Paper Checker(1) – This student makes sure I have received an assignment from each student. I only need this worker on occasion. He or she can make lists of who needs to turn in a certain permission slip. They can take a stack of papers and categorize it into a couple of piles, etc. The Paper Checker does not grade papers, nor does this worker record scores.
Calendar Captain (1) – The Calendar Captain writes the date legibly on the board every morning. This person crosses off dates on the calendar on our wall. The Calendar Captain consciously thinks about when we have holidays coming up, and consults the calendar to answer any classmate’s questions about upcoming significant dates.
Plant Patrol(1) – Hopefully, the person with this classroom job has a green thumb, or will develop one. This classroom job entails watering and feeding our plants. They consult a houseplant care book if any plant problems arise, so they know what needs to be done to keep our plants healthy.
Organizers(2) – These kids keep our papers neat, our counters cleared, and our supplies in order. Although every elementary student is responsible to help keep things orderly, it is definitely necessary to have workers whose designated job is organization.
Board Brigade (1 or 2) – The Board Brigade keeps the chalk boards and white board slates erased and updated. Whenever I need a bunch of erasing done, I call the Board Brigade to do the job. At the end of each day, the Board Brigade checks in with me to find out what can be safely erased, and what needs to be cleared. The rule of thumb is that if there is a line drawn around something on the board, it is NOT to be erased.
Eraser Clappers (2) – Eraser Clappers take the erasers out after the Board Brigade is finished erasing at the end of the day. You need two, so one can clap erasers outside, and the other can hold the door to get back inside.
Floor Sweepers (2) – This classroom jobs team uses a broom and dustpan at the end of each day to tidy up the floor. They are also called into action whenever there are dry spills that happen at any time during the school day. Even though our custodians will sweep again, it can’t hurt to have the kids sweep first. It keeps them conscious of how much of a mess is made on the floor.
Computer Kid (1) – This student is in charge of dusting keyboards, turning computers on, and turning computers off properly each day.
Librarians (2) – The librarians take care of the classroom library of paperbacks. They put returned books in the right spots.( I don’t bother checking classroom books out and in.)This pair also gets to help select free books from the Scholastic Book Club .
Substitute Worker (1) – This person jumps in to take over a job if the regular worker is absent or unable to do their classroom job for any reason.
I hope you can use some of this best list of classroom jobs with your elementary kids.
