Monday, March 30, 2015

DIY Classroom Projects with Jen from Sparkling in Second

Hey Friends, Jen here from Sparkling in Second!

I'm super excited to be a part of this collaborative blog! Don't be fooled by my name, I'm currently a first grade teacher ;)

You can learn more about me here, but for now...on to the goods!
*****
Now I understand it's coming towards the end of the year, in that case, pin this one for later...

I wish someone had told me about this my very first year of teaching.

I have made some adorable, elaborate job charts in my years {well all 5 of them..}.

Check this one out! I was so in love with it! It had mini-clips & melonheadz. What more could you ask for!?!?



{ignore my feet...}

But this little chart here, well that thing got beat up. Knocked off the wall. Kids were constantly asking why they couldn't do their job or if they could do their job or when they could do their job. I decided I'm not here to please the masses. I'm here to teach. I needed to ease my mind.

So this year, this little one takes the cake for me.

I saw a post recently from Sarah over at First Grader...at Last! and it changed my life. Or at least the life of my classroom.

I now only have 2 helpers per week. That's right folks. TWO. 2. dos. deux. And boy is it wonderful.

{I am so happy about my chart I don't even care that this picture is TERRIBLE. Okay, I care because you probably care...I'm sorry!}

It just sits there. So pretty. Under my light switch. Never to get knocked down or abused.

Every week I flip a boy anchor and a girl anchor and viola! Two new helpers. They do anything and everything I need. 

Now I don't have to make up jobs off the top of my head to fit all 24 kids. And none of those 24 kids ever ask why they never get to do their job {because, let's be honest, out of 24 classroom jobs, I really only need 5}. 

I'm as happy as a clam with this, and my kids LOVE love love being helper of the week. Sometimes they even wear their little "helpers" name tags if they feel like it ;)

Now if you are an "everyone needs a job" kinda teacher. MORE POWER TO YA! I just can't keep up.

Until next time...


10 comments:

  1. I LOVE this idea!! Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This made me laugh! I always had 1 helper a day. This year I thought I would get more creative and do a job chart! I hate it! I'm going back to my 1 helper a day next year. It's so much easier. I might even switch and do it like you! Gread suggestions!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! Yep 1 or two helpers a day is enough! I just can't rotate everyday, I'm a forgetful person! It's easier for me to flip their names every Friday as I turn out the lights to my classroom ;)

      Delete
  3. I love this idea! I've pared my list down to 7 helpers, and we rotate through, but some jobs never seem to get called on. 2 and they do it all. What a novel idea!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know right!? Somehow we think we will need certain jobs and yet, they are always looked over ;)

      Delete
  4. I do something very similar to this! I'm blessed with only twelve students, so we have two tables in our classroom (though I wish desks were available). I choose one "table captain" for each table a week, and in my mind always rotate it so there's one boy and one girl. SO EASY! I love it! I may make it more "official" next year with something like you have. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 12?! Lucky you :) I like table captains too! I use those for passing out, collecting, or getting anything they need for each table.

      Delete
  5. What cute, creative ideas! Thanks so much for sharing :)

    ReplyDelete