One thing that really struck a chord with me was the use of jobs in the classroom. So, this year I am going to venture into this method of trying to get students to feel more a part of our classroom, a self-sustaining classroom. Giving students a job gives them a purpose for being in class because we truly are all in this together.
Bryce Hedstrom and Ben Slavik are masters at doing this in their classroom and their job lists are, well, quite overwhelmingly long. I decided to limit jobs to "Los 10 Súper Trabajos". Perhaps later I will add more, but I thought 10 would be a good number to get this started. Start small and grow, right?
Los 10 Súper Trabajos
What else do these teach?
As teachers we are always teaching so even when doing seeming minimal work as assigning jobs to students, there is still a learning opportunity.
1. Don/doña as titles of respect and also "gift". We are all given special gifts in life and we need to tap into them and use them for the greater good.
2. Jobs - students need to explore careers they may be interested in. It also gives me an insight into their interests, personalities, and possible career choices.
3. Agreement - students see how the gender changes with words given if a male or a female is doing that job.
What's up with the Café Points and the bubblegum machine?
This is a motivational strategy that I picked from a former student, now colleague. I have used it past few years and the kids LOVE it! Again, this is something simple, but always a learning technique that comes in the "back door". This is explained in this previous post.
What are my concerns?
1. The students will poo-poo the jobs and not embrace them like I envision.
2. I will forget to do this. I'm hoping to practice them in class so that it's a good reminder for me what these jobs are and the kids will hold me accountable for using them.
3. I have a class of 11 students. One student may not have a job. I will figure out in the next couple of weeks how to deal with one "unemployed" student.
Do you use jobs in the classroom? What jobs do you use in your classroom?
So what did you do with your unemployed students? :)
ReplyDeleteOh.. also, we have the challenge (expectation) to record new learning each class period. I am assigning the videograbadora as a task and el contador to help keep me accountable with structures. Is it okay to not have a job for a day or a week and rotate? In pre school they have jobs, but there are times they are "on vacation"... could say they are on vacation learning another language:) lol
ReplyDeleteMy "unemployed" students either have chosen not to have a job or are waiting their turn for employment. :) I may have to switch them up a bit as Don Héroe doesn't appear to have much a duty here at this school. S/he would have definitely been needed at former school.
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