25 Classroom Jobs That Promote Kindness & Responsibility AND Lessen Your Workload

What if I told you classroom help was available and you didn’t have to do it all yourself? Well, it is and you don’t! Give your students jobs and your classroom suddenly becomes a team of people working together instead of just you struggling to do it all alone. Classroom jobs aren’t just busy work for younger grades. A job system can be adapted to be beneficial from PreK to high school.

Why classroom jobs?

Classroom jobs foster a sense of community. It helps students feel like they have an important place in the classroom. This ownership makes them more likely to strive to do well. Jobs give a feeling of purpose, which helps with self-esteem, behavior regulation and attendance. Jobs can be used to promote kindness. And, of course, jobs take work off the teacher’s plate!

Classroom job ideas

1. Kindness catcher

This student keeps an eye out for acts of kindness. They then write a quick note about the act on a post-it note and stick it in a designated spot on the wall or bulletin board. 

2. Greeter

The greeter arrives to class first and greets everyone by name as they arrive. 

3. Birthday manager

This student keeps track of classmates’ birthdays and checks to see if they want it publicly acknowledged or not. If they pass, the birthday manager discretely gives them a card on their special day. 

4. Inspirational quote writer

This person is in charge of writing an inspirational quote or message on the board each morning. 

5. Maintenance

Sink leaking? Desk wobbly? The classroom maintenance person acts as your liaison with the staff member in charge of maintenance. 

6. Paper person

This person is in charge of all things to do with paper – passing it out, collecting it, stapling, hole punching, filing, etc.

7. Errand runner

The errand runner is your delivery and pickup person. They can also walk sick students to the nurse. 

8. Absent student support

This person checks in with students when they return from an absence to make sure they know what was missed and are aware of upcoming assignments. They also send an encouraging message to students who are out for more than two days.

9. Homework and form helper

Students go to this person when they are missing printed assignments or forms instead of you.

10. Materials manager

The materials manager keeps materials organized. They also make a list of what needs to be replaced or replenished. 

11. Germ patrol

Also known as hand sanitizer squirter. This person stands at the classroom door squirting hand sanitizer to those who pass. They also make sure tissues and soap are replenished. 

12. Encourager

This person pays attention to their classmates and offers words of encouragement to those who need it, either verbally or through a quick note. 

13. Announcements

Put someone else in charge of reminders and announcements at the start of class. 

14. Pencil Patrol

This person keeps pencils sharpened, checks them out to students and then collects them at the end of class. 

15. Bulletin board team

A few students can be on this committee to help keep bulletin boards updated and maintained.  

16. Name chaser

This person looks over papers to make sure they have a name on them, then finds the owner if a name is missing.  

17. Door person

It’s distracting to stop teaching every time someone comes to your door. The door person handles it for you, taking messages and interrupting your lesson only as needed. 

18. Positivity spreader

Your classroom is a positive, supportive and encouraging place to be, so why not spread it to the rest of the school? This person acts as an ambassador outside of your classroom to post notes of positivity on bulletin boards.

19. Tech support 

Duties include setting up technology and making sure equipment is charged. 

20. Desk and counter wiper

It’s not the most glamorous job, but keeping surfaces clean is an important part of a healthy classroom. 

21. Librarian

The librarian makes sure books are put away correctly. They also monitor their condition, taping ripped covers as needed. 

22. Info seeker

Sometimes a question comes up that you just don’t have the answer to. This person has the teacher’s permission during these times to research the info and report to the class. 

23. Gardener

This person is in charge of watering classroom plants.

24. Substitute worker

Students with jobs are still going to be absent. The substitute worker monitors absences and steps in to take over those jobs for the day. 

25. Job coordinator

This might be the most important job of all! Once you get a system in place, the job coordinator takes on the task of monitoring jobs.  

It might take some trial and error to find what works best for your group. How often to change jobs, how many jobs offered at a time, jobs available, etc. are all up to you. The goal is to encourage students to become kind, helpful, responsible members of your school community, while also lessening your own workload. This scenario benefits everyone – but especially the teacher!