Creative Classroom Jobs for Middle School Students

You've heard of the paper passer and the supplies manager. But what about an Alexa? A Seeker of Lost Things? Or a student whose entire job is to remember where you put your Expo marker?

In this episode of the Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast, Caitlin is joined by EB Academics curriculum writer Pat to share some of the funniest, smartest, and most oddly specific classroom jobs submitted by teachers inside the EB Teacher Community.

These aren't jobs created just to give every student a title. Each one solves a real classroom problem, from repeating directions to keeping track of time to greeting an administrator who walks through the door.

And while these jobs can lighten your mental load, they can also give students more responsibility, ownership, and a stronger sense that they're an important part of the classroom community.

HERE ARE THE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:

1. Turn your most annoying little classroom problems into jobs.

What do you constantly forget? What do students ask you over and over? What tiny task interrupts you every single day?

One teacher created an "Alexa" whose job is to repeat directions when classmates inevitably ask, "Wait, what are we doing?" Another has a Seeker of Lost Things. Another simply assigns a student to remember where she put her Expo marker.

The best classroom job for you might be one nobody else has because it's designed to solve a problem specific to your classroom.

2. Classroom jobs can give students meaningful ownership.

Some jobs do more than take a task off the teacher's plate.

A classroom greeter welcomes adults who enter the room and explains what the class is learning. Squad leaders help their table groups stay focused, collect assignments, and lead activities. Other students take responsibility for updating the date or managing other recurring classroom tasks.

These roles give students a chance to contribute to how the classroom functions instead of leaving every responsibility with the teacher.

3. The right responsibility can change how a student sees their role in the classroom.

Giving students meaningful jobs isn't only about making your day easier.

Caitlin shares how assigning an important classroom responsibility to a challenging student completely changed their relationship. Giving that student a trusted role helped shift the dynamic and gave her a new way to contribute.

So instead of creating a giant classroom job chart, start with one question: What's one tiny classroom task you can stop doing yourself?

Then turn it into a job and hand over the responsibility.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• EB Teacher Community
• EB Teachers ELA Portal
• "Blackout at the Dome" Community Builder
• Student Presentation Posters
• "The Lightning Thief" Unit
• Join the EB Teachers ELA Portal Priority List: ebteacher.com/portal
• Previous Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast episode: "Stop Doing Everything: Classroom Jobs That Make Your Day Easier"

MORE FROM EB ACADEMICS

At EB Academics, we help middle school ELA teachers create engaging, rigorous classrooms while taking back more of their time outside of school.

Inside the EB Teachers ELA Portal, you'll find ready-to-use reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, and community-building resources, along with the EB Teacher Community where teachers share practical ideas like the classroom jobs featured in this episode.

Visit ebteacher.com/portal to learn more or join the priority list.

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If you found a classroom job you're ready to steal, make sure you're subscribed to the Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast so you don't miss what's coming next.

And stay tuned because Caitlin and Pat are digging into some of the hidden gems inside EB Academics resources, including games and activities you may be able to use even if you're not teaching the larger unit they came from.

If you're enjoying the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a quick review. Your review helps more middle school ELA teachers discover practical ideas they can bring straight into their classrooms.

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