As an elementary or middle school art teacher, assigning art classroom jobs for students is vital. Especially during back to school. Without a doubt, if you don’t, the next class will be stepping in paint and glitter, unable to find anything!
Managing students during clean-up time in the art room can be challenging for sure. It’s not uncommon to encounter messy workstations, an unkempt floor, and brushes for miles in the sink all left by students. This is why I believe strongly in an effective art room job management system.
By assigning art classroom jobs to my students, I’m setting clear expectations, creating independent leaders, and ensuring my art room is left clean and organized. In addition, I believe in its importance so much that it’s one of my 5 art room rules!
But how do you go about organizing students at the end of the period when they’re rushing to get out the door? Especially if they’re middle school students who are still learning how to be independent people. The key is to create a system, teach it, and reinforce it until it’s second nature.
That’s why I created this editable Art Jobs poster set. It’s flexible and can be switched up easily. Plus, my art room is color-coordinated. Each table is a different color. So they know their job based on their table color. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!
Why Are Art Room Jobs Important?
- Teaching Responsibility and Ownership: Assigning art room jobs empowers students to take responsibility. By assigning specific tasks, such as distributing supplies or cleaning up, students understand their role and develop a sense of ownership in maintaining a tidy art room. And, I want my art room to be a positive and collaborative learning environment.
- Developing Independence and Leadership Skills: Art classroom jobs help kids to develop important life skills. As they take on different roles, students learn to work independently, problem-solve, and collaborate with their peers. Moreover, this is how we, as art teachers, can nurture leadership qualities and boost students’ confidence.
- Promoting Efficient Art Room Management: An organized art room allows for smoother transitions and maximizes instructional time. By establishing art room systems, you can streamline processes such as distributing supplies, cleaning tables, managing noise levels, and answering questions about project directions. This enhances overall classroom management and reduces chaos during clean-up time.
13 Art Classroom Jobs for Students
These art room jobs can be assigned to individual students, rotated among tables, or customized based on the specific needs of your art classroom.
Remember to provide clear instructions and expectations for each job, and offer appreciation for doing them.
You do not need all 13 jobs!
I only use 6 regularly. However, you might choose to swap one out when needed.
- Distribution Crew: Passes out art supplies, projects, and folders to their classmates.
- Trash Managers: Ensures the art room remains clean by collecting and throwing out trash from the floor and tables.
- Table Washers: Washes and dries the tables to maintain a clean and tidy workspace.
- Noise Monitors: Reminds classmates about the importance of maintaining an appropriate noise level.
- Sink Specialists: Responsible for washing brushes and keeping the sink area clean and organized.
- Project Assistants: Helps fellow students with questions or difficulties related to project directions and techniques.
- Floor Patrol: Keeps an eye out for any materials or items dropped on the floor and quickly pick them up.
- Collection Crew: Assists in collecting art projects, supplies, and project folders.
- Supply Organizers: Maintains an organized supply area by sorting and restocking art materials.
- Recycling Coordinators: Collects and properly disposes of recyclable materials.
- Safety Monitors: Ensures that students follow safety protocols and guidelines during art activities, such as handling tools and materials responsibly.
- Clean-Up Inspectors: Conducts regular inspections after clean-up time to ensure that all materials are properly stored, tables are clean, and the art room is ready for the next class.
- Art Supplies Monitors: Responsible for ensuring that materials are returned to their designated places after use, check for any missing supplies, and inform the teacher if any items need to be restocked.
How to Set Up Art Classroom Jobs
- Determine Job Roles: Consider what tasks need to be accomplished during clean-up time and brainstorm job roles accordingly. Some of the ideas listed above may work for your situation. I use the first 6 jobs, myself, because they’re the most frequent tasks. Not to mention, assigning different jobs to table groups can make it easier to rotate them, too.
- Create Visual Prompts: Utilize clean-up posters or job charts that prominently display each art room job to better communicate your system. These visuals can be colorful and engaging, capturing students’ attention and making their responsibilities easily identifiable.
- Establish Procedures: Introduce the art room jobs to your students and explain the expectations for each role. Moreover, I like to demonstrate how to perform each task with clear instructions, especially for lower elementary students! Consider using color-coded table groupings or assigning stickers or signs to tables to simplify job assignments and rotations. Encourage students to support and remind their classmates about their jobs, too!
- Monitor and Reinforce: Regularly monitor students’ performance in their assigned art room jobs. Provide feedback and positive reinforcement to acknowledge their efforts and encourage continued engagement. Celebrate their achievements and emphasize the impact of their contributions on the overall art room environment.
How Often Should You Rotate Jobs?
Personally, I prefer once a marking period.
Think about it this way: by the time the end of the marking period is upon you, you’ll likely only have seen your students 10 times.
Is 5 times enough times doing a task enough to make it a consistent routine? Probably not.
Plus, it helps reduce your time teaching what each job entails. That time is better spent.
Where Should I Hang My Jobs Chart?
Ideally, a good spot to hang a jobs poster in an art room is in a prominent area that is easily visible to students. This could be on a bulletin board, a designated wall space, or even on the door. By placing it in a high-traffic area, you ensure that students can easily refer to it and be reminded of their assigned art room jobs.
What Jobs Could I Give Students If I Teach Art On A Cart?
Being on a cart traveling to classrooms shouldn’t prohibit you from assigning jobs to students. Remember: the goal is to teach kinds how to be responsible and act independently. Here are some jobs that are specific to being on a cart:
- Set-Up Crew: Assist in setting up the art materials at the beginning of each art class.
- Clean-Up Crew: Assign students to help clean and organize the art materials and workspace at the end of each class, ensuring a smooth transition for the next classroom.
- Cart Helpers: Students can assist in wheeling the art cart to and from classrooms, helping to set up and pack up the cart before and after each lesson.
- Organization Squad: Students can assist in organizing and maintaining art materials on the cart, ensuring everything is readily accessible and neatly arranged.
- Tech Assistants: Assign students to assist with any technology-related tasks during art lessons, such as setting up projectors or assisting classmates with digital art tools.
Another idea would be to create “Art Teacher In Training” badges that you could pass out after the instructional portion of the lesson. Each badge could be an assigned job. This would be great for the days when you don’t need as many helpers. And, it would be easier to have less kids up moving around as classrooms can be tight.
Who’s Ready To Give It A Try?
Implementing an art room job management system is not just about having a clean art room. It’s meant to teach kids responsibility, independence, and leadership skills. By assigning specific tasks, providing engaging visuals, establishing clear procedures, and providing positive reinforcement, you can create an effective art room management system that benefits all.
Has this helped you? Do you have any questions I might not have answered? Feel free to leave a comment and I’ll get back to you.
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