Columbus School 4B students all have jobs to take responsibility for the smooth running of their classroom. 

On the first day of school students filled out job applications and were to choose an occupation. Jobs range from bathroom managers to the birthday committee, among others.  Alexis Workman, 4B homeroom teacher came up with the idea of creating different jobs students can participate in to help in the class, and has been refining the concept with her students for 4 years.

“Students so far have really liked it, they are doing a really good job,” Workman said.

Rafael Martinez, one of 4B students is currently working as the Bulletin Board manager and is head of the Bulletin Board committee. The committee joins with Martinez to decide what to add to the board, the design, and what information should be posted.

“Sometimes, during class, I search for ideas on Pinterest, for example, one time I told students they had to write something nice that someone in the school had done for them. Then we posted the notes on papers shaped as lamps, and we titled the bulletin board ‘Lighting up the School with Kindness.’” Martinez said.

Another student, Jose Miguel Penagos, currently works as the class’ messenger and is also part of Martinez’s Bulletin Board Committee. Penagos was chosen by Ms. Workman to do the messenger job.

“If Ms. Workman needs to send papers to the copy room she sends me. Also I have the responsibility to deliver things from other teachers to Ms. Workman or from her to other people. Whatever she needs I’m happy to help her.” Penagos said.

When it comes to assigning the jobs, Alexis Workman requires the students to fill out job applications, but some students, like Penagos, were chosen directly by Workman.

“They have to show me that they are going to do their best, like a real life job interview. If they don’t do do their job well, they become the ‘Janitor’ and they have to pick up after everyone else,” Workman said.

Some of the students have chosen to help in the classroom with more than one job. Jose Miguel Penagos has also worked as line leader before. Many of the students have been engaged with the program like Martinez and Penagos.

“The job is really fun. We can really be creative with designing and choosing what to add to the bulletin board,” Martinez said.