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A Teeny Tiny Teacher

Teacher’s Pet – Classroom Management Idea

Let’s talk about Teacher’s Pet.

A long long long time ago, back when I was a brand new teacher and I had no clue what I was doing, I tried Class Jobs.

And it didn’t work.

Mainly because I taught first grade and had no idea that brand new firsties have no clue how to do . . . well, anything.  So not only were my little kids not shutting the door, collecting any assignments, turning off the lights, picking up trash, etc, I kept forgetting to rotate the jobs.

By the way, when you forget to rotate the jobs, even though no one is actually doing their job, your kids will remind you that you forgot to change the jobs.  And when you’re a brand new first grade teacher and you have no control of your class in any way, shape, or form, you have no wherewithal to handle that correctly.  Let’s just say it wasn’t pretty.

It was an epic fail in my classroom.  And maybe now that I am as old as the hills and have complete control of my classroom more of an idea of how to handle things, it would work better.  And I’m not saying it doesn’t work.

I’m just saying it didn’t work for me.  That’s all I’m saying.

So I switched it up.

Alright.

Here it is in a nutshell:

It’s the Kid of the Day.  Or the Helper of the Day.

Except I call it TEACHER’S PET.  Get it?

My Teacher’s Pet gets to do everything.  They get to be line leader, take a ball to recess, turn off the lights, pass stuff out, run errands, etc.  They are IT.

I put my kids in ABC order by first name (for pretty much everything) and I rotate the Teacher’s Pet daily.  Half the time, I don’t remember to switch the actual little cut-out bone (pictured above) and when I go to grab my kids from the playground in the morning, my new Teacher’s Pet is already in the front of the line.  The kids know.  And then when they remind me to switch the little cut-out bone (pictured above), and they do — they remind me —it’s easy.  I just switch it.

Easy, I tell you.

And if it’s too big of a job for one person?  I tell the Teacher’s Pet to pick a friend.

And if I forget throughout the day who the Teacher’s Pet might be, I say, “Teacher’s Pet!  Turn out the lights, please!”

Wait.  Does it sound like we turn off the lights too much in my room?   Well, it’s easier to nap that way is what I always say. 😉

Or I say, “I need my Teacher’s Pet to take this such-and-such to the office.  Pick a friend, please!”

Or, when you’re in an assembly and they tell the teacher to pick a kid for something-or-other, I just pick the Teacher’s Pet.

My kids love being Teacher’s Pet so much that I have had parents call to tell me that their child is sick but are insisting on coming to school because it is their day to be Teacher’s Pet.  I’m not making this stuff up.  It sounds like it, but I’m not.  Scout’s honor and hand over heart and whatever else you want me to do.

In those instances, I skip to the next Teacher’s Pet, but always circle back and let the kid who missed make up his day whenever he returns.  I just make sure to put his “bone” at the top of the stack.

I know some of my teammates don’t circle back.  You snooze, you lose type of thing, but I think we’ve already all figured out that I’m a big ole softie and basically a doormat, and the fear of traumatizing my students goes back to when I was in first grade and wet my pants all the time.

But I’ve got some directions for you, some pets, some signs, and some cut-outs.  Just print and go.

This resource has everything you need to simplify your life!  Posters in color or black and white, dog or cat options, and you can pick your title (Teacher’s Pet or Student Helper).  I’ve got editable templates so you can easily type your student names and print, or just print ahead of time and handwrite names later.

What do you do for class jobs?

Comments

  1. Second Grade Stories says

    OMG! Finally someone else who forgets to rotate the jobs! I started doing a "helper of the day" a few years ago – just like teacher's pet where one kid does everything. It makes things sooo much easier! You are so right about the kids remembering whose turn it is, too. (And I was thrilled to see you alphabetized everything by first name…. Why would I want my kids in abc order by last name? This drives my volunteers nuts when they put things in folders or mailboxes. Makes so much sense to me! ~ Lisa

  2. Sherie says

    I do this as well. I tried class jobs one year and it was just too much work! We have a "rock star of the day" in my 3rd grade class. They love it. I haven't used a display before – mainly because I have had very small classes in the past years and I can usually remember whose day it is, but you inspired me to do a "rockin" display for next year! Love your teacher's pet!

  3. kathy says

    This is such a cute idea! I am going to try it next year!

  4. Jill says

    I am soooo bad at the jobs, I forget to rotate, i forget to change and then sometimes I put the same kids on their same jobs. I love this idea and I am going to use the kitty because I am a cat lover. Thanks for the wonderful idea.

  5. Jana says

    Thank you for your ideas! I just love reading your blog and appreciate your humor and honesty! I used to do classroom jobs too and forget to change them. For the last couple of years I've had two students be "star helpers" for a week. It seems to work, but I might try to switch it daily and see if I like that better.

  6. cmsmiley says

    Helper of the day?? I can't remember to rotate each day!! I do a helper of the WEEK. We are the Aces (military base school) and my ACE of the week is the line leader, helper, carrier, fetcher, everything. And then the next week when I pick the new ACE the one from last week gets to be the Caboose, so nobody gets to argue about who is the door holder/shutter. Also, we do NOT have a door holder because they always want to run to get back in their "spot" in the line. At the beginning of the year I teach my kids how to "pass" the door to the person behind them in the line so we do not need a door holder. And they learn how to do it real quick so that they don't get smacked in the face with the door. I also have a Smart Cookie for the lunch room. We have to pass a bucket to collect the silverware and the Smart Cookie gets to carry it up to the window to empty it each day. They are selected because they have shown excellent lunch room manners that week. Their name is put on a laminated chocolate chip cookie poster and they get a REAL cookie from Miss Little Debbie that they can eat at lunch (always on a Friday) or carry it home if they want to. My ACE also gets a reward. Their picture and all about me sheet is posted by the door for the whole week. At the end of the week they get an ice cream from me at lunch if they did a good job being the ACE and did not have to be fired from their job. Usually only 1 or 2 have to be fired! Everyone gets a turn by the end of the year and I start back over around April and those really, really deserving kids (who listen and follow the rules) get picked for a second turn!

    • Carey Bassett says

      I love the passing the door idea! I can't have that running to get back in their spot this year but couldn't fuss at them about it last year because they were just trying to get back to their spot. I figure I will fix a few things per year and will have it semi under control by the time I retire.

  7. Amanda says

    Love it! I do the exact thing, except write their names on stars and call them the star of the day. So much easier only having to remember one job and one student! I love your way of displaying it better than mine… might need to switch out the stars for a cute puppy! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

    Amanda
    First Grade Garden

  8. One Sharp Bunch by Ashley Sharp says

    OMGoodness! I love this idea! I usually resort to the who's being a 5 Star Listener, who's waiting quietly, who's making good choices route! I'm totally doing Teacher's Pet next year, as well as my tried and true Anteater at the end of the day! This person is in charge of inspecting each student's hand for two items of trash before we line up at the end of the day. If the floor is really dirty, which I'm not admitting nor denying, I ask the students to find 3 or 4 pieces of trash or as many as they can for the Anteater!

    Thank for the freebie!

    Ashley
    One Sharp Bunch

  9. Lauren S. says

    I LOVE this idea! I was just given a long list of class jobs, "Door monitor, line leader, equipment manager…" This idea seems so much easier! Thank you for the freebie, Kristin! I will be enlarging the poster at the IRC very soon. Maybe I will see you there laminating a class set of Art Masters. 😉

  11. Meg Harasha says

    I've never really had class jobs…they are too time consuming! Usually I just have everything as a class job, but I'd been thinking about how I wanted to change that for my kinders next year! My fur baby is such a huge part of my life, and I'm sure I mention her daily, this will be the perfect addition to my classroom! Thank you!

  12. mcoop1125 says

    Love the "Teacher's Pet" idea! Like you I can't remember to rotate jobs and keep track of who's job is what so I have a Helper of the Day but I'm loving the pet/dog theme! Thanks for sharing!

  14. April Jones says

    I got this off of someone's blog a few years ago and love it! I choose 2 "Happy Helpers" each day. I have all the kids' names written on something cute that goes with whatever theme I'm using – a parrot, coconut, crab, etc. I have 2 envelopes – "Had a Turn" and "Need a Turn." When I'm explaining it to kids, I show them how I randomly pull 2 names from the "Need a Turn" envelope then put them in the "Had a Turn" envelope at the end of the day. Then I'll pull out the next 2 names from the "Need a Turn" envelope and pin them on the "Happy Helper" paper for the next day. After that, the kids don't always see me switch helpers. Of course, if I forget they remind me and get to watch the switch. If there will be a sub or a crazy day, I may or may not choose so randomly. 😉 My happy helpers do any random jobs throughout the day and take turns being the line leader and caboose.

  15. Love, Laughter and Learning in Prep! says

    Hi Kristin,

    I really love this idea! At the moment I have 2 or 3 kidlets that I know will do a good job handle all of the 'teacher's helper' type tasks, but I bet I'm not giving the others enough credit. I think I might try this! I wonder if the Teacher's Pet could also change the bone at the end of the day as part of their duties? 🙂

    Lauren
    Love, Laughter and Learning in Prep!

  16. Holly says

    Well don't you just love it when you find any idea like this and you think "duh"… I tried classroom jobs at the beginning of my career and like you, it just didn't work. I tried them again this past school year, and they were "okay". I switched them every two/three weeks {no joke – it was the only way I could "stay on top of it"} But THIS…THIS!!?! I think I might actually be able to manage this. Only thing…I actually have a lot of jobs and it would probably be too much for even two people {I know how to put these kids to WORK}…hmmmm…you've got me thinking…in a GOOD way! Thanks lady!

    Holly
    Crisscross Applesauce in First Grade

  18. Shaye Cintado says

    I rotate my "helper" each day in the same way but this makes it so much more fun! Thanks for sharing!! I also tried the whole job rotation board way back when and I just couldn't keep up…who has time for that?! I'm all about keeping it simple!

  19. Lovely Nina says

    Very cute idea! I agree, jobs did not work for me either…I'd forget to rotate them, there would be too many jobs, and keeping it all fair was always a struggle.
    I also wanted my class to feel like a community and that we all should help out to keep our classroom clean. So I have been doing "teacher helpers". I would choose two students for the whole week to be my "go to people". Handing out papers, going to the office, helping others, etc. Nothing fancy, but they'd have their names on these Happy Face notecards I made. I do love your teacher's pet idea, and it basically the same idea but much cuter! Thanks for sharing!! 🙂
    -Lovely Nina
    Come check out my blog while you are at it:
    Lovely Nina Designs

  20. Joan Knowlton says

    Adorable! You have the BEST ideas! Thanks for including a kitty, for us "cat" people! The kids will LOVE this! 🙂

  21. Valerie Goliff says

    Get out of my head! I've seen/heard/thought everything you said about jobs and I am the worst about rotating the jobs! Teacher's Pet is the best idea I've heard in a long time. THANK YOU for sharing your brilliance with the rest of us!!
    emma

  22. robyn@dearwellington says

    Thanks for sharing your great ideas! I am curious if you have a Student of the Week as well?

  23. Mrs. Kelly's Class says

    LOVE this!! Thanks for the cute idea 🙂 I do traditional jobs in my class…pencil sharpener, line leader, etc. But I only switch them out once a week and I think we all get a little bored with that. Plus, by the end of the year I have tons of kids who haven't done every job…ooops. I'm thinking I'm going to give this a go next year and see how it works. Thanks again 🙂

  25. Annie Evans says

    LOVE this idea. Thanks for the freebie! I also ADORE your blog… my sister introduced me to it and we crack up about your posts all the time. Thanks!

  26. Brandie says

    Thanks so much for the freebie!! I have been just pulling a name out of a cup each day. I'm so embarrassed and ashamed of the uncreativeness of it!!! So tickled to up the cuteness factor this year!!!!:)

  27. Barb Dobner says

    Thanks for the freebie! I love how you switch out the Teacher's Pet everyday. I hadn't thought about that. We use our line leaders and other jobs for the entire week. I am excited to try this for next year!

  28. Lisa says

    This is amazing! I'm working on making life simpler and this will do the trick. I have a job for each student (usually 18 students) and we rotate them each Monday. Then I'll say "who is the … ?" and all of them usually offer to go look at the job board and then I end up walking over. This will eliminate all of that! I love that you change every day so the students know their turn is coming. One question is: I would have the line leader move to the back of the line the next week so the line was in the same order but rotating. Do you keep the same line order all year?

  29. Myra says

    It says unable to view document or I don't have permission to view it. I tried three or four times.

  30. Ms. Anderson says

    Why am I just now thinking about making it a kid job to change the jobs? Maybe because it's June 🙂

  31. Molly says

    How fun is this job title! I do the exact same thing (because I can NEVER remember to switch!) but we call it Class President! Totally switching to pets this year! Love it!! Thank you 🙂

    Slainte,
    Molly
    Lucky to Be in First

  32. Laura says

    I have Line Leader and Door Holder and they do everything in the class on their respective days. It is simple to implement and the kids also keep up with changing out the person's name for the day.
    Works great!

  33. CarolP says

    I love this idea! I have been doing 9-10 different jobs each week. It has been a nightmare keeping track of who has done which job which week (I've had a excel sheet to keep track & spend Fridays after school figuring it all out). WAY TOO MUCH TIME! I had decided at the end of last school year that I'd go to only a helper a day. This idea is perfect! I love the choices you gave us. I am doing it! You are soooo (or should I say tho) smart. 🙂 Thanks. Carol

  34. Tami says

    I do the Helper of the Day which is the same thing. One student does whatever I need for the whole day. I display the present days helper and the previous days helper also. That way if I do need 2 students they always know it is the helper for the day and the helper from the previous day that do the job! Thanks for the printables! Love the name "Teacher's Pet!" I am going to start calling it that! Much better than "Helper of the Day!"

  35. Carol-Ann Roaf says

    Love this idea! It is so hard to remember to switch jobs!! I am going to use one of the pups since that is my classroom theme!! Thanks soooooo much!

  36. MeadowsMom says

    Too cute! Love it!! How did you get yours enlarged?

  37. Katie Knight says

    I do this too Kristin!!!!!!!!! This is such a great post!!!!! I'll take it off my list of things to post about 'cause you JUST ROCKED THIS! Great minds!!!!!!!

  38. lara says

    Great idea! I did helping hands….1 boy and 1 girl per week. It was a bit of a pain. Definitely trying this!

  39. Deirdre says

    I do the same thing, but as class president like Molly. And we have a vp too =) Teacher's pet is an adorable title though! It would've been great for us to be in first grade together because I wet my pants all the time too =) Solidarity!
    Deirdre
    A Burst of First

  40. Brittany Dion says

    This is perfect! I love it.

    I did send a request to share this with my mom, and of course in my excitement, I put my message to her in the comments. Please excuse my spastic mistake.

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