How to Use Jobs on the Playground

Jobs provide each child the opportunity to contribute to the School Family with meaningful responsibilities. Every child in the Conscious Discipline classroom has a job. The School Family Job board provides a management system for the jobs.

Create a list of the routines, rituals and duties you conduct every day on the playground. Select the jobs that are most important and can be done by your students. Every student in the class will have a job. Some jobs, like the “Equipment Collection Team,” may be conducted by a group or committee.

Display your jobs visually so every child can see them. Supply props as needed, like providing a Kindness Tree (younger) or Kindness Notebook (older) for the Kindness Recorder, and a drum for the “Playground Timer” to signal time to line up. Teach how to do each job, rotating jobs weekly. Each child will teach his/her job to the next child when they rotate.

The NEW Conscious Discipline Expanded & Updated book and Chapter 11 in the Creating the School Family book provide more information about classroom jobs. Music that supports the Job Board includes “Jobs Matter” on Kindness Counts and “I’m a Helpful Person” on Songs for I Love You Rituals Volume 2.