Classroom Bosses

November 23, 2005

an anonymous high school English teacher

I teach high school and have more helpers (I call them “Bosses”) than some elementary teachers. I learned about this system from a motivational speaker seven years ago, and it's one of the best presentations I have seen in 35 years of teaching!

The first day of school I have the students in each class choose a Time Boss to remind me 2 minutes before the bell or any other time we need to know. If we do timed activities, the Time Boss is in charge of a timer. I know immediately whom the other students see as the classroom leader.

The Time Boss chooses all the other bosses, including replacements. The other bosses include:

Paper Boss – collects and distributes papers;
Homework Boss – so I don't get asked the assignment a zillion times;
Excuse Boss (for serious but private excuses) – s/he gets an envelope, the other student writes it down, and the Excuse Boss puts the envelope inside my desk;
Door Boss – gets to leave first, which is very important for high school socialites;
Attendance Boss – the toughest classroom job; and
Substitute Helper Boss – should be helpful and know everything!

Some of these helpers are never needed, but this spreads the ownership of the classroom around and allows students to be shown respect by their peers.

COMMENTS:

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maggie | 2011/08/20

"What have here is a failure to communicate"

Betty | 2011/07/28

Please share who that Amazing Motivational Speaker was so we can at least order his/her materials. I'm sure they're available somewhere. Regards and thank you for sharing!

Zelda | 2011/07/28

Sounds like each job is assigned to one person for the entire year. Hummm. In my class, I switch assignments every week, so all kids have a chance to be the Boss. Doesn't that allow all kids the opportunity to be a leader?

Linda | 2011/07/27

Students need to feel as though they are important so even the youngest children need to be leaders of something in the classroom. My students are all a leader of something in and around the school. Technology leader, door holder leader, greeting leader, paper collecion leader - the list of ideas for leaders is up to each individual classroom teacher's needs. Sometimes the most difficult kindergarten children turn behavior around when they see that they are in charge of something important.

Maria | 2011/07/27

Does the Time Boss keep the job if tardy to class? What are the reasons a boss may be replaced? What are the titles for other bosses?

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