How long does it take to prepare workjobs?

Once you get the hang of it- maybe 15 minutes per week, and you can reuse them from year to year.  I go through the reading curriculum guide and pull a lot of the cross-curricular actitivites that are suggested but that we rarely have time to do.  I also choose activities that I don't have class sets of materials for, such as tasks that involve books, a globe, computers, etc., since only a few students do each workjob at a time.  For example, we recently read a story in our basals about space; students used their workjob time to read for information (finding a diagram of the solar system in one of three or four books I set out and drawing a diagram illustrating the planets' relative size).  I didn't have enough books for the whole class to do this at once, but with workjobs, it didn't matter.  I keep blank workjob assignment sheets as well, so I can handwrite tasks in for the weeks when I'm not able to plan ahead like I like to.  If your workjobs are monthly, it will take longer to prepare, but you won't have to do it as often.

What if students don't finish them?

Once you get the hang of designing workjobs, you'll get a feel for how long it takes your students to complete certain tasks and you can modify them.  I assign my workjobs in groups based more on how quickly the students work than on ability.  If a lot of students have not finished their workjobs by Friday afternoon, I glance over their assignment sheets and write 'OK' over unfinished tasks I will excuse them from (the ones I don't plan to grade) and write 'Finish Monday' on the ones I will grade.  Then for morning work on Monday I give them about 20 minutes to complete whatever they have left.  (Or, if you assign long-term workjobs, all students will have time to finish).

What happens if students play around or continually don't do their workjobs?

The kids are really motivated to do the workjobs because of the element of choice and the movement involved, so it's not like trying to get them to do worksheets or stay focused during lectures!  However, some kids just aren't mature enough for this level of responsibility.  They are unable to track what they've done, clean up after themselves, and organize their work.  For these kids I try first to modify their assignments and provide greater structure.  For example, I may have them do the workjobs in the order they are listed on the assignment sheet, or give fewer workjobs.  I might also require the child to show me his or her work each day so I can help the child manage his or her time ("You have two days left to finish 4 workjobs.  How much time do you think would be reasonable to spend on coloring this science task?  Right- if you spend more than 10 minutes on it tomorrow, you probably won't get to finish Social Studies.  So tomorrow we'll look at the clock when you start and set a timer for 10 minutes").    If certain children continue to play around, disrupt others, or be irresponsible with time despite the increased structure and assistance, I don't allow them to complete workjobs the following week.  I give them alternate assignments (workbook pages or something not as fun) so they can earn grades for the two or three assignments I plan to correct.  When they finish those for the week, they read a book during workjob time.

Are workjobs graded?

Only the assignments I want to grade, usually 2 out of the 6.  It depends on what subjects I need a grade for that week, as well as which assignments are easy to grade.  I generally won't grade a workjob that requires line-by-line reading in order to save time- I just check them off and students get credit for completing them.

How long does it take to grade workjobs?

I generally spend about a minute on each student, so around 20 minutes for a week's worth of work.  On Fridays, students staple their papers to the assignment sheet in the order they are listed.  I can already tell if something has not been completed by looking at the assignment sheet so I don't have to dig through the pile of papers to make sure it's all there.  I glance through the assignments I don't plan to grade (students don't know which will be graded ahead of time) and put a check mark beside them on the assignment sheet.  Then I look over the ones I do want to grade and write the grades for those on the assignment sheet as well.  After I've gone through the stack, I transfer the grades from the assignment sheets to my grade book and then send the graded packets home.  When workjobs last several weeks, it takes me longer to grade because the assignments are more in depth, but I have to do it less often, so it's a trade-off.

When do students work in centers?

If there's an activity I would have traditionally used as a center, I now make it into an assigned workjob.  Independent center selection is for students who have finished their workjobs for the week.  At the beginning of the year, I slowly put centers out for students and show them how to use them (click here for tips on how to introduce centers and reading group routines).  Often the centers are former (or similar) workjob activities that students already know how to complete.  The other time I use centers is for whole-class rotations in math.  For example, after teaching money concepts throughout the week, I'll have kids pair up and rotate through a set of 8 or so money centers (short, real-world activities that reinforce the skills learned).  Everyone is completing centers at the same time.  I occassionally pull small groups for math instruction during this time.