I get this question a lot – How many work tasks should I have in my classroom? And while I am a big fan of a “the more, the merrier” response, I also don’t want anyone to lose their mind making thousands of work tasks. I have no magic number or perfect ratio of students to work tasks but these tips will help make sure you have roughly the right amount. You need enough that your students won’t get bored! Because we all know, a bored student is a naughty a student.
- Make sure you have enough tasks that are time consuming. We all have those kiddos that fly through work. If you have tasks that take longer than 3 seconds, you will need less tasks! So take a gander at your work boxes and pump them up! Adding more cards to sort, coins to match, and screws to assemble.
- Your students shouldn’t be doing the same tasks every day. Have a system (checking my foolproof system!) for rotating between tasks. My advice is to plan ahead which tasks students will be doing. If you leave it to the grab and go method – you will keep giving your students the same tasks unintentionally.
- While you are planning for all this task changing and rotation – at the same time – don’t be afraid of letting your students repeat tasks. The point of this work is to work independently and practice a previously mastered skills. It’s okay if it is a bit monotonous. That is kinda the point. Our jobs are monotonous at times too (hello – clicking boxes on IEPS…).
- Make tasks that many students can do. Think broad!
- If your students only have a few tasks they can do on their own – make different variations of the same task! Have students sort coins, buttons, clips, etc.
- Dollar store is your new best friend! If you make cheap tasks- you can make more tasks!
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8 Responses
Hi Sasha! I love that money work task you have in the upper right corner at the top of the post (with the ice cream and the velcro coins to match the price) – do you have that in your TpT shop? I would love it!!
I have a truly independent work station in my room, now. They are color coded and the students know from which shelf to choose a preferred task. Thus, preventing frustration/behaviors as a result of completing tasks that are too difficult or too easy. Some choose the same task or types of task everyday. That is ok because they find comfort in repetitive work. New work skills and those that we have to take data on are taught in a different area.
Hi Sasha, One of the pictures is only showing half. I was wondering what the work task activity is with the zip lock baggies that say the different continents? I have a few higher functioning students and one who loves maps and I am wondering if it is an activity worth introducing in my work system. Thank you!
Yep! It’s in this resource: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Work-Task-Mega-Pack-1267526
Great ideas! I love that!! 🙂
Yes! Sorry I’m having major issues with the images in this post. The sorting countries by continent is in this resource: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Advanced-Work-Task-Mega-Pack-2159535?aref=jbwddqpk
Do you have any templates for making the visual instructions?
Yep! Here – https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Work-Task-Mega-Pack-1267526