I'm just starting WBT this year so I'm trying to work out kinks before the school year starts

I have white board tables that will seat 4 students. The bad thing about these tables is that there is no storage space for student folders, text books, etc.. So how should I take care of which student gets the materials? How should I organize materials? I've thought about using Kagan strategies where there are four jobs per table and each day a student has a different job (leader, encourager, monitor, and material agent). Would that work?

Also, what about line leader or other common classroom jobs that students usually fight over?

Thanks for the help in advance

I'm interested in this too!

What grade are you teaching?

I've seen a lot of elementary teachers use chair pockets that slip over the back of the chair. You can make them or buy them. Here is a link to more info on another message board.

I've also seen teachers with tables who allow each student to keep a pencil box on the desk and a basket in the center holds a spiral or folder for each student. The textbooks are usually kept on a shelf.

At one point I was teaching a departmentalized 3rd grade class, so the kids could not leave materials in their desks. They kept their spirals/folders in a 2-gallon side ziplock bags. When they came into class, they picked up their baggie and took it to their desk.

Depending on the age of your students, I might not want to trade jobs every day. It sounds like it could get confusing. I like rotating jobs every week, but with those jobs you might be able to let them keep the job for 2-3 weeks. I like the idea of the four specific jobs, but another idea is just to number the students and you could call out something like, "Number threes, pass out the reading books!"

As far as major class jobs, I just put all of the students' names on a longs piece of butcher paper. I only staple the top to the wall so that it hangs down freely. I have clothes pins with the names of each job glued to them. I can attach it to the butcher paper to have the clothespin point to a student's name. So every week, I just move all the clothespins down one space to change the jobs. The jobs I have are: bathroom monitor, hall monitor, line leader, lunchroom table washer, substitute, library helper, classroom helper.

Make sure you are familiar with the 6 common procedures. They really make the classroom run smoothly! There is a new video online that illustrates some of these procedures such as passing out papers.

Hope this helps a little. It always takes a lot of thought and planning to figure out how things should run, but it is worth it!

I am going to be teaching 3rd grade this year.

I really like the bin in the middle of the table idea, but the tables are white board tables and I was told I am limited as to what I put on them incase they scratch. Perhaps I could put a piece of cloth underneath or something.

The WBT procedures are great, I just wasn't sure about the jobs situation. Your idea is really helpful, thanks a lot!