VIDEO: Kansas School’s ‘Meaningful Jobs’ Program Helps Curb Negative Student Behavior

Staff members at Woodman Elementary School in Wichita, Kansas, are helping build students’ confidence in a unique way.

The “Meaningful Jobs” program is geared towards helping the children curb negative behavior while also making sure they come to class, KSNW reported Friday.

The “jobs” include simple tasks such as delivering items to classrooms, filling copy machines with paper, and making sure the lights are off in the restrooms when they are not in use.

School psychologist Jamie Johnston said it has helped build confidence in numerous children who love the positive attention they get for performing their tasks.

Johnston explained:

We noticed there were a lot of kids who were attention-seeking or showing attention-seeking behaviors in the classroom. And we wanted to give them a positive role in the school where attention could be given for positive behavior, that they could give back to the school and feel like a part of the community.

According to the Woodman Elementary School website, the program was “based on a research-supported intervention called Meaningful Work by Randy Sprick.”

Images show school employees giving the children positive attention as they perform their duties:

Now, the children feel a sense of purpose because they have opportunities to be successful and understand they are worth much as they help serve others.

“In picking students for Meaningful Jobs, we look at the student, their history, and their current needs,” Johnston continued:

Some students are picked because were demonstrating negative behaviors, some are picked because they need frequent movement breaks and positive attention and others are chosen because they experience anxiety and need to work on feeling comfortable and safe in the building.

The students who have the special jobs wear a badge which serves as a reminder that their task is important in the day-to-day running of the school.

The program began in August, and Johnston said it has so far been successful in fostering positive behavior.

According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, children who perform chores often have higher self-esteem, are more responsible, and have less trouble dealing with difficulty.

“These skills can lead to greater success in school, work, and relationships,” the academy’s website reads.