On The Playground

The most important job you have as a playground assistant is ensuring SAFETY for students.

Ensuring SAFETY on the playground:

• Playground duty is NOT down time for you. Stay OFF your cell phone unless you need to use your phone for an emergency or appropriate work related school communication.
• Assistants should be spread out in different areas of the playground to effectively manage students.
• Roaming the playground in a pattern that best supports efficient supervision is often best practice.
• Consistently scan for possible threats both on the playground and around the perimeter.
• Report suspicious behavior.
• Be aware that bathrooms can often be hide-out/play places for younger students. Although you should not be hanging out in the bathroom, you must monitor bathroom areas.
• Make sure you have a way to communicate with other staff who can help deal with emergencies.
• Hold students accountable to the playground rules.
• Be aware of the playground equipment and show students where and how the equipment should be used.
• Be preventative with discipline rather than reactive.
• Be fair and consistent with the discipline while also making a conscious effort to not embarrass students or make students feel stupid.

Other Things Applicable to Playground Duty:

• Students should never be on the playground without adult supervision. So, please arrive a minute or two early, prepared and ready.
• At the end of your duty, scan the playground to make sure all students are back in the building headed to their classrooms. Once the playground is cleared, you may head back into the building.
• Please talk to your school's secretary or administrator to get specific information about playground procedures, routines, rules, etc.