Why I question hiring cleaners for a 4th-grade classroom

Fourth graders are fully capable of sweeping floors and picking up trash. These are simple tasks that help cultivate discipline and responsibility. Yet in my child’s class, the decision was made to outsource the work instead.

The issue came to mind after I attended a parent-teacher meeting for my two children, one in first grade and the other in fourth. For younger students, having cleaning staff is understandable. But for older primary school students, I began to question whether we may be overprotecting them and, in the process, overlooking opportunities for practical learning.

An empty classroom. Illustration photo by Unsplash

At my child’s school, classroom cleaning staff are hired each semester using funds collected by the parent-teacher association. I suggested that students take responsibility for cleaning the classroom themselves, at least in part, as a way to build routine and accountability. However, when the proposal was raised, the vast majority of parents voted to continue hiring cleaners.

This outcome left me wondering whether my views were outdated. In my opinion, sharing responsibility for classroom cleanliness is not merely about tidiness -- it is also about teaching children the value of effort, cooperation, and care for shared spaces. Yet my perspective appeared to be in the minority.

A second issue further reinforced my concerns. The school recently requested donations of new potted plants to replace deteriorating ones outside classrooms. While this is not a frequent request, the campus is large and lined with hundreds of potted plants along hallways and corridors.

Having grown up in a rural area, my first thought was not replacement, but restoration. Replanting existing pots could save resources and offer students hands-on learning about planting, soil care, and environmental responsibility. Some parents were open to supporting the purchase of seedlings, fertilizer, or soil to facilitate such activities. However, in the interest of efficiency and convenience, the school opted to ask parents to donate new plants instead.

I believe this reflects a broader issue. Urban students already have fewer opportunities to engage with nature. Schools could help bridge this gap by integrating simple, practical activities, starting with small, everyday tasks. While some schools have campus gardens, these are often used only briefly for introductory lessons rather than sustained learning.

When I was growing up in the 1980s, manual work was a routine part of school life: sweeping classrooms, planting trees, tending gardens, and cleaning shared spaces. These activities were not seen as burdens, but as part of learning how to live responsibly.

Some may consider these concerns minor. Yet I wonder whether the absence of such experiences contributes to a wider problem: children who lack basic life skills, who do not fully appreciate effort, or who struggle with independence later in life. Today, even some university students do not know how to clean their living spaces, do laundry, or manage daily responsibilities on their own.

Am I being too strict, or are we, in our efforts to make things easier for children, unintentionally depriving them of essential lessons about responsibility and care?