Classroom Economy

This year we have been trying out a classroom economy system in 4th grade and the students LOVE it!  I even have students from previous years ask my why we didn't do this when they were in my class.  This classroom economy system is in place to encourage responsible and appropriate behavior.  Students can earn classroom money and be able to spend it at our class store. The can earn money in a variety of ways like having assignment books assigned daily, doing classroom jobs, getting 100% on a test, or caught being good to name a few. They also have to pay fines for rule infractions, not completing homework, and other ways. We also have disasters where the entire class pays a fine for misbehavior. (This was my husband's idea.  It is kind of like a natural disaster where everyone is affected. If my husband has his way they would probably be paying taxes!) 

Along with learning consequences for their actions students are learning to be responsible for maintaining a checkbook, depositing payments, paying bills (rent on their desk), and paying fines. This project has allowed a lot of creative thinking in my classroom.  The students get to give suggestions for things to buy in the classroom store.  Food is always a hit, but they love different coupons that I make.  

Here are some of the favorite coupons:

• Our Tunes Pass- They get to play music for the entire class during work time.
• My Tunes Pass- They get to listen to thier own music while they work.
• Extra PE
• Make my own Kahoot Pass
• Get 100% on an assignment that they didn't do very well on. 
• Sit by a friend
• Lunch in the classroom with the teacher

They best part about some of these passes is that students will work together to pay for classroom items like extra PE or lunch in the classroom. I love to hear conversations about budgeting in order to buy something bigger the next month and collaborating on how to pool their money together in order to buy class prizes.  I even had one student (and parent)  ask me if the desks were for sale so they could buy them and sell it back at the end of the year.  I also have students who will buy things for other people!  The picture above is Ellyana and she bought these items for her little brother.  She also asked if she could place them in his locker!  To say the least, students are learning a lot with this project and I will definitely continue this next year! 

(Stay tuned next week because I will have two students adding posts because I created a job called the blogger.)