I've been asked by interested folks how, exactly, our student account program works. So I decided to snap a few shots of the program in action, and explain it. :)
This is my weekly calculation sheet. Each day I transfer the information from the daily earnings sheet so that I have a comprehensive record of earnings for the week. This is what I use to fill in the paystubs on students' paychecks.
This is the deposit slip. Students fill out a deposit slip each Monday when they cash their check. Students may also make deposits of any cash-on-hand in their accounts bags at any time they wish to do so.
This is a savings withdrawal slip. Students may withdraw money from savings for the end-of-quarter reward, or to pay a fine if they don't have the cash on hand. (Note: Students who have incurred a fine and do not have the money to pay it either in their bags or their savings account receive a detention for the behavior which prompted the fine.) Students are not permitted to withdraw from savings in order to shop - they are cautioned to think about how much money they feel they might need during the week and to weigh that in their decision as to how much of their paycheck to deposit on pay day - budgeting skills!
These are passes that students are able to purchase during shopping.
One of the things students can shop for and purchase are tickets. Each day I do "Word of the Day," where I put a word on the board, give the students its part of speech, and they define the word. I give them two options. If they choose, I give them a sentence containing the word and context clues as to its definition. They then define it. If correct, they earn a WOTD ticket. If they feel they don't need a clue sentence, and correctly define it, they earn two WOTD tickets. I keep one half of the ticket and they keep the other. On Fridays I do ticket drawings. A student whose ticket is drawn can choose to make a trip to the reward box, or receive a dollar for their account bags.
Students may purchase WOTD tickets for .50 each. However, I wanted to reinforce and reward vocabulary skills, so tickets earned for correctly defining the WOTD are starred, and are worth two rewards, whereas purchased tickets are not starred.
My classroom is arranged in groups - four tables in all. Students may earn "table tickets" for appropriate behavior by all table mates, good teamwork, and other reasons. A ticket is designated as the table ticket, and one table member holds the ticket for ticket drawing on Fridays. If a table ticket is drawn, every member of that table gets a reward. Table tickets can be purchased, but are very expensive, so table members have to decide how to divvy up that financial responsibility in a manner that all at the table consider fair and acceptable.
I have just recently instituted "room tickets." The class earns a room ticket for extraordinary things - these are rare to get and have to be worked for by all members of the class. If a room ticket is drawn, every class member gets a reward. Room tickets cannot be purchased.
Students may purchase WOTD tickets for .50 each. However, I wanted to reinforce and reward vocabulary skills, so tickets earned for correctly defining the WOTD are starred, and are worth two rewards, whereas purchased tickets are not starred.
My classroom is arranged in groups - four tables in all. Students may earn "table tickets" for appropriate behavior by all table mates, good teamwork, and other reasons. A ticket is designated as the table ticket, and one table member holds the ticket for ticket drawing on Fridays. If a table ticket is drawn, every member of that table gets a reward. Table tickets can be purchased, but are very expensive, so table members have to decide how to divvy up that financial responsibility in a manner that all at the table consider fair and acceptable.
I have just recently instituted "room tickets." The class earns a room ticket for extraordinary things - these are rare to get and have to be worked for by all members of the class. If a room ticket is drawn, every class member gets a reward. Room tickets cannot be purchased.
After a quarter and a half of using the program, here are student reactions:
What do you think of our account program? What is one thing you’ve learned from participating in it? Kaden: I think our account program is fun and cool. I have learned how important money is to save and use. Whitney: I think that this is a really fun idea.Because we get to shop and we get rewarded for doing well in school and being good class. Joey: Iv learned how a bank works and i think it is great Peyton: I like the account program because it teaches me to save all money because you will need it sooner or later. :) Rylee: The account program helps me with keeping my money ! And it feels like we are going to have fun with it !!! Kaleigha: i think the account program is really fun and cool and vey helpful for me when i get older. it teaches me how to work with money. Maddison: I tgink it is really good because it will help us for when we have to do it and is is really fun that we get to shop. Kylah: I think its great cause it teaches us to spend our money wisely. Anna: I like it I have lerned to time faster and it tells us what we have. Raygann: I love it!!!! I love how we get to save money and use it to go to the box and buy tickets. I learned more about saving money and not forgetting my stuff that I need for class even though I've never forgot anything. William: I like our account program. It teaches us how to save money for something or how to use banks online. :} Toby: I like the program because it has math in it too and I like math. Maddy: I love it because we get a look at like the real world,and we get get prizes and parties it is a LOT of fun! i love it. Bhanu: I think its really cool and its a cool way to get awesome stuff from the box! Gavin: I think the account program is fun and cool that it teaches us how to save money Logan: i like it just that its a little hard to earn alot of money the most ive ever earned was around 30.25 dollars Keegan: I think it is very fun and I learned you need to save some and if you want to have some to spend think about it once you get your money. Landon: To use my money wisely and to work hard Donovan: I think it is kinda cool. I learned to be more responsible with money Cailynn: I think it's a fun thing to do because it teaches us that we need to work for what we want. Elijah : I think its fun because we get to learn how to save money and stuff and while doing that we get rewards for it Keely: I think the account program is great! We get to learn why we should save money and it can help with our real life when we get older and get jobs. Chad: i think that it is fun and it is cool i like it because we practice alot Allee: I think that the account program if very fun and a cool idea. I have learned that you shouldn't spend your money just because you really want something, you should save your money because you might need it some day. So, I have learned that you should save your money and think about what you are buying if you are going to get something. Caleb: I like the account program. It teaches us how to save money. :] Alexsis: I think it's fun because we can learn to save money for in the future and we can actually see how much money i takes to pay bills. Owen Schaa: I really like it, it goes with math and teaches us how to save money and handle checks. Owen Schu: i think the account bags are good i learned the better you do in school you will get more money in the bags Kenzie: I like my account program because it teaches us how money will be in the real world.One thing that I learned from it was that saving money help you. Makayla: I think it is a really good idea because it is away to treat us for are great behavior. Michael: i think it is amazing and i learned that you have to write your name in cursuve when you get your chek Chesnie: I think the account program is really fun and I learned that is important to save money. De Wet: I love the account program. But, the stuff we are "learning" from this I already knew. Brayden: i enjoy it i think it will show what saving money can make you a better person can help with things like collage and school in genaral and money is your future Kumiko: I think that the account program is a good idea because it lets us learn how to save and spend money. One thing I learned is to not just spend money because you have it, spend money because you need to or if you feel like you need a little reward. :) Vinh: it help me for the world so we can spend cash and etc with money and checks Klowi: I really like our program I've learned to savor my money and keep for actual things I need and somethings that I want. Tyler: It help me learn how to save my money ,and it feels like we are getting ready to be out of school. Hanna: i like it i think it is really fun. one thing i learned from it was you have to watch how much money you have and how much you have in savings Maddie: I love it! I like that we can save up for stuff. I think that its important beacuse we can learn to save money Anthony: I think the account bags are okay, I also learned the importance of money. Braden: The program is cool and I learned how to save my money May: I think the account bags will help our future selves save money and learn about the importance of saving money. Jacob: I think the account bags are great and one thing i learned about the account bags is if you have enough money to shop it is absolutely worth it Cody: I like the account program. It teaches me to save money. It will help a lot in the future. |
I conceived of this program over the summer of 2016, and used quite a bit of personal time to figure out its parameters, and how it would work and be of benefit in the classroom. I have to say that although of course I was optimistic about it, it has truly exceeded my expectations. Here are my thoughts about the pros and cons of the program.
Pros 1. Students are taking responsibility for being supplied for class. For the first time in a nearly 30-year career, I am spending hardly any money on stocking such classroom supplies as pencils, crayons, glue, etc. 2. I have seen a decrease in overall absenteeism. Of course, there are always those chronic few, but in general, student attendance is better this year. Of course, while it's tempting to ascribe causation to an observed correlation, I can report that students are much more aware of their attendance when upon return to class they have to decide whether to use one of their precious few sick days or accept that their next paycheck will be less. 3. There are fewer disruptions to class with requests to go to the restroom, get a drink, or make a locker trip. When those requests are made, students approach me with money in hand, and the disruption is kept to a minimum of time spent on the request. 4. There has been a decrease in students being tardy to class. 5. It has become an unexpectedly effective behavior management tool. The students themselves suggested the "off task" fine, discussed how much it should be, and when it should be levied. The students also were the ones who first identified the potential problem of what to do if someone gets fined and doesn't have the money to pay the fine, finally deciding that a detention should be given. Students obviously feel a high degree of ownership of the program, which in turn makes them more invested in it. As a result, I have spent much less time this year than in the past having to deal with behavior issues in class. 6. I have observed an increased degree of interpersonal helpfulness and kindness. Students help one another more, compliment each other more often, and use manners more often than I have observed in the past. In addition, I have repeatedly observed students lending one another supplies so that money doesn't have to be spent, and loaning or giving one another money. At the first reward party, several students withdrew from their own savings accounts so that they could help out a friend in going to the party. Again, I hesitate to ascribe causation to an observed correlation, but students get paid for acts of kindness. At first, students would tell me every time they did something kind, so that I could note in on the earnings sheet. And while they still often inform me of their own kind acts, they are also just as likely to inform of me of the kind acts of others. I have also observed that kindness seems to be becoming more innate and automatic behavior. 7. Students have taken ownership of the classroom environment. Shelves are kept tidy, there are always volunteers to be a computer cart monitor, and a pocket monitor. Tables and floors are cleaned willingly at the end of each class. 8. It's exciting, and fun - for all of us! So far the program has not at all paled in interest, or become boring. Students are engaged. 9. It is meeting the objectives I envisioned for it - incorporating math, enhancing character education, and teaching real life skills applicable in contemplation of their future work lives. Cons 1. There was an initial outlay of personal funds to purchase the cash register, the money, the account bags, and the wall pocket holders. About a month into the program I had to purchase more money. 2. It took quite a bit of time to get the program in place and going. I began recording earnings on 6th grade orientation night, but didn't explain the program to the students until after Labor Day, when I presented them with their first paycheck. 3. The cashing of checks on payday (Monday) takes a good chunk of class time, especially until the routine is well established. By now the system works very smoothly, but that is in part because I have block classes. Were I with my students only one period a day, I think I would have to take paychecks home to cash them. 4. Student requests to shop became disruptive at one point. I was letting them shop during work time or break time, but it seemed like it got to the point where I was chained to the cash register. To solve that problem, we had a discussion about shopping every day (not most people's real life!), and I told them I would observe their behavior during instruction, and that if they earned it and IF we had time, I'd call tables to shop. They also know that not every day is going to be a shopping day, even if everyone is on task and there is time. This has worked well. 5. I had to get used to carrying the clipboard constantly, and marking every time students did something to earn money (particularly during class discussions, as they get rewarded for participating and volunteering). It's second nature by now, and students keep a sharp eye on the clipboard, as I'm known for getting caught up in what we're doing and forgetting where I've laid the board. Someone is always quick to tell me where it is! 6. It takes a high degree of organization to keep the program running smoothly. Organization is a particular personal strength, so I don't find this onerous, although others might. 7. It also takes quite a bit of personal time - transferring the daily earning each evening, preparing the paychecks over the weekend, etc. 8. The quarter parties are costing me more than I anticipated! Many more students qualified for the first quarter pizza party than I thought would, and we're well on the way to a huge ice cream sundae party for the second quarter. However, although it's turning out to be more expensive than I anticipated, the cost is well worth it to me, as I truly believe the program is of value to the students. 9. I have not seen the impact I'd hoped on homework completion, or on-task for daily SSR (sustained silent reading). Therefore, I'm trying to figure out what to do about that. For me, the pros far outweigh the cons. As I said, this program has wildly exceeded my expectations for it, and my initial vision of it. I am thankful for the stroke of inspiration that allowed me to conceive of it, and very proud of my students' participation in and ownership of it. I am more than happy to share this brainchild with others! :) |