Creating a Classroom Economy

To keep students motivated and on-task, reward systems can be beneficial. Classroom incentives encourage students to participate and behave appropriately because they validate students and make them feel successful. They can also be fun!

Make your rewards system even more meaningful by tying it to your academic content. In this classroom economy example, students earn typical points for positive behavior, but what happens next is pretty cool for students – and their learning! These points are deposited as coin stamps into student “bank accounts” that can be spent in a classroom store. Students can choose to buy tangible items like pencils and stickers or more unique rewards, including lunch with the teacher or extra Lego time. This strategy not only provides the benefits of a classroom reward system, but also reinforces skills including coin identification, addition and subtraction, and decision-making.