Classroom Economy

  For years I have been trying to create a classroom economy and reward system.  As I have continued my teaching I have struggled with the concept of intrinsic motivation and rewards and punishments.  We live in a society we are rewarded for doing well.  I love teaching, but if I didn't get a salary I wouldn't be intrinsically motivated to come to work.  I think my own children would win out. 
  In my classroom I have modified my classroom economy to reflect students' classroom jobs, and my thoughts on intrinsic motivation.
  At the beginning of each quarter, students get to view a PowerPoint that explains the jobs, and the qualities that a person with that job would need. Students then fill out an application for their job choice. Also choosing their second and third choices.  I then choose each student or the pair of students for that job.  They hold that job for the entire quarter. 

  As a class we determine what a pay would be determining on how much work the job has to complete.  Two students have the job of banker.  At the end of each day they go around and pay students for completing their classroom job.  Each student has a credit and debit log sheet that they attach to their name tags.  I got the credit and debit log off of Beth Newingham's blog posts for scholastic.

Each week students total up their earnings and get pay check for that they have earned.  During our lunch time (my students eat in our room), students can turn in their pay check and for our classroom cash.  Students can turn in their cash for a coupon for an item that is for sale in our classroom store.  I store the coupons in a coupon holder

There is a sign below our jobs poster that lists what is available in the classroom store. 

Here is a copy of the coupons.  The coupons can be found on my TPT store.