Student Testimonials
Episode 1
Classroom Economy: What Kids Loved
What did you enjoy most about participating in the classroom economy?
Student A: I enjoyed the many different activities that were held that wouldn’t have happened in a classroom without a classroom economy.
Student B: What did you enjoy most about participating in the classroom economy? I mostly enjoyed the auctions and buying a bunch of snacks and toys.
Student C: What I enjoyed most about participating in the class economy was when we had the auction days and got to buy or bid on items. I found that really fun when I got to save up on my quote -unquote cash and spend it on various things. I remembered really working hard on trying to earn by doing various jobs. I also love that we got assigned jobs. I don’t really remember much, but I will never forget when I got the job for administrator. It was an honor doing that and it has taught me quite a few skills.
Episode 2
Overcoming Challenges: Reflections on Saving and Spending
Is there anything you found challenging about the classroom economy?
Student A: I found saving was the most challenging aspect of it because you always wanted to buy something at every auction and you didn't want to not spend your money.
Student B: What I found challenging is learning how to save and budget the currency I had earned.
Student C: At the time, I felt like the most challenging thing about the classroom economy was trying to save up for what I wanted to bid for and also not spend so recklessly. I always stopped myself from having my wallet becoming empty since it wasn't always quick and easy to earn. So I always thought about how much I was spending and tracked my purchases.
Episode 3
Jobs That Teach: Creative Roles for Students
How did you earn currency in a classroom economy?
Student A: I remember taking some jobs around the classroom to earn currency.
Student B: So we had jobs like cleaning, bankers, or you could volunteer for typing or other miscellaneous jobs. And then we also had like agenda checks and homework checks that gave us like maybe a dollar or something.
Student C: I don’t quite remember how I earned currency but I think I mostly did little jobs to do like cleaning up areas of the classroom or when we had theme weeks.
Episode 4
Real Financial Lessons for Life
Did you learn any financial concepts (i.e. spending, saving, budgeting) through the classroom economy?
Student A: I learned to know the necessities through the classroom economy.
Student B: Yes, I think we definitely learned, like, for those who haven't already got taught by their parents, definitely learned some sort of financial literacy. But for those who did, like myself, like, I think it was definitely reinforcing what I already kind of knew in the real world.
Student C: I learned how to save and spend wisely. I remember when we had the auction days and I would always know my limits when bidding. I try not to aim too high and lose all my cash. I always tried to save up for the items I really wanted and thought about if I really wanted or needed the things I was bidding on.
Episode 5
Benefits of a Classroom Economy
What do you think are the biggest benefits of having a classroom economy?
Student A: Understanding the difference between wants and needs, knowing how to spend your money as well.
Student B: I think it was a really fun introduction to the idea of what a real-world economy is like.
Student C: The benefits of having a classroom economy is that we got a little glimpse of what it's like to be in the real world at a young age. We may not have known it, but it was a stepping stone into helping our minds be aware of how it'll be like in our adult years. It taught us how to be structured and organized, become leaders, remember adding in subtraction skills if we became a banker, and so much more.
Student D: Yeah, and we learned a lot about responsibility. We'd get class cash for signing tests and doing good on tests, so we'd always remember to study a lot and get our parents to sign our tests every night.
Episode 6
Becoming a Leader
Did you feel more responsible or gain any leadership skills through your role(s) in the classroom economy?
Student A: I think everyone who had a job for the week definitely felt responsible. Like in order to get your money you had to have done your job responsibilities. So I definitely think that if you wanted to go for a president or something you would get money for that and that was a big motivation to participate in leadership roles.
Student B: I gained leadership skills when I got the job of being an administrator. It was my first ever interview and it was nerve wracking for me but I got the job. It was definitely a challenge at times when I had to lead everyone out for recess or do certain things to keep the class behaved. But I overall enjoyed the job and I am very proud of my little self for trying.
Episode 7
Fun and Engaging
Do you think the classroom economy made learning more fun or engaging? How?
Student A: Yes, as it also added many interesting concepts that a regular classroom wouldn't have.
Student B: I think that the classroom economy gave a sense of motivation to do well in schoolwork and your tests. It was very engaging for kids to learn on like an extra reward system and then of course the prizes and activities made it very fun, a very fun environment.
Student C: It definitely made learning more fun and engaging since there were different things incorporated into the economy that made me want to try harder in class. I got to learn so much and it was done in different ways that were enjoyable. From learning how to work with money to being assigned jobs. I learned how to be a leader, be responsible, be open to new things and ideas and so much more. I will cherish those memories since they were one of the best.
Episode 8
Wants vs Needs
Did the classroom economy affect your understanding of the real world?
Student A: Yes, as I understand the concept of working for money and how to understand the difference between wants and needs.
Student B: I would say definitely yes. It gave a sense of understanding of going into debt and saving. You understand that you need to budget the cash that you have and when to splurge on an item.
Student C: The classroom economy affected my understanding of the real world by teaching me about jobs and cash. As I mentioned before, it really helped me get a better understanding of saving up for things and not being impulsive. It also helped me to be more responsible and a better leader for others.
Episode 9
A Picture (Book) is Worth a Thousand Words
Do you think having a picture book explaining a classroom economy will help students understand it better?
