Sticks.

Last year in Taylor's third grade class, they had a class store. Mrs. Jungkeit gave and took away money from all the kids. This was used according to my nine year old for "all kinds of stuff". Not getting in line, not putting games away, turning in homework, getting good grades...you get the idea. Once a month the kids could go shopping. The kids could spend or save their hard earned money. Brilliant.

I jumped on board and helped out monthly. My first store experience was spent trying to explain to one of the students why the journal her mom donated from the dollar store now cost $10 in Mrs Jungkeit's store. I was hooked.

We have implemented this system in our classroom here at home. I have a wonderful sparkly box, full of colorful sticks, sitting on the corner of my desk. Since I have a 4 year old, we aborted the cash system. The kids each have a plastic pouch at their desk, to put their hard earned sticks. The first school day of each month, we will have our store. Our store is already overflowing with little trinket prizes (did you know that even the dollar spot at Target goes 75% off?) up to a grand prizes. For example, I found a fishing game for the wii at 75% off. That will be a grand prize for Cameron, that will take him months to earn, should he so choose.

The kids can't wait for store time. There will be categories of items that cost 1 stick, 10 sticks, 100 sticks...that type of thing. The best helpful hint from my third grade store manager days...this will be timed shopping. Maybe 5 minutes or so!