Classroom Discipline: Pay Them to Behave!

First let me say I consider myself an "old school" teacher. Even though I've been teaching sixth grade math for only six years, I just passed the semi-century mark and spent my elementary years in a school that allowed corporal punishment. I didn't need any gimmicks to keep control in my classroom. I felt my innate ability to deliver interesting lessons, keep students on task, and deal efficiently with disruptions did not need improvement. If you feel this way, read on anyway because this may still make your life as a teacher a lot easier. If your control of your classroom is a little on the weak side, this could be a godsend for you.

Money and Math
Originally, I felt a class monetary system would be an excellent authentic learning opportunity for mathematics. Students making change, purchasing items, receiving payments; this could only help them with math skills. So, I set up a very simple monetary system for my sixth grade class. I told them that every day they showed up for "work," on time, I would pay them one dollar. "Real money?" my bright-eyed entrepreneurs asked? No not real money, I'm a first year teacher for heaven's sake. I easily found a place to buy play money, (you can also find reproducible books that have it) and started printing my "Math Money."

The Discovery
The first time I realized I had hit on something was Back to School Night. My students asked if their parents would be "paid" if they attended. I said of course and that I would pay each parent or guardian who attended one dollar. Attendance at back to school night doubled! All parents told me that their children were very excited with the monetary system and that their children pleaded with them to attend Back to School Night! So I handed out my dollars, and told the parents that they should NOT just surrender them to the kids when they got home. "Get something good for it, like unloading the dishwasher, or taking out the trash," I told them. The parents all smiled with glee.

Surprisingly, my students were extremely motivated to make "Math Money." One dollar a day wasn't enough for them. "Can we get paid for doing our homework?" they asked. Why not? I also found that I didn't have to waste class time passing out the money every day. I posted a Want Ad on the bulletin board. "Wanted-One Class Banker. Must be able to add and subtract. Must be honest. Must be able to work quickly and quietly. Submit your written resume' explaining why you should get this job to Mr. T." The next day I had twenty-five resumes. Twenty of them were typed. Most of those were on high quality resume' stock. Here I was, a first year math teacher, and I had my entire class writing letters. Want Ads were posted for board washer, attendance deliverer, etc. with the same results. These little colored pieces of paper with a $1 on them motivated my students to unbelievable heights.

Money Solves Many Problems
The monetary system already solved tardiness to class. The principal actually talked to me because kids were running to get to my class to be the first ones at the Want Ads. I put in the show up to work "on time" requirement with any thought at all. No I found there were other teachers asking if I had problems with students arriving late. "Nope," I said. They couldn't believe it. So I used the money for other purposes. If a student was talking or not paying attention during class, I didn't yell, or lecture him. I just walked over and said "One dollar." I continued the lesson while the disgruntled but properly chastised student pulled out his currency and put it in the class bank. There was a student who couldn't be bothered with putting his books in his locker while changing classes. He just piled them up outside his locker and walked off. Until he got hit with a pollution fine. I told him he was polluting my environment and making it unsafe by leaving his books in the hallway and in the adult world, polluters get fined. I gave him a warning. The books magically disappeared into the locker and never appeared in the hallway again. Students rarely forget to bring their math books to class. I have plenty of extras that they can use. Their is however, a rental fee, which they would rather avoid. This makes perfect sense to me. Sometimes I wonder how responsible I'd be if I didn't have the almighty dollar motivating me.

Money Solves a Classic Teacher Dilemma
You all know this one. In the middle of class, during an important explanation, the hand goes up. "Can I go to the bathroom?" You explain that the topic is important and the student should not miss it unless it is an emergency. "It's an emergency." Off they go. No teacher dares call the emergency bathroom gambit. Until the wonderful monetary system. Same scenario. "It's an emergency." OK, you can go, but an emergency bathroom pass costs $1. If you can wait till the last 5 minutes of class (Our school rule is first 5 or last 5) it's free. Emergencies need the emergency bathroom pass. What if they don't have a dollar because they showed up late? Oh that's OK, you can go into debt. Just write your name on the back board next to minus $1 and you can pay me tomorrow. Amazing how many "emergencies" disappear this way.

The concept of debt arose from this application. Occasionally, I have a few students who lose money as fast as they make it. After a while they lose interest and feel they don't have to abide by the rules because they don't have any money. Then I explain what happens to adults who don't pay their debts. They lose their houses, they're not allowed credit, things like that. Any student whose debt exceeds $5 gets a lunch detention. Now, they're interested even when they don't have money. Nobody gets near the magic negative 5 mark.

Providing Value for Their Money
Just passing out paper math money didn't hold their interest for long. They asked, "Can we buy anything with our money?" Why not? So we brainstormed a list of things they wanted to do with their money. I'm still amazed at how many students will save their money for a goal. One of their favorites is sitting at the teacher's desk for one day. They also get to put their feet on it. The cost? $100. Sit in the bean bag for a class? $10. Sit next to a friend? $15 a piece. I bring in snacks, and pencils, and bookmarks and anything I can get my hands on cheaply. They buy it like it's going out of style. Any type of privilege (within reason) can have a price tag attached. This teaches them the importance of long term goals and saving for them. Do I really want to pay $5 for a Fruit Roll-Up or do I want to sit at the teacher's desk with my feet up?

Denominations
Eventually you'll find that you can't keep enough one dollar bills in circulation. Time to invent the 5, then the 10, the 20, the 50 and the 100. I put the principals', guidance counselors', and other teachers' faces on them. The kids love it. Don't leave your bank unattended at any time though.

Rewarding Outstanding Behavior
While walking to lunch one day, I saw one of my sixth graders drop the huge stack of books they unfortunately drag around. I was just about to stoop over and help when another student stopped to lend a hand. "Robert," I said, "I'm so impressed with your good deed, I think you should stop at my room after school and pick up a $5 bill." Robert beamed, (and of course was waiting for me at my door at the end of school.) Sometimes the class as a whole will do something that deserves recognition. "Everyone go get a dollar!" is a very welcome thing for my sixth graders to hear.

Mathematical Applications
There are as many math applications as you have creativity. Teaching percentages? Offer to let them start savings accounts and pay them simple interest on their deposits. Think this will take too much of your time? Somehow I think you'll get some students interested in being savings bankers. My all time favorite is teaching probability. I have an old shareware roulette game that I use to explain probability and odds. Then I give a life experience lecture on gambling. My conclusion is that if you want to make money at a casino you need to own one. The students are then given the opportunity to put their math money at risk against the spin of the wheel. I warn them that the best decision is not to play. They, (just like most adults) line up anyway. And then I take their money. At the end of the class, I usually have a stack of their money that I tease them with. I explain that they've learned an important lesson that is much more painful if you don't learn it until later with real money.

The Black Market
You must keep in mind if you do this that you have really constructed an economy that the children take very seriously. Some of them too seriously in fact. The last thing a teacher needs is a black market in homework, gum, candy or anything else your school doesn't allow, funded by your math money. Before the system is set up, I make sure that all students understand the rule that they can only get money from me, and only give money to me. If I catch someone buying, paying or borrowing from someone else, they're off the money system for good. The other problem you may run into, believe it or not, is counterfeiting. I had one culprit who tried to counterfeit a bunch of $1 bills. (This in itself was an error because I already had fifties in circulation). I make my money on the strangest color copy paper I can find at the office supply store. This young criminal just copied the front side which looked perfect. The dead giveaway was the white backside. Oh if they could only use this creativity for good.

Overall, the money system has been a great addition to my classroom. It makes the students feel like the young adults they are and really gives them experience with how money is used in our society to both reward and punish. Even in you're not a math teacher, I think any teacher with students up to 6th/7th grade level could find many interesting uses for this. Give it a try!