I look on Google to find an image of the different currencies. The denomination isn’t important, just a clear picture. I then shrink the picture so that I can get at least 15 per page in a 3×5 grid. I cut these out and have a stack of them with me at all times. No matter what the denomination is, they are only worth one point. They earn points one at a time and lose points 5 at a time (there has to be a sharp penalty).

The students are responsible for keeping track of their currency for the whole quarter. I explain that I’m not responsible for lost, stolen, or washed-in-pants currency. Most kids put their currency in the transparent slip-in section of their binders (where you were supposed to put in a title page to decorate the binder).

I have since adapted this system a little since the writing of this post. Participation points count for 25% of the overall citizenship grade. I now also dedicate 25% to UNEXCUSED absences, UNEXCUSED tardies, and behavior. This has worked very well for calculating citizenship. For unexcused tardies and absences, they receive an A for 0, a C for 1, a D for 2, and an F for 3 or more. There is no B because an UNEXCUSED absence or tardy is never acceptable in my classroom, just like not showing up for work and not calling in is unacceptable in the real world. Their behavior grade is determined by the number of behavior infractions they received and the gravity of those infractions. Talking, not being prepared, etc, are minor infractions and only pull down the behavior grade a little bit each time, talking back, insubordination, habitual disruptions/talking, pull down the grade a lot each time.

Every time a student is a good citizen they get a point. This can be helping me carry heavy material, pushing chairs under the table at the end of class, erasing the board, helping a fellow student, picking up papers that have fallen on the floor, being polite (many of my students aren’t culturally trained at home to say thank you, please, excuse me and sorry, many don’t even live with their parents but distant relatives that don’t nuture at all). For every 20 points (I’m thinking of doing it after 15) they earn a square. Any really big brother/sister act of kindness earns them a square right away.

I check off that homework is completed and after 3 checks they earn a square. If they have participated well that day I give a big plus and for 3 plusses, they get a square. They get a square if they earn a C (10/20) or more on the block exams. I collect the passports right before the end of every term and bring them up to date so the points are added on.

I take off 5 points for ‘minor’ offenses such as talking, for pretending to throw away chewing gum that they just instead hid in the mouth, for getting up without permission, etc. If the student has less 5 three times they earn a detention. I found that this works for 6th graders but not for 8th graders in my classes. They just don’t give a hoot about anything! For those that are expelled from class I remove 15 points.

The down side:

-This system is a little bothersome for the teacher the first term
-students can lose their passports and lose whatever extra squares they have earned
-strong students and usually the really weak are very willing and the rest could care less.

I think a currency system is better since the kids can tangibly see how much they are losing. Would you please explain more about how you make currency? DO you use units of 1, 5 or 10? How do you do it? Thank you!

I just subtract the points from the computer. I start them all with 70 pts and I use those to subtract. They get points back for writing essays (starting in quarter 2 for level 1) or participating in class. They need a minimum of 80 by the end of the quarter.

For my level 1s, in first quarter, as they cannot write, they are to pick 10 vocab words and write them 3 times each to get their points back. Then in second quarter it becomes an essay.