Have you ever heard people say that real-life skills aren’t taught in school? Well folks, things just got real in my son’s second-grade class. His teacher’s approach to helping children learn and understand concepts like applying for a job, keeping a job, paying rent, and being a decent person is something of every parent’s dreams.
Last month we received an email from my son’s teacher. After reading it, I instantly had to write her back to tell her how much I approved of her methods.
The email:
“Your child brought home their job application for our classroom jobs today. They are all very excited about getting hired and ‘making money’. They have until Thursday morning to return their application. Please help them consider what work experience they have already and how their skills would help them with the number job choice they are applying for.
We talked about the importance of neatness and accuracy when filling out a job application. They are to list 3 choices with number 1 being their first pick for a job.
Students will make $2 a day when they do their job. Each day they owe $1 for the ‘rent’ of their chair. Students can save the other dollar and eventually shop at our classroom store. Students can also receive ‘scholar dollars’ from time to time for such things as following expectations, leading by example, super effort on written work, keeping their work area neat and organized, etc.
They can also be charged ‘fines’ for not following directions, being disrespectful, leaving a mess, not being a team player at their table group, blurting out, leaving their name off a paper, etc.
Students love having a job. If they do a good job they will continue to be ‘employed’. Just like in real life if they continually don’t ‘show up for work’ they might be let go from their job.”
The job application:
Update:
I am happy to report that my son was selected for his second job choice, Banker. Each day he comes home talking about his job, and how he goes above and beyond to earn extra money. He told me yesterday that he is saving up to “own” his chair so that he no longer has to pay rent on it. ?
People, I can’t tell you how proud I am to be Aiden’s mother, but also that he has Mrs. Martin for his teacher. She is *WINNING* at teaching and helping our children to be WINNERS in life!
(This article was published with the permission of Aiden’s teacher, Mrs. Martin- Wilkins Elementary)
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