Take It To the Bank!

My Students

For the 2012-2013 school year, I will have 2 classes of at risk students who struggle with math. I would like to incorporate a banking system to use with these students for rewards and consequences so they can see the importance of being a productive citizen as well as increase basic math skills.

I teach 7th grade math in a rural school in Ohio.

Like many other schools we have been impacted by the current economy. Our poverty has increased significantly in the past 3 years and more students are coming from broken households. Students and parents do not feel education is as importance as it once was. The students that I feel will benefit from this project are also low achieving math students with grades and standardized testing. Most have low self esteem especially in academic areas. These students will be receiving a double block math instruction next year to see if the extra instruction will impact their scores on standardized tests. I would like to incorporate a banking unit to build on basic math skills, reward students for doing what is expected and beyond, and allow consequences to happen when poor choices are made- just like the real world. Students need to see that they can make good and bad choices in life and their future will be affected by those choices.

My Project

I would like for students to have an area for their checking/banking that is out of the way from the other students who also have class in this room. I want them to feel a sense of pride with these materials and feel that they play a part of the community (our classroom). Each student will have a drawer (safety deposit box) for their checkbooks, deposit slips, and personal and banking supplies. They will have time built in each day to drop off materials to the bank teller by placing their information into a night drop. At various times throughout the month they will be given cash bonuses, fines, paychecks, bills, etc that they will need to be able to make sense of and budget for in their checkbook/bank accounts. The drawer system will allow teacher/student to communicate in private ways but allow a manageable approach to the bank accounts. I hoping that this experience will allow students to see that math has many important concepts to master and enjoy instead of disliking math!

Students need to realize that math is important in many aspects of life.

Financial literacy however is the key to survival. We need to ensure that every student has the knowledge and skills to become a model citizen if they choose to use those skills wisely. When a child hates a subject this early in life it is hard to break the barriers and let them have positive experience. I hope with a banking system that is "different" from previous experiences, the child will begin to appreciate math.