7 Easy Steps to Opening a Classroom Store

6 Easy Steps to Opening a Classroom Store

Getting a Classroom Economy store up and running in a middle school is no easy task. Imagine it as the Ace in the hole for your classroom management. The students will want to go, but only when they earn it. To buy a small gift or snack, they will need to earn more money. From my experience, this makes their day. If you feel having a Classroom Store will also make your students' day, keep reading.

Setting The Classroom Environment:

Establish the rules, procedures, and expectations of the Classroom Economy system. Different tasks, behaviors, and participation in class will have different rewards, fines, and salaries.

Determine your class store items:

Next, it's time to determine the items available for purchase in the classroom store. This can include school supplies, books, stickers, snacks, and other items students want. I use a Google form to take a survey with my students to determine their interests in what they want to see in our classroom store. You must set boundaries on what you are willing to provide in the store at the beginning. I warn them that these are merely suggestions and not guarantees.

I then select items from their list that are doable and affordable. I also email other teachers in my school to see if they have any leftover unused water bottles, pencils, and gift items from former professional development training. They make for great store items because they usually have the district’s name on them and are student-friendly.

Assigning a price and value to an item:

Once the store items have been determined, you can assign a value to each item. The values can be based on the student’s salary, bills, and the amount they receive for additional times they receive money. My students are paid monthly, therefore the prices in the store are based on a balance between their salaries and other bills they have. This includes rent and bathroom fees.

Setting up the store:

The store setup can be a physical store, where items are displayed on shelves, or a virtual store where items are displayed on a screen. Make sure to label each item with its assigned value. I have a cabinet in my classroom with Dollar Tree bins I have accumulated over the years.

I laminated labels created on the computer and reused them. I probably need to update them but they work just fine for now! I just use an Expo marker to write the prices on the tag and I am ready to get started. I also keep Store Price Lists and Menus that are posted where my Classroom Economy bulletin board is.

I print the Store Price Lists on colored paper, laminate them, and store them in a pocket folder to make them easily accessible for students. Once my students decide on what they want to buy, they have to complete a receipt to complete the purchase.

Introduce the Store to Students:

Introduce the store to students by explaining the rules and procedures for purchases. Provide examples of how students can earn Classroom Economy currency, and how they can use it to purchase items in the store. If you have students working in a job position related to the store, make sure you show them what they need to know about the store.

You should model how they should do their job and what you expect of them. This clears the air of confusion and makes student transactions with purchasing students run smoother.

Monitoring the store:

Keep an eye on the store and make sure that the prices are fair and that students are using their money in the best way possible. Be sure to adjust the quantities of stock items in the store to track inventory. My store is open 1 to 2 days a week. I let my students know what days the store will open at the beginning of the week. This way, they have something to look forward to.

Fill the store as needed:

Stock the store regularly with new items to keep it fresh. I restock my store twice a year. The classroom store goes live at the end of September, and I restock after the break in January. I don't keep anything between semesters.

By following these steps, teachers can set up a successful Classroom Economy store in their middle school classroom, which can encourage student engagement, responsibility, and positive behavior.