AT LAST, a behavior system that works for any age or grade!

     The Common Cents program is implemented by setting up a classroom economy. Students receive a daily salary and are charged fines for rule infractions using paper coins and/or bills that are enlarged replicas of U.S. currency. Students also earn "money" daily for bringing homework, helping keep paperwork flowing to and from parents, learning vocabulary, and any activity or behavior the teacher wishes to encourage.

    Class auctions are held at regular intervals to have students cash in their income. The system includes provisions for encouraging the reluctant participant, reducing misbehavior, promoting team effort and, most importantly, removing the teacher from being the police, judge, jury, and warden of the class and allowing her to step back and help the child see the immediate effects of his choices.

    AND as an added bonus, the students learn to count and use money with surprising accuracy. They practice daily. They will ask you to help them learn to do it. They will help each other and beg you to give them opportunities to count their growing fortunes.

Motivational Value of Program

    This Common Cents program motivates students to want to learn and be successful in school. It is also very motivating to the teacher in helping her reinforce the positive behaviors immediately as they occur and drastically reduce the attention and control that students who misbehave require. The mathematics skills that the students acquire, as they handle the money, are also very important. The program also introduces and supports many of the goals and objectives of the South Carolina Financial Literacy Act of 2005.
 

     Click on button for background  of program and how it was developed.

     Click on button for answers to frequently asked questions.

     Click on button for information about what is furnished with the program.

     Click on button for comments and suggestions  from teachers using
               program and to submit comments and helful hints.

     Click on button for information about buying Common Cents program.

     Click on button for information about author Claudia Teaster Cordray.

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