Remember being a kid and wanting to be an adult — to drive a car, wear nail polish and drink real coffee? Many people do, though now, of course, they know that being a kid — sans mortgage, car payment and the office workday — has its advantages.
The fifth-graders in Debbie Strong’s class at Forest View Elementary are getting a taste of what it’s like to be an adult, with some of those responsibilities and privileges.
“It’s an opportunity for students to have some real world experience,” Strong said.
All students have jobs, ranging from executive to class folder organizer, for which they apply. They have a time sheet, get paid by the hour, pay taxes and rent their desks.
True to reality, some jobs pay more than others. There are also items students can buy at the student store with their hard earned “cash” — fake bills copied onto colored paper, including blue $30 bills and pink $15 bills.
Strong sets aside about a half hour a day for kids to do their “jobs”, though some, like editing the class newsletter, take more time.
On Friday, Dec. 7, student Erica Kim, “librarian,” pulled biographies and autobiographies out of boxes of books for use in upcoming projects.
“It’s fun,” she said. “For some reason I feel like I’m an adult doing some work.”
“Me, too!” said student Taylor Haney, who sat at a desk nearby writing thank you cards to people who’ve visited the class.
She crossed her arms officiously and said: “Where’s my coffee?!”
Writing thank you notes is at the low end of the $5 to $8 pay scale in the classroom.
At the top are executives, who verify that jobs get done and check them off. They also oversee editing of the newsletter.
The newsletter, which will be sent home to parents, will chronicle class events, interview people and review books, among other writing. Eventually everyone in the class will write articles. Historians will take digital photos.
When students make things like a newsletter or podcast for an audience beyond teacher and classroom, it’s high risk and it means more, Strong said.
Student Alex Voag’s audience is the entire school. As a podcaster, he records the school’s announcements on computer and hears his own voice in the mornings over the loudspeaker.
The podcasts will expand in the future, and Voag wants to go further in his reporting. For example, during a storm he wants to research which areas are dangerous and tell students to be careful there, he said.
Other class jobs include store managers, who keep track of money, maintain inventory and keep store items stocked. Parents donate items to the store that students can buy.
“They make quite a profit,” Strong said.
As for other jobs, event planners plan class parties and other events. Bankers run a computer program to keep track of the class’ accounts, with the help of a parent who’s a CPA.
It sounds complicated, but the students have risen to the tasks, Strong said.
“I think kids get the short end of the stick — there’s not enough acknowledgement for what they actually do,” she said. “I think it surprises people when they can actually make things happen and be responsible.”
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