LITCHFIELD, NE – The third and fourth grade teacher at Litchfield has incentivized learning life skills. In her class, you get paid to be on time, for doing your classroom job without reminders and for being organized. Her students are learning the value of saving and learning how to balance their account.
Mrs. Rebecca Vega first started “Vega Bucks” five years ago when she was looking for a way to reward good behavior. In the classroom, the spotlight often lands on bad behavior and kids who act out for attention in any form. Mrs. Vega aims to change that focus to positive behavior.
Every Friday, Mrs. Vega’s class has “house-keeping”. The students organize and clean their desks. While they complete it, Mrs. Vega walks around with Vega Bucks, $3 checks for completing the task. After their desk is clean, they add all of their checks from the week and balance their account. Then, the store opens for business, Mrs. Vega double checks their math, and students choose to save or spend.
Items in the store are unique. You won’t find them just anywhere. Items include a coupon to be barefoot for the day, having lunch in the classroom with a friend, first in line for the day, read a book to the class, sitting at the teacher’s desk, or even the option for a small crocheted animal made by Mrs. Vega. Although they cost nothing, the prizes are novelties to the students and they feel motivated to do their best.
Vega said one of her favorite outcomes is students who originally have trouble choosing a reward slowly leaning how to prioritize what they want. She has seen students go from spending their Vega Bucks as soon as they have them to becoming “savers”. One student saved his Bucks all year until he could invite his whole class to have lunch with him in the classroom.
Mrs. Vega’s system also helps her identify which kids are still struggling with addition and subtraction.
“It’s a low-stakes way to find out where kids are at and to keep practicing their practical math,” said Vega.
The students love the system and earning money. Or, in the words of Faith Reitz, “I love to buy stuff, so I have to earn it first.”
Ruby Slocum said, “It helped me to learn to add and subtract in my head,” while Elsie Schrok said she is learning how to save money to buy cooler stuff.
Just a few days removed from Teacher Appreciation Week, Mrs. Vega is certainly among those who go above and beyond to develop the whole person, true teaching treasures. It’s an example of just one great program that parents don’t necessarily always see or know about, but that is benefitting their children immensely. “Vega Bucks” won’t buy you a bag of chips at the local grocery store, but they’re buying students in Litchfield a unique learning experience.
