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I like the strategy she used in her classroom. Her students are learning what it means to earn their money. If they don’t work hard enough, they won’t get points. It’s a great way to motivate students to complete their assignments in order to “get paid” in pto points. I also like how she uses a real life approach so students can visualize what working in an office environment looks like. I appreciate that she allows students to take a break once they have earned enough points, showing understanding that students also experience life circumstances and need time to recharge.

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This classroom model is a really innovative approach to helping students learn responsibility in a way that mirrors real-life experiences. Incorporating things like a paycheck system and PTO is a smart strategy. It gives students a clear way to grasp concepts like accountability and balancing work with personal well-being. I was especially impressed by how the teacher integrates mental health awareness, allowing students to take PTO when they need a break. I do wonder what do they do during this PTO and how long is it? Is it during one assignment? But overall the “time off” resonated with me because I try to offer students short mental reset breaks. I also try to get students into the habit of recognizing when they need a break. There's a balance between setting expectations and showing empathy.

What also stood out to me was how the setup introduces financial literacy in a very approachable, low-pressure way. Budgeting is not really taught in school but it is important. Some students may have had exposure to it at home but some may not of and some or all are never taught how to budget or be financially responsible. Giving kids a chance to engage with those ideas early, even through something like classroom currency, can lay a strong foundation for future financial habits.

Lastly I like how in the beginning she starts off with that their desks are their space and there responsibility. It is up to the student to take control of there surroundings to help them succeed.

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I follow bored teachers on Facebook and Instagram. They share some of the most fun and interesting teacher stories and experiences. After watching the Bored Teachers video, I was inspired by how the teacher created a corporate-style classroom. Her paycheck system, tying grades to job evaluations and offering PTO, is such a creative way to teach responsibility and accountability. I especially love how she incorporates mental health by allowing students to use PTO for breaks, showing she values their well-being while preparing them for real-world experiences.

In my student teaching, I use Incentive Charts to motivate students. Each month, I create a themed chart. For example, a turkey with 10 feathers is used for Thanksgiving, and students work together to earn rewards by meeting goals, such as completing assignments, showing kindness, or staying on task. Once all the feathers are colored in by the end of the month, the class earns a fun reward, like a movie day or extra recess. This system encourages teamwork and gives students a visual way to track their progress. Like the teacher in the video, I also allow flexibility for students who feel overwhelmed, letting them take short breaks or work on less stressful tasks. This helps them reset while still managing responsibilities.

Both approaches emphasize balancing accountability with empathy, teaching students life skills like responsibility and self-care. Whether through paychecks or incentive charts, the goal is to engage students and prepare them for success both in and out of the classroom.

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This classroom setup is a really creative way to teach students responsibility in a way that connects to real life. I love that the teacher values mental health by letting students use PTO for breaks.

Another thing that stood out is how this system introduces financial literacy in a simpl way. Many of us didn’t learn about budgeting, saving, or taxes until adulthood. Having something like this but simpler can help my students be prepared for the future.

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I think this classroom setup is such a creative way to teach students responsibility in a way that actually connects to the real world. The idea of using a paycheck system and PTO is honestly genius because it gives students a hands-on way to understand how work-life balance and accountability function in adulthood. I also love that the teacher in the video recognizes the importance of mental health by letting students use PTO for breaks. I do something similar by allowing short breaks when students feel overwhelmed, or work rotations where they do an activity they enjoy doing for 20 minutes just to help them reset. I think it's a good balance between holding them accountable and being understanding of their needs. Another thing that really stood out to me is how this system teaches kids about financial literacy in a low-stakes way. A lot of us didn’t really learn about budgeting, saving, or even taxes until we were already adults and struggling to figure it out. But giving students an early introduction through something as simple as classroom “paychecks” could make a huge difference in how they handle money later on.

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After watching the video by Bored Teachers (love them) about the creative method the teacher implemented, I’m honestly pretty impressed by how she set up her classroom to mirror a corporate work environment. The way she uses a paycheck system to motivate students is so interesting! She ties their grades to a job evaluation and gives them PTO, which mirrors the way real world workforces operate, and they get that experience firsthand. I like that it's not just about grades. It's about holding students accountable for their productivity and actions, which is a lesson they can carry into adulthood. I especially like that if a student needs a mental health break, they can use their PTO. It shows that she’s thinking about the emotional well being of her students while also teaching them about responsibility.In my own student teaching experience, I try to encourage responsibility and engagement in different ways. For example, I use a "Classroom Points" system where students earn points for meeting deadlines, collaborating well with peers, and staying on task. They can use these points for privileges like choosing their seat for a day or asking for extra help during class. While I can't offer as many rewards as in a fully independent classroom, I’ve found that students are motivated by the ability to earn more freedom and get recognized for their efforts. I think it’s important to help students see the connection between their choices and the outcomes that follow, whether it’s earning privileges or improving their performance.Like the teacher in the video, I also allow flexibility when students are feeling overwhelmed. If they’re having a tough day, I let them take a short break or work on something less stressful for a while. (This is limited and closely observed.) It helps them manage their responsibilities while also giving them space to reset, which I believe helps aid their overall success.

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I love the structure of the reward system. It is a genius idea. It helps students plan for a more realistic future in the real world compared to how students are currently prepared for the workplace in PreK-12. The methods of this educator to use real-world terms that students can familiarize themselves with early in their learning, is an awesome idea. I support reward systems. Reward systems work and should not be reserved for students who require incentive to regulate their behavior, or students who need to be prompted with rewards to complete their work. A reward system like this could work for any grade level. The system would perform closest to it’s true self at the 3-8 grade levels. Like anything in the classroom, the system can be modified to fit the maturity and cognitive levels of students. It would work well in a business class at the high school level. For students in early childhood education, the system would have to be modified or completely revamped. Maybe more visuals could be added for students in lower elementary grades. The concept is simple and can be molded as needed.

The reward system encourages students to engage with each other. The system encourages communication, it builds trust, and it teaches professionalism. All around, the system is good. I will incorporate parts of it into my classroom.

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I have seen this video before on TikTok, as well as other clips from similar podcasts and I think their ideas are great. Implementing a classroom structure that mimics an office setting is a cool way to teach middle school or even high school students responsibilities and real-world skills. Having students complete assignments with incentives in place like “PTO” the students are able to learn that there is value to their hard work and good grades. This system can encourage students to take ownership of their learning, and how it can directly impact their rewards. There is a structure to it yet it’s also engaging, I also think it’s pretty funny that she writes the “PTO” slips in cursive because the students wouldn’t be able to mimic it. On a side note, it’s also a little sad that students aren’t taught how to write cursive, I remember in elementary school, every day the teacher would set aside 30 minutes of the day, where we would practice cursive. Overall I think this idea is very creative and is an effective way a teacher can run their classroom and not only teach students but also promote important life skills.

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Personally, I feel that this approach seems to work for this teacher and her classroom and I like how creative she is when doing this approach. I think she seems like she knows what she is talking about and has a purpose to everything that she is doing with this. I respect how much organization and management comes with this approach and how successful she is with it. However, I do not think I would try this in my classroom. This might work better with older kids and might be a great approach for high school studies to understand job and responsibility and get a sense of real world life considering they are done with school soon. However, for younger elementary I feel this is too much for them and it would not be as successful. I am totally for students at any age learning responsibility, self awareness, and respect but I think for younger elementary it needs to be a little different. In my placement now I do not think it would work because they are not independent enough to do this and would not give them same results as she describes in the video. However, I think it is important to give kids choices in the classroom and teach responsibility such as keeping their desk organized and respecting all the supplies no matter if it is theirs or a shared classroom supply. I also think for younger elementary I would want my classroom to be more hands on and group focused to also build up social skills as well. I like the students sitting at groups and understanding shared spaces. Again I praise her for a very creative and meaningful approach but I do not think I would try this in my own classroom.

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I respect the method presented in the video, as it seems effective for the teacher who applies it, and I admire her level of organization and planning. However, I believe this system might be more suitable for higher education students preparing to enter the workforce rather than for younger children. In my current placement, where I work with fourth graders, I feel this approach would be too rigid and robotic. My first impression was wondering why we are treating children as if they were in an office, earning "PTO" for completing tasks. While I understand that the goal might be to give them a structured experience similar to a work environment, I personally wouldn’t implement this system. I want my students to see learning as engaging and dynamic, not as a transactional process that mimics a workplace. Instead of a structured office-like setting, I prefer a classroom that fosters curiosity, creativity, and a love for learning.

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Personally, I love this idea!

However, I'm curious about a few things: What grade level is this strategy intended for? From the teacher's commentary, it sounds like it might be aimed at high school students. Also, I'd love to see a real-life example of this strategy in action to better understand its effectiveness or even a detailed breakdown of the lesson, covering both student and teacher responsibilities would also be helpful.

I've seen a similar concept on TikTok, where a 5th grade teacher teaches her students about money through a class economy. Each student is assigned a job or "career," earning a salary. The teacher writes them a paycheck each week, and they learn how to sign and cash it at the "bank." They also get paid in fake class money. On top of that, students pay $4 in rent once a month to simulate real-life living expenses. Later in the year, she introduces income tax and now more money (10%) will be taken out of their paychecks, explaining how it's calculated based on their salary. For example, if a hall monitor makes $26 every two weeks, they would pay $2.60 in taxes, which she rounds up to $3 since they don't use coins. This teaches students that not all the money they earn will be theirs to keep.

Overall, I love how this strategy helps students simulate real-life responsibilities like maintaining their space, completing job duties, understanding paychecks, and dealing with PTO. It strikes a perfect balance between student responsibility, teacher duties, and break time. As much as I think this teaching style is creative and can definitely be very effective if implemented correctly, I’m not sure if it would fit my current style. I’m teaching first grade, where simple routines and repetition are key, so this kind of idea might be too advanced for my students. However, I am interested in teaching middle school in the future, and I think strategies like this will definitely be useful and something I would definitely consider when the time comes.

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The reel video was really interesting! The teacher clearly loves her classroom setup and teaching style, which is great for both her and her students. You can see how much she enjoys what she’s doing, and that enthusiasm helps create a positive learning environment.

However, based on my experiences in school, I don’t think this approach would suit my learning style. I’m a hands-on, collaborative learner who thrives on working with others, exploring different ways to solve problems, and engaging in discussions. From what I observed, her classroom setup seemed somewhat isolating, with students working independently rather than interacting. For me, school is about more than just completing tasks, it’s a space for connection, idea-sharing, and social growth. It shouldn’t feel like a 9-to-5 job.

I also struggle to see how this approach would work in an elementary classroom, where younger students still need a lot of interaction and support. However, I could see it being more effective in a high school setting, where students are more independent. That said, I do think this method could work well for self-motivated learners or those who prefer working alone. Everyone learns differently, but I would need more opportunities for collaboration and engagement to feel truly supported.

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I found this video and the strategy discussed to be very interesting! It is definitely something out of the ordinary, but I could see how the teacher’s approach sounds like it is effective in her classroom. One thing I liked was the idea of treating the desks like cubicles. I feel that this is a great way to teach students about responsibility since they would be held accountable for what happens to their space. If they see it as their own space, they may be more likely to use it responsibly. I also like the idea of accumulating PTO to use for other times. This can help students who may have situations outside of class that could interfere or even prevent their learning. Having the flexibility can make sure that students are not falling behind. While I do see some of the benefits of the strategy, I do have some follow up questions. The first thing I wonder is if the teacher has some way of making sure that this is not abused. It seems that students with high PTO have more extended periods of time not doing work, which might impact their learning. Does the teacher have anything in place to prevent this from happening? Another thing, I wonder what grade level this is being used with. This strategy seems like it could work with older students, such as those in middle school or high school. However, younger grades might not understand this strategy as they may not fully grasp the concept of PTO or responsibility in the same way. The lack of structure in some classrooms might also make it difficult for this type of strategy to be effective. While this strategy can be effective in certain contexts, I am not sure it would work as well in an elementary school setting.

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I’ve seen this video on instagram a few weeks ago and absolutely love the idea!! When I first watched it and again rewatching it, I am confident this is a great system for high school teachers. It is such a real life system that will teach and prepare soon to be adults for the real world. This type of classroom management teaches intentionality, earning their grades/paycheck and not just getting it because they exist and showed up, time management, saving, and decision making - skills needed both in and out of the classroom.

Like I said I love the system and had a ‘hmmm’ moment to see if it could work in my classroom, and theoretically it can but only during the ELA and Math blocks because it’s 2 periods so that’s 80 minutes. However, elementary school is so foundational that I wouldn’t do it in my classroom. Elementary is the time to set the foundation of not just academics but who they are as learners and I believe that includes developing grit and perseverance when school gets challenging.  Also there are SOOO many moving pieces as an elementary teacher that this system wouldn’t be feasible. It’s already hard to catch up a kid when they miss even a day of school.

If at some point in my career I teach middle school I think I would implement this into my classroom but maybe with stipulations like no PTO on new/intro lessons.

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I found the reel video to be really interesting! The teacher seems to love her classroom setup and teaching style, which is fantastic for her and her students. You can truly see how much she enjoys what she’s doing, and that’s always beneficial for creating a positive learning environment. However, based on what I’ve seen and my own experiences in school, I don’t believe this approach would suit my learning style well. I’m a very hands-on and collaborative learner. I enjoy working with others and discovering new ways to solve problems. I also appreciate being able to ask questions and have discussions with my classmates. Her classroom setup, as far as I could tell, appeared rather isolating. Everyone seemed to be doing their own thing, and that’s not really how I learn best. I think school is about more than just completing tasks—it’s a place to connect with people, share ideas, and build social skills. It shouldn’t feel like we’re just clocking in for a 9-to-5 job! I honestly can’t envision this approach working in an elementary classroom, where younger kids still need a lot of interaction and support. However, I could see it being more effective in a high school setting, where students are older and more independent. That said, I do believe this method could work for some students who are more self-motivated or prefer to work alone. Everyone learns differently, but I would need more opportunities to collaborate and engage with others in a way that feels less isolating.

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I thought this was a cool concept. I believe this method of teaching could only be effective if they are high school students. This approach can teach students time management, accountability, and strategic planning and scheduling skills. It can prepare students for the "real world". Although I do believe it can be beneficial to students, I'm not too sure this is the best approach. I think this teacher has a lot of faith in her students to make the right decisions in this classroom management approach. I do not think this can work for students who lack motivation and responsibility. There are many students who cannot succeed without a little help from the teacher. These students cannot be trusted to complete their work on their own time. This approach feels like it is preparing students for a corporate 9-5 job rather than focusing on learning. I can honestly can see it from both sides. I looked into the comments of the video, I found the teacher explained that her students did not want to learn and refused to do their work. She came up with this strategy to motivate them to do their work. If this truly works in her classroom, kudos to her. There will always be a student who has a "don't care" attitude about school. I think this could potentially help those students if you've exhausted all options.

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This video is intriguing, but I have many questions. If the teacher is referring to high school or upper middle school, then I could see this working to an extent. I enjoy how it makes students accountable for their actions and work, but what about students who do not do their work? What does that teacher do with them? I also enjoyed how she gives them PTO, but I would be afraid students would abuse it a bit. I know they earned it, but what happens when someone just doesn't want to do their work, so they use it, and then something bad happens, like a family issue, etc.? Does she let them use PTO they don't have? I personally am not the biggest fan of this approach. Yes, it can hold students accountable, but students are there to learn and teachers need to guide them and nudge students a bit to stay on task so they can learn. Leaving students to decide if they want to do something just feels like letting them drown a bit. I have a first grader in my clinical, and I know that if this was an option, he wouldn't do any assignment whether he had PTO time or not. Younger students need their teacher to push them and I believe middle schoolers do as well. While the approach this teacher takes is different and fascinating, I couldn't see myself conducting my classroom this way. I would feel uninvolved and that is not how I want to feel as a teacher.

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I think the only thing I liked from how she manages her class is the set up aka in "cubicles" and this is only for space purposes. Her classroom seems like it has a routine that is effective for her, and by all means each teacher should dip their feet in whatever works for them. But personally, I feel like this would be too much to keep track of and also not create a great environment. I wouldn't want my classroom to feel like a 9-5 boring office job. I get that this is beneficial in terms of getting work done, but I would also like my classroom to be a fun and safe space. I wouldn't want my students to worry about having enough "paid time off" and this and that. Adding on to this idea, I do think it is a good idea to earn rewards from good behavior/completion of work in order to "cash them in" for something. What works for her is her students "completing their shifts and gaining paid time off" and then using that paid time off for a day where they do not have to complete work. But circling back to what I said in the beginning: it feels like a dull, gray environment. I would rather have my students earn stickers, a pet from the class pet shop, homework passes, etc. These students can have these responsibilities and expectations, without feeling like they're stuck in an actual cubicle.

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I really love the idea of running a classroom like an office, where students have their own workspace, independence, and incentives to manage their time effectively. It seems like a great way to help them develop real world skills like accountability, time management, and personal responsibility. I can see this being really effective if it’s implemented from day one with clear structures and expectations.

However, I don’t think it would be the best fit for my classroom right now, since my students have had an inconsistent learning environment, their teacher was absent for three months, and they’ve struggled with following classroom expectations. Right now, they need more structure and guidance to get back on track before I can introduce something that relies so much on self-regulation.

I do wonder how this system works with group work, would PTO be distributed equally, or based on individual contributions?

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I feel like this idea of treating a classroom like an office is an interesting alternative design to a classroom from a classroom management perspective. From the way this concept is discussed it sounds as if this classroom runs well in the same way an office job can. If concepts used to keep adults sane while doing their work in a real life scenario can work, then why not apply that concept to students right? While I say this now, my feelings are a bit complicated with this method.

The benefits of breaks, paychecks as grades and PTO, and the opportunity for students to use that PTO to act as sort of homework passes are unique and interesting, and even practical as it’s a system in which the reward has to be earned through a great deal of effort. Keeping the desks clean and allowing additional privileges like music, snacks, and cellphone use may sound absurd, and the idea of not abusing them and still being productive sounds like it could work wonders for keeping students motivated. It also puts the responsibility to complete the work on the student, taking the teacher away as the bad guy and putting the student in charge of what privileges they get and the quality of their work.

While this technique is one that I find interesting, it’s one I may keep as more of a reference or footnote when devising my own classroom management strategies in the future. This method sounds easy for teachers, and can make students into good workers, but I feel like student’s aren't supposed to just be “good workers” they’re supposed to enjoy learning, and they aren't supposed to be paid for it with something of value.

When I ran a room offering students around 4th grade their choice of a sticker if they handed in their homework, it was not rewarding. Student’s would hand it in, and just take their sticker, or beg for me to save them one because they forgot. It could have been enforced better, sure, but it made learning more about getting that sticker and less about the content. One can argue that getting that PTO or even getting a grade is how students are paid, but having that end goal as an option in the first place can lead others to enjoy their time there less. Students won't make the best connection with their teacher in this way when they only hold the power to do the grades and “pay” them. In an experiment on cognitive dissonance sometime in the past, a number of participants in two groups were tasked with performing a basic job of pushing buttons for prompts. This task held no benefit to one half of the group, but the other half would be paid for their time. Surprisingly, the half that was paid was less receptive to wanting to do their job again, and the half that wasn’t paid was confronted with cognitive dissonance and actively stated they enjoyed doing what they did even without compensation.

I feel with this method, all students who would normally enjoy learning or strive to learn more may not be confronted with cognitive dissonance that helps them enjoy it further, but be hit by the reality that their efforts in class each day earns them something of value and gives them numbers that really don’t matter in the long run. I feel there are some valid techniques in the office method to use in a majority of classrooms like with clock in questions and taking breaks, but the analogy doesn’t sit well with me to describe and have our students as workers only to be there for the pay.

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Personally, I found this reel very interesting and a great engagement and classroom management technique for middle or high school students. I think that if we teach students to treat school like their job we are setting them up for future success. Students should understand that when they come to school prepared and ready to learn, they can earn "PTO" or free time in the classroom for their hard work. Students can choose to save their PTO over time, or use it once it is earned. This is great for time management skills as well. I have always believed that positive reinforcement strategies are essential for a functional classroom because students should be rewarded for positive behaviors. I also believe that if we inform students that their desk is their office cubicle, we are teaching them how to keep a workspace clean and tidy. As teachers, it is our job to prepare students to be successful in the future and I believe this strategy is great for that and implementing positive reinforcement in the classroom.

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I watched this video and it was pretty surprising, I tried to look at the comments to see what other people think. People commented on it and were appauled that they were treating the classroom like an office, like we are setting our students up to have desk jobs. I don't think that is the case. I like the ide of the PTO time and the breaks. My CT likes to give the students breaks and I have picked up on it so we give them breaks almost daily, sometimes they are planned sometimes they are not. The PTO reminds me of when I was in third grade we had a student teacher and she introduced homework passes. I thought it was so cool because I was a student who was not that great in school, I was great behavior wise but I struggled in math and I never really got good grades in school I was always average. When my student teacher introduced the homework passes that could be given for behavior I loved that. The PTO reminds me of that, no matter what kind of student you are sometimes you need a break and I would like to implement some kind of PTO in my classroom, I might not call it PTO or homework passes. I have to think of what it would be called. I also love that that teacher has the students be responsible for their desks because I believe that is good classroom management, the students know what to do and are expected to do it. I would not run my classroom exactly like this but I will do something similar.

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The reel from this week is a method of student engagement that I would like to carry with me into my classroom. Over the past couple of years I have been very observant in my observations, substitute assignments, and clinical practice taking note of different strategies to use in the classroom for both management and engagement. This idea of running a classroom like an office is extremely intriguing to me and I enjoy the connection to the real world experiences. I think that setting an initiative where students earn a currency based on merit and work quality aids in getting students involved in their learning. If students want to earn PTO or a day of freedom to have for themselves to explore in the classroom, they will have to zone in and put in the work to earn it. I have always thought that positive reinforcements for classroom behaviors were important, and they still will me a method I enforce in my classroom like sticker charts or a marble jar method. But, this strategy of students earning a specific amount of points based on the hard work they put forward to achieve higher grades and points seems like an effective method for engaging students to want to learn, work hard, and perform to the best of their ability. It also creates an effective learning environment for all students in the classroom to want to earn and accrue merit-based points. They can either decide to spend these points right away or practice saving which are amazing life skills to learn at an early age.