Chartreuse Band Economy
Looking to learn about the economy and grow our sense of responsibility for our space and our belongings, the Chartreuse Band has begun the Chartreuse Band Economy.
We began our exploration with the question of "What is ECONOMICS?" The vocabulary of economics came flying out: currency, trade, finance, taxes, supply, demand, services, goods, credit, debit. Questions were asked: "Where do our taxes go?" Debates began: "I believe that we need to invest more money into our public schools and not as much into the military." Their interest, excitement, and most importantly, their prior knowledge around the idea of economics was unbelievable.
We did not just want to talk about economics, we wanted to live it, and through that experience also take a greater responsibility for our band spaces. What would an economy belonging to sixteen 10 and 11 year olds look like? What jobs would be needed to care for one another and our space? How do those jobs relate to jobs in the real world? How are those jobs valued and would we value them in the same way?Classroom jobs that would be paid for by "tax dollars" were quickly brainstormed. We'd need someone to vacuum, just like we need street sweepers. We would need bankers and law enforcement. Lost and found keepers could impound items that are left lying around when they should not be."But how will we choose who gets each job?" "Do we need a President?" "Can we have side jobs to make additional money?" "What outside materials are allowed to run businesses?" "What is the goal of our economy?" These were the questions we were going to and still are having to answer.
Each band member had strong ideas around the jobs they wanted to hold and after taking a poll on each child's top four choices, we held interviews. Before being interviewed, we looked at the idea of sharing who we are and our experiences through resume writing. Ellen came and spoke to the band about her role in hiring at BWX and what she looks for in a resume and interview. During the interview process, each student applying for a position was asked three questions by the other band members. The questions were incredibly thoughtful and took both the needs of the position and the student into account. Upon conclusion of the interviews, the entire band individually wrote down their top three applicants based on their qualifications and interview, and so the jobs were filled.
They have very quickly taken responsibility for their roles. Messages have been left, mailboxes have been made and uniforms have been created. Beyond their government jobs, numerous small businesses have opened up. We have nail salons, shops with small items, candy stores, and day spas, just to name a few. Real estate has become a hot topic with cubbies being put up for sale. Money is flowing throughout the Chartreuse Band Economy.As with every economy, challenges have presented themselves. Should we have more than just one central bank? What laws do we need to have in place and how will we enforce them? What are reasonable fines for breaking the laws? Can we even trust our law enforcement? How do we know that a transaction is final? With every weekly town hall meeting, we continue to answer more and more of the questions that arise.