JA Biztown

Starting my first year with fifth graders was nerve wracking. I have followed my learning support students starting in third grade and now they are in fifth. To get students prepared to be more responsible in the middle school and in the future, our entire fifth grade class goes through a program called BizTown. The students start by electing a mayor. Students write speeches and do the speeches in front of the entire grade. After selecting a mayor, teachers introduce every job and the description of the job.

Students then have to fill out an application on which job they would like to have in JA Biztown. Then members from the staff, including myself, interview the students individually. We then sit down and put students in jobs based on their interviews and skill level. The students are then split up into different classrooms with the people that work in the specific shops. The people in the shop then work together to prepare for the day at Biztown. The students make their shop poster, their slogan, and create a radio ad to be played throughout Biztown. Students also are told how much money they will make at their job and have to prepare by writing checks to the bank in order to get their money. They even have to pay taxes to the town. The shops include: The Restaurant, The Radio Station, The Television Station, The Construction Zone, The Realty Office, Planet Earth, City Hall, The Wellness Center, The Bank, The Distribution Center, The Print Shop, and The Newspaper Center.

On the day of Biztown, there is a town hall meeting and a volunteer in each station. The students are to find their folders with their labeled title and follow the instructions for the day. Students are given breaks depending on their jobs for food and then to shop. If students do not sell enough of their materials they are not able to make their rent for the day. This year, thirteen out of thirteen stores made their rent after a long day of work. The owner and director of Biztown said that it does not happen every day. We were so proud of our students.

This program was new to me and made the day stressful, because chaperones are there to assist, but not complete the students’ jobs. However, I took a step back and had the students complete the jobs themselves. It was a successful day that all students should go through. We debriefed after and the students could not believe how tough the day was. They kept asking,  “Is this what real life is like?” Students got to experience what a job is like first-hand. It was a great opportunity for our students.