Hackett elementary teacher earns state award for innovative economics classroom project

A Hackett teacher was among 11 Arkansas teachers recognized with the Bessie B. Moore Teaching Award from Economics Arkansas for the 2023-24 academic year.

Erica Cooper, who teaches at Hackett Elementary, did a project called “Game On Econ.”

The awards program honors Arkansas teachers who go “above and beyond” what is required by developing outstanding economic and personal finance projects integrated into the classroom during the school year.

Cooper has taught math and science at Hackett for the past 10 years. She also was an educator at Hartford before the school consolidated. She doesn’t teach a separate course or lesson on economics but has found a way to integrate it into her current subjects.

“I’ve learned that economics makes those subjects come to life,” Cooper said. “I learned quite a bit about economics, but it has helped me teach better. I really felt like I started from scratch.”

Cooper’s students learn the basics of economics in a way that makes sense as they learn about science and math. She does STEM work with her students, and economics goes hand in hand. Cooper had her students make economic decisions while working on their engineering goals.

“It made it more real world,” she said.

This year's theme was gaming. Cooper chose a Mario variation to capture the students’ interests and imagination with their marble run project that she called “Game On Econ” which ran for the 2023-24 academic year. The students ran their own “store” and donated a “good percentage” to Special Olympics.

“The kids really understood the efforts and the impact they were making,” she said.

Cooper said she observed the kids learning to work together and utilizing each other’s strengths to accomplish their goals. Her class even completed a project of putting together pollinators that required some hammers and nails, but they accomplished their task again without any injuries.

“It was certainly rowdy and crazy," she said. "My classroom is rarely quiet.”

Cooper added that it allowed her to step back and let the kids learn from each other while she lent a helping hand when needed.

“My ultimate goal is that they can learn how to work together,” Cooper said. “They can learn how to ask for help and be helpful. That it’s OK not to be good at something because they may be good at something else and that they help others.”

Cooper has taught for more than 18 years but still feels like she’s still learning.

“This is just the beginning of my journey,” Cooper said. “It was a lot of work at first and has brought back the joy and creativity into teaching. Seeing the kids having fun and using critical thinking skills.

“It may seem like a lot to do these types of projects, but if we, as teachers, would integrate how the lessons impact the real world, it can inspire us to be more creative with our curriculum, which will benefit both students and teachers.”

The award is named after Economics Arkansas’ first Executive Director, Dr. Bessie B. Moore. Each fall, the “Bessie Brigade” surprises award recipients, who receive a monetary award, a basket of goodies, and “The Bessie” statue award.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Hackett elementary teacher earns state award for innovative economics classroom project