In Liese van Dam’s Year 4 & 5 classroom at Edendale Primary School, Banqer has become part of everyday routine. Group incentives, classroom events, and real-world scenarios give students regular opportunities to make money and learn what it means to manage it. For Liese, Banqer is a practical way to connect financial learning with behaviour, engagement, and conversations that continue at home.
Financial education that actually works
Liese van Dam is in her second year using Banqer in her Year 4 & 5 classroom and says it has been such an impactful way to bring financial literacy to life.
“Instead of just talking about money, my students are actually managing it. They're earning income, budgeting, saving, making spending decisions, and learning (sometimes the hard way!) about consequences.”
The experience feels real to students, and that authenticity is what keeps them engaged. One student describes how Banqer has changed their understanding of money.
“Banqer has taught me how to be smart with my money, balance my account, and learn the value of money, which to be honest I didn’t know before.”
Another explains how it has helped them become more careful with spending. “Banqer has taught us to be more responsible with our money and not spend a whole bunch."
A classroom economy that motivates students
Banqer is woven into the weekly routines of Liese’s classroom.
“During the week, I place the children into ‘Banqer groups’. They earn bonus dollars for showing our school values and for producing awesome school work.”
Those group incentives create a shared goal. “The group with the most bonus dollars collectively earns Golden Friday (free device time) on Friday afternoon – which they are very motivated by.”
The rewards are then connected directly to students’ personal accounts. “The bonus dollars they earn are then transferred directly into their individual Banqer accounts, so positive behaviour and effort are meaningfully connected to financial learning.
Students check their accounts regularly and track their progress. “Every couple of days we go on Banqer and we check our everyday accounts, savings, and term deposits.”
That ongoing interaction with their accounts helps reinforce key financial ideas. “What I like most is the term deposit, because you can put your money in for a long time and then get more money back.”
Another student agrees. “The term deposits are very cool because you can save money, and the good thing is you get more money for saving that money.”
Bringing real life into the classroom
One of the aspects Liese values most is the flexibility to adapt Banqer to suit her classroom. “What I love most is how flexible it is. You can absolutely add your own flair and tailor it to your class.”
Last year, the class finished the year with a real auction. “One of our parents was a real estate agent, so we finished the year with a real-life auction. We had a proper auctioneer come in and run the auction, and the children bid on items the class had brought in using the money they’d earned throughout the year.”
It was authentic, exciting, and such a powerful way to bring all their learning together.
Liese has also created classroom events that mirror real-world financial situations. “I’ve also introduced ‘Banqer cards’ to my morning meeting with the class. These Monopoly inspired cards are similar to community chest and chance."
They allow for real life events to happen – positive & negative. “It might involve the class wifi needing to be repaired, so the class must pay a bill. Or maybe it was your birthday and you receive money as a gift from a relative.”
Students also experience the occasional surprise during the week. “Sometimes the teacher scams us. Like if she scammed you for $5, you have to call her out on it. And whenever you get scammed, she doubles it and gives you that money.”
Conversations that continue at home
One of the most rewarding outcomes for Liese has been the conversations Banqer has sparked at home.
“I’ve also had fantastic parent feedback. Many families have told me they’re now having regular conversations about money at home – budgeting, saving, Kiwisaver, and making thoughtful spending choices. That home-school connection has been so rewarding to see.”
Some students are already connecting it to the bigger picture. “I think it should be at every school across Auckland,” one student says. “Lots of other schools should do this so they know what to do when they’re adults.”
They even connect what they’re learning to real-world systems like tax. “If you’ve never learned about taxes in your life and you get a job, you might get paid $100 and check your bank account and think you only got $50 and that you got scammed. But actually the government just took some money to help run our community.”
Why Banqer works for every learner
For Liese, Banqer has helped turn financial learning into something concrete and engaging. “Even my quieter learners are engaged because it feels real and relevant to them.”
“It’s also given me so many opportunities to weave maths skills into meaningful, real-world contexts.”
Financial education can feel quite abstract at a primary level, but Banqer makes it practical, structured, and genuinely fun.
Her recommendation to other teachers is simple. “I highly recommend Banqer for any teachers wanting to build real-world skills in their classroom.”
Meanwhile, her students already have ideas about where the platform could go next. “I have a suggestion for you,” one says. “What if you made a virtual world so people could see houses getting built? You could also have a little mini avatar that you could decorate, and little virtual characters that go into their houses and visit other people’s houses.”
It's that kind of enthusiasm that tells Liese the engagement is real. In two years, she's watched students go from spending without thinking to understanding savings, term deposits, and even tax - leaving the classroom with skills they'll actually use. And when students are this invested, the learning takes care of itself.
Thanks to our Champion Partner, Kiwibank, Banqer Primary is free for all New Zealand Primary and Intermediate schools.
