Booth's Bucks teches fiscal responsibility in Prior Lake
PRIOR LAKE, Minn. -- It's the last Friday of the month, which means it's pay day for students in Lindsey Booth's 4th and 5th grade class at St. Paul's Lutheran School in Prior Lake.
Booth passes out checks to her workers who are bankers to handle the money, custodians, horticulturalists to water plants -- basically any job title she can come up with to give kids responsibility and a paycheck.
"It helps me out, because I can focus on what's more important," said Booth.
It also helps the students because those checks serve real needs for the students.
"They pay rent for their desk, to use their desk, their lockers, their chairs," explained Booth. Students have to rent their computers and books. In other words, there's no free ride in Booth's class.
"Can I buy a pen? How much is it?" asked a student.
The reason Booth incorporates all of this into her classroom is simple.
"I hope that as they get older, they realize the importance of money, and managing your money and being smart with it," said Booth.
"It gives you a head start of what it feels like when you're going to be an adult," said 4th grader Mac Drury, who applied for one of the higher paying jobs. "It's working out good," he said.
Booth also uses the system to encourage good behavior in class, and good habits. Missing homework, messy desks and lockers, bad grammar result in fines. "Dishonesty is our huge, $300 fine," said Booth.
Savings are also addressed. Students can buy privileges, such as chewing gum or wearing a hat on special days. Twice each school year there's an auction, where students can bid on items donated by parents and Booth.
Booth recently presented the program, "Booth's Bucks" to other Lutheran school teachers, and has put together a CD of her materials to share with other teachers.
For more information, contact Lindsey Booth at Lindsey@stpaulspriorlake.org.
(Copyright 2012 by KARE. All rights reserved.)