This post is based on a PostADay2011 topic: Write about your least favorite school teacher I actually want to write about my most favourite school teacher. I may come back to this later, but I have to give props to Mrs. Bonnie Tufford, my grade 4 and 5 teacher at Wellington Square in Burlington, Ontario.
The biggest thing that sticks in my mind is the “city” that she set up within the classroom that taught us about responsibility, democracy, business and still made it fun.
Every student in the class was a citizen of “Tufford Town”. There were elected positions, such as the mayor, councillors, janitors and treasurers. Then there were businesses such as erasers, pencils and notebooks.
The elected officials earned a salary at the end of the week and the businesses would purchase items from Mrs. Tufford and then sell it at a reasonable markup.
Even if you didn’t hold one of the above positions, you could earn “Tufford Town Class Cash” by keeping your desk clean and other non-academic related activities. You could use your cash to purchase notebooks, etc. or you might get fined for having a messy desk!
Half way through the year, she would switch up the roles so that more people would have an opportunity. Elections were held, posters, speeches and all. It was voluntary, but we all had the opportunity.
At the end of the year, people brought in things for a silent auction, everything from candy to something that you got for Christmas that you don’t need anymore.
The beauty about this set up was that no one actually used their own real world money. No one was ever excluded, and I don’t know of anyone who didn’t enjoy it.
Thank you Mrs. Tufford. You really made an impression on me. You were my favourite and always will be. I’ll try to find my class picture so you can see her. I wonder where she is today…
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