What’s one way we can help the economy from slipping deeper into the recession and prevent it from happening in the near future? Educate our youth with personal money management skills.
Study: Solve Your Financial Woes by Donating Money
Did you know that no matter the amount of money you have, donating some of it can make you feel better? In the article “Worried About Money? Give Some Away,” Linda Wasmer Andrews explains why giving money to those in need can boost your spirits:
Free Media Tools to Enhance Learning in the Digital Age
Young students need to spend time online in order to develop technical and social skills that are required for succeeding in the digital age, according to a study by the MacArthur Foundation. Many educators are aware of this, study or not. We see technology evolving, and our evolving need for it, in the workforce, the education system, on public transportation and in our homes.
Saving for a lifetime: Oseola McCarty
Many of us know we should save yet many of us don’t.
We tell younger generations to save so they can afford the expensive things later in life, like investing in real estate, retiring at a decent age, and raising a family. We want them to be able to afford the education they crave, the future they dream of, and just be happy.
Saving can feel like a selfish thing. When you put limitations on your spending, you most likely do it to personally reap some benefit in the future. It can also feel like the reward may never come to fruition. Forty percent of Americans whose household makes $35,000 or less believe they have a better chance of getting $500,000 by winning the lottery or sweepstakes than by saving and investing small sums of their pay. But that’s not the case for all savers.
Developing Number Sense: A New Way to Teach Number Sets to Young Learners
If your kids and students are having trouble understanding numbers, it might be the way you’re teaching them. According to the article “Helping Children Understand Numbers,” the process of how we learn numbers is still very much a mystery, but maybe a little less so. The numerals we use today are relatively new, only having been invented about four or five thousand years ago. The short history of math suggests to researchers that our brains haven’t had time to fully evolve to processing these numerals and that math must be an invention of culture.
What’s a Credit Downgrade? The New York Times Explains to Students
Where do you begin when students start asking about the credit downgrade? What do you say when a student wants details on the national debt and wants to know what Congress is doing to solve the country’s problems?
The Learning Network (Teaching and Learning with the New York Times) recently compiled a list of New York Times resources that are great for teaching students about the crisis in the economy. Writer Holly Epstein Ojalvo divided the economic issues in two categories:
Investing in College: Financial Skills for Students
College is a big investment, and due to cuts in school funding and the outlook of the economy, some might think it’s too much of a risk. However, in a recent study, researchers found graduates holding a bachelor’s degree make 84% more than high school graduates over their lifetime. Those holding a doctoral degree will earn $3.3 million in a lifetime, compared to a college grad with $2.3 million and those holding a high school diploma with $1.3 million.
Financial Literacy: Encouraging Generosity of Any Size
This week I’ve dedicated the blog to the topic of financial literacy as we count down the days to the release of LifeBound’s newest addition, Dollars and Sense: How to Be Smart About Money. We covered how finances affect lives, education, math skills, and the future. We also spoke a lot about personal money management in terms of having money. But, another side to managing your personal finances is knowing when it is time to donate to people who aren’t as fortunate as you or who you think deserve a helping hand.
4 Financial Websites for Kids and Adults
Since setting out to write Dollars and Sense: How to Be Smart About Money, we’ve come across many books, websites, and financial gurus who are setting out to make financial literacy as high a priority as reading and math skills for both children and adults. During the research phase, we came across the expected financial tools, like websites dedicated to budget sheets and compound calculators, and there were websites with the creatively unexpected, like mixing financial skills with gaming, stimulating visuals, and online activities.
Read the rest of this entry »
Teaching New Generations to Be Money Smart
Many people understand they should know something about managing finances but haven’t been given the tools to know how to change their behavior or practice healthy financial habits. Many states are trying to shape a more financially literate generation by teaching financial literacy courses in school. A majority of U.S. states have their own personal financial standards, require implementation of financial standards, or make a personal finance course a requirement for students to graduate.