Teaching Personal Finance

During the course you will:

The NFEC has been widely recognized for the ability to educate and inspire participants to take positive action.  Having instructed thousands of people globally, the NFECs’ trainers give participants the ability to deliver financial literacy curriculum that engages the audience.  This increases retention rates, improves post-test scores and makes the process more enjoyable for participants and educators alike.

The real world meets the classroom with the NFECs’ professional development course.  This program was designed by a team of educators, active financial professionals and financial education experts. Together these professionals built a training program that combines theory-based financial education and practical application. This ‘real world’ approach of the financial literacy certification course has a measurable and lasting positive impact on graduates.

The NFEC financial literacy certification program provides instruction on how to incorporate financial literacy topics into core coursework (math, economics, history, English, social studies).  The curriculum is aligned with the National Council of Economic Education, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the National Council of English Teachers, National Business Education Association, JumpStart Coalition and the National Council for Social Studies.

The NFECs’ approach to teaching financial literacy includes utilization of Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory and Bloom’s Taxonomy of Higher Order Thinking Skills.  This course uses Bloom’s Taxonomy to ensure that our participants go beyond cursory knowledge of finances to building their own thoughts and evaluation on finances to become literate.  Through a variety of instructional strategies within the activities and lectures, the course providing instructions on how to incorporate Gardner’s theory, thus allowing participants to learn using their own preferred learning style.

Participants of the financial literacy certification course will construct their own personal financial plan as they learn how to teach financial literacy to others.  Hands on activities include: creating a personal retirement plan, debt payoff strategy, evaluating the ROI of additional schooling, setting lifestyle goals and preparation for investments and/or major purchases (house, college, car, etc).  You will leave with a clear personal financial game plan and the ability to effectively teach financial literacy.

Upon graduation of the financial educator’s course you will have earned your Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI) status.  After receiving your financial literacy certification, you have the option to be hired as a contractor by the NFEC to teach courses as requests come in from your community.

For live instruction or to serve group of over 25 people, contact us. To maintain ‘Certified Financial Education Instructor’ status annual retraining is required.  Your investment of only $49.95 will start your 2nd year and provides refresher training coursework and re-certification.

We thank you for your interest in providing today’s youth practical financial education skills that make a lasting impact on their lives.

“… an excellent opportunity for us to learn and perfect our implementation strategies for our outreach program.  Receiving the training and receiving our financial literacy certification by the NFEC has given the program the extra boost and noteworthiness.  Since our certification has become public, we’ve received several calls from community service organizations and summer camps interested in our youth financial education program” Kimberly Knox NCMSC Support Center

Focus on family, lifestyle and goals - As we tour the country, we get a good feel for what today’s teens and young adults are motivated by.  At the top of the list is helping their family so leverage this in your instruction.  When teaching financial literacy, there are emotional trigger points that educators can leverage to ensure the students pay attention and retain what they have learned.  Family, friends and working for the greater good are all topics we can use in class.

Lifestyle and personal goals also help us as educators to teach financial literacy effectively.  Find out how they want to live and help them create a financial plan, so they can live their desired life.  Once students relate the subject of money to doing what they love you have an audience that is engaged and wanting to learn more.  

Unique and New - Teach financial literacy in a way that differentiates the coursework from the other thousands of classes that they have sat through.   Most schools do not have enough time to teach outside the core curriculum, so financial education is often squeezed into a few hour windows (if at all).   Because of the limited amount of time we have to teach the subject of money it is important you leverage each second.  Teaching financial literacy in unique and fun way will help you maximize the time and the results. 

Interactive and Engaging - Choose coursework and lesson plans that offer active learning.  Activities, games and interaction are a must when teaching financial literacy.  Fortunately with the subject of money, this type teaching style makes it easy and fun for the teacher and students. 

Field trips and guest speakers can also increase the interaction with students.   Take the students to a local credit union and teach financial literacy lessons like: account structure, savings, checking, account management, how banks operate, how to qualify for a loan, payback terms on car loans, investments and many other lessons.  Banks and credit unions are typically happy to accommodate students and share their insight. 

Real - Forget the instructors guide and share with the students what you wish you knew.  If you are brave enough, share some mistakes and challenges you made along the way.  Practical money lessons can be instilled more effectively when the students understand your reasons you feel this subject is important. 

When students sense some vulnerability it may work in your favor if they are well behaved and you have a good relationship with them.  If they aren’t well behaved and it’s a battle every day, sharing personal stories about your finances could swing the pendulum to the positive or negative.  So use your best judgment and remember if they just pick up a few financial lessons that could be a great start.

Why - Fortunately there is a strong ‘why’ when it comes to financial literacy.  It’s hard to explain to a student when they may need to memorize the stages of cell reproduction when that student wants to be a policeman, lawyer or a business owner.  But, with the subject of money, there is a strong reason why everyone needs to know about this topic.  

Give this a try:  At the start of your next class, ask them why they need to know about money.  The overwhelming number of students will have a strong reason that are rooted in their past experience and stretch to include their future dreams.  Then try that with other subjects and note the difference in the answers. 

Financial education events can also act as a fundraiser – so no budget excuses for not teaching this subject.  Find a few key sponsors and you can have a quality program that earns your school money.   Banks, insurance companies and other organizations like to connect with high school students, especially financially educated soon to be graduates.  Chose your sponsors carefully and ensure they have quality products with excellent pricing.  Banks and credit unions should offer no fee checking and savings.  Insurance companies should be reputable and have good rates.  And the other sponsors should all be positive in nature and want to contribute to the development of the students.

Keep your eye on the prize – Remember the goal of teaching financial literacy is not for a grade, it’s for their life.  Students that pick up the lessons you share will have an advantage as they enter into the next phase of their life.  Most college graduates now move back home with their parents and miss out on the independence life away from the safety of your parents offers. 

Teaching financial literacy is so important to your student’s future.  Encourage your school, the student’s parents and the students themselves to start to pick up and share every day money lessons.