Personal Finance Syllabus—High School Curriculum Program
Educators and parents who teach teens and high school students money management lessons understand how important it is that young people learn about money. But unfortunately, many of these educators become discouraged because most financial literacy programs are boring. Now there is an interesting, interactive curriculum available to give teens the practical financial education they need without losing their attention. To view the personal finance syllabus—high school level curriculum, visit the National Financial Educators Council website at www.FinancialEducatorsCouncil.org.
The key to teaching high school financial literacy effectively is to place focus on “financial success” rather than on “financial literacy.” The ultimate goal of the curriculum should be to help youth reach their desired levels of financial success. The best way to achieve that goal is to implement practical, real-world money lessons that keep students interested while they get on track to achieving financial security.
To really make a positive difference in youth financial literacy, middle school students should learn about money too. In fact, studies have shown that kids as young as preschool are ready to begin learning basic money concepts. The NFEC approach to teaching personal finance is both practical and holistic. This organization is independent of commercial influences and has adopted a social enterprise business model. That means they create programs that are firmly based in theory, yet focus on practical skills that allow people to thrive in the financial real world.
The most effective personal finance instruction gets students truly excited to learn about money. One way the NFEC program does this is by helping kids understand the magic of compounding interest. Once they realize that a simple monthly investment of $100 could turn into a million-dollar bank account when they reach their fifties, the lights go on in young people’s eyes. The NFEC has many such lessons designed to motivate while they educate.