This document discusses the importance of teaching financial literacy in schools. It provides several reasons why financial literacy education is needed: many students graduate with significant debt loads and have unrealistic expectations about future earnings; Canadians feel knowledgeable about personal finances but debt levels are high and often used to cover daily living expenses; and financial topics are rarely discussed between parents and children. The document promotes two resources for teaching financial literacy: The City, a comprehensive resource developed for high schools that uses fictional character stories and lesson plans; and Financial Basics, a shorter resource with workbooks, videos, and interactive tools suitable for introducing financial concepts. Both resources provide modular, flexible approaches that can be customized for different classrooms and audiences.
2. Financial Literacy
…having the knowledge to
understand personal and broader
financial matters, skills to apply that
knowledge and understanding to everyday
life, and the confidence to use the skills and
knowledge to make responsible financial
decisions that are appropriate to the
individual’s situation.
- National Task Force on Financial Literacy, 2009
3. "Ontario students will have the skills and
knowledge to take responsibility for
managing their personal financial well-being
with confidence, competence, and a
compassionate awareness of the world
around them.“
A Sound Investment: Financial Literacy Education in Ontario Schools,
2010
4. Why Financial Literacy?
• research, conducted by Ipsos Reid found
that money is one of the least discussed
issues between parents and kids.
6. Why Financial Literacy in
Schools?
• A poll by Harris/Decima suggests that
Canadians feel that they are
knowledgeable about finances yet:
• Current deb to equity ration sits at 161%
• Use of debt is being used to not only cover big
tickets items but also to cover day-to-day living
7. Why Financial Literacy in
Schools?
• Average debt load for post-secondary is
approx. $26,000
• A BMO survey suggests the paying for
the school is the number one stress
• Stats Canada records that the national
student debt load is now over 15 billion
8. Why Financial Literacy in
Schools?
• 2 million Canadians use payday loan
stores and they borrow 2 billion annually
• Amount and types of fraud continue to
grow
9. Why Financial Literacy in
Schools?
• 2 million Canadians use payday loan
stores and they borrow 2 billion annually
• Amount and types of fraud continue to
grow
10. Why Financial Literacy in
Schools?
• Teens think they'll earn $90,000 a year
by age 30
• http://bit.ly/13nNI4Z
11. Why Financial Literacy in
Schools?
• Teens think they'll earn $90,000 a year
by age 30
• http://bit.ly/13nNI4Z
13. Practical Strategies to Create
Fiscally Healthy Students
•Giving them the tools to make
sensible decisions on a day-to-day
basis
14. THE CITY
Financial Life Skills Resource
Financial Consumer Agency of Canada British Columbia Securities Commission
15. Using"TheCity”
• Benefits
• Comprehensive – developed for High Schools
• Hard copy or PDF/HMTL
• Web or Instructor lead
• Stories
• Suggested Lesson Plans
• Forms for each character in “The City”
16. What’s Inside The Binder
Lesson Organization
• Overview, class time, key words, materials
Fictional Characters
• Story and discussion
Reality Check
• Apply discussion to their own financial lives
Home Connections Reflection/Summary
Evidence for Assessment Extension Activities
17. OnlineModules
• Parallel in-class modules
• Use interactive format
• Extend reach to new audiences
• Engaging approach to teaching financial life skills
24. SuggestedApproach
• First time – used workbooks
• PDF files to create own booklets
• Used videos as discussion or intro to class
• Pick and choose only those modules you want
25.
26.
27. Trainer’s Toolkit
• Primarily developed for adult learners
• Modular based
• Ice breaker activities
• PowerPoint for each module
• PDF Guide
28. SuggestedApproach
• School Council – Parents Workshops
• Use videos as introductions or discussion pieces
• Online activities to supplement lesson material
• Use PowerPoint slide or reuse to customize
lesson presentation
According to the Task Force barely a day goes by when we don’t have to make some sort of financial decision. Having the knowledge and skills is a fundamental life skill.Skills also have be practiced
Just not enough to give them formula – teaching them to make educated choicei.e.
on behalf of ABC Life Literacy Canada and sponsored by TD Bank Group
141 – in 2009 – we are surprising usA disconnect with realityToo comfortable with debt – using it to solve problems
Problem is finding a job to payStudents increaseing financing education with debt -
Toronto star – appeal of quick cashLfp – sruvey finds number of payday loan places growingPeople get payday loan because they can’t get loans or don’t think they can
Toronto star – appeal of quick cashLfp – sruvey finds number of payday loan places growingPeople get payday loan because they can’t get loans or don’t think they can
have unrealistic expectations of what they will earn
have unrealistic expectations of what they will earn
Credit score vs credit reportTwo bureaus in canada – equifax and trancanada unionhttp://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/oca-bc.nsf/eng/ca02179.html
It isn’t about giving kids rules, Morrison points out: Just telling them to save 10 percent of their income is about as useful as telling an overweight child to eat less and exercise more. What helps more is teaching that child to make healthy choices and discover the rewards of physical activity. Similarly, helping a child to become fiscally fit means giving them tools to make sensible decisions on a day-to-day basis, not just putting aside an arbitrary percentage of their income.
Developed as part of planning 10 – focus High School (10/11) grades
ConsToo long for most coursesSome forms are confusingNo guidelines on how to use the web effectively unrealistic rate
Review organization of modules.THIS TYPE OF ORGANIZATION REALLY STARTS AT MODULE 3When discussing home connections, address sensitivity of content and the need for teachers to make a decision about sensitivities regarding parental involvement. Extension activities – some are excellent and shouldn’t be bypassed.Timing: 2 minutes
suited for BBIHow I use it
Focus – one day seminar – college – suitable for grades 11, 12 – doable in 10 with tens
ConsNo web siteNot enough activitySome areas required additional resourcesFew examples of how toToo lecture focusedNo assessment too
Latte Factor (LAT.ayfak.tur) n. Seemingly insignificant daily purchases that add up to a significant amount of money over time.
Originally developed for adult learners but suitable for all Used as workshop for parents