Why don't we teach financial skills in public school?

zachary0611

Why don't we teach financial skills in public school? Learning how to manage your money, credit cards, investing, loans and etc. are some of the most important life skills you need to have in the real world. I'm curious tto know why you think this is.

VibrantB2F · Mayor's Aide Joined: 02 Dec 2005 Posts: 51

I think we may see it happen in the future. Kids today are learning thing much quicker than we did when I was in school. If we can instill these values and morals into these children then life will be a lot better for them when they get older.

miked · Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2005 10:35 pm Post subject:

The public schools in Baltimore are terrible. If you can through a day of school without getting shot your lucky. First get the kids to stop selling drugs and then you can work on their financial skills. Razz

Digital Portraits · Mayor's Aide Joined: 05 Dec 2005 Posts: 52

purebrownfusion · Mayor's Aide Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 50

the school iwent to, they have courses for all of this. its called personal money management not only do they teach you how to mainting credit cards but htye teach u the stock market along with it

Ritterz · Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 2:04 pm Post subject:

I totally agrea. I think they should teach us this before we go into the outside world. It could teach a couple of people a good lesson they would take it on board!

naidu · Mayor's Aide Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 51

The school I studies in was pretty cool they used to take us to the near by banks and show how to open kiddy bank accounts. We used to save on our pocket money and deposit them in bank with the help of the class teacher. And we used to spend that money for Christmas party and some times donate to the disaster victims.

Freakin · Mayor's Aide Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Posts: 64

I still don't know how to balance a checkbook.... I also don't know why it's important.

The only financial advice I ever got in school was "start investing early"....

I totally agree that we need to educate our youth on what to do with their money.

Xterminator45 · Mayor's Aide Joined: 08 Dec 2005 Posts: 52

You're right man, I didn't learn crap in high school about investing or finance. They didn't show us how the budget at all.

I do remember balancing a checkbook in econ class, but there's NO POINT to doing that nowadays. You can just log on the internet and check your balance and see which one went through.

No wonder the young folks are keen on spending lavishly. Rolling Eyes

justagirl · Congressional Page Joined: 06 Jun 2006 Posts: 42

In high school we had a course for this. It was called Math in Everday Life and it has come in handy. The only thing that I didn't like about the course is that it was only offered in your senior year when you really aren't focusing on much.

Pink · Congressional Page Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 17

Ok how many of us really paid attention in high school?? I know i didn't. I think it should be taught in college. A mandetory class for freshman. These days with all the cc applications coming to them every day.. they need it. Maybe if they are taught when it's in front of them, they won't end up thousands and thousands in debt by the time they graduate.

julian4239 · Mayor Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 211

I learned Consumer Finance in high school. I believe most kids in school learn the basics at least.

I do whole-heartedly agree with you. All students should learn person finance.

MHJ · Mayor's Aide Joined: 12 Jun 2006 Posts: 118

Schools have always been and will always be glorified detention camps and babysitting services

Thumperfive · Mayor Joined: 11 Jun 2006 Posts: 222

I wish we had some of that "math for everyday life" in my school - we had a short discussion in the regular math class about mortages and how to figure them out, but that was it - and it wasn't realistic!

Coda1108 · Mayor's Aide Joined: 13 Jun 2006 Posts: 130 Location: PA

I've volunteered with the organization Junior Achievement off and on for the past fifteen years. Basically, I go into High School economics classes once a week, or every two weeks throughout the term and help them learn the practical side of economics and finance. Everything from the simple basics like checks & banking to more thought-provoking topics like AFTRA and the like. It's amazing how mature some of the students are once I get to know them.

While I'm not saying the only way public schools can cover the practical nature of economics and finance is to look to the private sector, I don't see why more people in the private sector don't take an interest in this sort of involvement. It's extremely rewarding to know one is doing something to make a difference, even if only a few students are significantly reached.

By the way, depending on the age of each person, Junior Achievement is A LOT different than it was even 15 or 20 years ago. It's no longer "Let's run a student company to find out how corporations work"... It's much more practical.