Financial literacy equips students with skills to make informed decisions: budgeting, managing debt, understanding interest, and basic investing. These skills prevent costly mistakes later and increase financial independence.
Core topics to teach
- Budgeting and goal-setting
- Interest, loans, and debt management
- Saving and basic investing principles
- Taxes and simple consumer protection
Classroom activities
- Simulate a monthly budget and prioritize spending.
- Create a classroom marketplace to teach earning and saving.
- Track a hypothetical investment over time to learn about compounding.
Takeaway
Financial education is life education. Start small, with practical, hands-on activities that connect to students’ real choices.