Spring 2017
April 17, 2017
How long have you been teaching Magnetar Academy?
2 years
What is the course in which the Magnetar curriculum is embedded?
Business, Personal Finance, Entrepreneurship, Economics, Accounting
How are you able to incorporate it in your class?
I am able to incorporate this curriculum into my class because it all goes hand-in-hand with my lesson plans. It’s all about teaching students how to finance and operate a business, the importance of understanding wants versus needs, understanding that assets minus liabilities = owner’s equity (the bottom line), understanding credit and credit scores. I love teaching this curriculum because it equips students for making real-life decisions and educates them on managing finances in life.
How do you incorporate a week's worth of Magnetar Academy instruction in your course?
Because I have a double-period class and I’m also teaching Magnetar Academy as an after-school program, it’s easy for me to incorporate the lessons into my instruction. I am able to cover a lot of the curriculum on a daily basis. Students are engaged in the lessons because they know that they will need what they are learning beyond high school. It's amazing to see students being excited to tell me about their changes in spending habits and saving strategies, about opening a bank account, and saving for a rainy day. It personally gratifies me to know that students are applying the knowledge to their daily lives and excited to share new information with their family members over dinner. Since I’ve been teaching the curriculum, I too have changed my spending habits and am excited to share my stories with the students. For example, when I go into the store, I ask myself, “Is this a want or a need?” And even if it's a need, I don't purchase the most expensive brand, but something in the middle. Also, I have begun paying off my credit cards and not using them just to use them. Thank you, Magnetar Academy!
Do you have any implementation tips or successes that you want to share with others?
If application is not part of learning, then what's the point? Both students and teachers should be about taking knowledge and applying it to their daily lives. I was excited to hear one of my students share with the class that from studying the curriculum, she learned she was an impulsive shopper who spent money on anything, and after Magnetar Academy she no longer orders out from restaurants, but goes to the grocery store to buy her food. This allows her to save more, eat healthy, and live longer. The student shared with me that instead of going to McDonald’s to purchase one meal for $10, she now purchases meat, potatoes, bread, and all the trimmings—and she walks away with burgers and fries for the week.