This pre-holiday week post is from Angela Howdeshell: I work as the Vice President for Programs and Administration for the Kansas Council for Economic Education, a non-profit organization housed at Wichita State University with a mission of helping Kansas K-12 schools integrate financial literacy and economic education.
How do today’s students become more competitive in this ever-changing global economy? One of the best ways is to increase the level of understanding in regards to economic issues. As citizens of this great Nation, we should all strive to be better consumers, producers, workers, investors, voters and all around better decision makers in everything we do. This makes the case for economic literacy in the classroom. Kansas and the entire Nation will gain when we increase the level of economic education in Kansas.
Many people think that economics is rather abstract and difficult to teach to our youth. While we might be a little biased in the Council for Economic Education network of states councils, we very strongly disagree. Economic education must have priority in our K-12 school system just like we teach math, language arts and history. Economic education should have foundations laid as students progress in their level of understanding. At the age of 18, students can vote but we know that many lack the most basic understanding of economics.
Economics concepts are easy to integrate across the curriculum into language arts, math, science and social studies since economics is everywhere. While many say economics is boring, most teachers introduced to great resources are very excited to go back and teach economics in their classroom. Economics is practical and it definitely relates to the real world. Students will instinctively recognize the relationship when teachers bring them engaging lessons.
Schools and teachers will also find that teaching economics can also be easy on the ol’ budget. Free educational resources and professional development opportunities are readily available in most states, including Kansas. The Kansas Council for Economic Education (KCEE) is here to help Kansas schools. KCEE has partnered with the Foundation for Teaching Economics to bring Kansas teachers a special one-day training:
July 25: Understanding Global Economic Issues – an event offered in partnership with the Foundation for Teaching Economics for 6th-12th grade teachers incorporating global economic concepts into classes. Focus of program is on current global economic issues with a variety of lecture/discussion sessions and case studies/simulations adapted for classroom use.
- FREE one day professional development event
- Location – Lake Quivira Country Club, south of the Kansas Speedway off Hwy 435
- $50 stipend if accepted by 10th
- Optional: One hour graduate credit in economics from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (approximately $122). Assignment to be given during program seminar.
Why do people trade – across city lines, state lines, or national borders? Are we better off with or without trade? Will trade hurt or benefit certain groups of people? How do some nations try to distort trade patterns?
These questions and many more are incorporated into the various lecture/discussion sessions and case studies that serve as the basis for the FTE One Day seminar on Understanding Global Economic Issues.
Presented in a non-biased manner, issues that face nations throughout the world will be explored and discussed. Case studies and simulations may be adapted to variety of classes and disciplines.
The primary economics concepts emphasized throughout the sessions will be those related to the role of trade in raising standards of living and how policies can be developed to accomplish this goal.
Sessions will focus on current global trade patterns, trade alliances, impact of changes in exchange rates, and trade-offs that occur as trade patterns change over time.
REGISTER ONLINE: http://bit.ly/UGEIapplication Seating is limited so apply ASAP.
KCEE also offers other ways to help schools. Webinars will be available in August for some programs and events. Most states have a Council affiliated with the Council for Economic Education is a non-profit education organization with a great network of state Councils.
Register online or find out more about these workshop on the KCEE website at www.kcee.wichita.edu. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/KCEE1959.