Teacher workshops chip away at economic illiteracy
Workshops put on for teachers by the Atlanta and St. Louis Feds are having the desired results, a recent assessment shows. Teachers are learning about the economy and personal finance, and they are passing this information on to a student body that desperately needs it.
TIPS FOR TEACHING THE HIGH SCHOOL ECONOMICS COURSE
Because economics is increasing in importance in the high school curriculum, it is critically important that it is taught well by well-trained teachers. We offer suggestions for teaching high school economics in the areas of content, methodology, materials, and professional development. We address what content to include, the use of textbooks and supplementary materials, and innovative approaches for teaching economics. The use of literature, film, music, and activity-based lessons are discussed. Teachers are encouraged to seek out professional development opportunities through the Council for Economic Education and networking opportunities through the Global Association of Teachers of Economics. Although teaching high school economics can be challenging, there are many helpful materials and resources available.
In-Service Education and Its Effect on Secondary Students: A New Approach
The authors point out that too few tests have been made of the assumption that if we increase the high school teachers' knowledge of economics the students of those teachers will learn more economics as well. The Thornton-Vredeveld study goes beyond the few that have tested this proposition, however, for it involves an approach to in-service training for teachers that differed substantially from that usually used in economic education programs. The surprising conclusion (at least it will be surprising to many college economists) was that a program in which the teachers discussed curricular materials as opposed to receiving conventional economics instruction was effective in teaching them economics. It also had the desired effect on the students of those teachers, and proved to be inexpensive.