If you've ever struggled to make stock market investing feel relevant to your students, this episode is for you. David Gardner, co-founder of The Motley Fool and a 33-year veteran of democratizing personal finance, shares classroom-ready ideas, candid reflections, and a fresh take on why investing is so often under-taught.

David says the stock market doesn't have to be intimidating. His philosophy is simple: "We live in an ownership culture. You and I - it doesn't matter where our background is, how much money we have or not, where we came from, we can become part owners of the companies that make the products and services that we use every day."

David draws a line between investing and gambling and weighs in on crypto and indexing vs. individual stocks. He says the biggest mistake he ever made was not buying Yahoo! stock because the math "said" it was too expensive.

The episode also previews an exciting new collaboration: the Freedometer, an interactive tool being developed with NGPF to strengthen stock market instruction nationwide. 

See the full transcript and listen now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Also Check Out: A Conversation with Teacher of the Year, Chad Mallo

What does it take to walk away from a six-figure salary to teach high school and then win Teacher of the Year? Find out in this podcast episode with Chad Mallo, a former loan officer turned award-winning entrepreneurship and personal finance educator in Pasco County, Florida.

Chad's journey is anything but ordinary. After 20 years in banking, a "mirror moment" made him ask himself whether he was truly helping people or just helping them into debt. That question led him to the classroom, where he's been transforming students' relationships with money ever since.

In this episode, Chad gets real about what it actually takes to connect with today's students. He shares why he ditched the "fake it till you make it" mindset on day one: "I told the students, 'Listen, I'm brand new. I came from the banking industry. I'm going to learn right beside you — we're going to learn together.'" The result? Instant respect.

You'll also hear how Chad keeps lessons relevant in a cashless, app-driven world, how he navigates the digital divide in Title I schools, and why building classroom culture always comes before content.

Whether you're a first-year teacher or a 20-year veteran, this conversation will leave you energized.

See the full transcript and listen now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Join Us LIVE this Week with Carly Urban on What the Research Actually Says About Financial Education

Dr. Urban’s research shows that standalone semester-long courses improve credit scores and financial well-being, while embedded approaches don't show the same effects. In this Speaker Series session, she’ll share what actually works in financial education and why quality implementation matters more than just having requirements on paper.

Register now to join us tonight (April 2) at 4pm PT/7pm ET.

About the Author

Hannah Rael

As NGPF's Marketing Communications Manager, Hannah (she/her) helps spread the word about NGPF's mission to improve the financial lives of the next generation of Americans.

More posts by Hannah