7,000 educators strong, the FinLit Fanatics Facebook group is a great place to turn for advice on all things related to personal finance education. Think of it as a place that captures the collective wisdom and experiences of the financial education community. The engagement level and the spirit of collaboration runs high, so when a new teacher asked how to teach an NGPF lesson, 54 comments came in to support them. Check out the question and the responses below. 

And the responses: 

• I use the resources in a way that fits best with my teaching style and the students I have in my room that semester. Jigsaws, project based learning, Socratic seminars, data analysis, etc. Next Gen has basically all you could ever need but you do need to make it work for your kids. Don't just hand out the packets without the other supplemental work. [Mariah Nicole]
  
  
• I teach a full year of personal finance, but I use the semester course. There is a syllabus that has the units mapped out and I follow the order they have. Definitely get the Nearpod grant! -[Misty Poe]
  
  
• NGPF is really meant to be interactive, so mix it up to keep the kids active. They won't like all packets & won't like all slide decks either. For one unit, I'll show a Nearpod, turn a packet into a jigsaw or stations activity. Then I'll do a MOVE and some of the interactives. I pick and choose what I think will be best. [Diane Mesavitz Mondoro]
  
  
• Don't assign the packets, kids will hate that. Take some of NGPF's free PD. They have a Beginner Series that will help get you started. Then take what interests you and what you think the kids should know. There are games, kahoots, interactive activities and so many other things. I use it as my main source then supplement with Everfi, Take Charge, and Nearpods. [Sue Comparato]
  
  
• I don't assign the packets, we do it together in class. I add in a lot of personal stories. Apply for the Nearpod grant. The Nearpods are basically the Student Activity Packet in a slideshow. You then have easy access to reports that show participation rates and exit ticket grades. [Sheila Miller]
  
  
• I find that having the packet allows me to easily move from one assignment to the next. I use Canvas LMS and have students make their own copy of the Student Activity Packet and then type right into the document. When we finish the exit ticket, they turn in the entire packet for credit. Even when it takes us multiple days to complete, I give them participation grades for the entire packet. For activities that they need to complete separately (FINE PRINT, MOVE, CALCULATE, DATA CRUNCH, etc) I assign those individually for either homework or quiz grades. I give the unit tests at the end of each unit. [Danielle Phillips]

Thank you to all who contribute and make this community such an amazing one! 

About the Authors

Amanda Volz

Amanda joins the NGPF Team with over 20 years of experience teaching personal finance. During that time, she led her students to hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships, won multiple awards, and most importantly, impacted the financial lives of thousands of high school students. Amanda prides herself on being an educational leader and is constantly looking for innovative ways to make the classroom relevant, rigorous, and fun. She is a passionate advocate for financial education and has been a long-time member of the NGPF community. Fun fact - Amanda was NGPF’s first teacher account! When Amanda isn’t working, she enjoys cooking, gardening, and traveling with her husband and two children.

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.