I love Greenspan for this observation. He spent nearly 20 years as the Chairman of the Federal Reserve so he definitely knows about finances. He is also one of the few that forecasted our "recession".
Greenspan understands that educating the youth is where to start. This has to be done in the classroom. This is one of the reasons why the information I am sharing with you is so important. I see so many of todays kids admiring the basketball players, the music stars, and movie stars. They really seem to believe money not only grows on trees but, that it is the answer to all the problems. True, having money does seem to make life a little easier but, I prefer to think managing money makes life much more comfortable.
In researching information for this blog I was amazed at how insignificant this topic seems to the current curriculums of U.S. schools. In the turbulent economic times we are in, I believe that financial responsibility should be a core subject requirement for each and every state. So imagine the surprise I had finding that only 3 states require personal finance course in order to graduate. Seventeen other states require personal finance as a part of other subjects.
We can teach students how to cook, how to draw, how to paraphrase and summarize. We even teach them Newton’s Laws and mathematical theorems. But the art of maintaining a successful portfolio, balancing a checkbook, and financial fitness is beyond cognition in most states. It really amazes me that more parents do not advocate for this. They will rally together arguing about to pray or not to pray in school. They will fight you tooth and nail over the no pass no play rule. They even fuss and fight over cross dressing boys and girls at school. But, personal finance all is silent. No picket signs, no board meetings, no news crews. We care more about the ecosystem and the oil spill than we do about our children being able to manage their money.
About Me
- Charmane Y. Manns
- After spending over ten years in the sales and marketing industry, I made a decision to pursue my dream of becoming an educator.
A very common-sense approach to money and the art of managing it. The link to the questionnaire is very much like one we've used in teaching personal finance at my high school. I like Suze Orman, who was quoted on your mantra page. My wife and I have looked at her stuff as well as Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University program.
ReplyDeleteOf course, my all time favorite is straight off Headline News (HLN these days), Clark Howard. He is a penny pincher if there ever was one, but he make very practical suggestions about money management.
Clark Howard is my top go to guy for savings suggestions. You are correct in that he definitely offers practical good sense suggestions to the everyday consumer.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I love Clark Howard as well.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. If a student can learn Newton's Laws, they can learn how to manage money and become mathematically richer.
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