This Inside Higher Ed headline caught my attention recently because as a teacher I am always interested in getting insights from students about what they value from a teacher.  Also, since we support personal finance educators at Next Gen Personal Finance, I am always curious how we can help them in the classroom with our lessons and resources.

The results from a survey of almost 1,000 students at four U.S. business schools found that the top 10 attributes that students were looking for are (drumroll please):  

Let’s just focus on the top three:  current knowledge of subject matter, fair when dealing with students and provides information that is worthwhile and applicable to students.  From my perspective, this survey validates exactly what we are trying to accomplish at NGPF by providing teachers with resources and lessons that are both current and relevant to students.  Further down the list at #6 for students is “providing practical examples and applications” which is another mainstay of our lessons and activity ideas.

What do you think makes a great business teacher?

About the Author

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.

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