We love getting feedback from the educator community about how we can serve you better. The email below that we received today is a great example of how one teacher’s suggestion can make our curriculum better for all! What Jodie did was give students our activity and while grading the work, she identified an area for improvement.

From Jodie Holmquist, Business teacher at Hinsdale Middle High School in Hinsdale, New Hampshire (home of the Pacers):

I have just finished correcting the worksheet in the Credit Cards Unit Plan #3.3 Credit Card Fine Print.  This is a great activity and really brings home the point about credit card interest.

One comment, however:  In part 4, question 19, the question is “How does your credit score impact the amount of money you ultimately pay for the laptop? ”  I have had several students say that it doesn’t because they would pay cash.  I’m not sure if the students lose the flow of the questions because it’s on the next page or what is happening but it might be a good idea to modify the question to something like:  “Assuming you are buying you new laptop with a credit card, how does your credit score impact the money you ultimately pay?”

I know it’s a small change but it would clarify the question for the students.​

I also wanted to take a moment and say how much I like the curriculum and activities offered by NGPF.  It’s my number one “go to” site when looking for activities to supplement my curriculum.  I believe strongly that personal finance should be competency based and authentic, in that the students drive their own learning.  NGPF gives me the tools I need!

As a result of this email, we have made the change that Jodie suggested. By taking the time to make this suggestion, Jodie has helped countless teachers and students. Thank you!

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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