Synthesis Blog: Teaching finance to middle schoolers

     In my family, we are constantly sharing silly memes, fun articles, or short tidbits about something we heard that day in our family "Listserv" (yes, my family has a listserv... and it's hilarious).  About a week ago my sister, who is getting her masters in Foreign Language Education at Washington University in St. Louis, sent me an article that she claimed I "HAD to read" because it would "change the way I teach math some day."  This article titled "Teaching Middle Grades Math Through Financial Literacy" explores the multiple benefits of incorporating "financial literacy" skills with the middle school math curriculum.  This article directly aligned with chapter 3 of Subjects Matter which addresses the importance of mixing up our students' reading material; adding in things like personal finance articles can do just that!  Students are reading something other than their textbook (which in a math class, is a break that is definitely needed), practicing math skills that follow state standards as well as Common Core standards, and also learning supplementary financial literacy skills that will help them later on in their adult lives. 

    This article suggests including financial literacy skills when teaching topics like percentages, proportional reasoning, compound interest, and even reading/responding to graphics.  The researchers also suggest using the skills of "planning a budget" when teaching basic algebra skills.  Students have to calculate someones paycheck amount based on their hourly wages, how many hours they worked, and then determine, based on the amount of money that they have made, what they can and cannot afford.  Not only are these kind of readings and problems more applicable to real life situations, but they are a small change that any math teacher can make in order to mix up the "diet" of reading we are giving to students.      

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http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00228958.2016.1156526?journalCode=ukdr20