Teaching financial literacy is such an important part of student life. I usually have some students in year 12 (final year of schooling) who can not work out 10% of an amount in their head or even a calculator. Shocking? not really. Mathematics teachers know that the topic of percentages and financial literacy as a whole is a huge problem in lower ability students. I sometimes even use fake money to mimic buying and selling with students in small groups to practice ‘Change’. Number is a big topic in our Australian Curriculum but the question begs itself, why aren’t we still getting it right?

Here is an overall summary of how Australia is doing in the PISA 2018 . Here is a report explaining it from Acer.

Although we achieved above the OECD average, we are basically on a decline. what does that mean in lay terms?

Not good Jan, not good!

Hence the crazy Mathematics spending in NSW trying to address our future Mathematicians! Money solves everything. Let’s throw money at the problem and see what happens? Remember the One-to-one laptop program?If money solved problems how come Luxembourg who spends a whopping $48,907 us dollars per student is not performing the best in the OECD? Actually they are well below us. see summary pages 3-5.

Sue Thomson would have you believe that we need to compete with our trading partners such as China, according to an article written by ACER. Which of course is mirrored by the media and shadow Education minister.

These examinations and overall results can mislead economies into anxiety and unfounded fear. The comparison trap we warn our kids about, we blindly follow. With the media and examination committees making more money out of our fear and ignorance than utilising those much needed resources for our students.

How many times are we told as teachers and parents, exams do not tell all. Yes they are useful as a tool but not our ONLY tool. Syllabus writers, do not rejig our syllabus. It doesn’t need another overhaul for teachers to spend hours, days and months trying to organise resources to match your outcomes. I’d rather they give us resources and let me do my job, TEACH.

Let’s listen to academics like John Hattie who assures us through years of research that the teacher is the number one resource that affects student learning. I find it interesting that we all visit a doctors surgery but yet we never prescribe anything for ourselves. Yet when it comes to education, everyone who has been in classroom think they can tell a teacher how to teach. Today with COVID-19 at our doors and parents home schooling. I think we all should give all our teachers a much needed appreciation.

Academics, policy writers, teachers, minsters, come together and don’t leave the teacher out. In my first lecture of Education (before virutal lectures) the professor held four sticks of various lengths (from largest to almost invisible). He had our attention. He was demonstrating the stakeholders that influence education in Australia. which stick do you think represented teachers? I will never forget that demonstration about 15 years ago.

Our students deserve the best. We do live in the best country in the world and our students deserve the best education system.

How is Australia tackling the problem of financial literacy.

Moneysmart– a website to educate students and others on Money Matters.

Financial Capabilities – Another webite (not really sure what it does)

I find it interesting that we all visit a doctors surgery but yet we never prescribe anything for ourselves. Yet when it comes to education, everyone who has been in classroom thinks they know how teaching works. Today with COVID-19 at our doors and parents home schooling. I think we all should give all our teachers a much needed appreciation.

Here is my resource for this topic. IT took me about 2 solid hours of writing and may be another 2 for editing.

FORM examining financial literacy for year 9 students. Feel free to share and use in your classes.

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