Question 1: During the first face to face we used the language of Urgent vs Important to help frame our thinking around our use of TIME. Reflect on why you joined Cohort 21 and your professional goals for this year. Now that the year has begun and you have met your students what IMPORTANT goal might you like to address and leverage this community to get support with?
I’ve noticed that students in my accounting classes, as well as those in the finance and investment club, often come with a strong desire to learn how to manage finances. While I do my best to offer lessons that tie into the curriculum, I believe financial literacy is something everyone should master. This has prompted me to think about how I can intentionally integrate financial literacy into various courses. Recently, I learned that the Ministry is introducing a financial literacy module in the Grade 10 math curriculum, along with a financial literacy test, which I see as a significant step towards lifelong success.
As of now, my immediate goal is to focus on developing financial literacy lessons for the Senior School, with backward planning to introduce these lessons into the Middle School as the next step. The Grade 9 business course, Launching and Leading a business, BEP2O, seems like a natural integration point for financial literacy lessons, and I have already started making connections to it.
Question 2: Which of the Season 13 Strands resonates with you and why? Share what you feel is both urgent and important about it for you and your school at the moment and some of the questions you have about moving forward.
The strand that resonates most with me is Pedagogy, Belonging & Wellness (Grade 7-12), particularly in how we can best engage, support, and assess our learners. Building on my focus on integrating financial literacy into the curriculum, I see this strand as aligning perfectly with my goal of preparing students not only for academic success but also for their long-term well-being.
It’s urgent for me to focus on developing financial literacy lessons for Senior School students, ensuring they are engaged with real-world skills that will be valuable throughout their lives. As I work towards backward planning to bring these lessons into the Middle School, I’m considering how we can best support students’ sense of belonging by connecting financial literacy to their personal experiences. I also wonder how to assess their progress in a way that fosters growth, not just knowledge retention.
This strand helps me reflect on how I can make financial literacy an engaging and supportive part of the overall student experience, ensuring they feel confident and well-prepared for their futures.
This is such a thoughtful and proactive approach to addressing the growing need for financial literacy in students’ lives. I really appreciate how you’re focusing on integrating real-world skills like managing finances into the curriculum, especially with the recent changes to the Grade 10 math curriculum. It’s clear you’re thinking not just about the immediate impact, but how to scaffold this learning across different grade levels—starting with Senior School and moving backward into the Middle School.
As you mentioned, aligning this goal with the Pedagogy, Belonging & Wellness strand makes perfect sense. Financial literacy is empowering and can provide students with a strong sense of agency in their personal and professional futures. I think your approach to connecting financial literacy with students’ experiences is a fantastic way to foster engagement and belonging.
One area you might explore further is how to assess progress beyond traditional tests and quizzes—perhaps through project-based assessments where students apply financial concepts to real-life scenarios. This could also help students feel more confident in their skills as they make decisions about their future financial health.
I’m looking forward to seeing how you continue to build on this goal, this community will be a great space to share ideas and get support with the resources and strategies you’re developing!
@zladha – I am also looking forward to seeing where this project takes you to enhance the financial literacy of your students. I agree with Justin that seeking out real-world connections for assessment and evaluation might help motivate students to learn financial skills. I wonder if there are guest speakers or existing resources you can use to help with lesson development? @emartin