The Positives of Teaching Personal Finance Remotely

Teachers, we get it. This is a crazy time, and nobody really knows yet when school will be back to normal again. Everyone could be back in the classroom this coming fall, or some might have to face the realities of online classes for a little bit longer. We know it’s been really hard. You might be missing your students (they miss you too, even if they don’t say it), and you might be frustrated that you don’t get the same connection and level of engagement with them that you get from in-person class.

But let’s look on the bright side for a minute. There are some serious upsides to teaching remotely—and if you’re teaching personal finance, you have the added bonus of knowing you’re helping these kids be smart with their money in the middle of uncertainty. They’re going to need these skills for years to come.

So here are the top three greatest things about teaching personal finance remotely!

1. Your students will be more prepared for emergencies.                                                                                                                                                

If the whole quarantine situation has taught us anything, it’s that we need to be prepared in advance for a crisis—especially when it comes to our finances. Right now, your students are seeing firsthand why personal finance is so important, and everything they learn in your class will help them feel more equipped to deal with whatever comes their way in the future. Knowing how to budget, save, build an emergency fund, and steer clear of debt will only make them more confident and hopeful about whatever’s coming next. And that hope is exactly what the world needs right now.

As hard as this whole experience has been, the pandemic has created one giant teaching and discussion opportunity. Embrace it! Talk with your students about how this situation has affected not only their families’ lives but the economy at large. Ask them what steps they’re planning to take in the future if anything like this were to happen again.

2. The online format is user-friendly.

If you’re using a complete, turnkey online curriculum like Foundations in Personal Finance, all the work is done for you. The lessons and activities are already planned, and the tests grade themselves (praise!). That means, with less time spent on planning, you have more time to enjoy the content and have valuable conversations with your students—even if that has to happen over video chat. But of course, if coming up with new and creative assignments is your jam, there’s plenty of space for you to add your own flair to the curriculum!

The online format is super easy for students to use, too. With so many entertainment platforms going fully digital these days, the video content in the curriculum will fit right in with what they’re used to. (Okay, maybe it’s not quite as fun as Disney+, but almost.) They can watch it anytime, anywhere—even from the comfort of their beds.

3. Learning from home will teach your students real-world skills.

Having to work from home creates a lot of new challenges that will actually benefit your students in the long run. It’s not always easy to avoid distractions in a home environment, but they’ll learn a lot about time management and personal accountability from this temporary normal. These are skills they’ll need not just in school but in life after graduation, too.

Are you a teacher? Help your students win with money today!

Who knows? They might even be more thankful for school than they used to be before this whole thing started. And you might be pleasantly surprised by their shift in perspective when in-person classes start back up again.

No matter what subject you teach, we want to say a huge thank you for staying dedicated and calm in the middle of a crisis and for continuing to encourage your students even when everything feels uncertain. You are truly amazing.

If you’re interested in learning more about the fully digital and print versions of Foundations in Personal Finance, check out Ramsey Education!