October 17, 2005
Investor education program to be offered to Indiana school children
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Intended to help students build a foundation for making sound investment decisions, the Take Stock in Indiana program will provide middle and high school teachers with standards-based instruction and classroom materials. The program is now being offered by the Indiana Council on Economic Education based at Purdue University.
The Take Stock in Indiana program has three objectives, according to Jeff Sanson, financial literacy program coordinator at Purdue. The first is to develop and improve the skills and knowledge students will need to make investment decisions. With the program's curriculum, students will be introduced to the ins and outs of long-term investing, as well as take a critical look at investment opportunities such as mutual funds, stocks and bonds. The second objective of the program is to provide an opportunity for students to practice investment strategies. Providing teachers with standards-based materials to teach the curriculum is the program's third objective.
The Take Stock in Indiana program offers free regional workshops and school in-service programs for teachers. At these workshops, free standards-based materials are provided and points will be issued toward re-licensure. More information can be found online. Workshops for the 2005-06 school year will take place at the following dates and locations:
• Oct. 25 at Clark County REMC from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Sellersburg.
• Nov. 15 at the Central Indiana Educational Service Center from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Indianapolis.
• Feb. 16 at the University of Southern Indiana's Carter Hall Rooms A and B, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Evansville.
• Feb. 18 at Indiana University - Kokomo's Main Building from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Kokomo.
• March 8 at Indiana University - Northwest, details to be announced.
Teachers do not have to attend workshops or in-services in order to implement the program in their classrooms.
"Teachers could order the materials used in the workshop directly from the National Council on Economic Education," Sanson said. "However, the grant we received allows us to present a workshop to cover the concepts in depth and provide the materials free to teachers who attend the trainings."
To begin the program, all middle and high schools across Indiana have received two sets of posters as one of the program's initiatives. Highlighting key concepts to help students become better investors are the investor education posters, funded by the Investor Protection Trust. The second set of posters is the financial literacy posters, funded by the Indiana Council for Economic Education, which highlight economic principles and steps to save and build wealth. An information brochure was sent along with the posters. Principals and teachers can learn more about the program by contacting Sanson at (765) 494-0188 or visiting the Web site.
Once teachers decide to use the program in their classrooms, how the curriculum is implemented is their choice. Various strategies on how to use the program are provided in the trainings, Sanson said.
The Take Stock in Indiana program is funded by a grant from the Investor Protection Trust. The trust is a nonprofit organization devoted to investor education. Since 1993 the Investor Protection Trust has worked with states to provide independent, objective investor education.
The Indiana Council for Economic Education is a statewide source for classroom resources in economics, personal finance, and entrepreneurship. For over 50 years, the ICEE has provided training and materials to Indiana teachers to improve and integrate economic instruction across the curriculum, through a statewide network of 13 regional university centers, and in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Education.
Writer: Jennifer Culy, (765) 494-8402, jculy@purdue.edu
Sources: Jeff Sanson, (765) 494-0188, jjsanson@purdue.edu
Beverly Brewer, assistant director for Indiana Council for Economic Education, (765) 496-3780, brewerb@purdue.edu
Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
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