For educators, the following best practices were outlined in the National Endowment for Financial Education Think Tank (see below for complete study):

• Consider delivery and distribution methods in advance of implementing program and improve the distribution of existing financial material.
• Make financial education available at teachable moments.
• Know your audience and create programs to suit their needs.
• Reach out to students on their terms.
• Seek partnerships to increase budget and reach of education programs.
• Establish evaluation measures to determine success.
• Provide refresher training to reinforce the lessons of financial education for adults.
• Draw an analogy between financial health and physical health.
• Emphasize relevant rewards for students of all ages.
• When possible, incorporate one-on-one interaction, coaching, and mentoring techniques.
• Use a train-the-trainer approach when appropriate.
• Provide incentives or emphasize intrinsic benefits and advantages.
• Prepare financial education courses and materials that meet the unique requirements of adult learners and that can be used immediately.
• Encourage workplace financial education.

Financial Education at Bellevue Community College is compiling curriculum for adult education in financial literacy that will be customized to Washington state learners. This curriculum can be provided at community colleges, at the workplace, in community groups and other organizations such as churches. Curriculum can be as simple as a 90-minute session or it can be as comprehensive as a five-credit college course. College credit courses will offered locally throughout the state and online through BCC's online course delivery system. Once the curriculum is compiled, it will be available for all interested educators and we encourage collaboration between educators in assisting each other in delivering and evaluating this curriculum. There is ample curriculum available to educators, however each program adopted must be customized to diverse educational systems. Educators can benefit from creating a forum where issues of adapting and delivering curriculum can be discussed.

All those interested in joining an educator's forum can contact Leslie Lum llum@bcc.ctc.edu.

Research: (Linked)

National Endowment for Financial Education (2004) A Think Tank: Motivating Americans to Develop Constructive Financial Behavior.

This website is maintained by Leslie Lum and does not reflect the opinions or position of Bellevue Community College.  Contact llum@bcc.ctc.edu if you have any questions.

Last updated: 1/12/07