Iowa State University Extension and Outreach offers Teacher license renewal course ‘Small Change’ – The Storm Lake Times

Reality TV often features contestants demonstrating skills as they live in the woods, race through an obstacle course, or compete in challenges on an island. However, in the reality of everyday living, financial literacy skills are far more important for survival and are now required for high school graduation, says Carol Ehlers, a human sciences specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

That is why Ehlers encourages K-12 teachers to register for the upcoming Small Change: Building Financial Security for Educators online course starting Wednesday, March 30 from 5 to 7 p.m.

The course content is embedded in the financial literacy standards of the Iowa Core 21st Century Skills and Social Studies, and connects participants with curricula, resources, and school-based programs for elementary, middle, and high school levels. Educators can earn one Iowa license renewal credit.

Financial literacy skills are important at any age, but the younger you develop the skills, the more time you have to reap the benefits. When we teach youth personal financial skills, they gain a solid foundation for a lifetime of financial independence and decision-making, said Ehlers, who specializes in family wellbeing.

The online course supports the effort to increase Iowa students financial literacy, as the state added a personal finance course as a graduation requirement beginning with the graduating class of 2021.

The educator course focuses on making more informed decisions about financial management and building greater confidence to make small changes that can make a difference. Thanks to a grant from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation, Iowa teachers partner with Extension and Outreach to complete the course. Participants explore lessons that are timely and relevant to themselves personally and to their classroom.

Lesson topics include:

The course format requires participants to:

Educators explore research-based resources that look at strategies for handling and managing debt, how to use various financial services, how to create a personal insurance plan, ways to examine how choice of career and lifestyle will affect personal financial planning, and much more, Ehlers said.

The Small Change: Building Financial Security course features vetted curriculum and resources. It is offered by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach with seed funding support from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation.

The course fee is $25 to ISEA members and non-members. Those who do not need license renewal credit may register and audit the course for a $10 fee.

Register online by March 25 at cvent.me/wyxGAE or search for Small Change Online at isea.org/course/. Space is limited.

For more information, visit http://www.extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/small-change.

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Iowa State University Extension and Outreach offers Teacher license renewal course 'Small Change' - The Storm Lake Times