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Ask HN: Why isn’t finance a part of the core curriculum at schools?

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Re: Ask HN: Why isn’t finance a part of the core curriculum at schools?

#131

Post by aiisjustanif »

silverpepsi wrote: post #39
Broken_Hippo wrote: post #29

We got taught about basic finance. It was poor: The teacher had a friend from a care dealership come in to teach us some things. I was 13. But more importantly: What a wide swath of folks need is how to survive poverty. So many people never get to the point of even considering a CD or IRA. Most folks only really need the bank account for paying things. 401(k) simply because that's what is offered by the employer, and…

I think you're really, really on to something, but just simply that calling it "surviving poverty" will give most people the wrong impression. You've got to convince people that by spending every windfall (and by windfall I literally mean like 20 to 50 extra dollars) to "make up" for the resentment they felt when they couldn't pay their rent on time and got Eviction Notice #1... they've got to SAVE IT or the entire r…

If that’s the poorest guy you know, then you don’t really know poverty. Come on over to Mississippi.

Re: Ask HN: Why isn’t finance a part of the core curriculum at schools?

#132

Post by eeZah7Ux »

cateye wrote: post #58

Schools are mainly about supplying cheap workforce for existing companies. Learning things like starting your own company or managing money in a way that increases negotiation power of the workers, is a disadvantage for companies. Having financial knowledge is also not always a direct requirement to get the job at a company, so actually it doesn't provide a direct competitive advantage if you are in the job seeker po…

> Schools are mainly about supplying cheap workforce for existing companies.

This is historically true and well documented. There is no tin foil hat here.

> Learning things like starting your own company or managing money in a way that increases negotiation power of the workers, is a disadvantage for companies.

Also historically true. For centuries the education of aristocrats was focused on producing leaders and everybody else was trained to become a worker.

In many countries schooling is still very authoritarian...

Re: Ask HN: Why isn’t finance a part of the core curriculum at schools?

#133

Post by ampdepolymerase »

throwaway316943 wrote: post #102
giantg2 wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Secondary education typically includes some elective classes or even study hall periods. These suggested classes can even be a single semester, and may already be offered as electives. In fact, I took a 1 semester personal finance class in high school. I strongly support adding personal finance and logic (philosophy of arguement) courses to the core curriculum.

Financial education could begin at the grade school level and be rolled into math class as a practical application of concepts being taught. That could continue well into algebra 1 & 2. At a high school level you could address more complex aspects of finance as part of history and social sciences. We shouldn’t ever be teaching one subject at the expense of another, they’re all connected.

That is not a good idea. Focus on one topic at a time. Otherwise you will have a half baked understanding of both. It is probably great for Hacker News types who love STEM. For most children, having to simultaneously learn multiple things in class will not be viable.

Re: Ask HN: Why isn’t finance a part of the core curriculum at schools?

#135

Post by b0rsuk »

According to Yanis Varoufakis, politicians these days are not so smart anymore because the best, youngest and brightest realize the true power is in finance. He also said bankers have figured out a way to use money to buy laws and use laws to make money.

Re: Ask HN: Why isn’t finance a part of the core curriculum at schools?

#138

Post by loftyal »

aliassmith wrote: post #43

Every recommendation to add "x" to a school curriculum should state explicitly what alternative activity should be cut to free up time. This could be another subject, sleep or childrens' free time. For example, a better question would be "Why don't we eliminate and teach finance instead?"

I feel high school should be a year longer IMO. Life expectancy has grown, but number of years in secondary education hasn't.

Re: Ask HN: Why isn’t finance a part of the core curriculum at schools?

#139

Post by a2h »

I was exposed to some basic personal financial planning when during high school. However, it was (and still is) part of the curriculum of the JROTC program (among other things like managing stress, first aid, map reading etc). The focus was more along the lines of setting up a budget and not spending more money than one had/earned.

I am not so sure that teaching kids in high school about the various types of interest-bearing accounts or the different markets for financial instruments would be as valuable as simply teaching the basics of how interest works. That way those students who continue on to college can make a more informed decision should they need student loans to help pay tuition.

Re: Ask HN: Why isn’t finance a part of the core curriculum at schools?

#140

Post by x86ARMsRace »

loftyal wrote: post #138
aliassmith wrote: post #43

Every recommendation to add "x" to a school curriculum should state explicitly what alternative activity should be cut to free up time. This could be another subject, sleep or childrens' free time. For example, a better question would be "Why don't we eliminate and teach finance instead?"

I feel high school should be a year longer IMO. Life expectancy has grown, but number of years in secondary education hasn't.

High school was 5 years in some parts of Canada for a while. Then it was truncated to 4 with the same material being delivered, just compressed.
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