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Trustee seeks to promote economic literacy in classroom
KATE HAMMER, THE GLOBE AND MAIL
March 24, 2009
The current school curriculum doesn't properly arm students against the kind of credit crisis that has choked our economy, and credit cards, personal budgets, credit ratings and the stock market should feature more prominently in the classroom, according to Toronto District School Board trustee Josh Matlow.
Yesterday, he proposed curriculum changes aimed at promoting economic literacy among students that would begin in Grade 4 and continue through secondary school.
The changes could be incorporated into the 2009-2010 school curriculum, but must first be approved by the board's programs committee, then by the full board, and finally by the Ontario Ministry of Education.
"I did some homework and found that there's nothing mandatory in our system that ensures that when students graduate that they really understand basic economic literacy, and this is what has got so many Canadians into trouble and I think that the current economy highlights that," Mr. Matlow said.
The current curriculum does include elements such as basic math involving coins and compound interest, but falls short of relating those directly to personal finance and credit scores, according to Mr. Matlow.
Annie Kidder, executive director of People For Education, an advocacy group, argues lessons regarding personal finance should be taught by parents.
"We can only ask so much of the education system, and you do want a balance between learning for learning's sake and learning for having a capacity to live in the real world and deal with real world issues," she said. "I'm not sure that what's necessary is changing the curriculum."
A spokesperson for the ministry, Steve Robinson, pointed to elements of financial and economic literacy
already included in the Ontario curriculum, but added that it was constantly being revised and that a proposal from the TDSB could be considered.
Mr. Matlow will formally introduce the motion at the TDSB's program and school-services committee on April 7.
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