With the start of the school year on the horizon, it's a good time to set intentions for the upcoming year. Before veteran teacher Theresa Miller retired from Cary-Grove High School in Cary, Illinois this spring, she passed along six pieces of advice for other personal finance educators. See her list.

"After 23 years of teaching high school business classes, including personal finance, I’ve learned that there’s always something new to explore—whether it’s fresh teaching strategies, innovative technology, or ways to better connect with students," says Theresa.

1. Make It Relevant

Connect financial concepts to students' real lives. Use examples like budgeting for prom, buying a first car, or managing a part-time job paycheck. Bring in guest speakers, including former students, to share real-world experiences.

2. Stay Updated

Personal finance is always evolving. Stay current with trends in banking, investing, credit, and financial technology (FinTech). Engage in FREE continuous professional development through NGPF.

3. Encourage Hands-On Learning

Use MOVE activities and simulations, such as the investment challenge, and real-world case studies to engage students in learning.

4. Teach the "Why," Not Just the "How"

Help students understand the long-term impact of financial decisions. Don't just teach how to budget—show how it leads to financial security.

5. Connect 

Network with other personal finance educators to exchange ideas, resources and best practices.

6. Lead by Example

Share your own experiences with budgeting, saving, investing, and financial mistakes to make lessons more relatable. Students enjoy hearing my stories and don't often forget them. Show students financial literacy is a lifelong skill, not just a graded assignment. 

Read Theresa's full Q&A.

About the Author

Hannah Rael

As NGPF's Marketing Communications Manager, Hannah (she/her) helps spread the word about NGPF's mission to improve the financial lives of the next generation of Americans.