Talking Fin Lit

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From the vantage point of over 1 year of research, interviews and analysis of personal financial literacy for k-12 and adult education,  Kathy and Mark step back and provide an episode of reflection, high points and next steps. You are invited to join us for this “green room” debriefing as your Talking Financial Literacy Podcast co-hosts discuss such questions as :

• What were their surprises as they wrap up the first segment of the series?
• How can teachers best make use of the series?
• What needs and gaps did they uncover in the journey of exploring financial literacy resources?
• How has our world of economics and politics transformed during this 12-16 months?
• What could a sequel series of segments offer?

This episode becomes a fun, quick-paced recap of great resources, highlights and packs in more surprises for our listeners, both new and returning! Join us for this  comprehensive episode.

 Continuing the global conversation about personal

financial literacy for educators on

Talking Financial Literacy Podcast

 

Resources discussed in this episode:

• Our archive of illustrious guests and episodes     
  • Convenient: Available on demand:  24/7
  • Portable: Take use with you via MP3 player, iPod, cell phone or CD
  • Flexible: Use for teacher PD, student enrichment, parent and adult education classes

• We express a special thanks to the McGraw-Hill Companies who have so graciously sponsored this first round of the series as a philanthropic effort. Thank you for offering such a rich resource for teachers, students, community and parents.  ~~ Kathy & Mark
  

• We expect to be providing some more resources on this topic in the near future based on discussions with potential supporters. ~~ Kathy & Mark

• Keep this feed live in your feedreader and podcast reader (iTunes, etc) and check back to the site for updates and announcements!)
  

• We wish you all success in bringing financial literacy lifelong learning to life for your students!
  

Contact Us

You may contact Mark and Kathy by

• leaving a comment here on the blog/site

• emailing us at podcast@talkingfinlit.org

Podcast Feed:

Our podcast feed is: http://feeds.feedburner.com/talkingfinlit

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Talking Financial Literacy is produced in collaboration among the MS in Adult Education and HRD at Fordham University and The McGraw-Hill Companies.

• (C) Talking Financial Literacy is copyrighted by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2008 - 2009. All rights reserved.

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 Ep 25: A Fin Lit Finale (for now): Play Now | Download (450)

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  This episode features a lively and informative interview with loan manager, Elizabeth Zelasko of  Countrywide Bank by Talking Fin Lit co-host Dr. Kathy King. Elizabeth provides behind the scenes information that every loan applicant should know about mortgages in general and for the changing landscape of this financial vehicle today. From application fees to points, locking in rates, ARMs, fixed rates, taxes, stated income, credit scores, to “junk fees,” we are here to de-mystify the terms and the process!

You will find many money-saving and powerful suggestions for how to prepare for mortgages as adults and pose it for young people to understand the need to prepare now, for instance: building a credit history, savings and banking literacy!

Mark and Kathy also discuss the details of how to use mortgages and this life need as a vibrant classroom learning focus. Resources, lesson ideas and discussion abound.

Join us as we bring an expert on board to provide complete information in a form for all to understand.

 Elizabeth (Lisa) Zelasko contact information:

Countrywide Bank, FSB
Home Loan Consultant
Office: 201-556-4724
Fax: 866-433-2940
Email: Elizabeth_Zelasko@Countrywide.com

 WEB: http://countrywidelocal.com/elizabethzelasko

 Resources for this Episode

• Countrywide Bank, FSB Resources
  •  http://my.countrywide.com/

• Lisa’ Countrywide Bank site with calculators and articles
  • http://countrywidelocal.com/elizabethzelasko
  • Current rates for various mortgages
  • Payment calculators
  • and much more

Mortgage Calculators

• Amortization Tables
  • Also http://calculator-loan.info/mortgage-calculator.php

• 

 

• Mortgage Calculator shows annual tax and insurance fee, too.
  • Annual tax and fee plus Mortgage Calculator (All Fees)

•  Credit Worthiness Calculator
  • At Bankrate.com

• Calculator: “Calculate Your Debt-to-Income Ratio”
  Comparing your earnings against your spending , also known as a debt-to-income ratio, is one of the most popular approaches for evaluating if you have too much debt. Lenders, for years, have looked at debt-to-income ratios to get a better grasp on a person’s current financial picture to determine credit-worthiness.
  • Debt-to-income ratio calculator

Other Resources

•  Informational Website
  • “ Understand Your Debt-to-Income Ratio or Creditworthiness”

•  How to Calculate Your Debt Utilization Ratio
  • Debt Utilization Ratio Calculator

Contact Us

You may contact Mark and Kathy by

• leaving a comment here on the blog/site
• emailing us at podcast@talkingfinlit.org

Podcast Feed:

Our podcast feed is: http://feeds.feedburner.com/talkingfinlit

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Talking Financial Literacy is produced in collaboration among the MS in Adult Education and HRD at Fordham University and The McGraw-Hill Companies.

• (C) Talking Financial Literacy is copyrighted by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2008 - 2009. All rights reserved.

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The emergence of simulations has taken the game industry by storm, but having fun while learning to be a CEO and become adept at financial literacy?
This isn’t our traditional school days! Instead, media companies have developed accurate, compelling simulation games which put learners(of all ages) into the director’s chair as they guide their company to success.

• Will they make the right decisions?
• OR will they be swayed by false information, incorrect projections or allegiances?

Kathy and Mark provide another riveting episode of Talking Financial Literacy in which they tour several of the best online games related to financial literacy learning.

Listen in for abundant resources, perspectives on critical thinking and constructivism all to continue our quest for developing better understanding and practice in personal finance. You will discover

• Several free online video games which teach entrepreneurship through virtual reality simulations
•  Educators’ inside looks at ease of setup, use, application and benefits of these programs.

Article
• From Entrepreneur.com

“Game Plans”

A very different use of games for “financial learning” File under Innovative Thinking

“Now Bellevue, Washington-based SimplyFun offers its own line of games, puzzles, puppets and other family activities. The exclusivity of the products is essential to direct-sales success, according to Molen and DeGiulio, because the products don’t have to compete with any others and the consultants don’t have to compete with retail stores. “We want to make it easy for the consultants to be successful,” says DeGiulio. To that end, they provide training in person, online, by video and through conference calls; choose not to charge their consultants for their website or require them to keep any inventory; and offer incentives to encourage their consultants to reach certain goals.

But they also realize that attracting and keeping consultants is about more than just money and rewards. “For your consultants to be excited and passionate about what you’re doing, they have to feel attached and connected to your mission,” says Molen. “Our mission is to promote play and get people to laugh, create memories and connect through face-to-face fun.” Guided by that mission, they have signed more than 1,000 consultants in 45 states, and the company saw 60 percent growth last year.”

Resources

• Johnny Money Financial Simulation - website and game

From NIFB website: “Now available from the NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation, Johnny Money Online Game is a FREE Internet-based small business simulation game that engages students as they explore the risks and rewards of business ownership. Johnny Money is the newest of the Entrepreneur-in-the-Classroom programs, which are designed to enable educators to talk about entrepreneurship in their classrooms.

Goals/Objectives: Students will be able to:
* Utilize experiential learning as a tool to aid in retention of entrepreneurial concepts
* Create, maintain, analyze and influence the essential factors in a successful virtual small business
* Experience, engage and interact with entrepreneurial decisions and events in a virtual setting”

• Industry Masters Online Simulation- YouTube video
• Industry Masters Online Simulation- also watch this one !
• JA Titan Simulation - website and game    

Set in the year 2035, JA Titan creates a world in which players are CEOs of their own companies. Originally conceived in the 1980s as the Management and Economic Simulation Exercise, or MESE, JA Titan is a widely recognized business simulation for high school students. During game play, students must run a manufacturing company and master six key business decisions: price of product, production levels, marketing expenses, research and development costs, capital investment level, and charitable giving. Various corporate assistants “help” the player through each phase, or “quarter,” of game play. In 2000, JA Worldwide™ (Junior Achievement) launched JA Titan under its current name as a Web-based product. ….

Success in JA Titan is measured by a “Performance Index,” an evaluation of each fictional company’s performance based on the following:
* Retained Earnings (50%)
* Supply and Demand Potential (20%)
* Productivity (10%)
* Market Share (10%)
* Growth (10%)

Contact Us

You may contact Mark and Kathy by

• leaving a comment here on the blog/site
• emailing us at podcast@talkingfinlit.org

Podcast Feed:

Our podcast feed is: http://feeds.feedburner.com/talkingfinlit

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Talking Financial Literacy is produced in collaboration among the MS in Adult Education and HRD at Fordham University and The McGraw-Hill Companies.

• (C) Talking Financial Literacy is copyrighted by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2008. All rights reserved.

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 Episode 11 SimBusiness- Free Biz Sims for Learning [22:44m]: Play Now | Download (253)

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Youth and Entrepreneurship Interview with Dan Rabuzzi

 

NFTE 2007 Marketing Video

Join us for the second part of this informative and inspiring episode with Dan Rubuzzi, of NFTE. In this episode Dan continues to shareg his considerable experience and expert perspective on the current state of financial literacy learning, needs, and resources. You will gain much from these practical examples, resources and ideas you hear!

In addition, Mark and Kathy discuss some critical news items and resources to round out a rich episode to assist and guide educators, students and learners of all ages advance their understanding and mastery of personal financial literacy, and in this case entrepreneurship!

Global discussion of the ever changing needs emerging from the world of personal finance

Talking Fin Lit Episode Part 1 of Interview Click here

Lead Article

Pretend money may produce real academic gains
Students at a Washington, D.C., KIPP charter school earn pretend paychecks for completing homework, behaving well and improving academically and can trade the fake dollars for small items at the school store, like pens and pencil cases, or exchange it for rewards like being allowed to wear casual clothes on Fridays. The rewards motivate the children initially and help them develop better study habits; eventually, however, success becomes its own reward, say the program’s backers, such as principal Sarah Hayes of KEY Academy, which now sports some of D.C.’s top test scores despite its population of low-income, disadvantaged students. National Public Radio/Associated Press (6/13)

Resources

ZEROMILLION- Many articles here

• http://www.zeromillion.com/young/

The Evolution of a Young Entreprenuer2008-05-01 Ryan P Allis
Do You Have What It Takes?

2008-03-25 Ryan P Allis
Assimilation Into Organizational Communication

2006-05-04 Christin Gulick
Life Lessons For Young Entreprenurs

2005-06-17 Gary Drumm
5 Keys to Breaking Into Entrepreneurship

2005-05-12 Leigh Goldberg
Following the Way of the Entrepreneur

2005-03-30 James Coombs
Climbing Out of Your Comfort Zone

2005-03-21 Leigh Goldberg
ETC………………………

Teen Business Link from SBA

• Small Business Administration: this site is full of ideas and resources
• http://www.sba.gov/teens/

Raising Entrepreneurs

• Teaching, parenting and guiding students into fin lit
• http://raisingentrepreneurs.org/blog/

Teaching Kids About Money and Business

Good blog with post in the following categories:

o Business Concepts
o business Ideas
o Mindset
o News
o Parenting
o Personal Finance
o Schooling
o Teaching Ideas
o Young Entrepreneurs

So you get a variety of discussion perspectives on the above from interested individuals…

Contact Us

You may contact Mark and Kathy by

• leaving a comment here on the blog/site
• emailing us at podcast@talkingfinlit.org

Podcast Feed:

Our podcast feed is: http://feeds.feedburner.com/talkingfinlit

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Talking Financial Literacy is produced in collaboration among the MS in Adult Education and HRD at Fordham University and The McGraw-Hill Companies.

• (C) Talking Financial Literacy is copyrighted by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2008. All rights reserved.

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 Ep 9 Interview with Dan Rabuzzi (Part 2) : Play Now | Download (275)

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