WESTBROOK, Maine–Saying it is seeking to make credit union outreach even more impactful, the Maine Credit Union League has launched a new curriculum program to teach younger Mainers about the importance of money management.
Through the Maine Credit Unions’ Elementary Curriculum, students can receive financial education lessons, according to the league.
“The program, which can be led by credit union staff or volunteers in an in-classroom setting, takes approximately one hour to complete,” the league explained. “With the curriculum being turnkey, any credit union staff or volunteer can utilize the program and lead a lesson with little preparation—making it easier than ever to engage with area schools.”
The league further said the program includes a unique Money Book and Educator Guide for each grade (K through five) that can be easily downloaded and printed. The Educator Guides are what credit union staff or volunteers will reference when leading lessons, the league explained.
Prompts to Spark Engagement
“Along with a script, there are prompts sprinkled throughout to encourage volunteers to walk around the room, or call on students to engage them in activities,” the MCUL stated. “The Money Books are workbooks that students complete as they follow along during a lesson plan. They’re hands-on, engaging, educational, and fun! To make the curriculum easy to pick up and leverage in schools, printed versions of the Money Books and Educator Guides are the only materials needed to lead lessons.”
The elementary lesson plans cover the basic concept of what money is and the purpose it serves, the difference between goods and services, identifying and counting money, differentiating between wants and needs, banks and credit unions, and more, according to the league.
The Value of In-Person Learning
“While virtual education outreach has been effective over the past year, we recognize the tremendous value and impact of in-person engagement,” said Jake Holmes, the league’s financial literacy outreach coordinator said in a statement on the league’s website. “With in-person opportunities being limited for some time now, schools are looking forward to the return of hands-on financial education. Now that credit unions have access to this turnkey curriculum, when it’s safe to do so, it will be easier than ever to meet the needs of schools throughout the state.”