Personal Finance
Course Syllabus 2007 -2008 Instructor: Mr. Stidham Email: pstidham@indep.k12.mo.us Conference Period: MTF 10:10-11:00, Th 9:45-11:15 FOCUS Classroom: 227 Phone: 816-521-2710
Gamma House Room 227 Understanding and managing personal finances is the key to one’s future financial success. This one-semester course is based on the Missouri Personal Finance Competencies and presents essential knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about real world financial issues. Students will learn how choices influence occupational options and future earning potential. Students will also learn to apply decision-making skills to evaluate career choices and set personal goals. The course content is designed to help the learner make wise spending, saving, and credit decisions and to make effective use of income to achieve personal financial success. Course Competencies INCOME 1. Identify components and sources of income. 2. Analyze how career choice, education, skills, and economic conditions affect income and goal attainment. 3. Relate taxes, government transfer payments, and employee benefits to disposable income. MONEY MANAGEMENT 1. Explain how limited personal financial resources affect the choices people make. 2. Interpret the opportunity costs of financial decisions. 3. Evaluate the consequences of personal financial decisions. 4. Apply a decision-making process to personal financial choices. 5. Summarize how inflation affects spending and saving decisions. 6. Evaluate how insurance (e.g., auto, home, life, medical and long-term health) and other risk management strategies protect against financial loss. 7. Design a financial plan (budget) for earning, spending, saving, and investing. 8. Demonstrate how to use the services available from financial institutions. 9. Analyze the role of the Federal Reserve in controlling the money supply. SPENDING AND CREDIT 1. Compare the benefits and costs of alternatives in spending decisions. 2. Evaluate information about products and services. 3. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of different payment methods. 4. Analyze the benefits and cost of consumer credit. 5. Compare sources of consumer credit (e.g., credit cards, consumer loans, auto loans, student loans). 6. Evaluate the terms and conditions of credit cards and consumer loans.
7. Evaluate factors that affect creditworthiness. 8. Explain the purpose and components of credit records. 9. Demonstrate awareness of consumer protection and information (e.g., identity theft, phishing, scams). 10. Propose ways to avoid or correct credit problems. 11. Describe the rights and responsibilities of buyers and sellers under consumer protection laws. SAVING AND INVESTING 1. Compare consumer choices for saving and investing. 2. Explain the relationship between saving and investing. 3. Examine reasons for saving and investing, e.g., time value of money. 4. Compare the risk, return, liquidity, manageability, and tax aspects of investment alternatives. 5. Demonstrate how to buy and sell investments. 6. Analyze factors affecting the rate of return on investments (e.g., Rule of 72, simple interest, compound interest). 7. Evaluate sources of investment information. 8. Examine how agencies that regulate financial markets protect investors. 9. Demonstrate how to evaluate advisors’ credentials and how to select professional advisors and their services. Required Materials Students are expected to bring with them to class the following items: Pencil, Black or Blue Pen, spiral notebook, Calculator, Paper, and Student Agenda. Classroom Expectations 1. NO FOOD OR DRINKS allowed in classroom without prior authorization. 2. Be respectful to others and their property. 3. Arrive to class on time with the appropriate materials needed for the day. 4. This class only has a classroom set of textbooks. In order to help each student be successful in class, students will be required to take notes over lectures/PowerPoint presentations for each chapter. If the student is absent, it is my expectation that notes will be taken during an after school makeup day. An example of acceptable note taking will be demonstrated during class. It is expected that each student use the Double Column note taking method. 5. No quiz or test may be taken until Notes are complete for each Chapter. Grade will reflect an “Incomplete” and the student will not be able to continue through to the next Unit until completed. Homework Policy Homework is designed to provide quality; independent learning that has a purpose. Incomplete/Late Work We must help hold students accountable in completing coursework because this increases their chances of reaching high academic achievement. As an educator at Truman High School, my policy on incomplete work is that makeup work is the student’s responsibility. Only excused absences qualify the student to complete makeup work for full credit. Students have three days to complete and hand in makeup work starting from the student’s return to the classroom. Students have one week to complete and hand in late work subsequent to the due date, however; full credit will not be awarded. One full letter grade will be deducted for each corresponding delinquent day.
Extra Help Plan In order to make rigorous instruction and learning possible, our house has implemented the following plan to help provide students the support they need to succeed. Communicate a set of expectations and policies for student work, grading, and classroom behavior expectations in each of our course syllabi Post in our rooms, and include in our syllabi, when we are available for extra student help each week. (Monday, Tuesday, and Friday mornings from 6:45 to 7:15 am or by appointment.) Abide by and enforce school and House policies on late work, homework, and incomplete work Work with FOCUS advisors to communicate early course failures and missing student course work by week 4 of each semester by phoning home and by communicating directly with our students. Provide a current course grade and missing assignment report for each class and require students to bring the report back with a parent signature at week 9 for students earning D’s and F’s Work together with FOCUS advisors and Mr. Brennan to communicate by telephone should a sudden change in a student’s grade occur, and communicate course failures directly to parents and students at week 15 of each semester Update grades every two weeks so that parents and students can regularly check on course work and grades through the internet Seek assistance from district interpreters if families need help with English interpretation/translation or from the family-school liaison if students have special family circumstances Work together with Mr. Brennan, Mrs. Quinley, and each other toward the best interests of our students
Parent Communication Plan Gamma House teachers will contact the parents of their FOCUS students who are earning a D grade or below at weeks 3, 9, and 15 of each semester. Parents will be informed in which subjects their students are struggling, and how to contact those teachers. Evaluation Grading Scale: 95-100% 90-94% 87-89% 83-86% 80-82% 77-79%
A AB+ B BC+
73-76% 70-72% 67-69% 63-68% 60-62% 0-59%
C CD+ D DF
Course Grades The course will consist of the following Quizzes and Test: 11 Quizzes 4 Unit Tests Final
220 Points 300 Points 100 Points ** Additional points will be awarded for daily work, notes, and classroom projects.
Special Accommodations Any student who may need additional accommodations is encouraged to make prior arrangements with the instructor.
Personal Finance Course Outline
Unit 1 Planning Personal Finances Chapter 1 – Personal Financial Planning Chapter 2 – Finances and Career Planning Chapter 3 – Money Management Strategy Unit 2 Banking and Credit Chapter 5 – Banking Chapter 6 – Consumer Credit Unit 3 Investing Financial Resources Chapter 8 – Saving and Investing Chapter 9 – Stocks Chapter 10 – Bonds and Mutual Funds Unit 4 Protecting Your Finances Chapter 12 – Planning Your Tax Strategy Chapter 13 – Home and Motor Vehicle Insurance Chapter 14 – Health, disability, and Life Insurance
Personal Finance 2007-2008 Mr. Pat Stidham Room 227 Email: pstidham@indep.k12.mo.us Gamma House Member Receipt of Syllabus Confirmation This is a general description of the Personal Finance course that your student is enrolled. Please read the previous pages and if you have questions, contact me by email or at 816-521-2710 during the times indicated under contact information. This copy is for you and your student to keep. Please complete the attached form as an indication that you have covered this information with your student. It should be returned no later than August 28, 2007. Student’s name (please print) Student’s signature ___________________________________ ____________________________________
Print Parent/Guardian Name Signature of Parent/Guardian Relationship to student
____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________
Phone # and best time to contact ____________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
This document represents the first grade (20 points) entered for this semester. It must be returned no later than Monday, August 28, 2007 to receive credit.