This is my 8th year doing the Budget Challenge. This is by far one of the best tools out there to give students a true understanding of what "Life" is like when it comes to managing money and paying bills. Each year you all update it with a new feature and I love it. One thing I do is make students share their spreadsheet with me each Friday so that I can make sure they are staying on task. We do the curriculum lessons each week that match up with a quiz. We also go over the glossary and I give them a vocabulary quiz on the topic words of the week. I feel like these extra assignments and discussions really help them get a good understanding and a time to ask questions. Discussions are very involved and it's amazing to see the students learn on the level they do about something that is so important to their futures.
What has been your favorite part of Budget Challenge as a teacher?
My favorite part about teaching the Budget Challenge is seeing how eager the students are to learn and discuss finances and be excited about it!
What is the biggest challenge as a teacher when using Budget Challenge?
Probably one of the biggest challenges would be keeping everyone on task when they are absent due to activities and medical appointments.
What is the biggest challenge for students participating in Budget Challenge?
Getting them to understand how important it is to keep their spreadsheet updated as they go instead of trying to catch it up on Fridays.
Are there any tips you can give to new teachers using Budget Challenge?
I highly recommend doing the chapter curriculum each week that goes with the quiz of that week. This has helped the students really get a good understanding of the quiz topic before taking the quiz and I've seen improvement with their scores.
How have your students responded to Budget Challenge during this unprecedented time?
We use google classroom so when students are absent for any reason I post a reminder of what they need to be checking and paying each day in the classroom. I feel that this gives them a good opportunity to follow along while not in class.
Do you have a Budget Challenge story that is especially memorable?
One of the most memorable things about this challenge is when the students who have graduated come back and tell you how thankful they are that I made them do the budget challenge. When the students tell you that was one of the most beneficial things they learned throughout high school you know it's a good program to continue.