Personal Finance

Why does PHS offer this class?
Where did it come from?

After years of teaching Personal Finance to hundreds of students, Mr Wormann (who retired from PHS in June 2016) and Mr Michaels recognized an opportunity to meet the needs of students able to work independently in a fast-paced setting who wanted/needed to "make room" in their schedules. In the spring of 2016, they piloted a new version of Personal Finance with these goals in mind. Typically taken by sophomores, juniors, and seniors, taking this course during the "homeroom" period enables students to take an additional full-year course they would not have been able to otherwise.

 

What is "Blended Learning"?

The homeroom sections (there are two, currently) of Personal Finance are "Blended" - but what does that mean? Here are some quotes that might help:

  

From Cornell University:

"Online learning can require more independent learning on the students’ part."

 

"Students may initially be pushed out of their learning comfort zone."

 

"'Blended learning' or ‘hybrid learning,’ is learning that combines the best of online learning and face-to-face instruction for the purpose of enhancing learning." 

 

From the University of Central Florida:

"Blended courses (also known as hybrid or mixed-mode courses) are classes where a portion of the traditional face-to-face instruction is replaced by web-based online learning."

 

So, how is the class different?

The time is short: The class meets every day, so, in a 7-day cycle, the homeroom class meets for 27 x 7 = 189 minutes per cycle  while the traditional (non-Blended) sections meet for 60 x 5 = 300 minutes per cycle. Therefore, students should expect to spend the difference, 111 minutes per cycle (or more), working INDEPENDENTLY. Much of this time will be spent working with technology, including interactive resources like EverFi. The role of the teacher is to facilitate and augment self-directed learning outside the classroom.

 

What kind of student is a good candidate for this class?

Students willing and able to work independently, consistently meet deadlines, and take initiative tend to do very well. While the material is the same as the traditional sections, class discussion tends to be higher order. Students need to be willing to seek extra help quickly if needed. Students uncomfortable with working independently and/or at a very fast pace would be better served in a traditional (not Blended) class instead.

 

What are keys to success in this class?

It is important that students arrive on time and ready to work. Even a 5-minute bathroom break comes out to almost 20% of the class period! Also, the pace is very fast - almost double that of the traditional, non-Blended sections. Lapses in attention can result in missing a fair amount of material. Since little time is given in class for assignments, students must time-manage to ensure deadlines are met. In short, keep up, complete and submit everything on time, and prepare for assessments, and you should be fine.

  

What about Homeroom?

This course replaces homeroom for one semester. Students will be in a "normal" homeroom the other half of the school year. Students' lunch period is not affected except for the final exam day (when students will be asked to bring lunch to class as the final requires more than 27 minutes as there is no final exam period for homeroom sections).

 

What about other stuff normally done during homeroom?

Personal Finance - Blended is an ACADEMIC CLASS that happens to meet during the homeroom time slot. Students should NOT schedule things like making up tests, counseling appointments, extra help, AP or SAT preparation, etc., during this time. Students in the Blended section are there by choice, and that choice involves choosing to make some sacrifices.

 

I have questions or concerns: how can I find out more?

See Mr Michaels before school (7 - 7:10 in D215) or during his lunch (10:30 - 11 in D215).