• Which foundational money concepts do our students struggle with the most?
• Why do states and districts continue to downplay the importance of financial literacy in our curricular standards?
• What is one practical way for teachers to build financial literacy in their classrooms on Monday morning?

Welcome back to the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing live on YouTube most Saturday mornings at 8am Pacific, 11am Eastern. My name is Tim Cavey, and my mission here is to warm your heart, spark your thinking, and ignite your professional practice.

About this guest, Debra Kierstead

Deb is an elementary teacher and financial literacy coach who helps educators bring real-world money skills into the classroom. Her hands-on approach makes budgeting, saving, and spending feel simple and fun – for students and teachers alike.

Connect with Debra

• On Facebook, 
• On Instagram @kierstead.deb, and
• At her website, liveskillsmoney.com.

Take advantage of Deb’s free starter class: www.liveskillsmoney.com/free-starter-class (not sponsored)

Timestamps from This Episode

• 0:00:00 – Deb Kierstead is an elementary educator in Ontario, Canada
• 1:24 – A foundational money concept that students struggle with
• 2:28 – Collaboration between teachers and parents
• 3:50 – Speaking negatively about money
• 5:27 – Budgets as a path to freedom
• 7:28 – 3 questions to answer before spending or purchasing
• 10:04 – Good debt versus bad debt for 8-year-olds
• 11:43 – How educators can model financial competence
• 14:04 – How Deb’s teaching background has shaped her work
• 15:44 – Why states and districts downplay financial literacy
• 19:19 – A first step to take in your classroom on Monday
• 21:51 – How and where to connect with Deb online

Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse – retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library.