Office of Economic Education (OEE)
Sheryl Szot Gallaher, Director
708.534.4926
sgallaher@govst.edu
The Office of Economic Education is dedicated to increasing the quality and quantity of economic education in the GSU region. It accomplishes this mission by training educators in grades K - 12 to become better teachers of economics. OEE also offers programs for students.
Opportunities promoted by the Office of Economic Education include:
- Fall and Spring conferences, at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, for teachers in grades 6 – 12: Topics of current interest are discussed by experts, and teachers learn how to apply concepts in their classrooms.
- Economics Poster Contest for students in Grades 1 – 8: Students illustrate economics concepts and are eligible for cash prizes and a chance for their drawing to appear in a statewide calendar.
- Teach Children to Save Day for Grades 1 - 3: Bankers visit classrooms and read to students from books about saving. During the 45-minute session, the banker engages students in activities to enhance their understanding of why it’s important to save.
- The Stock Market Game, for students in grades 5 – 12: The Stock Market Game is an on-line investing simulation that encourages students to work in teams, buying stocks, bonds and mutual funds. Real-time trading with $!00,000 of imaginary money allows students to use research skills in choosing their investment options.
- Graduate-courses: The Office of Economic Education offers a number of graduate level courses for teachers who want to enhance their teaching of economics concepts. Courses are designed at all levels, from kindergarten to twelfth grade.
- Workshops: Economic Education workshops are conducted periodically. These workshops target different grade levels and focus on strategies for teaching economics principles in reading, math, and social studies classes.