Economics for high school credit (MtMM), Sproul/Ramsey items

[Tabitha]

We are getting ready to start MtMM for a latter 8th, beginning 9th combo. Economics is one thing I was beefing up for high school credit.

I bought the Sproul's "Biblical Economics" and the Bluestocking guide to go with the Penny Candy book. However, there is both a Dave Ramsey teen/homeschool financial package on sale (got an email notice via a local homeschool group), and a dvd set done by Sproul called "Economics for Everybody." Would either of these be acceptable things to use? I was leaning more toward the Sproul dvd set to go with the book I bought.

I was unsure how much my 13 yo would get into the Biblical Economics book. I was planning to read it with her. Then when I saw the dvd's I thought we could use that inplace of the book, or pairing them together. If the book is what's needed for ensuring things being credit worthy, then I certainly don't want to mess things up. I also don't wanna add in something else if it would be overkill.

Thanks!

[LynnH]

I haven't used either of those programs, but just remember normally Economics is only 1/2 a credit so I would be careful not to add too much.

[Motherjoy]

From what I understand, the Dave Ramsey course on its own is a half-credit in Personal Finance. I'm not sure it can be counted as economics, though.

You can add whatever you like and award more than 1/2 a credit, but economics or personal finance will usually count as an elective.

[Tabitha]

Yes, I realize Economics is an elective at .5 credit. In Carrie's suggestions for beefing up guides for credit, it was mentioned adding on Biblicial Economics by R.C. Sproul Jr., the Bluestocking guide, or the Ramsey items. Even though I bought Biblical Economics, if the dvd set would work in place of it I thought having a multi-media item for this subject might be nice for dd. Atleast, perhaps, making it more appealing/interesting. Anyway, that is what made me inquire about it since I think it's something that came out after Carrie made the Biblical Economics suggestion. I definitely didn't want to pack on too much, either. You gals are right about that.

If you look at the first post here, you'll see what all Carrie mentions can be added to make the Econ in MtMM worthy of high school credit:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11286&p=81879#p81879

eta: I watched sample videos from both sets today, and if the Dave Ramsey items are good to put in with the Econ. materials, I think my dd would like that over Biblical Economics (I'd still keep that book for me, though, and maybe use it with dd in later years).

Any other suggestions/thoughts out there?

[Tansy]

I'd just like to say I love Dave's stuff. What a blessing it would have been if my parents hadn't encouraged me to get a credit card etc. but instead had given me sound personal fiance advice like Dave gives.

My youngest avidly listens to Dave Ramsey I bet she could past that course now, since she hears the callers question and says "He needs to sell his car! They need to stop spending so much, and why did this person call in? they make 120 thousand a year!"

[Tabitha]

That is awesome!

[Carrie]

Tabitha,

The ladies are doing a good job of talking through ideas with you. I'll mention for the sake of our other board readers that economics and possibly finance will be scheduled in our upcoming line-up of high school guides, however for those who will graduate kiddos before those guides are done I realize other options have to be explored. That is why this particular thread isn't considered to be off-topic. Since my own son is doing Economics this year, I thought I'd also update my thoughts on this area a bit more.

As far as Biblical Economics goes, the book and the DVD are similar. R.C. Sproul Jr. does the DVD too. I considered using these for my oldest son for economics, however alone these two resources are not enough for an economics semester credit (and my oldest son was not doing any additional economics like those who are doing MTMM are doing). In looking at the Bluestocking guide and additional books that go with it, I did like the readings and the plans that go with it, however I wondered if the approach was pretty biased as to the author's worldview? This could easily be countered by adding something like Hazelett's Economics in One Lesson book, however I just didn't have time to put that all together for my own son this year. So, we instead went with Notgrass Economics for him. He is liking it overall, and the coverage is very thorough and from a Biblical standpoint. We spread it out over the year, rather than doing it in an semester. So, this may be another option too. It is one that we will definitely consider for our upcoming guide line-up.

As far as the Financial Peace DVD's go, we are using them along with Burkett's Money Matters for Teens for my oldest son this year as a semester of finance credit. We also made sure to add Ramsey's additional chapter on giving and tithing that doesn't come with the basic set. Finance is different than Economics, so if you do use Financial Peace it would definitely fall under a semester of finance credit. I like the combination of Burkett's and Ramsey's ideas together. It gives the student much to ponder about finances from two Biblical perspectives.

Blessings,
Carrie

[8arrows]

Tabitha or Carrie, I need some help here. If I am understanding correctly, there are Sproul DVDs now. Were you thinking Sproul economics and the Bluestocking Press for a credit? My daughter will need economics before that guide is written. Do you know if Carrie looked at Economics in a Box? It is expensive though.

[Tabitha]

Thanks, Carrie.

I think we are going to aim for a semester credit of Economics, and another in Personal Finance. These are areas I never hit until later in life. My parents never taught us anything about handling money. We didn't do bad, but guidance would have been nice. Right now my parents are getting ready to loose their house (series of unfortunate events and one mistake after another). My children are able to see several of their relatives in various situations that are less than stellar, so I'd like to start doing something sooner in the teen years than later.

If I have the MtMM items for Economics, and the Bluestocking guide for the Penny Candy book, what else would be good for credit there? Is just adding on Biblical Economics okay? I could just start off with the book, and if it drags for dd I could add in the dvd's to get more interest going. Or is Hazlett's book better?

Then for personal finance, would the Ramsey homeschool set be okay on it's own? Or would I need to add in the Burkett book to round it out? If the one is okay on it's own, I'd like to start off with that. Then add in the extra resource later, if it looks like we can fit it in.

[Tabitha]

Tabitha or Carrie, I need some help here. If I am understanding correctly, there are Sproul DVDs now. Were you thinking Sproul economics and the Bluestocking Press for a credit? My daughter will need economics before that guide is written. Do you know if Carrie looked at Economics in a Box? It is expensive though.

Melissa,

R.C. Sproul Jr. came out with an economics dvd set titled "Economics for Everybody." It's not his book in dvd form, as far as I know, just something else he did on this subject.

In my reply back to Carrie I have listed the things I am going to use. We are doing early high school credit right now with MtMM. Dd is in 8th/9th, pending her pace. I am also looking ahead and working on pairing things down for dd's senior year. So when subjects are introduced early, like how Economics is in MtMM, I am taking advanatge of being able to beef it up now for credit that way we have some things freed up for other electives later.

[momof2n2]

Coming LATE to this discussion...
I wonder if anyone used the DVDs that were discussed and what they thought of them.

I am hoping to beef up the economics of MTMM for my 9th grade son next year.
From this and another thread I have down:
MTMM guided Penny Candy/Common Sense Business
PLUS:
Bluestocking Guide to Economics & Notgrass
OR
Bluestocking Guide & Biblical Economics (possibly with DVD?)
OR
Hazelet's/One Lesson & Notgrass?

[momof2n2]

I'm bumping this up after a month, hoping to see if anyone can/will chime in on my question above.
Thanks, ladies.

[Carrie]

Momof2n2,

In looking at Economics, you will want to keep in mind that you are typically looking for only 1/2 a credit (or a semester) or Economics for most state (and college) requirements. With this in mind, you would either want to add the Bluestocking Guide and its related material to MTMM OR do Notgrass Economics OR do R.C. Spoul Jr.'s course including his book Biblical Economics OR do Sproul Jr's DVDs (Economics for Everybody) along with the supplemental reading material suggested in the booklet that comes with the DVD. If you use Hazelett's, you would most likely add that to the Bluestocking Guide option. Otherwise, the other options will be enough without Hazelett (especially now that R.C. Sproul Jr. has added a guide along with Economics for Everybody DVDs to help add supplemental reading material to get the hours needed for the credit).

If your state does allow the Finance OR Economics option, then you could also entertain the idea of doing Financial Peace University with Dave Ramsey in place of Economics. With our son, we actually had him do both Economics and Finance just because we thought both would benefit him. We did Notgrass for Economics and Dave Ramsey and Larry Burkett both for finance. Economics and Finance were not both required for our state. Our son earned a 1/2 credit in each course.

Hope this helps!

Blessings,
Carrie