Back to school with the Get-a-Teacher team
Navigating the financial world can be challenging for young people. The Get-a-Teacher learning programme allows schools to bring a KBC employee to their classroom to teach their students smart money management skills. We met with Kris Wijnants, Mieke Van Opdenbosch and Tina Govaerts at educational institution Miniemeninstituut in Leuven. Kris, Mieke and Tina are responsible for the coordination of the Get-a-Teacher learning programme. KBC teachers Tom De Ridder and Sarah Lasuy also joined the discussion table.
“The Get-a-Teacher learning programme was launched seven years ago”, Mieke recalls. “Financial education in schools was limited at that time. We also noticed that young people feel reluctant to reach out to a bank with their questions. And that they’re sometimes too quick to believe financial information shared through social media. To us, this underlines the added value of a training programme focusing on financial matters.”
KBC currently offers the following teaching packs: ‘Wees een held met je geld’ (‘Become a money hero’); ‘Budgetteren kan je leren’ (‘Learn how to budget’); ‘Slim leren omgaan met geld’ (‘Learn smart money management’); ‘Ondernemen is spannend’ (‘The thrills of entrepreneurship’); ‘Ondernemen - Word je eigen baas’ (‘Entrepreneurship - Become your own boss’); and ‘Ondernemen - Financieringsmix’ (‘Entrepreneurship - The funding mix’). “No KBC products and services are covered in our classes”, Kris adds. “The classes are free of charge and without obligation, and are mainly provided in secondary education. That said, any educational institution is welcome to engage our services. In recent years, for instance, we have also received many requests to teach adults and in higher education.”
We have Get-a-Teacher teachers at every level of our company.
Mieke
“To meet the many requests, we have some 100 teachers available among our staff, at every level of our company and both at our head offices and at our bank branches”, says Mieke. The classes are held during business hours. Kris notes: “Given that we organise upwards of a thousand classes a year, it’s obvious that KBC’s investment in this project is considerable.”
According to Tina, any KBC employee can become a Get-a-Teacher teacher. “No matter your age, gender or education level. Any employee interested in joining the Get-a-Teacher learning programme will receive the appropriate training from us. On completion of their training, they get to watch an experienced teacher in action and then fly solo and teach their own class. We arrange get-togethers for the teachers during the school year to give them the opportunity to share experiences and tips.”
I taught my very first class at my old school, College in Ostend.
Sarah
Sarah Lasuy (Home Expert) and Tom De Ridder (Claims Manager and Adviser) remember their very first class like it was yesterday. “I taught my very first class at my old school, College in Ostend”, Sarah explains. “I wasn’t really nervous. I already had some experience with young people, so I knew what I was getting into.” Tom also got his nerves under control fairly quickly. “I noticed that the students actively participated and really learnt something from my explanations. That boosted my confidence.”
Real-life examples from the young people’s perspectives always appeal to the imagination.
Tina
“We require our teachers to form a connection with the young people’s experiences”, Tina points out. “For instance, classes should be aligned with students’ needs. Depending on the students’ knowledge, certain topics within a training package are covered first or in more detail. In addition, using real-life or practical examples from the young people’s perspectives is a great way to appeal to their imagination. For instance, you could discuss the purchase price of a moped. This is a hot topic for students in the second stage of secondary school, when they’re around the age of 15.”
I teach because financial education is useful and necessary.
Tom
Sarah and Tom find it very rewarding and fulfilling to be able to teach their students something. “I teach because I believe financial education is useful and necessary”, says Tom. Sarah also really enjoys the variety. “Instead of working in an office all day every day, it’s great to enter a classroom and find out what’s going on in the students’ lives. The classroom is where you truly learn about young people’s perspectives and experiences.”
According to Mieke, the efforts the KBC teachers put in are always greatly appreciated. “One issue schools often run into is that their teachers lack the necessary skills and know-how to properly explain the ins and outs of saving and investing, reflecting the need for a teacher with practical experience and expertise. What’s more, students also enjoy the extra support. After each class, we ask them to fill in an evaluation form and some of the feedback we receive is really great.”
Tina agrees. “Someone recently wrote that the teacher should ask for a raise.” (Laughs) Mieke adds: “The best compliment we can get is when students ask us whether our staff can come and teach at their school on a permanent basis, noting that the school still has a number of positions available. When I receive feedback like that, I forward it to the teacher and say ‘Look! They’re already offering you a job. That just goes to show how well you did!’”
If we succeeded in teaching them anything, our mission is accomplished.
Kris
Kris also attaches great importance to feedback from young people. “When you hear them say they’ve really learnt something during our classes and can’t wait to put their new knowledge into practice, it gives me a great sense of satisfaction. If we succeeded in teaching them anything, our mission is accomplished. It means we were able to make a difference!”