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...for Spring 2008
An Evening with the Fed: The United States in a Global Economy
On Thursday, March 20th the USF Stavros Center and the Jacksonville branch of the Federal Reserve Bank co-hosted An Evening with the Fed. 50 middle school and high school administrators and educators enjoyed a lovely catered dinner which was followed by an exploration of current economic and financial topics designed to assist them in helping students translate theory into real-world lessons. The program featured Tom Cunningham, vice president and associate director of research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Dr. Cunningham discussed labor movements, trade flows, and financial flows.
Gems from Gus
Dr. Gus A. Stavros, successful Florida businessman and noted philanthropist, is a very popular guest speaker in our courses. Embeded in his presentations are wonderful examples of economic concepts. We've pulled out some of those special anecdotes and present them here in audio clips.
An American Entrepreneur: A Global Background
Dr. Stavros gives a great example of Opportunity Cost
Gus Stavros provides a real-world example of Entrepreneurship
6 Reasons Why Everyone Needs Economic Education
Using this simple list will help students understand the thought processes behind many "mysterious" decisions (e.g. why selling more artificial Christmas trees means fewer evergreens survive).
Sometimes called the Handy Dandy Guide, this list presents the key to why economics is an everyday skill and also why it integrates easily into so many subject areas.
1. People economize. People choose the alternative that seems best to them because it involves the least cost and the greatest benefit.
2. All choices involve cost. Cost is the second best choice. It is what people give up when they make their first choice.
3. People respond to incentives. Incentives are actions or rewards that encourage people to act. When incentives change, people's behaviors change in predictable ways.
4. Economics systems influence individual choices and incentives. How people cooperate is governed by written and unwritten rules. As rules change, incentives change and behavior changes.
5. Voluntary trade creates wealth. People can produce more in less time by concentrating on what they do best. The surplus goods or services they produce can be traded to obtain other valuable goods or services.
6. The consequences of a choice lie in the future. The important costs and benefits in economic decision making are those which will appear in the future. Economics stresses making decisions about the future because it is only the future that we can influence. We cannot influence things that have already happened, i.e. the past.
Using YouTube as a teaching tool
It's Easy to Get Here!
Here's a map, to make sure you can find your way to the USF Stavros Center in the quickest, most stress-free manner possible. Click here for our printable map. For written directions with information on where to park with a Daily Permit, click here.
If you have a VIP Parking Permit, click here.
Drive safely!
Congratulations Essay Contest Winners!
We’d like to thank the hundreds of students who submitted essays to the 2007-2008 Free Enterprise Essay Contest. It was a real pleasure to read the essays and reflect on the creativity, maturity, and intelligence of the writers. The comments of the judges were overwhelmingly positive for the outstanding quality of writing and development of ideas expressed in this year’s entries. The Stavros Center has sponsored and coordinated the judging of free enterprise essay contests for the past several years. We realize that behind each essay, is a dedicated educator who takes the time to teach and motivate student writers. Thank you all for your efforts to improve the writing and thinking skills of your students and for encouraging them to be successful in all that they do.
In the Elementary School category:
First place was earned by Taylor Moats, a 4th grade student at Dr. N.E. Roberts School in Lakeland.
Second place was taken by Chloe Thacker, a fifth grade student at Carrollwood Day School in Tampa.
Third place was captured by Mehdi Vardon, a fifth grade students at Pine View School in Osprey.
In the Middle School category:
First place was taken by John Alpaugh, a 7th grade student at Venice Middle School in Venice.
Second place was captured by Steven Turner, another seventh grade student at Venice Middle School in Venice.
Third place was earned by Brooke Tolar, also a seventh grade student at Venice Middle School in Venice.
In the High School category:
First place was captured by Kalani McDaniel, a twelfth grade student at Clearwater High School in Clearwater.
Second place was earned by Emily Dail, a ninth grade student at Pasco High School in Dade City.
Third place was taken by Brittany Testa, a twelfth grade student at Clearwater High School in Clearwater.
Getting Concrete and Sequential When it Comes to Decision Making
The PACED Decision Making Model is often employed in our economic lesson plans and activities. To view the PACED Decision Making Model, click here: PACED Decision Making Model
Applications forms
Here are 3 real-world employment application forms that go with our new curricula guide: Handy Skills You'll REALLY Need Out There: Soft and Hard Skill-Sets for the Global Workplace. State of Florida application, City of Gulfport application, City of Winston-Salem application.
Podcasts - Easy Access - New Ideas - Useful Resources
Knowing that time is a very scarce resource for all teachers this year, we're putting some lessons/activities at your fingertips (or should we say in your ears?) by formatting quick, pertinent economics lessons as podcasts. As defined by Wikipedia, "Podcasting is the method of distributing multimedia files, such as audio or video programs, over the Internet using syndication feeds, for playback on mobile devices and personal computers." You can listen to our podcasts now! Here are the links: a quick lesson on Choice, a lesson on Scarcity, the quintessential economics lesson - Get What You Want! and an activity around Opportunity Cost.
You can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. The benefit of subscribing to a podcast is that, like a magazine subscription, when there is a new episode it will automatically come to you. In this case, it will download to iTunes on your computer. To take advantage of this you will need to install iTunes, free from Apple (click here). Then return to this page, click here and subscribe to our podcast: 
To read more about podcasting on Wikipedia, Click here.
In addition to the podcast lessons, we're filming the wonderful guest speakers who graciously make presentations in our classes and we're making the video available to you as screencasts (video enhanced podcasts). Since screencasts take longer to download than regular podcasts, we've put them on our iTunes site for your convenience (it's quicker that way). Just one more reason to install iTunes on your pc or Mac and subscribe to our podcasts!
Partnership Benefits Educators
Center Director Dick J. Puglisi accepts a check in the amount of $5000 from Mr. Lou Buccino, Vice President, Citi, in support of tuition scholarships for educators enrolled in Stavros Center courses. Citi is a long-time financial supporter of the Stavros Center. Pictured are (L-R) Dr. Colleen Kennedy, Dean, College of Education, Mr. Buccino and Dr. Puglisi.
Bringing Global Literacy into Focus
Just as we did last year, this academic year we'll continue to have guests from the global business community speak to the educators in our courses, institutes, and workshops. Hearing their presentations, the need is clear - our students must be aware of their role in the global market place and know how the global economy affects the jobs available to them, their wages, and their futures. In short, our students must be globally literate. We'll be recording these wonderful presentations and turning them into video enhanced podcasts, available on our iTunes site.
You can subscribe to our podcasts on iTunes. The benefit of subscribing to a podcast is that when there is a new episode it will automatically come to you, much like a magazine subscription. In this case, it will download to iTunes on your computer. To take advantage of this you will need to install iTunes, free from Apple (click here). Then return to this page, click here and subscribe to our podcast:
Entrepreneurial Thinking! - Your Students?
If you've imagined that Entrepreneurial Thinking is only about being "business-minded" we'd ask you to think again! Entrepreneurial Thinking is about recognizing opportunities and understanding how and when to capitalize on them; thinking about the same old stuff in brand new ways.
When students think entrepreneurially, they likely have a forward focus, they can be more easily motivated, and they are often quick to make connections. What educator doesn't value students with those qualitites? Here's a quick, easy, and fun way to introduce your class to entrepreneurial thinking. Taking this self-evaluation quiz from the National Council on Economic Education will help each student assess their own entrepreneurial qualities: Entrepreneurial Self-Evaluation Activity.
Thinking Like Global Partners
On Tuesday, April 10, 2007, the Stavros Center hosted a session for K-12 educators with Brigadier General Muhammad Ahsan Mehmood, Parkistan's Senior National Representative, on the Pakistan Liaison Team currently assigned to the US Central Command. General Mehmood's remarks focused on the efforts by the U.S., Pakistan and other allies to combat global terrorism. A significant aspect of the presentation centered on understanding the cultural and religious history of the people in that part of the world. Approximately 40 educators from several school districts in the area had the opportunity to participate in the Q&A session following the General's presentation. In addition to the educators, several members of the business community attended the event. The Stavros Center gratefully acknowledges the willingness of General Mehmood to speak at the center and also thanks Mr. Robert Rowen, Owner, Nuance Galleries, for his invaluable assistance in arranging for General Mehmood to be our guest.
Oldies But Goodies
Past issues of At the Margin, an on-line curriculum guide, are here at your finger tips. Just click on the link for the issue you'd like to read! Download your copy of Spending Time now, and be ready with a Timely lesson today!Also available for download are: Weather or Not...It still affects the laws of supply and demand, Economic Resources, The Spirit of Entrepreneurship, The Profit Motive and Learning Economics - A Ton of Garbage? If you are unable to download a copy please call (813/974-2175 or email StavrosCenter@tempest.coedu.usf.edu and we'll send you one a.s.a.p.
Suncoast Business Forum
A valued member of our Stavros Center Advocacy Board, Geoff Simon is also the host of WEDU- Channel 3's Suncoast Business Forum which airs on the last Thursday of the month at 8:30 p.m. In each program Geoff interviews one of the Bay area’s most respected business leaders. Featured guests have included attorney Rhea Law; former Governor Bob Martinez; and businessman and philanthropist Dr. Gus Stavros. To view the latest episode of Suncoast Business Forum on-line (in either Windows or QuickTime) click here.
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An affiliate of the National Council on Economic Education and the Florida Council on Economic Education College of Education at the University of South Florida 4202 East Fowler Avenue, CEE 101, Tampa, FL 33620 StavrosCenter@tempest.coedu.usf.edu (813) 974-2175 |
