Arkansas Teachers Learn about Global Economics

Left to right: Tiffany Billingsly, East Arkansas Community College (EACC); Lee Vent, Forrest City School District; Jan Haven, EACC; Jeff Watson, EACC; Martha Perine Beard, St. Louis Fed - Memphis Branch; Harry Willems, Arkansas Farm Bureau; Geanie Davis, Arkansas Council on Economic Education; Jeannette Bennett, St. Louis Fed - Memphis Branch; Alice Barnes, Forrest City School District; Larry Dale, Arkansas State University

Global Economics, a one-day workshop for more than thirty teachers in the Forrest City School District in Eastern Arkansas was presented on the campus of East Arkansas Community College on Aug. 15, 2006.

Focusing on the market economy and international trade, teachers were challenged to understand concepts of a "flat world" and the connection between Arkansas and global economics. Through various presentations and classroom application sessions, interactive teaching techniques were demonstrated as part of the training.

Teachers received a wealth of resources, curriculum materials, curriculum guides, and lesson plans for integrating global economics into the curriculum. As one teacher put it, “The entire experience was great! I had a preconceived idea of it not being useful, but I was very wrong.” 

The workshop was designed as a partnership effort including the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis - Memphis Branch, Arkansas State University, East Arkansas Community College, Arkansas Council on Economic Education and Arkansas Farm Bureau.