Teachers Learn that Globalization Is a Team Effort

Chicken feet are a major export item from the United States to China. Dark meat from chickens sent to Russia makes the white meat Americans prefer more affordable. Rain is important for farmers, but rain in the fall makes cotton less white, making it less valuable in the global market. Harry Willems, associate director of the Arkansas Farm Bureau, gave these facts to twenty teachers who were a part of the "Globalization: It’s a Team Effort" workshop held at the Little Rock Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis in October.

The global stock market was used as an example to show that Arkansans can no longer build a fence around its border and shut everyone out if they want to maintain their current standard of living. Robert Hopkins, Little Rock Senior Branch Executive, discussed the impact of globalization on the Fed’s monetary policy deliberations in his presentation.

Participants took part in several activities, including guessing which well-known companies are U.S.-owned and which aren't. The activities were part of the newest globalization materials provided by the Arkansas Council on Economic Education (ACEE).

Carole Ann Provin, Northwood Middle School teacher, summed up the day by saying that the Fed and ACEE help teachers present economics in ways that help children become better decision makers. For her, it was a wonderful experience. “I felt like all the activities and the presentations were very easy to understand and applicable to my classes.”