Our Vision

Students leaving school prepared for their economic roles as workers, consumers, citizens, and lifelong decision makers in a globally interdependent world.

Our Mission

To help teachers teach those students in the public and independent schools of Georgia.

Where Georgia economics teachers come first

Thank you for visiting the Georgia Council on Economic Education's Web site. We're working hard to be the resource of choice for K-12 social studies and economics teachers across the Peach State. Here you can review programs, register for workshops, order teaching materials and talk to other teachers through the message board.

A workshop selection for this year's election

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GCEE's fall workshop schedule is out.  With over 60 workshops in more than two dozen content areas correlated to the GPS, there's sure to be something of interest to K-12 teachers around Georgia.  Economics often lives at the heart of the biggest challenges our nation faces.  The upcoming November election gives teachers an opportunity to put students right in the middle of the action with GCEE's newest workshop- Understanding Economics in Civics and Government.  Healthcare, budget deficits, taxes, immigration, the role of government, and the Patriot Act are easily among the most contentious issues of our day, and Understanding Economics in Civics and Government tackles them all.  Six Understanding Economics in Civics and Government workshops will be offered this fall with no registration fee, substitute reimbursement included, and a copy of the Council on Economic Education's new publication "Focus: Understanding Economics in Civics and Government" given to each participant.  Teachers can register for any GCEE workshop by clicking hereDon't forget- all teachers will need permission from their principals to attend GCEE workshops.     

Capitol Hill Challenge winners profiled in AJC 

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The Atlanta Journal Constitution profiled the Douglass High School team that was recently named national winner of this year's Capitol Hill Challenge.  For winning the 2010 Capitol Hill Challenge, the Douglass students were flown up to Washington DC to meet with Congressman John Lewis and others.  Teacher Jill Beracki took time to write about her team and what winning the Capitol Hill Challenge meant to them.  For teacher and students alike, it was a memorable event.  GCEE congratulates Jill Beracki and her students for their impressive achievement.  

SIFMA Symposium: a Stock Market Game update

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GCEE staff members and representatives from state councils on economic education across the country traveled to New York City for the Securities Industry and Financial Markets (SIFMA) Foundation's June 26-28 Stock Market Game Symposium, an exciting and informative trip that mixed presentations on the program with the chance to see the real thing in action.  The symposium packed in nearly three days of Stock Market Game topics and research with the opportunity to visit with other state councils on economic education.  Read about the exciting visit to the floor of the New York Stock Exchange here. 

Douglass High School finishes first in the nation 

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Congratulations to Jill Beracki and her students at Douglass High School who finished first in the nation in the Capitol Hill Challenge, a 14-week version of the Stock Market Game where participating teams represent a Congressman or Senator from their state.  The winning team traveled to Washington DC for a reception in their honor and met with the House member they represented in the Capitol Hill Challenge- Civil Rights legend Congressman John Lewis.    

A teacher, a leader, a lifetime in private enterprise 

Michael Melvin of Starr's Mill High School is the 2010 Georgia Economics Teacher of the Year 

GCEE held its annual meeting May 13 at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta with more than 150 teachers, students, and friends of the Georgia Council in attendance.  Fayette County teacher Michael Melvin of Starr's Mill High School, who helped coach the 2009 Starr's Mill Economics Challenge team to a national third-place finish, received the 2010 Georgia Economics Teacher of the Year Award.  Former GCEE Chairman Frank Troutman was honored with the William J. VanLandingham Commitment to Education Award for his years of dedication to the Georgia Council and other education causes.  Michael Mescon, former dean of the Georgia State University College of Business and founder of the world's first Chair of Private Enterprise, was the recipient of GCEE's Lifetime Achievement Award.  Click here to read more.    

Stock Market Game winners honored

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More than 600 students, teachers, parents, and friends attended GCEE's 30th anniversary Stock Market Game Awards Luncheon on May 4 at the Georgia Freight Depot.  State School Superintendent Kathy Cox praised the effort of the winning students who use skills needed in the game that correspond to requirements tested in the Georgia Performance Standards.  Hannah Salwen, co-author of the "Power of Half: One Family's Decision to Stop Taking and Start Giving Back" was the keynote speaker.  You can read about it here.  GCEE would like to thank Bank of America, the CFA Society of Atlanta, the Citi Foundation, the Georgia Securities Association, INVESCO, and the SIFMA Foundation for their support.  Thanks also to the Economic Empowerment Initiative for these great photos of the event. 

Another Westminster winner

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A second Westminster team has won the spring Stock Market Game in Georgia.  Math teacher Jay Watts sent his second team in a row to statewide victory.  Westminster's eighth-grade spring statewide winners finished with a portfolio value of $238,207.  Both Westminster teams were honored at the May 4 Stock Market Game Awards Luncheon in Atlanta at the Georgia Freight Depot.  State School Superintendent Kathy Cox lauded Georgia Stock Market Game winners from across the state at the event.  Read about Westminster's winning eighth graders here.  

GCEE By The Numbers

Teacher training through hands-on workshops in lesson content correlated to the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) is what the Georgia Council is all about.  While serving Georgia, GCEE has become a national leader in the design, development, and facilitation of workshops in economics and financial literacy for K-12 teachers.  GCEE looks back on 2009 by the numbers here to see how many workshops and how many teachers.  

Profiles in Economics 

Dwight Lee, formerly the Ramsey Chair of Private Enterprise in the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia, and wife Cynthia Crain have collaborated on a series of books on great figures in the history of economics.  Written for students in grades 8 through 12, the "Profiles in Economics" biographies cover Adam Smith, Karl Marx, John Maynard Keynes, and Milton Friedman.  The new "Profiles in Economics" series is published by Morgan Reynolds Publishing.  

Dr. Lee, who also served briefly as director of the Center for Economic Education at the University of Georgia, now holds the William J. O'Neill Chair of Global Markets and Freedom in the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University.  He has previously authored books on economics like "Common Sense Economics" and other titles.  

A message to you

Check out the new GCEE Message Board!  If you're a novice economics teacher or if you've taught the course for years, you can learn about the newest economics content, ask questions of experienced professionals, or share practical tips on teaching economics with colleagues.  The upgraded message board features email alerts on new posts, with each forum led by an experienced professional well-versed in that topic.  Click here to join the new GCEE Message Board.   

GCEE now on Facebook

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For economics teachers who can't get enough of social networking, Program Manager Mike Raymer has set up a GCEE page on Facebook.  You can network with other economics teachers, discuss economics lessons from the headlines, and check out links to relevant Web sites (like GCEE's Web site and Blog!).  To visit the GCEE Facebook page, you must first have a Facebook account.  You can set one up here.  

A word about "The Word on Economic Education"

With some teachers retiring and others moving, GCEE has updated the mailing list for "The Word on Economic Education."  Some teachers may have inadvertently been dropped from the new mailing list.  If you are no longer receiving "The Word on Economic Education" and would like to have it mailed to you, please click here and let us know and GCEE will add your name to the list.   

Economics lessons from the real world

Looking for some real world economics lessons right out of the headlines, or some fun ideas for bringing economics to your classroom?  Whether you teach kindergarteners or high school students, check out the GCEE Blog, where former Georgia Economics Teacher of the Year and GCEE Teacher in Residence Mike Raymer and Starr's Mill High School economics teacher Michael Melvin take a look at the headlines and pull out economics lessons you can put to work in your classroom now.  Jumping from the NCAA Final Four college hoops brackets to Austin Powers to Ben Bernanke, Mike and Mike blog about economics in the news with a teacher's perspective, constantly searching for fun topics and practical examples of economics at work here in Georgia, across the country, and around the world.  So, if you've been teaching economics longer than Tim Geithner has been alive, or just got assigned economics as a subject this semester (and aren't really sure what to do!), the GCEE blog is an easy way to pick up some quick and useful ideas.  You can visit The Georgia Council Blog here.     

Stock Market Game in the News

WXIA 11 Alive News in Atlanta profiled one Stock Market Game team as they researched stocks, crunched numbers, and invested in stocks during the fall 2008 session.  Education reporter Donna Lowry followed the team as they made their way through treacherous economic circumstances during the ten-week trading session.  You can see the story here.      

EconomicsAmerica: a resource for school systems

Joining the EconomicsAmerica network is easy, and has advantages for participating school systems like:

  • Priority when registering for teacher training workshops.  Many GCEE workshops are offered at no charge with materials included- but they can fill up fast!
  • Support staff development.  Curriculum directors and key administrators can learn about the latest programs in economic education.
  • In-service workshops.  GCEE provides professional learning units for teachers with in-service workshops, including reimbursement for substitute teachers so classroom teachers can attend.  
  • Easy access to a complete menu of resource materials, including a variety of special programs designed to help make economcis an exciting subject to study. 

To participate in EconomicsAmerica, click here to get started.        

 

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Videos About GCEE
What does it take to be a great economics teacher?  Or have a Program of Excellence?  Find out here. 

 

News and Announcements

Aug 17, 2010
AJC profile of GCEE Executive Director Dr. David Martin

Aug 3, 2010
Where economics meets civics: the toughest issues of our times

Jul 19, 2010
GCEE travels to New York City for SIFMA Stock Market Game Symposium

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