How a Seattle Teacher Built His Financial Literacy Curriculum Around MoneyTime

When you walk into Johann Chin’s Grade 7 and 8 classrooms at Madison Middle School, Seattle, you’ll likely hear students comparing the ups and downs of their investments, and trying to convince Mr. Chin to unlock “just one more module.” And it all started with a chance recommendation from the school librarian.

“I honestly wish I knew the backstory,” laughs Johann, an 8th Grade US History teacher, 7th/8th Keys To Success (financial literacy) teacher and an 8th Grade team leader. “Our librarian somehow came across MoneyTime, and knowing I’d just started a financial literacy elective, she passed it on to me. I thought, ‘This looks fantastic,’ and I’ve been using it ever since.”

Filling a Curriculum Gap

For Johann, MoneyTime arrived at exactly the right moment. He’d been asked to create an elective and immediately knew financial literacy was the focus it needed. 

"Financial literacy. They need to know it," Johann told his school administrator.

But there was a problem. “I needed curriculum materials to make the class,” he explains. “There wasn’t a set program or district-wide framework. In fact, I still don’t even know what my district’s financial literacy standards are — if they exist at all.”

On discovering MoneyTime has a comprehensive, self-taught program, he reached out to their schools manager. “Aaron helped me get it set up three years ago, and it’s been smooth ever since. The idea was that you don’t need to do a lot of prep, you can go into it without knowing much about the topic, and honestly, that’s been true.”

MoneyTime is now a cornerstone of Johann’s financial literacy elective, used across his two classes this year with a total of 65 students. Some years the number of sections increases, with up to 120 students using the program. "I use Biz Kids episodes and a curriculum called Financial Fitness in the first quarter because I have these students for two quarters. Then, in the second quarter, I pivot almost exclusively to MoneyTime," he says. "It’s about 50% of my curriculum now."

Students Hungry for More

Each week, Johann runs MoneyTime during his Monday, Wednesday and Friday elective sessions. "It’s one module a day. I stretch it over nine weeks, so it lasts the whole quarter. Toward the end, I double up a bit to finish all 30 modules," he explains.

If Johann’s students had their way, they’d race through the entire MoneyTime program in a week. “They beg me: ‘Mr. Chin, can we unlock two? Can we unlock three?’” Johann says. “But I have to pace it because I want this to be part of a broader curriculum. If I unlocked the amount of modules that they wanted to do per day, we'd be done by Friday.”

MoneyTime quickly became a central piece of Johann’s two-quarter elective. “The crop of kids coming in now are hearing about it from their older siblings and friends. I incentivize them. I’ll say, ‘Can you break the million mark?’ and they’re hooked.”

Competition Drives Engagement

It’s not just the modules and virtual earnings that keep Johann’s students engaged, it’s the competition.

“The cross-class chatter is constant,” Johann says. “Your stocks went up? Your collectibles went up this much? Your property dropped? Why did mine drop? They love watching their net wealth rise and dip in real time. And it's real time versus just a lesson about credit or compound interest, which would bore the hell out of them. So the program makes abstract financial concepts like interest, investing and credit feel tangible.”

As a history teacher by training, Johann also appreciates how approachable the program is for educators without a finance background. “You don’t need to be a CPA. I'm not in finance at all. I'm a US History teacher through and through. But I like that any teacher could implement this. And it works especially well if you’re passionate about financial literacy.”

Planting the Seed Early

For Johann, MoneyTime isn’t about turning middle schoolers into financial experts overnight — it’s about exposure.

“That’s what this class is for, a starting point of their financial journey. It’s not going to all stick right away, but it plants a seed. I know someday, something will click — a word, a concept — and they’ll remember learning about it in this class.”

And in a state where financial literacy is on the cusp of becoming a high school graduation requirement, Johann’s proud to be ahead of the curve. “I’m teaching this at the middle school level — 11, 12, 13-year-olds. I feel like I’m planting seeds early.”

Parents are just as enthusiastic. “At our open house in September, every adult says the same thing: ‘Where was this class when I was 12?’”

Structured Enjoyable Learning

Johann uses the MoneyTime module guides to structure each lesson.

“That’s how I introduce it," he says. "I’ll put up the teaching objectives, the learning outcomes, the keywords and vocabulary, and then I let them dive into the module."

The classroom fills with excited reactions; oohs and ahhs as investments rise, groans when they crash, and plenty of playful boasting and ribbing between classmates. "It’s my favorite part," he says, grinning. "Hearing them brag, complain and ask questions -‘What’s a CD? How do stocks work?’ - that’s when I know they’re really engaged.

Then I get to jump in with reminders like why you don’t put all your eggs in one basket." The leaderboard adds fuel to the fire. "They love checking the leaderboard too, to see who’s in first place in the class. Perhaps they love it almost too much," he laughs, because all this leads to the inevitable question, ‘Can you please unlock the next module?’ That’s my cue to roll out a lesson on delayed gratification.”

Advice to Other Teachers

If there’s one thing Johann is clear on, it’s his recommendation to other educators.

"Use it. Absolutely, enthusiastically use it," he urges. 

Johann also sees MoneyTime as part of a much bigger movement. “I don’t know if any other middle school in Seattle is doing this, maybe not even in the state’s largest city. But we are, and I’m proud of that. Though there’s talk other teachers might start using it next year, and honestly, I’m possessive about it! But seriously, it’s a phenomenal program, and I don’t know where this class would be without MoneyTime." he says.

As for the future? Johann says he’s holding back MoneyTime like a treat for his next class. “I haven’t even hinted at it to my new students yet. It’s uncanny to see their reactions once they get into it. Like module 10, for example, and they go ‘Oh my gosh, this is real’. It’s just fun to watch.”

A Lasting Impact

For Johann, it’s about more than just ticking a box.

"I go to bed at night thinking, ‘I just exposed these kids to concepts their parents didn’t see until their 20s or 30s.’ That’s phenomenal. And the parents think it’s phenomenal too. I really appreciate this curriculum resource, and I’m just so happy it fell into my lap."