John Dudley
Financial Literacy Teacher
School: East Side High School
Location: Newark, New Jersey
John Dudley is a financial literacy teacher at East Side High School, the largest high school in the city of Newark, NJ. He has taught for 25 years in the Newark public schools, teaching grades 3-12 over the years. Teaching financial literacy for the past five years is by far the most fun he’s had as a teacher.
John never intended to be a teacher. Instead, he went into the military and attended the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. He then returned home and graduated from Kean College of New Jersey (now Kean University), where he studied political science. He got into education a few years later when coaching lacrosse at a local college. As a substitute teacher, he quickly found out that he liked working with middle school and high school students.
He has coached boy’s/men’s lacrosse at the international, collegiate, high school, and youth levels for close to 30 years. He has master’s degrees in counseling from Fairleigh Dickinson University and education administration from University of Phoenix.
We asked John a few questions. His answers are below.
WHAT STUKENT COURSEWARE HAVE YOU USED?
I started using the Mimic Personal Finance simulation this spring when we went to remote learning due to COVID-19. I used it for my financial literacy/economics classes that consisted completely of seniors. I thoroughly enjoyed using it with my students and look forward to using it for the entire year this coming fall. As one of my students recently stated, “I would say that it was an amazing experience that helped me understand more about ‘adult life.’ I feel that the simulator prepared me for the future.”
WHAT TEACHING TIPS WOULD YOU SHARE WITH OTHER PROFESSORS?
I recommend any personal finance teacher that truly wants to make their class come to life use the Mimic Personal Finance simulation. I still call it RWC (Real-World Classroom), it’s original name, because I love the way it sounds and it drives home the idea of getting ready for the “real world” for my students. We all loved playing the Life Happens game each week. It really made them come to grips with the unexpected in life, whether it was good or bad.
WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES AND TALENTS?
Outside of teaching, I’m a husband, father of two amazing boys, and the head boy’s lacrosse coach at East Side High School. I enjoy spending time with my family, friends, and every now and then just me.
CONNECT WITH JOHN
Thank you, John, and congratulations!
