An educator’s essential guide to teaching inclusive financial literacy in any setting
“A game-changer . . . Her RICH Framework gives educators a clear path to making money conversations empowering for every student.”—Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche, New York Times best-selling author of Get Good With Money
Money Talks—here’s how to empower students to join the conversation
Diana Isern, a financial educator and school leader with 20 years in public education, has spent the past decade teaching students how to think and talk about money. Now, as financial literacy mandates surge across the US, she’s gathered her top resources and strategies in Money Talks, your jargon-free, interactive guide to inclusive financial wellness education.
This hands-on resource for high school educators offers personal reflection exercises and practical methods for teaching financial concepts like money mindset, building credit and savings, investing in the stock market and in real estate, and navigating new digital economies. Money Talks is grounded in the RICH framework, which ensures that students from all backgrounds see themselves as capable wealth builders:
- Representation: ensuring that diverse perspectives and identities are reflected
- Inquiry: fostering critical questioning and wonder
- Connection: making concepts accessible and relevant to students’ lives
- Holistic thinking: embracing asset-based thinking
Throughout the guide, you’ll hear from real students and educators on the transformative power of inclusive financial education. The stories, strategies, and activities in Money Talks will support educators in creating authentic, engaging lessons that go beyond the classroom to make a lasting impact on students and their families.
“Money Talks is a game-changer for financial literacy education. Diana blends storytelling, cultural awareness, and real classroom strategy in a way that feels fresh, practical, and deeply needed. Her RICH Framework gives educators a clear path to making money conversations empowering for every student.”
—Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche, New York Times best-selling author of Get Good with Money: Ten Simple Steps to Becoming Financially Whole
“Teaching money is deeply personal, and Isern handles it with the warmth and wisdom of a true veteran. By prioritizing vulnerability over perfection, she shows us how to foster a ‘you belong here’ vibe that sticks with students long after graduation. Isern treats financial education as a mission, not just a math problem.”
—Alex Lamon, award-winning high school business teacher and executive director of New Jersey Council for Economic Education
“Diana Isern is one of the sharpest minds out there teaching kids financial literacy—from budgeting to blockchain. Practical, inclusive, and research-backed, Money Talks offers teachers a fun-to-read road map that will transform students’ lives—and their own.”
—Beth Kobliner, New York Times best-selling author of Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties
“In Money Talks, Diana Isern shares her experience and passion for financial literacy, inspiring educators and providing practical ideas to make personal finance meaningful for every student.”
—Courtney Poquette, personal finance educator at Winooski High School (Vermont)
“Money Talks helps you examine your own relationship with money so you can show up authentically for your students. Diana treats financial education as personal, inclusive, and joyful. I wish every educator in the financial literacy movement had this book in their hands right now!”
—Yanely Espinal, author of Mind Your Money and director of Educational Outreach at Next Gen Personal Finance