Wednesday, May 28, 2003
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Wednesday, May 28, 2003 |
Fayette County's DeCourcy wins Economics Teacher of the YearEach semester, the first thing Mark DeCourcy tells his students is that he wants them to understand the importance of what they're about to learn. Except for reading and writing, he says, economics will be the most useful knowledge they gain in their school careers. "I try to show the practicality of the discipline by incorporating current events into each day's lesson," said DeCourcy, who teaches the required economics course and advanced placement (AP) macroeconomics at, Sandy Creek High. He was awarded the Georgia Economics Teacher of the Year award for high school May 16 from the Georgia Council on Economic Education. He uses what students nicknamed "DeCourcy Dollars" to open discussions of inflation, monetary policy and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Students who complete homework and class work exchange DeCourcy Dollars for extra credit, hall passes and small prizes. One of the projects in DeCourcy's class is a PowerPoint presentation on careers. Students pick a career and research required education, necessary qualifications, salary and future demand. In another lesson, students choose salaries from a hat and come up with a monthly budget providing for taxes, housing, transportation and other expenses. Last year, 88 percent of his AP macroeconomics students had high scores on the AP exam, topping the national average by 20 percent. Under his direction, Sandy Creek students have won the regional Stock Market Game seven times in the last eight years. "Economics is often referred to as the 'dismal science,'" said Anthony Pattiz, who chairs the social studies department at Sandy Creek. "Nothing could be further from the truth when it is brought to life by Mark DeCourcy. Time and again, his innovative instructional practices have energized his students."
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