THIS IS NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE
Educator Portal
Welcome Teachers!
We hope these modules and lesson plans will complement your great work and inspire students to deepen their personal financial education.
EDUCATION MODULES
We’ve edited THIS IS NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE into four core educational modules (and one bonus module.) Each one is centered on a main character’s arc and a particular set of themes. They range between 8-29 minutes long and are accompanied by a unique viewing guide with definitions and discussion questions. You can pick and choose the modules that make sense for your classroom and watch them in any order.
Use the password eduspecial to access each video module.
Women as Financial Influencers Overview
Kayla is an online financial influencer who is passionate about teaching others, especially young women, the basics of investing. New to the investing space herself, she balances the dual role of teacher and student while practicing introspection as she notices herself growing more addicted to trading. As a “TikTocker”, Kayla hopes to simplify financial concepts and empower women and girls to learn more and, over time, grow into confident investors.
The Basics of Investing Overview
Senay is a musician, activist, entrepreneur, and financial educator based in Long Beach, California. He is passionate about positively changing the trajectories of his neighbors’ lives by inspiring them to invest in the stock market and their local community. Senay owns a bookstore, runs a Stock Market Club, and provides free financial literacy workshops to his peers. He has a slow and steady investment strategy, with a long-term view of the future.
Gambling vs. Investing Overview
A former math teacher turned day trader, Rayz is a bit of a risk taker with his finances. Without a long-term savings plan, he pours his cash into money-making trends that excite him, or that he thinks can provide quick returns. His financial philosophy differs greatly from his wife’s, which eventually cause some significant marital challenges. Rayz’ turbulent journey sheds light on the potential problems that come with high-risk investing strategies and behaviors.
Psychology of Risk Overview
Glauber “Pro” Contessoto gambles his life savings on a joke cryptocurrency and soon becomes “The Dogecoin Millionaire,” a hero to his growing YouTube following. As Pro quickly discovers though, while it can be easy to “get rich” online, it’s even easier to lose it all. Representing a journey that many amateur investors make, Pro must navigate a landscape that’s rife with scams, bad advice, and a fear of missing out.
The Attention Economy (Bonus Module) Overview
A bonus module featuring scenes with Pro, Rayz, and related commentators, this video explores how today’s attention economy shapes and is shaped by trends in online investing and practices by financial influencers. When “attention” is treated like a limited commodity, content creators rely on clever marketing to capture audiences with their products and/or services, and consumers must decide where and how to give their time.
Beyond the Screen
Interested in creating a more interactive learning experience for your students? You can invite the film’s directors and characters to join your school for a virtual or in-person discussion. Please note that we do ask for a minimum of $500 for a 30-min virtual Q&A. Complete the interest form below, and our team will be in touch.
Chris Temple and Zach Ingrasci are the co-founders of Optimist and co-directors of all of Optimist’s films.
Kayla, Senay, Rayz, and Pro are also available to meet!
Interested in a FREE Q&A with the film’s directors?
Once you finish the modules and viewing guides, have 10+ of your students complete this 5-minute survey, and you’ll be eligible for a 30-minute virtual Q&A with Chris and Zach, at no cost!
Our Partners
We are so thankful for our partners, who have supported the creation of our education modules, helped create lesson plans, and strategized through effective ways of sharing our content.
Optimist is an award-winning film studio with past documentaries on Netflix, HBO, PBS, National Geographic, and The Atlantic. We believe in the power of film to change lives, minds, and policies in service of a more equitable and accepting world. We love collaborating with teachers to create meaningful learning experiences for students through film screenings, keynotes, workshops, educational resources, and more. We are even creating multi-year partnerships with schools aligned with their core values and teaching priorities. You can learn more about our philosophy and offerings through the buttons below.
Optimist and Educators
FIVE YEARS NORTH
immigration, mental health
SALAM NEIGHBOR
refugees, education, cultural understanding
ROSA, THESE STORMS
women’s empowerment, resilience
LIVING ON ONE DOLLAR
extreme poverty, intercultural relations
ABUNDANCE
food insecurity, starting a movement
FREE TO CARE
restorative justice, criminal justice reform
THE UNDOCUMENTED LAWYER
immigration reform, women’s empowerment
