I'm an Economics teacher, ask me anything

[Phineyj]

I'm also half way through quarantine after catching Covid so I've finished all my marking for the first time in approximately ever and am bored bored bored. What have you always wanted to know about Economics but never dared ask?

Also, due to teacher shortage mentioned upthread a lot of Econ teachers are not specialists so give them a chance to explain first.

Yes, I have a BA in Economics and History and an MA in a business/finance area.

Thanks for answering my questions! The impact of lockdowns and changes in behaviour, spending, working, is fascinating, particularly where it’s accelerated things getting to a tipping point.

Given that there are currently 1.5m unemployed people in the U.K., and 1.2m job vacancies (source : ONS), are benefits too generous?

I sometimes look at my Teams screen and boggle that it's possible. It was fewer than 10 years ago I was arguing with my school that submitting homework online might be a Thing!

No, they're definitely not. They're incredibly stingy by rich world standards (at least, Jobseeker's is). Furlough, interestingly, was much more in line with the job income replacement schemes of other comparable nations. People just don't want to do the warehouse, hospitality, driving, care jobs. We should look at why not force them into them lest they starve.

It's the old 'lump of labour' fallacy, isn't it? If I'm an unemployed steel worker in Sheffield, the fact there are loads of nursing jobs in London is irrelevant. I haven't got the right skills and I can't afford to move.

I'm really interested in the link between economics and diversity/equity/justice. Do you know of any reading or YouTube type things that I could get into? I happily watch hour long lectures if such things exist on these topics.

I'm in the US so can't access BBC easily.

The podcasts of the New Economics Foundation linked above might be a place to start. You can look at the publications of the Resolution Foundation (left leaning think tank) and the Joseph Rowntree Trust (Quaker anti poverty campaigners). There's another think tank that I can't remember the name of. Back in a sec.

The Institute for Public Policy Research, that's it - the report of the Commission for Economic Justice is on there.

For books, I liked Poor Economics (Duflo and Banerjee), Factfulness (Hans Rosling) and Dead Aid (Dambisa Moyo).

Thank you so much! When I get out of bed I shall get onto Google and start looking at those. I used to live in York so should have thought of JoRo.

Martin Sandbu, The Economics of Belonging, is a good one too. He's Anglo American I think.

To be fair, the chocolate to social justice link is a little eccentric (although I have to justify my Tony's Chocolonely habit somehow ).

[quote Phineyj]@TreborBore I would start with the ideas of Arthur Pigou and Ronald Coase I think. Also read When the Lights Went Out (Andy Beckett).[/quote]
Thanks for the recommendations, will keep me entertained whilst I fight off this heavy cold!

If you're still around OP, I have a question...
Should DH give up his stressful City job to be an Economics teacher? Obviously you don't know his personal credentials etc but is it an enjoyable job? I presume it's mostly teaching A Level students, so perhaps more civilised cos teaching more mature kids who have actively chosen the subject?

It is enjoyable, the teaching, yes, although don't make the mistake of thinking that everyone in an A-level classroom has chosen to be there, these days. There are very few alternatives for most 16 year olds.

Ithink the main issues for someone in your DH's position are a) the massive pay cut; b) teaching is very old-fashioned in many ways, with a lot of hierarchy - it can be painful to start over at the bottom; c) a lot of the job doesn't involve teaching at all. It's also pretty stressful especially when you're a beginner, because so many things are out of your control.

You need a good level of physical and mental health, patience and tolerance for bureaucracy much more than a knowledge of Economics. I know my subject well and work on improving my knowledge and skills, but I barely ever get observed by anyone with Economics knowledge. I could be talking utter bollocks for all they know.

So you also need to be someone not reliant on positive feedback from others, as you won't get much.

Teaching is a vocation, though. A few days in a classroom and it'll grab DH. Or not.

Thanks for your thoughtful reply @Phineyj

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