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Bookworm—question about Economics
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Hello. I have been going through the Economics threads and am considering using the Lessons for the Young Economist curriculum. Would you consider this a complete course? Ds only needs 1/2 credit. If you felt it necessary to add a book or videos, which ones would you recommend? We need something uncomplicated. Excessive resources overwhelm us and we end up doing nothing for trying to wade through all the choices. Your help is appreciated. Robin
If you used the study guide with it, I think it would work well for a half credit. A couple of options to consider to help cement it but still be fairly simple:
Assign the Russell Roberts books as free reading during the year (Price of Everything, Invisible Heart, The Choice)
Assign something else simple like Economics in One Lesson
Have him find one news story a week to read and tell you how the principles he is learning explain something about it
If they did to economics what they did to history, though, I’d think you’d be better off with the Lessons. Not to mention you can even get it FREE.
I recently had my dh who is an economist look at a bunch of curricula for our soon to be 10th grader. He picked Notgrass. We’ve never used them before. What’s wrong with their history? Dh found a lot of the homeschool materials out there to not present a very balanced approach. We had begun to use Uncle Eric and I hesitate to say this cause I know it’s very popular, but we were very disappointed in its worldview. He also thought Lessons was too one sided.
Nebby
http://www.lettersfromnebby.wordpress.com
I think their history is extremely dry and tedious and not very in depth at all. I find most neoclassical economics to be one-sided. I am an Austrian economist. From that perspective, Lessons is not one-sided at all, but right on the money.
Melanie — I am sure you are not the only one. Frankly I barely understand it. But I think it is important to point out that Austrian economics is what a lot of the homeschool curricula out there present but that it is not mainstream economic thought. If you subscribe to the Austrian school, that’s great. But if you don’t or aren’t sure you do, I’d think you’d also want your kids exposed to more traditional, neoclassical economic thought. When they go off elsewhere, that’s what they are most likely going to be taught or expected to know.
Nebby
Well, I don’t know about “mainstream”. And both of my sons who are studying economics in college are getting mixes of many different points of view. It’s kind of hard NOT to. In one sense, Keynesianism could be said to be “mainstream” but although my kids know the basic arguments, I would never marinate them in that perspective, because it’s just not right, theoretically or empirically. There are streams I just don’t want to swim in regardless of how many other people are there. 🙂 🙂 🙂 Most kids in homeschool are unlikely to become economists. They DO need to know basics that would affect their personal finances and help them to choose leaders. In that vein, I think it irresponsible NOT to teach Austrianism, because “mainstream” is how we got things like Obamacare. Just saying. I teach my kids a LOT of economics. We start when they are about 11 or 12 and don’t stop until they leave home, and 100% of my graduates are currently economics majors. LOL They get all kinds of theoretical perspectives and get to look at all kinds of empirical outcomes. We do a lot. We even do a video course from a neoclassicist, but I’m able to teach my kids where he is demonstrably wrong. If I had only one half credit to spare, I’d want to go to the place with the strongest theoretical basis and the most explanatory power.
This has been a very interesting thread. 🙂
I really don’t feel that I have enough economic knowledge to add to this discussion but both of you have given me a lot to think about. I’m pretty sure I have a fair idea of the economic stance behind the Notgrass course but I haven’t read Economics in One Lesson. I think I’m going to read it for myself so that I can prepare for the economic course my daughter will need in a few years.
My son used the Abeka Economics course. I’m not usually a huge fan of Abeka but it was actually pretty well written and it got the job done.
I actually just opened another tab to refresh my memory concerning the Abeka text and discovered the author had a bent towards Austrian economics as well. Maybe I’ll go dig that out and read it myself.
Hi Bookworm. I have been reading past economic threads on here all morning. I see that at one point you talked about putting together a course or class. Did you do it? Did it work? Where can I find it ? I am behind. (At least with this child. Have two more ) he’s a senior and hates to read (older brother loves to read. Weird how thei are so different). He needs his economics and government for this year and I need something simple that will stick. SIMPLE is the key word for him. hes not excited to do this. Haha. Not many are at his age, although seems your kids caught your excited attitude. Love it. Thanks.
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