To educators, especially economists, it might seem like a great example to use #Covid_19 to teach your content. I urge you to consider other examples. Your students will probably need a break from talking about it. Use your online classes to distract them from the news

I am not teaching this semester due to sabbatical. If I were, I would use the time I had with students as a break. Find other examples. Discussions about macroeconomic indicators and shortages are inevitable but try your best to reduce anxiety. #econtwitter

I am hearing feedback that the economics is too good to pass up or that we talk about other “ real life events, why can’t we talk about this one?”. This one is still on going. It is live. Your students do not know 2008 (financial crisis), they have no idea about Katrina.

I have said this before and I will say it again, economist you can teach your classes without using #Covid19 for your examples. Here is what I usually hear in response to my advice https://twitter.com/graykimbrough/status/1249023320948903936

1. “Economics is about real-life events. Why can’t I talk about this? I talk about the Great Recession. How is this different?”. This is a pandemic and is still on going. Your students are worried about their own health, family members, and you have no idea how this will end

“2. There are so many great policy examples to use. Somethings we haven’t seen before. Students need to know how this will impact them”. Talking about monetary policy and fiscal policy is hard to avoid with the news but if you are selling the idea that you have any idea how..

...this will impact them then please stop! We don’t know how this ends and what the impact across countries, demographics will be.

3.” There is a great example on price gouging and shortages based on our neighborhood that I want to use” No! Too close too home. Your students are stressed and anxious about access to food and safety. Save it for when this is over with

4. “ I polled my students and they told me that they wanted to talk about the economy today”. I have issues with this and can’t imagine all your students want to talk about it. May be majority? Let’s talk about representation and how you collected these responses

I totally get it. You want to talk about what’s happening and connect real-world examples to your content. It’s just too soon. Think about your students and if this would impact their sense of security and overall well-being. Just get through this semester

Hopefully when we regroup in the fall and we feel a little more secure and aren’t worried about the health and security of our families, we can look back and use some examples from today. Even then, it will be hard for those that lost the security they had before this all started

This tweet by @kayewhitehead fits well with this thread. You have no idea what students are going through.
https://twitter.com/kayewhitehead/status/1249259341699481600?s=21 https://twitter.com/kayewhitehead/status/1249259341699481600