Alumni Book Club

A special opportunity reserved for FTE Alumni

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The Fall 2025 FTE Alumni Book Club will feature How Economics Explains the World, by Andrew Leigh, Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities & Treasury in the Australian Parliament. The discussion will be hosted by FTE Economics Professor, Dr. Jamie Wagner.  

Leigh’s book offers an engaging exploration of how economic principles shape choices, societies, and global challenges. Through real-world examples and clear reasoning, he connects concepts like incentives, trade-offs, and markets to issues such as climate change and inequality, illustrating how the economic way of thinking informs both everyday decisions and complex policy debates.  

 

Apply By September 8

Program Details & Key Dates

Participants will read How Economics Explains the World and complete two asynchronous Nearpod modules designed to provide practical lessons, activities, and discussion tools for classroom use. These resources help students understand how economic principles shape the world around them.

A reading schedule will guide participants through the book, and chapters should be completed before each Nearpod assignment. Participants who finish both modules will be invited to a live Q&A discussion with the author via Zoom.

Important Dates:

  • September 8: First Nearpod module opens
  • October 12: Complete Introduction and Chapters 1-7; submit first Nearpod assignment
  • October 13: Second Nearpod module opens
  • November 9: Complete Chapters 8-14; submit second Nearpod assignment
  • November 13: Author Q&A via Zoom, 4:30-5:30pm PT / 7:30-8:30pm ET

Registration Deadline

Applications are due by September 8 or until the program reaches capacity. Enrollment is limited to 50 teachers and will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Attendance/Eligibility

Participants must purchase their own copy of How Economics Explains the World: A Short History of Humanity by Andrew Leigh. (Note: The book is also published under the title, The Shortest History of Economics – both editions are identical.)

A reading schedule will be provided, and participants are expected to complete assigned chapters before working on the corresponding Nearpod modules.

Benefits

Participants who successfully complete both Nearpod assignments and the Zoom Q&A will receive a $100 Amazon gift card.

Purchase the Book

  • The FTE Book Club was one of the most enjoyable PDs I’ve had in my teaching career. I appreciate being able to learn and collaborate with others in the field. Thank you for this opportunity!

    Amanda Grimm
    2024 Alumni Book Club Participant

  • Getting a chance to participate in the book clubs that FTE hosts provided me with so many real world examples that students care about and more importantly, get excited about. It provides answers to the types of questions that they ask, that helps them to think more deeply and internalize the economic concepts we cover in class. That would be much harder to do without FTE!

    Christoph Brown
    2024 Alumni Book Club Participant

  • The FTE Alumni Book Club was a great experience! Being able to read an interesting book and collaborate with other teachers will greatly benefit my classroom.

    Melissa Lindsey
    2024 Alumni Book Club Participant