Business studies and economics teacher secondary school

Description

Business studies and economics teachers at secondary schools provide education to students, commonly children and young adults, in a secondary school setting. They are usually subject teachers, specialised and instructing in their own field of study, business and economics. They prepare lesson plans and materials, monitor the students’ progress, assist individually when necessary, and evaluate the students’ knowledge and performance on the subject of business and economics through assignments, tests and examinations.

Other titles

The following job titles also refer to business studies and economics teacher secondary school:

business studies and economics teacher
teacher of business studies and economics in high school
teacher of business studies and economics in secondary schools
high school business studies and economics teacher
high school economics teacher
secondary school business studies teacher
high school business studies teacher
teacher of economics in high school
teacher of business studies in high school
secondary school business studies and economics teacher
secondary school economics teacher

Minimum qualifications

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as business studies and economics teacher secondary school. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

  • the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
  • the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
  • the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Business studies and economics teacher secondary school is a Skill level 4 occupation.

Business studies and economics teacher secondary school career path

Similar occupations

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to business studies and economics teacher secondary school.

mathematics teacher secondary school
physics teacher secondary school
religious education teacher secondary school
modern languages teacher secondary school
biology teacher secondary school

Long term prospects

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of business studies and economics teacher secondary school. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of business studies and economics teacher secondary school with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

Essential knowledge and skills

Essential knowledge

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of business studies and economics teacher secondary school.

Learning difficulties: The learning disorders some students face in an academic context, especially Specific Learning Difficulties such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, and concentration deficit disorders.
Economics: Economic principles and practices, financial and commodity markets, banking and the analysis of financial data.
Post-secondary school procedures: The inner workings of a post-secondary school, such as the structure of the relevant education support and management, the policies, and the regulations.
Business strategy concepts: The terminology related to the design and implementation of major trends and aims which are taken by an organisation’s executives, while keeping in mind its resources, competition and environments.
Curriculum objectives: The goals identified in curricula and defined learning outcomes.

Essential skills and competences

These skills are necessary for the role of business studies and economics teacher secondary school.

Guarantee students’ safety: Ensure all students falling under an instructor or other person’s supervision are safe and accounted for. Follow safety precautions in the learning situation.
Assign homework: Provide additional exercises and assignments that the students will prepare at home, explain them in a clear way, and determine the deadline and evaluation method.
Monitor student’s behaviour: Supervise the student’s social behaviour to discover anything unusual. Help solve any issues if necessary.
Prepare lesson content: Prepare content to be taught in class in accordance with curriculum objectives by drafting exercises, researching up-to-date examples etc.
Monitor developments in field of expertise: Keep up with new research, regulations, and other significant changes, labour market related or otherwise, occurring within the field of specialisation.
Teach business principles: Instruct students in the theory and practice of business practices and principles, and more specifically business analysis processes, ethical principles, budget and strategy planning, people and resource coordination.
Compile course material: Write, select or recommend a syllabus of learning material for the students enrolled in the course.
Observe student’s progress: Follow up on students’ learning progress and assess their achievements and needs.
Liaise with educational support staff: Communicate with education management, such as the school principal and board members, and with the education support team such as the teaching assistant, school counsellor or academic advisor on issues relating the students’ well-being.
Manage student relationships: Manage the relations between students and between student and teacher. Act as a just authority and create an environment of trust and stability.
Adapt teaching to student’s capabilities: Identify the learning struggles and successes of students. Select teaching and learning strategies that support students’ individual learning needs and goals.
Apply teaching strategies: Employ various approaches, learning styles, and channels to instruct students, such as communicating content in terms they can understand, organising talking points for clarity, and repeating arguments when necessary. Use a wide range of teaching devices and methodologies appropriate to the class content, the learners’ level, goals, and priorities.
Maintain students’ discipline: Make sure students follow the rules and code of behaviour established in the school and take the appropriate measures in case of violation or misbehaviour.
Assess students: Evaluate the students’ (academic) progress, achievements, course knowledge and skills through assignments, tests, and examinations. Diagnose their needs and track their progress, strengths, and weaknesses. Formulate a summative statement of the goals the student achieved.
Demonstrate when teaching: Present to others examples of your experience, skills, and competences that are appropriate to specific learning content to help students in their learning.
Give constructive feedback: Provide founded feedback through both criticism and praise in a respectful, clear, and consistent manner. Highlight achievements as well as mistakes and set up methods of formative assessment to evaluate work.
Perform classroom management: Maintain discipline and engage students during instruction.
Secondary school procedures: The inner workings of a secondary school, such as the structure of the relevant education support and management, the policies, and the regulations.
Assist students in their learning: Support and coach students in their work, give learners practical support and encouragement.
Apply intercultural teaching strategies: Ensure that the content, methods, materials and the general learning experience is inclusive for all students and takes into account the expectations and experiences of learners from diverse cultural backgrounds. Explore individual and social stereotypes and develop cross-cultural teaching strategies.
Teach economic principles: Instruct students in the theory and practice of economics and economic research, and more specifically in topics such as production, distribution, financial markets, economic models, macroeconomics, and microeconomics.
Liaise with educational staff: Communicate with the school staff such as teachers, teaching assistants, academic advisors, and the principal on issues relating to students’ well-being. In the context of a university, liaise with the technical and research staff to discuss research projects and courses-related matters.
Develop course outline: Research and establish an outline of the course to be taught and calculate a time frame for the instructional plan in accordance with school regulations and curriculum objectives.

Optional knowledge and skills

Optional knowledge

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of business studies and economics teacher secondary school. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Business management principles: Principles governing business management methods such as strategy planning, methods of efficient production, people and resources coordination.
Business law: The field of law concerned with the trade and commerce activities of businesses and private persons and their legal interactions. This relates to numerous legal disciplines, including tax and employment law.
Mathematics: Mathematics is the study of topics such as quantity, structure, space, and change. It involves the identification of patterns and formulating new conjectures based on them. Mathematicians strive to prove the truth or falsity of these conjectures. There are many fields of mathematics, some of which are widely used for practical applications.
Adolescent socialisation behaviour: The social dynamics through which young adults live amongst each other, expressing their likes and dislikes and the rules of communication between generations.
Disability types: The nature and types of disabilities affecting the human beings such as physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional or developmental and the specific needs and access requirements of disabled people.
Statistics: The study of statistical theory, methods and practices such as collection, organisation, analysis, interpretation and presentation of data. It deals with all aspects of data including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments in order to forecast and plan work-related activities.
Business processes: Processes which an organisation applies to improve efficiency, set new objectives and reach goals in a profitable and timely manner.
Commercial law: The legal regulations that govern a specific commercial activity.
Corporate law: The legal rules that govern how corporate stakeholders (such as shareholders, employees, directors, consumers, etc) interact with one another, and the responsibilities corporations have to their stakeholders.
Financial jurisdiction: Financial rules and procedures applicable to a certain location, whose regulatory bodies decide on its jurisdiction

Optional skills and competences

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of business studies and economics teacher secondary school. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Assist in the organisation of school events: Provide assistance in the planning and organisation of school events, such as the school’s open house day, a sports game or a talent show.
Identify learning disorders: Observe and detect symptoms of Specific Learning Difficulties such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyscalculia, and dysgraphia in children or adult learners. Refer the student to the correct specialised educational expert if necessary.
Consult student’s support system: Communicate with multiple parties, including teachers and the family of the student, to discuss the student’s behaviour or academic performance.
Facilitate teamwork between students: Encourage students to cooperate with others in their learning by working in teams, for example through group activities.
Recognise indicators of gifted student: Observe students during instruction and identify signs of exceptionally high intelligence in a student, such as showing remarkable intellectual curiosity or showing restlessness due to boredom and or feelings of not being challenged.
Escort students on a field trip: Accompany students on an educational trip outside the school environment and ensure their safety and cooperation.
Arrange parent teacher conference: Set up joined and individual meetings with students’ parents to discuss their child’s academic progress and general well-being.
Monitor educational developments: Monitor the changes in educational policies, methodologies and research by reviewing relevant literature and liaising with education officials and institutions.
Prepare youths for adulthood: Work with children and young people to identify the skills and abilities they will need to become effective citizens and adults and to prepare them for independence.
Manage resources for educational purposes: Identify the necessary resources needed for learning purposes, such as materials in class or arranged transportation for a field trip. Apply for the corresponding budget and follow up on the orders.
Keep records of attendance: Keep track of the pupils who are absent by recording their names on a list of absentees.
Perform playground surveillance: Observe students’ recreational activities to ensure student safety and well-being and intervene when necessary.
Work with virtual learning environments: Incorporate the use of online learning environments and platforms into the process of instruction.
Identify cross-curricular links with other subject areas: Recognise correlations and overlaps between your subject of expertise and other subjects. Decide on a levelled approach to the material with the teacher of the associated subject and adjust lesson plans accordingly.
Provide lesson materials: Ensure that the necessary materials for teaching a class, such as visual aids, are prepared, up-to-date, and present in the instruction space.
Oversee extra-curricular activities: Supervise and potentially organise educational or recreational activities for the students outside of mandatory classes.

ISCO group and title

2330 – Secondary education teachers

 

 


 

 

References
  1. Business studies and economics teacher secondary school – ESCO
Last updated on August 8, 2022