There is a welter of advice about what topics to include, which audiovisual/computing wizardry to employ, and how to use modem leaming "theory" in Microeconomics Principles classes (William Becker and Michael W^atts, 1999). What appears lacking (except for Kenneth Elzinga, 2001) is plain advice aimed particularly at newer instructors on how to present material and treat students—generally how to avoid having the course burden students and instructor. The spur is my upset when people say economics was the most boring course in college and one they never understood. My only bona fides for providing this advice is experience, over 30 sections of Micro Principles with over 12,000 students. The advice is aimed toward instructors of sections of at least 100 students, but most applies in smaller sections as well.

 The crucial assumptions here are that students: (i) do not intend to take more economics; (ii) know very little about what economics is really about; and (iii) are very concemed about maintaining/raising their grade point averages. These assumptions regrettably characterize the majority of students in Micro Principles classes and should condition how we teach. They imply that the burden of teaching, including the sheer physical energy and attention required to demonstrate the relevance of economics and maintain students' interest, is greater than in other courses. They necessitate introducing only those techniques that will be used in class in analyzing real-world issues: Teach ideas, not techniques.^ The purpose is to enable students to see economic principles in action in real life, not to prepare budding economics majors.