Teacherpreneurs

Teacherpreneurers

Ariel Sacks uses the term teacherpreneur. She predictes that the schools of 2030 will need growing numbers of teacherpreneurs, “which she described as teacher leaders of proven accomplishment who have a deep knowledge of how to teach, a clear understanding of what strategies must be in play to make schools highly successful, and the skills and commitment to spread their expertise to others—all the while keeping at least one foot firmly in the classroom.”

While keeping one foot in the classroom teachers could play numerous roles outside of the classroom as well. This could include roles as community organizers, freelance writing, policy worker, working in a think tank, or university role. The purpose would be to make education better, it would create new challenges as well as opportunities for rewards.

“The teacherpreneur is always engaged with students, while also investing know-how and energy into important projects, including those supported by the district, the state, or a partnering organization.”

“Teacherpreneurship is about propagating a new culture of innovation and creativity in a sector of education that has been woefully lacking in one. Most importantly, teacherpreneurship is not promoting a free-market vision for the profit of a few—but rather how our society can invest substantially in teachers who can expertly serve millions of children and families who are not in the position to choose a better school somewhere else or find the most erudite online teacher anytime, anywhere. Teacherpreneurship is all about the public good, not private gain.”

I think this is very interesting idea but I think this idea is already in place. The author is just coining a new catch phrase for the future. Most teachers already have many roles outside of their classroom that promote student learning. Most of these roles are performed free of charge with the only goal of making others teachers or students better in the classroom. I see teachers in my school sharing their technological expertise to other teachers after school on a regular basis. Many teachers already spend more time tutoring outside the classroom than they do teaching in the classroom. I don’t see teachers doing much more in my opinion since the demands of teaching (at least in our district) have increased. I don’t know a single teacher who doesn’t have to continually look for new innovative ways to teach their students. Teacherpreneurs are already in place.

Berry, Barnett. (October 6, 2010) The Coming Age of the Teacherpreneur.                                         Education Week, Teacher PD Sourcebook. Retreived November 12, 2010 from http://www.edweek.org/tsb/articles/2010/10/12/01teacherpreneur.ho4.html