Who am I?
Patricia Clahar
Education Enrichment Specialist (Entrepreneurship Educator for Kids/Teens) |
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How did I start teaching entrepreneurship to kids and teens?
Well, teaching has always given me life, but there's one subject that seems to automatically bring more excitement to the classroom: entrepreneurship.
For some kids, it's the allure of doing something "grown-up", like making money. For others, it's the mystique of making something out of nothing. But, if you introduce it in the right way, most kids get hooked on the idea pretty quickly.
For several years, I worked at a school that required every student to develop and sell a product at an annual school business fair. It was an amazing experience to watch these students turn their ideas into reality, but facilitating the process while letting students maintain their autonomy was a huge undertaking.
Given my education and personal experience with entrepreneurship (it's been in my blood since childhood!), each year I assumed more responsibility for supporting this activity. By my last year there, everyone who had spearheaded the project in the past had moved on, and as the resident MBA, the bulk of the responsibility for making this program succeed fell on my shoulders.
That year, I started the program with 15 students and no business ideas. And I had to get them all to launch within 6 months! (Not an easy feat with limited class time.) I ended the program with all 15 students (not one student quit or gave up!) and an impressive spread of 20 different products. I'm not talking about the kind of product that you buy out of pity and throw away when you get home. We discussed serious quality standards . . . and they rose to the occasion.
More importantly, every student had an unforgettable experience. In the following months and even years they reminisced about the emotional rollercoaster of starting a business and what they had learned about life, themselves and each other. When kids are given the right amounts of guidance and autonomy, it's amazing what they can discover for themselves. And these are the most memorable lessons of all.
I gained a lot of valuable experience during those years and I can't wait to share what I've learned with other students so that they, too, can enjoy the experience of turning their dreams into reality!
I also look forward to making this experience really fun and exciting for students without missing the invaluable tidbits about business and life that they can learn along the way.
For some kids, it's the allure of doing something "grown-up", like making money. For others, it's the mystique of making something out of nothing. But, if you introduce it in the right way, most kids get hooked on the idea pretty quickly.
For several years, I worked at a school that required every student to develop and sell a product at an annual school business fair. It was an amazing experience to watch these students turn their ideas into reality, but facilitating the process while letting students maintain their autonomy was a huge undertaking.
Given my education and personal experience with entrepreneurship (it's been in my blood since childhood!), each year I assumed more responsibility for supporting this activity. By my last year there, everyone who had spearheaded the project in the past had moved on, and as the resident MBA, the bulk of the responsibility for making this program succeed fell on my shoulders.
That year, I started the program with 15 students and no business ideas. And I had to get them all to launch within 6 months! (Not an easy feat with limited class time.) I ended the program with all 15 students (not one student quit or gave up!) and an impressive spread of 20 different products. I'm not talking about the kind of product that you buy out of pity and throw away when you get home. We discussed serious quality standards . . . and they rose to the occasion.
More importantly, every student had an unforgettable experience. In the following months and even years they reminisced about the emotional rollercoaster of starting a business and what they had learned about life, themselves and each other. When kids are given the right amounts of guidance and autonomy, it's amazing what they can discover for themselves. And these are the most memorable lessons of all.
I gained a lot of valuable experience during those years and I can't wait to share what I've learned with other students so that they, too, can enjoy the experience of turning their dreams into reality!
I also look forward to making this experience really fun and exciting for students without missing the invaluable tidbits about business and life that they can learn along the way.