Five Crucial Reasons Why Schools Should Teach Entrepreneurship
by Maya Spikes
Teachers can’t always predict exactly what students will need to know after they graduate. Still, teaching entrepreneurship skills can help students handle, and sometimes even welcome, the changes happening in technology, business, and society in general. These skills include problem-solving, teamwork, empathy, as well as learning to accept failure as a part of the growth process.
Entrepreneurship education helps children learn how to identify problems they have never dealt with before. STUDENTS DEVELOP THEIR CREATIVITY AND COLLABORATION SKILLS.
Teachers have a powerful role in helping students face an uncertain future. What if teachers could give their students hope and empathy skills, even while society faces global health problems and divisive tensions? Teaching entrepreneurial skills can help teachers prepare their students for today’s rapidly changing world. We can think of at least five reasons why schools should teach entrepreneurship. But first, let’s look at what entrepreneurship education means. What Is Entrepreneurship Education? Entrepreneurship education teaches students important life skills, such as: Collaborating and working with a team Speaking in public and preparing an effective presentation (digitally and in-person) Collecting, analyzing, and using data Utilizing social media for promotion and/or advocacy
12
Handling real, complex problems that don’t have a definitive answer Using curiosity and creativity to find an innovative approach to difficult problems Students learn what it takes to develop a product or service, create their own unique business proposals, and give multiple pitch presentations. Entrepreneurship education does not just benefit those entering the fields of science, technology, and business. Students interested in the arts, social sciences, and similar fields can also develop their imagination and learn how to apply creative thinking skills to realworld problems. Here are five benefits of schools teaching entrepreneurship: PREPARE YOUR STUDENTS FOR AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE.
The recent COVID-19 pandemic has taught all of us an important lesson: Our lives can dramatically change at any time. Some economic experts predicted many people’s jobs would become automated during the next few decades, even before the global pandemic.
Entrepreneurship education supports creativity, innovation, and collaboration. These skills are highly valued by the top colleges and most businesses in the world and will be used by your students well beyond their middle school and high school years. Businesses are often rewarded for creating products and services that seem new and different. The best new ideas are usually a result of two or more people working well together. TEACH STUDENTS HOW TO IDENTIFY AND RECOGNIZE PROBLEMS.
Students must know how to identify problems before learning how to solve them. Problemsolving exercises are a long-time staple of traditional education. However, the same cannot be said for identifying problems. Traditionally, problem-solving is taught by presenting students with issues that are already clearly defined by someone else. In the real world, problems can only be solved when they have been properly identified and described. Entrepreneurship education helps children learn how to identify problems they have never dealt with before. This skill is much
TOMORROW'S CHILD © § MARCH 2021 § WWW.MONTESSORI.ORG