Enterprising School Program

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Gain Creators / Outcomes

The Enterprising school Program is based on activities aiming at teacher’s development (training) and school’s continuous development (assessment, planning, goal settings, etc.). The Program pays a big attention also at identifying and recognising the best practices at the national level. Consequently, by participating in the Enterprising School Programme, teachers and school leaders have the opportunity to improve their practices, learn from other experiences, get information which is useful to create an enterprising environment for their learners. On top of this, having a more enterprising environment at school brings positive outcomes to several other stakeholders.

Gains / Needs

Teachers need more training on entrepreneurship education and on how to make their classrooms more enterprising. They need to work on the topic in a more efficient and enjoyable way as well as to network with their peers, learn from each other, discuss ideas and challenges. To do so, the support from the community and from the school leaders is crucial.
Schools leaders need to lead a school that serves its students in the best possible way, operating in cooperation with its surroundings and meeting the needs and expectations of the community. They need information that would help them develop their school into an enterprising one.

Target Group

The main target group is teachers and school leaders at various types of educational institutions: kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, vocational education institutions.

Implementation Method

The practice can be introduced to school leaders and teachers through personal contacts, possibly at the meetings of school leaders and/or educators. Contacts with schools can also be created through local governments and regional development or enterprise centres who are interested in the development of their community. It is also useful to build partnerships with complementing initiatives – e.g. Junior Achievement – to synergise the initiatives, share information and increase the impact.

Enterprising School Program

Participation in Enterprising School Program provides schools with a pathway and a framework to create an increasingly enterprising environment for its learners. To achieve that, the program is focused on two dimensions: 1) teachers’ development and 2) schools’ continuous improvement.

The first dimension is addressed by trainings for teachers as well as for schools’ community, including school leaders, directors, parents and student union representatives. The second dimension is supported by the implementation of Enterprising School Standard – periodical self-assessment, goal setting, action planning, external consulting and plans’ execution for becoming the best possible enterprising environment – and a yearly call for good case practice sharing and recognition for the outstanding practices.

Activities

Participation in Enterprising School Program provides schools with a pathway and a framework to create an increasingly enterprising environment for its learners. To achieve that, the program is focused on two dimensions: teachers’ development and schools’ continuous improvement.

Resources

What is needed to realise this good case practice:

Good will and commitment for creating an increasingly enterprising school.
People who are willing to take lead (e.g. a champion, coordinator, a working group).
Trainers and content and tool in local language to be used.

Pain Relievers / Solutions

The Enterprising School Program (including the standard, the processes related to it, and good case practices) contribute to the development of school leaders ‘attitudes and teaching practices, by increasing their knowledge, skills and networks which enable them to be more enterprising, strengthen the relationship of the school with the local community and better support the students in acquiring those competences needed in the labour market.

Pains / Challenges

Teaching practices in schools are often fact based and not engaging for students; there is little touch between learning and real life practice, and the community is not engaged enough in students’ learning. Teachers and schools leaders need guidance about how to make their school environment more entrepreneurial and results effective.

Additional information: The practice has positive outcomes for several stakeholders:

Students – can-do-will-do approach to life, support for their development as motivated, responsible and caring people who dare to initiate things, who look for new solutions, work with others, set goals, achieve results, who are able to analyse themselves and carry through the activities they have started
Parents – reassurance that their children are developing the competences which they need to lead their lives successfully
Employers – future employees with higher level of the key competences
Community and state – enterprising citizens who contribute more to the wellbeing and livelihood of their society, environment and economy

Please note that as of November 2015 only basic introduction of the program is available in English. However, translation can be arranged in due time. For more information, please contact Kristi Goldberg (kristi.goldberg@ivek.ee).

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