Leading by example in learning — Entrepreneur High

I like to consider myself an entrepreneur. I make s**t happen.

I have done my best to bring this into education for over 5 years. I have had some thrilling startup and freelancers emerge out of high school.

It is old wisdom, but truly, the best way to lead is by example. If we are asking our kids to be more entrepreneurial, then, we must have teachers who are doing the same…

…In addition to being a teacher and an entrepreneur, I am also a circus artist. I love doing contemporary circus shows. It makes me happy. I will never stop doing it.

This has led me to co-founding Island Circus Space. It is a beautiful crossroads of all of my passions: learning, entrepreneurship, and circus. I am applying over 7 years of research and experience to developing this startup. I am pouring my heart into it, because it is something I just love to do. I would pay someone to do it.

I am able to bring this expertise to my students; learn along side them as they are progressing through ventures of their own. We go in similar directions, but depending on their field, they take off down rabbit holes, feeding me full of interesting information and knowledge that I had absolutely no idea about. It has been quite a fascinating learning process.

In return, I am taking big risks, failing, and being honest about it. I am learning so much about how to lead in my own endeavor, it gives me big time credibility when we have hard conversations about their own pursuits. I am not just any old teacher lecturing them, I am doing it. There is a vast divide between saying something and doing something.

Imagine Entrepreneur High. A very small high school, a class size really, that utilizes a downtown collaborative space. There is is always an entrepreneur in residence who guides the students. They are expected to actively go out and find mentors to meet with at least once per week.

We meet 3 days a week to learn together. 2 days of the week, they are expected to go do those plans.

It is not for everyone. It is for entrepreneur-like minded teenagers who have ideas. Focus on grades 11 and 12 where there are few requirements left in the government curriculum for graduation, gaining as much freedom to dig into their own plans as possible.

I know it can work because I have been doing it. Hit me up if you would like to learn more…