Abstract
This chapter educates the reader on how to start their own teacherpreneur venture, both as a classroom teacherpreneur and as a consultant teacherpreneur. It contains suggestions such as participating in online forums, acquiring additional professional development, and reviewing websites to gain an understanding about what is already available on the market and how to make one's product different and unique. Finding a mentor who is willing to support and provide advice to other educators on how to become a teacherpreneur is also discussed, as is taking teacherpreneur classes and collaborating with those who are currently teacherpreneurs. The chapter describes some general practices to consider when determining how to get started becoming a consultant teacherpreneur and the steps an educator needs to take in order to become successful at it, and then offers some particular avenues to pursue if considering a consultant teacherpreneur approach.
TopGetting Started: Classroom Teacherpreneurs
According to Seagal Educational Consultants (2019), becoming a classroom teacherpreneur allows the classroom instructor to discover talents they may not have been exercising—or not exercising to their fullest potential—while teaching. In other words, the first step toward becoming a teacherpreneur for the educator is to begin looking for specific areas where their strengths can be maximized. For example, many teachers are also leaders and have the ability to motivate others. Becoming a classroom teacherpreneur will allow a classroom educator to embrace this skill and use it to help other teachers. Next, many classroom instructors have specialized skills, like being able to communicate effectively and being an active listener. A classroom teacherpreneur can apply this skill by seeking out opportunities to conduct workshops or professional development sessions to teach other educators how to communicate clearly with their students and parents and how to be an active listener who can hear and comprehend exactly what the student or parent is telling them. In addition, the classroom teacherpreneur focuses solely on the students and what needs to be done to assist other classroom teachers with creating success for each and every one of the students. Teachers will not be successful in the classroom if their students do not meet the state academic standards and pass the state achievement assessments. Classroom teacherpreneurs can assist in this area. Next, a classroom teacherpreneur is always conducting research and looking for research-based instructional strategies that best fit the needs of the student because they are engaged in individualized learning and recognize that what works for one child may not for the next. Seagal Educational Consultants also noted that classroom teacherpreneurs want to make a difference and have an impact not only on the students in their classrooms but also, through their creative method of teaching a certain topic, on the school as a whole. They want teachers to know that their job is especially important because they are shaping future generations who will on day run the country. Finally, classroom teacherpreneurs have a positive attitude and have a mindset of success. They see that every child has potential if taught in the way that they learn best. Classroom teacherpreneurs do not let students fail but instead try to figure out the best way to educate each particular child to maximize results (Seagal Educational Consultants, 2019).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Skill Set: Expertise someone has learned in a particular area that they are willing to share with others.
Identified Specific Need: Students who qualify for special education services under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act (IDEA).
Networking: Being able to speak with others to gain information as well as to make both social and professional contacts to use as deemed necessary in future endeavors.
Online Job Opportunities: Teaching jobs offered through company websites for teacherpreneurs who are interested in obtaining a part- or full-time job teaching remotely.
Mindset of Success: A teacherpreneur who has a positive attitude and does not permit failure to define who they are.
Consultant Teacherpreneur: A teacherpreneur who either works independently or for an educational consulting company to provide services to a school or school district. These services can include but are not limited to mentoring teachers, conducting professional workshops, developing curricula, teaching online classes, and so forth.
Mentor: A teacherpreneur who works with other educators to improve both their instructional teaching strategies and classroom behavioral skills. This service can be done either face-to-face or virtually.