I was browsing through GOOD Education online magazine when I came across an article with the word “teacherprenuer” in the title. It immediately caught my attention. I thought “that’s genius! What a great, descriptive term for teachers.” We all know that teachers do way more than just teach. We are planners, organizers, coordinators, record-keepers, mediators, mentors, facilitators, counselors (to a certain extent), trainers, assessors, and the list goes on. Part of the reason I fell in love with teaching is because we get to fulfill so many different roles—it never gets boring! However, after I read the article “Are “Teacherprenuers” the Future of Education?” it made me think deeper about my role as a teacher and what I should be focusing on as I invest towards the future of my career.
So, what is a “teacherprenuer” and why is it important? According to Teaching 2030, a big part of school reform requires that teachers be “entrepreneurially-minded leaders.” Notice the word “leaders.” In order to promote change in education we have to be more than just leaders in the classroom; we have to be leaders in our profession! Think about it. Who better than teachers themselves to help make decisions about the future of education? After all, one of the biggest issues in educational reform is disconnect between policymakers and educators. Thus, a new breed of educators needs to emerge. “Teacherprenuers are classroom experts who teach while also serving as teacher educators, policy researchers, community organizers and trustees of their profession.” In other words, we have to be experts, catalysts, innovators, problem-solvers, activists, and, most importantly, collaborators.
Now the question is, how do we become “teacherpreneurs?” A big part of creating this new breed of teacher is professional training. Luckily, we’re in the right place! With a strong social justice agenda, USC is one of the top institutions for promoting reform in education. Within my first two terms I have made links to community-based organizations and school administrators, studied various points of view on policies affecting school reform, learned the importance of promoting cross-curricular collaboration, and so much more. Now, I’m not trying to give a sales pitch here. I’m simply reflecting on the value that my graduate degree at USC will have on my career as an educator. I strongly believe that we have to elevate the role of teaching, and my experience with the MAT@USC program definitely makes me feel like I’m on my way to becoming a leader in my profession. The ultimate goal is for teachers to be involved in generating new education policy and reform. That is why, as we think about the future of education and what it means to be a teacher, it’s important to think about how we, as teachers, can make a difference and what new roles we need to take on in order to advance education.
