Teacherpreneurs: maximising untapped talent inside and outside of the classroom

As most people are aware, particularly those working within education, the role of teachers is undergoing a profound transformation. This hangs in the balance as to whether this is for the better, but the changes taking place are opening a host of new avenues to redefine what it is to be a teacher and the profession itself- if we can see them. 

In this era of change, the concept of "teacherpreneurship" has emerged as a powerful means to harness and maximise the untapped talent of educators both inside and outside of the classroom. This blog explores the convergence of developmental coaching, cultural cadence, and innovative educational practices that empower ‘teacherpreneurs’ to make a difference in the lives of students across all age groups and their organisation as a whole. Additionally, we'll delve into the significance of leadership at every level and its impact on realising the full potential of teacher talent.

The Rise of Teacherpreneurs

The term "teacherpreneur" might be a relatively new addition to the education lexicon, but the concept has been around for some time. A teacherpreneur is a dedicated educator who combines their teaching expertise with an entrepreneurial spirit to drive positive change within their organisation and the wider education and even societal systems. They move beyond standard practices of knowledge and skills development and earlier stages of approaches to education; they seek to innovate, lead and make a lasting impact on education as a whole. Teacherpreneurs are proactive, creative, and possess a deep understanding of their students and the broader educational landscape. They are our innovators and early adopters (Rogers, 1971).

Bell curve showing Rogers’ (1971) Innovation Adoption Curve

Developmental Coaching: Nurturing Teacher Talent

One of the key pillars of empowering teacherpreneurs is providing them with the support, frameworks and guidance they need to develop their skills, ideas and capacity to implement them. A key distinction between ideas and innovation is that innovation takes the product to market, or in the education setting, shared and embedded practice. 

These early stages of creating space for facilitating the diagnosis of gaps or needs ties in with many of the concepts from our previous blogs, creating a developmental and rhythmic culture within organisations. Planning and communicating these spaces for facilitative development through inquiry, coaching and autonomous working groups aligned with individuals’ strengths, values and interests through structured and ongoing process as pivotal in this regard. 

By incorporating developmental coaching into the teacherpreneur journey, educators gain a deeper understanding of their capabilities, identify opportunities for growth, and become more confident and competent in their roles. Undoubtedly, a more self-aware teacher builds stronger, vital relationships with their learners.

Cultural Cadence: Fostering Collaboration and Inclusivity

The modern classroom is a microcosm of diverse cultures, experiences, and backgrounds. Recognizing and celebrating this diversity is essential to creating an inclusive learning environment and integrating diverse lenses. 

This is where the concept of cultural cadence comes in. It plays into individual’s strengths and interests. Being literate of our team or learner values frames their value add to others. This promotes the key areas of education such as inclusivity, collaboration as well as cultural competence and literacy, particularly when working on tasks that are greater than the collective-meaningful learning, as we rely on more than ourselves. 

When an organisation has good cultural cadence, teacherpreneurs are empowered to tap into the potential of diverse ideas and talents within the classroom but to do this with peers. Furthermore, educators or learners are encouraged to innovate and adapt their teaching methods to cater to the unique needs of their students but celebrate that uniqueness and therefore connect with each other.

Innovating Education: Beyond the Traditional Classroom

Teacherpreneurs are not limited to the four walls of a traditional classroom and again this reflects the way they make learning meaningful. They are constantly seeking new and innovative ways to reach and impact a broader audience, transcending age groups and geographical boundaries.

1. EdTech Integration: The integration of technology into education is a hallmark of teacherpreneurship. By leveraging EdTech tools, teacherpreneurs can create engaging and interactive online courses that cater to various age groups.

2. Lifelong Learning: Teacherpreneurs recognize that learning doesn't stop after formal education. They design programs and resources for learners of all ages, catering to lifelong learning and skill development.

3. Blended Learning: Teacherpreneurs often blend traditional teaching methods with online resources, providing flexibility for students of different age groups and learning styles.

4. Extracurricular Programmes: Beyond the classroom, teacherpreneurs often lead extracurricular programs, mentoring and coaching students in various areas of interest, from science and arts to entrepreneurship and leadership.

5. Educational Publishing: Some teacherpreneurs author books, create educational materials, or develop curricula, contributing to the improvement of educational content.

Innovative approaches to education are essential for teacherpreneurs, as they allow these educators to adapt to the changing needs and expectations of students across age groups. Through innovation, teacherpreneurs can bridge the gap between traditional education and the demands of a rapidly evolving world. 

Leadership and Teacherpreneurship

Effective leadership is catalysing the release of the full potential of teacher talent. Teacherpreneurs, by their very nature, exhibit leadership qualities in the classroom, but their impact can extend far beyond. Yet effective leaders ensure processes for those who may not yet be teacherpreneurs to have the opportunity to be inspired by it. By sharing and developing new practices, advocating for change and education reform only raises the peer standards within and beyond your school. Mirrored with learners, providing more opportunity for them to take ownership of their learning and sharing this creates peer accountability but self-growth. This journey is not immediate so as leaders we have to consider how we break down the barriers of limiting patterns of belief if everyone is to come on board. However in many cases opportunities for teachers with an entrepreneurial flare are limited. Schools do not or do not know how to incorporate or take advantage of teachers’ experiences from working in other industries; the school’s culture is not conducive to innovating the current system; teachers and schools lack the capacity to go beyond their standard role due to the high demands the current systems and practices the education sector has placed on them. Our staff audit reveals the true potential of your staff and supports you in choosing the right seats on the bus. 

With all this in mind, senior leaders can be greatly influential in how teachers have autonomy to innovate and drive education forward. By actively supporting and nurturing teacherpreneurs, senior leaders can create an environment where innovation, creativity, and educational improvement can flourish as a normal part of the culture- an extremely attractive climate to recruit and retain to. 

Staff feel valued when they feel invested in. We hear this again and again. And this can be achieved in a number of ways. Framing the provision of resources, cultural development, providing professional development and networking opportunities with energy investment often removes many of the barriers. Creating a deliberately developmental culture is essential to innovative education; when senior leaders encourage and support new ideas and development it can ripple across an organisation and beyond.

Many of you reading this may think that this all sounds good, however the reality of developing teachers is far from straightforward. Things to consider here include the lack of resources, lack of budget, bureaucratic barriers and other workload demands. Although this is true to a certain extent, we would argue that the main barriers here are resistance to change and assumptions as often in most of these cases there are other approaches or routes that can be adopted to make progress. The benefits are ten fold, with research showing a significant increase in job satisfaction, retention and outcomes when teachers are given more autonomy.

So, as a leader, how do you find and develop teacherpreneurs within your organisation?

There are multiple methods senior leaders can use to discover hidden talents amongst their staff. One of the most seemingly obvious ways is through open dialogue in meetings where teachers feel psychologically safe to share their ideas with others to explore further. With this comes passion and staff who are particularly passionate about a project or area within education will show. This ties in with the wider culture of the organisation, where risk taking is encouraged and learned from and innovation and development is recognised. Additionally professional development can take an alternative approach to include entrepreneurial skills not traditionally offered within teacher CPD as well as flexibility within workloads or teaching schedules.

This, however can all take a significant amount of time and energy, which is often a luxury within education; there can be hundreds of staff members within a school therefore making the notion of exploring who has the talent and passion for a particular project quite daunting; this is where The Glass House Leadership Lab can specifically help. We have partnered with a software development company to create a clear Practitioner Development Profile that provides not just goals, but stages of development for practitioners, ensuring that their capacity and their potential are aligned with their goals and aspirations. We bring a depth unrivaled, going far deeper than personality assessments which are typically limiting, but instead it allows you to map the potential of your whole organisation whilst becoming aware of the strengths and areas for development that builds trust and vision- developing a literacy for transformation. 

Our intranet automates this and allows rapid data collection, search features, and planning design, along with many other data automation features. This truly captures the assets of your organisation and provides a truly innovative approach to recruitment and retention plan, having huge impacts on your budget, culture and success.

Conclusion

Teacherpreneurship is a force for positive change in education, and it holds the potential to maximize untapped talent both inside and outside of the classroom. By combining developmental coaching, cultural cadence, and innovative teaching practices, teacherpreneurs can inspire and engage students across different age groups. Additionally, the leadership qualities inherent in teacherpreneurship play a significant role in realizing the full potential of teacher talent and fostering a culture of continuous improvement in education.

As we move forward in the ever-evolving landscape of education, we should recognise the importance of nurturing and empowering teacherpreneurs. These dedicated educators are not just teaching; they are innovating, leading, and shaping the future of education for students of all ages. In doing so, they unlock the boundless potential of both educators and students, ultimately creating a brighter future for all.

If you are interested in exploring cutting edge coaching opportunities further for either yourself or your team and the benefits it can offer more widely for your organisation, we would be delighted to discuss options further. Please book a discovery call or contact us at info@glasshouselab.com.

If you are interested in using Leadership Development Profiles within your organisation please also get in touch at the above email address.

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References:

Rogers, E. M. & Shoemaker, F. F. (1971). Communication of Innovation. New York: The Free Press.