Entrepreneurials

WELL, I can not believe what i just read!!! Who are you to tell me, that i'm not allowed to be, or should not be an entrepreneur? Being entrepreneural does not JUST APPLY TO THE BUSINESS scene. I find your comments somewhat problematic and dare i say 'shallow'. I find it also interesting how you position education, teachers and children for that matter.

I had a fair idea of what being entrepreneurial was, i was just looking for others views. I guess that's what you've given me, your view. I suppose you could say that teaching is my CORE business. Yes i am working for the government, BUT the reason why i decided to become a teacher was not so i can say i work for someone like the government, (frankly i think the government has a lot to answer for educational wise) it was to work for children, and the satisfaction that their learning brings me.

Why can't i be an entrepreneur in this profession? Truth is, i know next year when i am teaching in my first class I WILL BE AN ENTREPRENEUR. As you stated Doing those things - organizing, managing and assuming the risk of a business or enterprise - makes someone an entrepreneur (whether they claim it or not). That's what teaching is all about, organising and managing both mine, and the children's learning. It is also about taking risks in the classroom, and it is this type of behaviour that will make ME a better teacher.

I challenge you to think of entrepreneurs in a new light after you have read this. Of course you could just sit back and say that this woman has completely no idea, but one must wonder how entrepreneurial you would be if you were to take on this somewhat simplistic and naive view.

Megan

Megan,

You left out one component. The entrepreneur is also taking the financial risk. As much as you want to consider yourself an entrepreneur, you are not taking the finacial risk of operating a business or depending on your abilities to produce profits or income to meet your needs.

An employee by definition cannot be an entrepreneur unless you are allowed to change the meaning of the word in every dictionary published.

My Funk and Wagnalls dictionary only offers one definition for entrepreneur - n. One who undertakes to start and conduct a business or enterprise.

It has nothing to do with it being a government position, it has to do with your status as an employee. The guaranteed salary and benefits you derive from a job negates your claim of taking risks, as you are not risking any capital or your weekly pay.

If you were to make your living as a private teacher or tutor, then you could say you are operating an enterprise. The franchisees of Sylvan Learning Centers qualify by definition.

Maybe you can get those people who add new words to the dictionaries each year to consider your educational entreprenerialship as a secondary definition, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Not just my opinion, but the dictionary's as well.

Dennis Bevers


My risk taking enterprise that has kept me self-employed for 19 years!

> Who are you to tell me, that i'm not allowed
> to be, or should not be an entrepreneur?

Please point out where I said you were not allowed to be or should not be an entrepreneur.

I find your comments
> somewhat problematic and dare i say
> 'shallow'. I find it also interesting how
> you position education, teachers and
> children for that matter.

Would you please explain what you mean.

HOW are my comments problematic and shallow?

HOW do I position education, teachers and children?

> I had a fair idea of what being
> entrepreneurial was, i was just looking for
> others views.

The only way you can know what being an entrepreneur is like is to be one. The only way it can be explained to you is by one.

Instead of "entrepreneur" think "Champion Basketball Player."

The only way to KNOW what being a Champion Basketball Player is like is to be one. The only people who can explain what being a champion basketball player is like, is one.

You have to walk in the shoes of an entrepreneur to "get it."

I guess that's what you've
> given me, your view. I suppose you could say
> that teaching is my CORE business. Yes i am
> working for the government, BUT the reason
> why i decided to become a teacher was not so
> i can say i work for someone like the
> government, (frankly i think the government
> has a lot to answer for educational wise) it
> was to work for children, and the
> satisfaction that their learning brings me.

Wow... this sounds almost identicle to what the left uses as arguements all the time... for the children.

> Why can't i be an entrepreneur in this
> profession?

You cannot be an entrepreneur when you are an employee. Dennis covered this already.

Truth is, i know next year when
> i am teaching in my first class I WILL BE AN
> ENTREPRENEUR. As you stated Doing those
> things - organizing, managing and assuming
> the risk of a business or enterprise - makes
> someone an entrepreneur (whether they claim
> it or not). That's what teaching is all
> about, organising and managing both mine,
> and the children's learning. It is also
> about taking risks in the classroom, and it
> is this type of behaviour that will make ME
> a better teacher.

Boy, are you in for a RUDE shock next year when you are teaching in your first class.

The restrictions on teachers are AMAZING.

How are your Lesson Plans? Not much freedom there, hey? Got to do the Lesson Plan otherwise the supervising teacher will not pass you.

How far "off topic" do you think you are allowed to teach?

FACT: You, as a qualified teacher, have to follow so many rules and regulations it is not funny.

> I challenge you to think of entrepreneurs in
> a new light after you have read this.

I challenge you to answer my previous question... why have you chosen to work for someone else instead of yourself?

Of
> course you could just sit back and say that
> this woman has completely no idea, but one
> must wonder how entrepreneurial you would be
> if you were to take on this somewhat
> simplistic and naive view.

What simplistic and naive view are you talking about?

By the way... I do find one thing disturbing about your post... the constant use of the lower-case "I" when it is not in a word. Eg. "Truth is, i know next year when i am teaching in my..."

Next year you say you will be teaching. Yet this year you are using lower case letters where upper case letters should be used. Will your bad habits be passed on?

Teachers have to set examples. Using correct basic letter case is one of them.

How come this has not been brought to your attention before?

I assume it has not otherwise it would have been corrected.

Michael Ross