Teachers across Australia take part in Entrepreneurial Program Professional Development
great skills to assist my teaching,
connecting with business leaders and fellow teachers."
At Startup Business International, we value the continuation of learning in our personal and professional lives, the wellbeing of teachers in our program is no exception. Recently, we hosted a professional development workshop with teachers from Queensland, the Northern Territory, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania. These workshops pushed our AgriFutures Australia 2021 teachers outside of their comfort zone in pitching, presenting, agriculture and entrepreneurial learning in action.
We give our teachers a role-reversal experience where teachers pitch innovative ideas like their students will be in their unique school programs. This workshop was split into two days, below is a summary:
DAY 1
Session One – Agricultural Education
Luciano Mesiti – CEO, PIEFA
Luciano gave teachers a global perspective on Agriculture, the importance of innovation in the agriculture industry, what needs to be grown specifically in the education sector and how teachers can use their resources to better educate their students.
Session Two – The Entrepreneurial Mindset in Agricultural Education
John Wesgarth – Agile Coach, Food Agility
John built his career working in the innovation, education and government spaces. His presentation highlights the value of starting small and having a big impact using regionally specific examples of combating issues of technology in agriculture.
Session Three – 2020 Schools
Carolyn Johnson – Agriculture Teacher & Children’s University Coordinator, Karoonda Area School
Carolyn implemented the Learning in Action Program during one of the most trying times for her community and Australia in 2020 but was able to thrive with her students in both their learning and practical application. Her honest insight into the challenges and opportunities of the program proved extremely valuable for teachers who are embarking on the journey for the first time.
Session Four – Business Opportunity
Leigh Morgan – Education & Program Director, Startup Business International
Leigh has experience in and out of the classroom from teaching in her hometown in Mackay to moving urban areas to start her own business. Turning a problem into a business opportunity is the key to demonstrating an entrepreneurial mindset, so, teachers brainstormed business ideas relating to their local communities.
Session Five – Pitching Masterclass
Annik Petrou – Program Manager, Rarebirds
Pitching is all about providing pertinent information in a simple, easy to understand and short presentation to generate enthusiasm and interest from those who are listening. Annik gave our teachers some techniques used by the master to give our teachers a burst of passion and encouragement in understanding how to pitch themselves.
DAY 2
Session One – Program Implementation
During this session, teachers were taken through the program expectations from initial on boarding to the National festival. This session provided teachers the opportunity to be guided through the online platform to understand the scope of resources and materials available for use in their respective classrooms.
Session Two – Teaching for Neurodiversity Masterclass
Leigh Morgan – Education & Program Director, Startup Business International
During this session, teachers were taken through a sprint from identifying a local problem to pitching their ideas to a panel of industry judges. This experience was relevant for teachers to empathise with the journey their students will embark on to deliver their own version of a pitch.
We loved the opportunity to see these teachers shine in an environment which is daunting for most. The Entrepreneurial Learning in Action program was created to give teachers the opportunity to give their students a different mindset when learning and we are confident they will create the most brilliant ideas with the help of their teachers.
