Graduate Certificate In Entrepreneurial Education

In April 2009 Patric Parris received the first ever –anywhere – Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurial Education. Congratulations, Pat!

The graduate certificate incorporates much of the entrepreneurial skill sets, outlook and knowledge base of a practicing Entrepreneurial Educator. To join Pat and the other educators who will soon earn this contemporary and future oriented professional credential, contact 3E Institute to learn more.

LETTER FROM AN ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATOR

Dear Educator:

My name is Pat Parris. I teach at "The Leadership Center” of Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School, a cyber school. My students come from all over the state, but they are all taught in their homes and are connected to my lessons through a computer and the internet. This truly qualifies as a 21st century teaching and learning strategy. We have many students that come from schools which would be defined as challenging. These students are receiving a second chance in education with this innovative approach.

I have taken two courses from the 3 E Institute at West Chester University which has given me tools to provide these kinds of unique opportunities for my students. The Entrepreneurial Educator course that the 3 E Institute offers taught me to not be ashamed to dream big as an educator. Although I have included creative unit studies in my World History course, I was left with a sense that my students would soon forget the lessons of history after they had completed my course. The Entrepreneurial Educator showed me how I could apply my passion for skills like conflict resolution and literacy to real world scenarios. I want my students to be as passionate about the lessons learned from history as I am.

I next completed the Applied Learning Course.  It was then that I realized that with a Problem Based learning strategy I could allow my students to study history in a way that they would always remember, through problem based learning. I have written two scenarios since I completed this course and am in the process of completing one of them. I can now weave the lessons of history into real world problems that require the kind of practical skills which students will find applicable after graduation.

The 3E Institute has also helped me to direct my instruction toward teacher led school improvement. When other teachers join my problem based learning units there is a synergy created which raises the education level of our entire school. Recently, we concluded a student-run election of Senators for our Student Government. Because of this election our students have interacted with a real world candidate and Federal Representative, as well as forming a strong alliance with Senator Andrew Dinniman’s office in Harrisburg. My students have also developed a school forum which they have learned to monitor. They have evaluated student comments and considered the true meaning and limits of freedom of speech. In this way they are learning vital life lessons. 

The 3E Institute is a wonderful resource to help facilitate collaborative learning. It utilizes real world roles and skills that are transferable to the 21st century work place. These skills are vital for the students (workers) who will be our nation's future. The invaluable tools and ideas presented by the 3E Institute will help us to create student leaders ready to face the changing, dynamic world economy of today.

Regards,
Pat Parris