Comments on: Do we really want to promote enterprise? http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2008/03/06/do-we-really-want-to-promote-enterprise/ "We learn from our experience.....if we reflect upon our experience" John Dewey Tue, 02 Dec 2008 05:16:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Cathy Burke http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2008/03/06/do-we-really-want-to-promote-enterprise/#comment-10736 Cathy Burke Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:31:28 +0000 http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2008/03/06/do-we-really-want-to-promote-enterprise/#comment-10736 David Orr, a USA based teacher and writer who advocates for eco-literacy in the curriculum, says 'The plain fact is that the planet does not need more 'successful' people. But it does desparately need more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers - - - it needs people who live well in their places' He would also argue that we need to encourage a criticality of given assumptions of what is valuable and contributes bvalue to society. David Orr, a USA based teacher and writer who advocates for eco-literacy in the curriculum, says ‘The plain fact is that the planet does not need more ’successful’ people. But it does desparately need more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers - - - it needs people who live well in their places’

He would also argue that we need to encourage a criticality of given assumptions of what is valuable and contributes bvalue to society.

]]> By: Jim McDougall http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2008/03/06/do-we-really-want-to-promote-enterprise/#comment-10476 Jim McDougall Sat, 08 Mar 2008 22:57:19 +0000 http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2008/03/06/do-we-really-want-to-promote-enterprise/#comment-10476 Don, while not a supporter of the "unacceptable face of capitalism" I am not sure why wealth creation should be regarded as "an offensive idea". How can money be spent (on education, health, etc) if it is not created? I am interested in your reference to the Grammeen Bank, and in this context your council might want to look at the work of "Wild Hearts in Action" the trading arm of the WildHearts Foundation, set up by Mick Jackson, winner of the Glenfiddoch Spirit of Scotland Award.(http://www.wildheartsinaction.org/) This is an office supplies company created to give organisations like schools and offices the ability to give money to charity without having to ‘donate’ a penny. The money raised goes to support microfinance projects in the developing world, emulating the work of Yunus, just as you describe it. Don, while not a supporter of the “unacceptable face of capitalism” I am not sure why wealth creation should be regarded as “an offensive idea”. How can money be spent (on education, health, etc) if it is not created? I am interested in your reference to the Grammeen Bank, and in this context your council might want to look at the work of “Wild Hearts in Action” the trading arm of the WildHearts Foundation, set up by Mick Jackson, winner of the Glenfiddoch Spirit of Scotland Award. http://www.wildheartsinaction.org/) This is an office supplies company created to give organisations like schools and offices the ability to give money to charity without having to ‘donate’ a penny. The money raised goes to support microfinance projects in the developing world, emulating the work of Yunus, just as you describe it.

]]> By: Hilery Williams http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2008/03/06/do-we-really-want-to-promote-enterprise/#comment-10471 Hilery Williams Fri, 07 Mar 2008 09:11:03 +0000 http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2008/03/06/do-we-really-want-to-promote-enterprise/#comment-10471 I had grave concerns about the business aspect of promoting enterprise in schools until I saw how my daughter's experience translated into a real life situation. She organised a huge fundraising event almost single handedly at the age of 16 and raised £4000. She is at school now in Swaziland and is using this money for riding and guitar lessons for children orphaned by Aids and physiotherapy for a very disabled child. Young people need the skills to translate their desire to change the world into practicality: encouraging them to be enterprising can only be a positive step. I had grave concerns about the business aspect of promoting enterprise in schools until I saw how my daughter’s experience translated into a real life situation. She organised a huge fundraising event almost single handedly at the age of 16 and raised £4000. She is at school now in Swaziland and is using this money for riding and guitar lessons for children orphaned by Aids and physiotherapy for a very disabled child.
Young people need the skills to translate their desire to change the world into practicality: encouraging them to be enterprising can only be a positive step.

]]> By: David Gilmour http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2008/03/06/do-we-really-want-to-promote-enterprise/#comment-10469 David Gilmour Thu, 06 Mar 2008 23:40:22 +0000 http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2008/03/06/do-we-really-want-to-promote-enterprise/#comment-10469 One of the micro-trends identified by Mark Penn in his fascinating recent book <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Microtrends-Forces-Behind-Todays-Changes/dp/1846140420/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204845393&sr=8-1" rel="nofollow">"Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Today's Big Changes"</a> is that of High School Moguls. This refers to a trend for young people to start running businesses while they are at school. <blockquote>Today the internet and eBay make teen entrepreneurship easier than ever ... In fact, according to Business Week, as of 2000, 8 per cent of all teens - or about 1.6 million young people in the U.S. - were making money on the internet.</blockquote> He goes on to describe an example, <a href="http://www.chocolatefarm.com" rel="nofollow">www.chocolatefarm.com</a> , started by a 10-year-old girl, with her 13-year-old brother doing the web site. The founder and CEO only planned to start college last year. Chances are there are some examples amongst the students in East Lothian schools. Perhaps taking advantage of this trend, and supporting the process with education and web resources, could provide a rich, relevant context for curriculum developments? One of the micro-trends identified by Mark Penn in his fascinating recent book “Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Today’s Big Changes” is that of High School Moguls. This refers to a trend for young people to start running businesses while they are at school.

Today the internet and eBay make teen entrepreneurship easier than ever … In fact, according to Business Week, as of 2000, 8 per cent of all teens - or about 1.6 million young people in the U.S. - were making money on the internet.

He goes on to describe an example, http://www.chocolatefarm.com , started by a 10-year-old girl, with her 13-year-old brother doing the web site. The founder and CEO only planned to start college last year.

Chances are there are some examples amongst the students in East Lothian schools. Perhaps taking advantage of this trend, and supporting the process with education and web resources, could provide a rich, relevant context for curriculum developments?

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