sxsw entrepreneur mindset v3

Teaching with an Entrepreneur’s Mindset

Matt HoranHigh School Math Teacher

Dallas, TX

Theme• If an entrepreneur became a teacher…• How would they think?• What would they do?

Relatable Premise• I’m asked a lot “Can you look at my resume?”• And I’ve listened to a lot of complaints about

Administrative and Bureaucratic burdens teachers were feeling

Relatable Premise• “Can you look at my resume?”• My response “Read this book!”

Relatable Premise• Because the mindset of “I need a good resume

and that will help me get a job” is incomplete and short-sighted

Teaching Premise• Likewise, the pre-occupation with the

demands of Administration and The Bureaucracy a lot of my fellow teachers made me realize

Change in Mindset• Intrapreneur• Intrapreneurship is the act of behaving like

an entrepreneur while working within a large organization

Recognize Your Autonomy• Entrepreneurs realize: This is YOUR classroom• As a teacher, you are an intrapreneur already• But… Are you acting like one?

• You have more leverage than you realize• The fact that you are here investing in yourself

and caring this much about education, you are probably a teacher hard to replace

• And if you’re in a place that doesn’t realize that….

You Can LEAVE!• Teachers have a natural disposition to be

martyrs• Entrepreneurs are the exact opposite –

constantly looking for opportunities to exploit• Where are the opportunities?• WHEN YOUR OBSERVER ISN’T THERE• 70-90% of the time!!

• Where else are opportunities?– In your classroom at your current school?– Maybe in a classroom at another school?

MOST IMPORTANT SLIDE• You have to recognize your Autonomy• THE SECOND YOUR OBSERVER LEAVES YOUR

CLASSROOM IMMEDIATELY GO INTO – Acton Academy Mode– Khan Academy Mode– Socratic Discussion– Blended Learning– Whatever YOU think is “Best for Your Kids” Mode

(which may very well be what Admin is pushing)

2nd-MOST IMPORTANT SLIDE• If doing this even occasionally:– Acton Academy Mode– Khan Academy Mode– Socratic Discussion– Blended Learning– Whatever YOU think is “Best for Your Kids” Mode

(which may very well be what Admin is pushing)• Gets you into a lot of trouble from your

Administration• Why are you choosing to continue to work in an

environment like that?• An intrapreneur wouldn’t

BE BOLD!• Entrepreneurs and Intrapreneurs take risks!

• I’m giving this presentation for one reason:• I was in the private sector with a lot of risk-

averse attitude during the financial crisis of 2009

• With No Child Left Behind, state testing, and now Common Core, a lot of teachers are becoming more risk averse

• That is exactly when we NEED bold risk-taking!

LEAVE!• Teachers have the inclination to be martyrs• Intrapreneurs are the exact opposite• We desperately need teachers to think more like

entrepreneurs• Look at what happened when doctors became too risk

averse and decided to completely abdicate – to insurance companies! – who could be their clients and how much services cost

• The exact same things are happening to teachers as we abdicate both measurements and methods of learning to people far away from OUR classrooms

• Risk-taking by teachers is the only way the trend is going to be reversed

THANK YOU!

Matt Horan matthew.c.horan@gmail.com