4 times a week I teach a class of Kenyan micro-entrepreneurs how to improve their businesses through the use of proven models. Well, I use the word ‘teach’ sparingly. Traditional teaching assumes both authority of the teacher (me) and the ignorance of the students (Kenyans). A more appropriate word to describe what I am is a ‘facilitator’.
I use Active Learning methodology in all my sessions. This means that I don’t teach, rather I support my students in their learning. It assumes that I, the facilitator, am first amongst equals; but the responsibility for learning rests with the whole group. Following modern trends in education innovation, I ensure my sessions are interesting and interactive so that my students may learn better. Introducing activities such as reading, drawing, discussions and group presentations engage the students the whole time.
Acting as a mentor, I make the students learn for themselves. Teaching means the teacher is doing the act of teaching. Learning means students are doing the act of learning. The techniques I use always relate to the learner’s life experiences and appreciate what they already know. The students are at the centre of the experience and share ownership for their learning. Facilitating conversations and debate, I encourage my students to examine their own knowledge and allow them to come up with individual conclusions. The goal is not to hear the right answers, or even a consensus, but more to see the collaborative exploration of ideas and issues. This is vital for quality enterprise education, especially for adults who have been running businesses for many years.
My task as a facilitator is to simply provide a structure for learning. I focus on building trust within my sessions, sustaining an environment of openness where everyone feels safe to speak honestly and where differences of opinion are respected. I generally speak less than anyone else in the group, often only repeating comments, summing up, or directly responding to what others have said.
Finding out who my learners are by simply asking their background, knowledge level and experience is important in helping me adjust the sessions. When first meeting new groups I emphasise why they are in the training session, focussing on what is in it for them. Introducing information slowly and using visual tools, I provide constant opportunities for student input. As I speak and solicit experiences from the room, I add interesting facts and personal stories which relate to the content. I treat my students as friends, and as I get to know them better I’m able to make the content even more applicable. I often use my student’s current businesses as examples when creating active tasks, which makes them appreciate the sessions even more.
Giving entrepreneurship lessons doesn’t have to be as hard as it sounds. Creativity and innovation are fundamental to business creation and growth – and this can easily be encouraged through the facilitation of upbeat discussion, visual stimuli and fun, engaging tasks. Banning negative words such as ‘but’ from sessions promotes the freedom of ideas and gives a positive atmosphere which results in beneficial learning which can be applied to the real world. This is what enterprise education should really be about. From what I have experienced, teaching entrepreneurship is somewhat pointless. Facilitating the learning of entrepreneurship is the way forward in promoting and supporting business creation and growth.
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