On Top of the News
So You Want to Be a Teacherpreneur?
2/19/14 | Teacher Magazine
Behind the Headline
Taking Back Teaching
Spring 2013 | Education Next
In an article for Teacher magazine, Jessica Cuthbertson describes life as a “teacherpreneur,” which for her means splitting her days between teaching 7th grade English and supporting efforts to improve Colorado’s schools in partnership with a nonprofit. In a recent week she delivered testimony to the state legislature on a bill related to Common Core standards, received training on how to work with legislators, and networked with other teacherpreneurs. She writes
On some days, I discover amazing intersections of advocacy, new partnerships, and diverse perspectives that push me to be a better teacher and leader. Other days find me experiencing caffeine overload, administrative tasks, deadlines, teacher guilt, and endless wondering: How did testifying on the Hill help my 7th graders? Should planning for a webinar or contacting parents take priority? Do reading, tweeting, and emailing really count as leadership work?
In the Spring 2013 issue for Ed Next, Richard Colvin wrote about a number of new organizations aimed at giving teachers a greater voice in how their profession works and in education policy. As Colvin explains, some groups work to amplify the voices of top classroom teachers as they weigh in on controversial policy issues; other groups try to keep successful teachers in the profession by giving them opportunities to assume leadership roles or try to change the way teacher unions work so that they are more democratic.
-Education Next
