A REAL Way of Teaching Students

JACKSON - - Teamwork, creativity, thinking beyond boundaries, and fun are REAL key concepts.  That is REAL as in Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning program. 

“REAL helps young people discover the economic opportunities in small communities and teaches them how to turn those opportunities into money-making ventures,” says Lyn Brown, Policy Coordinator for the WAEM (West Alabama – East Mississippi) Regional Initiative. “REAL provides a model for linking education and economic development,” she adds.

Teachers interested in adding REAL to their teaching curricula got to experience all of these concepts during the REAL Entrepreneurship Institute July 13-17, 2008 at New Summit School in Jackson, MS.

The REAL Entrepreneurship Institute was a collaboration between the Mississippi and Alabama REAL programs and the WAEM Regional Initiative.  The REAL program addresses the part of the WAEM Initiative’s Goal 4 – Youth Enterprise-Ready Activities by encouraging entrepreneurship training across existing curricula in the 59 school districts in the WAEM Region.  REAL can be incorporated in most of the course offerings in Mississippi and Alabama schools to encourage the entrepreneur spirit for this generation of high school students 16 years old and older.* 

“Alabama REAL grew out of the conviction that public education programs needed more hands-on activities and students in rural communities could develop entrepreneurial skills allowing them to become more engaged in local business formation,” expressed Tommie Syx, Alabama REAL Program Coordinator at the University of Alabama.

“Schools can offer experiential education that broadens the scope of the classroom while developing student skills that teach them to think about owning a business,” explained Mason Bonner, Goal 4 Coordinator.  “The REAL program encourages students to plan and create business concepts that may help them become responsible decision makers and potential business owners. This knowledge will translate to other areas in the academic programs of the school and can improve student performance in other classroom areas.”

The institute is a 33 hour professional development course that prepares high school, post secondary, and community based organization educators to teach the REAL Entrepreneurship Curriculum in the classroom.  This curriculum has a guide of core activities and supplemental resources for setting up hands-on programs for schools and organizations. It includes group and individual activities, business planning journals, an integrated technology component, and a course program planning section.

"The Institute was one of the best professional development opportunities that I have ever experienced," said Earnestine Giles, Special Education Instructor at Hillcrest High School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  "I will use the materials and training that I received to work with my students on job skills development with a focus on entrepreneurship for individuals with disabilities.  And, I am excited to be a part of the REAL network of teachers and community members."

*REAL also offers separate curriculum and training programs for K-8.