Can children be induced to adopt a growth mindset? We encourage children to dream up new ideas, whether gigantic or nano-sized—often intersecting several disciplines. Whether or not children think they are “good” at various subjects, we encourage them to go where their ideas lead them. Who has ever accomplished something startlingly new without believing it…
Your brain can change. It can grow. You can develop new abilities to do things you never thought possible. At VentureLab, we begin each entrepreneurial course with these types of thoughts. We encourage children to work through their fear of failure and dispel notions of their own “weaknesses,” pessimistic preconceptions, and subconscious thought patterns that can hold…
In my last few posts, I’ve looked at how important it is to recognize that boys and girls learn differently, and that in order to help them learn equally well, and to equip girls for the future despite society’s biases, parents and teachers must help girls become more confident at an early age. At the same…
In my last post, I explored how some researchers are trying to present evidence of gender differences to teachers and parents that can help them understand how to best help them learn better. Boys and girls are different. They learn differently, and they communicate differently. But each is equally capable of achievement in STEAM fields. It’s…
In my last post, I shared that I approach my work at VentureLab from a “girl lens”—meaning I am always thinking about how can we best give girls (as well as boys) the tools and confidence they need to become tomorrow’s changemakers. Last week at the Inbound 2017 conference in Boston, I had the honor of hearing…
When girls (and boys) are exposed to entrepreneurial thinking, a profound change takes place. They learn to solve problems, to think critically and to recognize opportunities. Take the example of a group of 5- and 6-year-olds who participated in a weeklong VentureLab summer camp. Very soon after learning that they could become entrepreneurs, these children…
When I led the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, I noticed how differently men and women responded in class. Even the most accomplished and confident women had a tendency to become timid in a classroom environment, while men seemed to display much more confidence, even if they were less prepared than female students. I realized that this behavior was entrenched at an early age. And I decided to see what I could do to help change this. With these thoughts in mind, in 2013 I started VentureLab, a nonprofit dedicated to teaching entrepreneurial skills to children—with a particular focus on teaching girls.
Investing in your daughter’s entrepreneurial education is a smart strategy for preparing her for future successes. Girls must be engaged through entrepreneurial frameworks to develop a growth mindset—an understanding that their skills and capacities are ever-expanding. Teaching girls entrepreneurial skills empowers them in life, regardless of career choice. Teaching our youth entrepreneurial skills and mindsets can empower the…
Our world needs skilled, innovative workers. Not just any skills—but increasingly specialized as well as wide-ranging ones. According to a World Economic Forum Report, “New Vision for Education: Fostering Social and Emotional Learning Through Technology,” students need to have core skills in science, mathematics and finance, among other essentials. They need to develop critical thinking,…
Discover how VentureLab’s unique ESTEAM framework merges entrepreneurship with STEM and the arts to foster innovation and critical thinking among youth. Our curriculum not only teaches important STEM skills but also applies them in creative, real-world contexts, empowering students to become motivated, team-oriented, and problem-solving innovators. Explore our approach to making STEM concepts relatable and engaging, particularly for girls and younger students, through hands-on projects and entrepreneurial education.
Teaching girls to think like entrepreneurs can be the key to unlocking their potential in STEM fields. At VentureLab, we encourage girls to innovate, problem-solve and take calculated risks, and we’ve seen a profound change in their enthusiasm and confidence as a result. By exposing girls to entrepreneurial concepts at a young age, they become more aware of opportunities around them and learn to think creatively. We’ve even seen 5-year-old students become entrepreneurs by identifying a problem, conducting market research, and ultimately creating a successful product. If we want more women innovators, we need to teach girls to observe and anticipate needs, innovate, and take risks.
Friends, I am excited to share that the first half of VentureLab’s brand new youth entrepreneurship curriculum is now available for grades 6-12 and is available at no charge. The interactive lessons teach kids, particularly girls, to develop courageous, creative, can-do attitudes and be ready to take on the challenges of our evolving world. Check them…
At VentureLab, we encourage creative brainstorming and zeroing in on promising ideas, foundations for a growth mindset. With our curriculum, girls learn to design and create a prototype, even if it is only drawn on paper. They learn to conduct research by asking friends and family their thoughts on the prototype. They follow through with their…
I have repeatedly observed remarkable core transformations in girls of all ages who take part in the entrepreneurial exercises of VentureLab. We are demonstrating that entrepreneurial education holds a key to sparking girls’ interest in engineering, computer science, and technology by… Making these subjects real and relevant as girls learn to “think like entrepreneurs” about…
Who amongst us has ever accomplished something startlingly new without believing that it would be possible? Entrepreneurial education is all about possibilities. Being able to see how possibilities become realities for children and hot they embrace the continuing wonder of discovery is what’s so exciting about teaching entrepreneurship! Children are driven by curiosity and an urge…
What changes when students develop entrepreneurial skills at a young age? They learn that they can grow their brains, that their brains form new synapses and abilities as they learn new things. Students develop a mindset that makes learning a mental strengthening and an expansion of their potential. They employ the “curiosity cycle,” building foundations…
We’re on a mission to create the next generation of diverse innovators and changemakers by making entrepreneurship education accessible to ALL youth.
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