WEEKLY WHITEBOARD ??

Is it just us, or is September flying by?

In the last Weekly Whiteboard , we explored everything Education, including a deep dive into the OECD's Education at a Glance and the learnings we can gather from education systems across the globe.

Who's up for some fun and simple ways to bring entrepreneurship education into the classroom?

With only 15% of students globally possessing the critical thinking skills necessary for real-world success, it's no wonder that Entrepreneurship has become a vital part of the curriculum in many world-class institutions.

We believe that teaching entrepreneurship goes beyond merely starting businesses. It’s about:

• Building resilience
• Nurturing creative problem-solving
• Enhancing confidence
• Refining communication skills

With our activities, you’ll be able to bring the entrepreneurial spirit into your classroom in as little as 5 minutes.

With this in mind, here's what we’ll cover in this edition

?? Entrepreneurship for everyone: 3 activities that bring the skills of an entrepreneur to your classroom.

News updates that matter:

?? First academy in the UK goes phone-free

?? Early Education is expanding in Abu Dhabi

?? Do your pupils understand the consequences of their online actions?

?? Zero prep required - brain break video topics

Lego stop motion - super satisfying and relaxing

David Attenborough clips - captivates even the most unruly class?

Musical tracing map - gets the class moving and focused?

FRIDAY SPOTLIGHT: ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION FOR EVERYONE

Here are three activities suitable for a range of ages that help develop the essential skills a good entrepreneur needs:

?? Wacky Inventions

• Split the class into groups and give each group two items.
• Have them brainstorm ways to combine the objects into one invention.
• They must define their invention and answer the following questions during a pitch:What is it?What can it do?Who uses it?How could it be used differently?

?? 25!

• Pick an everyday object, set a timer for 5 minutes, and have students come up with 25 uses for that object.
• 'Umbrella' is a personal favourite. The obvious answers are exhausted quickly, so encourage the more unusual responses!

?? Discuss the Podcast

• Entrepreneurial podcasts are a great resource for sparking conversation.
• Assign students to listen to an episode and facilitate a discussion on the key takeaways and lessons learned.

Entrepreneurship Project-based Programmes

We've developed a suite of real-world-focused entrepreneurship education programmes that future-proof students while helping you hit educational benchmarks.

Whether you are looking to adopt a holistic, multi-year progressive solution or a onetime programme to fill your drop-down days, you can choose from different products and delivery formats that fit your needs. A few examples:?

???? Start-up school: Bring 'Silicon Valley' into your classroom by giving your students an opportunity to create their own businesses?

?? Lightbulb moments: Get students thinking about how they could start a business one day and unlock amazing ideas.

?? Business code red: Save a business from the brink of ruin in this quick-thinking entrepreneurial day.

????Get in touch via this simple form to discuss how we can embed entrepreneurship education into your existing curriculum.

TOP THREE EDUCATION UPDATES ??

The latest news: ?

1???Phone free: Ormiston Academies Trust, which runs 44 state schools, is the first in England to ban smartphone access for its 35,000 pupils during the school day due to concerns over mental health and learning. Eight secondary schools have already implemented the policy, with more to follow. This move aligns with global discussions about stricter phone regulations for children, including a French report advocating for limits on phone use for younger students.

Why it matters: It highlights growing school efforts to protect children's mental health and learning by limiting smartphone use in schools.?(Via The Guardian)

2???Early Education:?The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) is adding 1,000 new pre-KG seats across 12 private schools for the 2024/25 academic year. This expansion supports early childhood education and smooth transitions into kindergarten for children aged 3-4. ADEK collaborated with investors and schools rated ‘Good’ and above to ensure quality and growth in pre-KG education.

Why it matters: This news matters as it strengthens early childhood education in Abu Dhabi, enhancing long-term learning outcomes for young children.?(Via Gulf News)

3???Online safety: After the spread of misinformation online had catastrophic consequences this summer in the UK it is a stark reminder that actions on the internet have consequences in the real world - this is something that should be reinforced to all students. A helpful way to approach this is through the SIFT method - Stop, Investigate the source, Find better coverage, Trace the claim to its original context

Why it matters: Actions taken online can have significant consequences. It appears that some young people may believe that discussions on platforms like WhatsApp/ Discord remain private. However, this is not always the case. (Via TES Magazine)

8billionideas Tales

A week of milestones and triumphs ??

This week marked a thrilling milestone as our collaboration with Al Maharat celebrates its second anniversary. We met with the brilliant leadership team to talk about future projects and celebrated their latest ADEK reports.

This report didn't just praise the school's thriving environment; it also spotlighted 8billionideas and our transformative programmes.?

The excitement continued with an incredible morning at Pristine Private Schools’ first coffee morning of the year with a great turn out for David Harkin’s talk that engaged, inspired and motivates everyone present.?

Hearing from PPS Principal, Shagufa Kidwai, about the profound impact of our partnership was a powerful reminder of the significant difference we’re making for students, staff, and parents alike. The energy and enthusiasm surrounding our mission is truly inspiring.?