Entrepreneuship Education

Entrepreneusship Education
SnowHow-project

Jukka Miettunen
Pedagogical Manager

As you know one of our school strenghts is Entrepreneuship education. Last year we had a Patamäki Corporation project where students established game companies. You can read about that from the older posts in this blog.

This year we continued with companies producing services in a topic SnowHow. So snow it is and that we have a lot in this part of globe! But not enough this year, thanks global warming.

Last year we had four classes involved. Now we are doing it with the whole school and with all teachers.

The work started by seeking student leaders. The whole school gathered to gym where teachers told what it is all about. We also announced that we are recruiting student leaders. The announcement was put into the INFO-board at the school wall:

We got over 40 applications!. The teachers interviewed all applicants and selected 13 CEOs which could choose viceCEOs if they like.

After that the teachers trained the CEOs and once again we gathered together and had some brainstorming with the random groups with the lead of the CEOs. From the mass of ideas we found out 13 different business ideas to establish companies. CEOs chose companies of their own strenghts. When done, students had an opportunity to choose two favourites to join in. At last we had 13 companies who had an idea, CEO and employees.

The first four weeks we spent 2 hours/week to do the project. They all started from business plan and sharing the tasks, continued to budget and marketing plan. Every company had a teacher as a mentor.

After 6 weeks the companies were ready to operate. At first we tested the operation with our own students. Next day we invited the school next to us to participate. And finally on Saturday the parents could see what we have done. It was fun!

Local Currency

We didn't use Euros but Peuros (Patamäki Euros). Every customer received 50 Peuros to spent. Companies decided the price of the products.

Why we are doing this?

Because of 21st Century Skills. We want to prepare our students to meet the challenges when they graduate and choose the profession. Skills like co-operation, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking and use of tecnology are the essential skills provided in this project.

Parents could leave feedback using the Padlet tool. From the feedback of the parents we found out that they were very satisfied to the work done in our school.

Some Examples of the Companies and Business Ideas.

Media team was responsible for the documentation. They interviewed companies and people, took photos and wrote a blog weekly.

QR-atarata. They had a track of QR-codes inside and outside the school were customers could follow a story they've made with their smart phones.

Golden Golf. English classroom was made to be a Golf Club where the company sold green fees to the golf course in the school yard. They sold also green card courses, balls and tees. They made close co-operation with the real Golf Club of our city.

Minilandia. Minilandia offered services for the small ones in the school yard. Business idea consisted of small figures placed in the snow world.

CupCakeGirls. Decided to bake and cook and have a cafe.

IceMovie. They made a video of "Small School in the middle of the snow".  The company decorated one classroom to be as a movie theatre.They presented the movie in every 15 minutes.

FrisbeeGolf. By courtesy of the local farmer they could build a Frisbee track in the field behind school fence. You could buy a round or a season ticket.

Thank you teachers responsible, students and customers for excellent work!