Global Entrepreneurship Week 2011By: Galit Zamler

Global Entrepreneurship Week 2011

Global Entrepreneurship Week took place in Israel between November 14-20, 2011 in Israeli elementary schools. These are entrepreneurial schools educators that join the Entrepreneurship for Kids Program celebrating GEW2011.

The week was celebrated at the following schools, by the encouragement of the Entrepreneurship for Kids Program: Kaplan in Petah Tikva, Mordei HaGeta'ot in Ramat Gan and HaIrisim in Karmiel.

Kaplan School in Petah Tikva

During this week, the Entrepreneurship for Kids Program was launched at the Kaplan school in Petah Tikva.

Sixth graders from the Kaplan School in Petah Tikva participated in the first meeting of the entrepreneurship program from a series of meetings. The meeting exposed them to the module: Who is an entrepreneur?

All the students took part in an Entrepreneurial Event. The students made signs and decorations in class and hung them around the school to celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week.

When the students were asked "who wants to be an entrepreneur?", many hands were raised.

Students had many opinions on the topic, but they all agreed that an entrepreneur needs to be action-oriented, and makes ideas a reality.

Israeli guest entrepreneurs on behalf of the Entrepreneurship for Kids Program came to the school, talked about their entrepreneurial experience and engaged the children with entrepreneurial activities.

This video was produced at the end of the entrepreneurial event at Kaplan school.

The Mordei HaGeta'ot School in Ramat Gan

Global Entrepreneurship Week 2011 was chosen as the best time to launch the Entrepreneurship for Kids Program at Mordei HaGeta'ot school.

During this week, all students from three fourth grade classes attended the first meeting of the program that dealt with the module: Who is an entrepreneur?

After the first meeting, the vice principal wrote:

"We want to thank you for today's meetings.

The students really enjoyed it.

Well done! You're doing a great job".

Later on, all fourth graders participated in two additional sessions from the Entrepreneurship for Kids Program, so they could get an idea of the program content before applying to take part in the full program.

At the end of three sessions, the willingness to participate was particularly high, but only 17 students were selected to take part in this enhanced program.

Attached is a summary of module 1 - Who is an entrepreneur?

HaIrisim school in Karmiel

Following the success of the three meetings held last year, on entrepreneurship at the school, all of the EFK program, Ronni Shtekler, an English teacher, decided to continue and expose her students to the entrepreneurial world during Global Entrepreneurship Week. Ronni selected one topic to teach the children.

The module she selected was Anyone can be an entrepreneur, a lesson that emphasizes the children's abilities, and shows them that even abilities that seem meaningless at this point of their lives, may give them an advantage as entrepreneurs.

During this lesson, the students learn about different skills that entrepreneurs have, such as positive thinking and taking advantage of opportunities. Through improvisation exercises, the children express these skills.

The topic of entrepreneurship is important to Ronni Shteckler as she has founded her own business, an English teaching kit with a focus on students with learning disabilities: Learn English and Remember.

At the end of the lessons, Ronni wrote:

"It was very successful. The kids enjoyed it, and so did I. Good job and thank you."