Educator Testimonials
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The gift of an entrepreneurial mindset could be life saving for [disenfranchised] populations. They desperately want to support their families but are not being taught that they have other options. They need to hear about the freedom of entrepreneurship to give them hope. Thank you for equipping me.
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The resources provided were amazing and can easily be adapted to any student level in a variety of subjects. Our ability to collaborate with such diverse educators throughout the Commonwealth was priceless. What an amazing opportunity to learn from colleagues each class via breakout rooms. Thank You for this life-changing educational opportunity.
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There were so many resources and materials shared that I honestly can’t wait to go back and read through it all again to see what else I can incorporate. I really like the OpenStax free e-textbook. I thought the textbook itself was also quite engaging and (dare I say) fun to read. I want to say thank you for putting this on because it has reignited my love for helping adult learners, and it’s sparked so many new, fun, creative activities that I will be bringing to the students. Well worth every penny I paid for.
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This class allowed me to think about Integrated Education & Training in a whole new perspective. The lessons learned and the group discussions helped me discover a new way of teaching adult education in a real-life contextual understanding. Everything taught in the course was applicable to the classroom and home life. Our students will now be able to learn the basic skills while also learning how to be an entrepreneur and a better employee.
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This Institute was extremely helpful and opened my eyes to the possibility of an entrepreneurial class for ABE students and why it would be so beneficial. I discussed with my staff the opportunity to hold Entrepreneurial Bootcamps for our learners, as I will be able to share what I have learned from this institute with my students who are currently incarcerated. Many of them have expressed an interest in entrepreneurship. Great class.
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The instructor is so engaging, and did a variety of things to keep everyone energized – polls, chat box, breakout groups, videos, guest speakers, etc. Consider taking this Institute! This is the most engaging online class I have taken. Cheryl is just the best!
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Bringing a useful subject matter to our adult learners was my main reason for participating in the institute, but I also learned additional steps I can take to strengthen my organization and gathered information I can share with the community. It was well worth attending. Thank you. I will create curriculums for adult literacy classes and community workshops. Thank you so much. You did an awesome job. I will look out for other institutes you facilitate.
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The amount of resources was extremely helpful. I appreciate the format of the institute as well. An equal balance or collaboration, independent work and lectures was an environment that fostered great learning opportunities. Also, thank you for also recording the lectures to watch if we missed class or needed to review the lectures.
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This Institute helped me to realize that there is an entrepreneurial mindset, and you don’t have to be born with it. It was a completely novel idea to me that this mindset can be developed and honed. I am sure that there are many students in my adult education program who may have had the same experience as me. They may falsely believe that entrepreneurs are a rare few, born with the talent, savvy, and know-how. I think it is an intriguing idea to share this mindset with adult learners because the skills, processes, and way of thinking can benefit folks whether or not they start a business or just want to be an exemplary employee. It can help them in their personal lives with family decisions, too.
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All of our students may not be thinking of becoming entrepreneurs, but the skills taught in this Institute are applicable to everyday life as a family member, student, employee, business owner, and/or community member. Dr. Ayers – thanks so much for facilitating a wonderful course. I appreciated your energy, humor, organization, and encouragement as we met for class. Your commitment to and excitement about this topic is evident.
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Dr. Ayers’ passion for this topic was apparent and made the idea of leading workshops on entrepreneurship approachable, even for someone new to the material like me. The fact that she seemingly tirelessly researches and checks resources to make sure they are credible and current helps me feel confident in sharing them with workshop participants. Lessons were logical and easy-to-follow, and I really like knowing about (and now using) OpenStax e-textbook. Thank you for this wonderful course! I will lead workshops for and support women program participants in pursuing their small business development goals.
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The resources and material were both very insightful and provided a great foundation to teach entrepreneurship. I appreciate that everything was presented in a very practical way. I also liked hearing best practices and experiences from entrepreneurs who were able to share at each session. Remarkable class that covered so much information in a short time period. It was well worth my time and money. Thank you so much for creating this valuable class. I have really enjoyed it!
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This institute was very helpful. The different presenters were very motivating and helpful. Their words of wisdom made the class sessions very enjoyable. The resources were awesome. The time period of the class made me look forward to starting the class each Thursday. The presenter, Dr. Ayers, was very thorough, clear and very helpful. She was always available to answer any questions or address any concerns. She made us look forward to coming to class and being placed in the breakout groups. Being placed in the breakout groups gave us the opportunity to meet classmates from all over the country. This was an excellent institute and one that I will recommend to others and also pursue starting a class in the community.
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This Institute opened my eyes and mind to the realization that the entrepreneurial mindset would be a beneficial decision making adjunct to any student’s way of thinking, whether one intends to start a business or excel in a job or career. Mindsets and skills that allow one to recognize opportunity, work through creation of an idea, solve a problem, fill a gap, take a project to profitable fruition and pivot when necessary are essential in this 21st century global economy. And thinking as an entrepreneur is fun and creative as well. This is definitely something my GED students need to hear and learn.
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This class provided a wealth of information about how the entrepreneur mindset can be used in every subject taught in school and how it will benefit students in life overall, even if they are not interested in being an entrepreneur. These are real life skills and that is what I want to bring into every class I teach.
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This is invaluable to the adult educator because today’s world is quickly becoming an entrepreneur’s world. Whether a teacher is interested in becoming an entrepreneur or not, there are many tools and resources shared through this program that make it possible to easily and accurately integrate entrepreneurial knowledge and mindsets into adult education. Teachers are exposed to information and testimonials that can possibly open up a new sense of interest and capability in the entrepreneurial realm.
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The breakout rooms were amazing where I met many people from all over the United States, the weekly class went quickly and the guest speakers were great too. Will I refer anyone about this institute? Absolutely!
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Wow – I am so happy I did this class. The instructor was captivating and so were the guest speakers. Even the textbook was good – might go buy a hard copy. As a participant, many learning styles were used to absorb the information and to participate. I seriously recommend this class, even if you do not become an entrepreneur yourself, you have very good resources you can tell others about, and support them in their ventures. Another thing I will do is promote the idea of the entrepreneur mindset to others. I work at a college so pairing it with so many other programs we have is such a beautiful fit.
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I like the subtle emphasis of mindset being an important role in helping adult learners become valuable producers in today’s economy. Since I’ve started working with ESL students, I’ve seen a lot of curricula where there is a lot of emphasis on the skills they need to acquire – reading, listening, writing, critical thinking – but never anything about mindset. I saw so many of my students who were exceptional in their ability to read, write, speak, and think critically, but lacked the confidence to go for the job/opportunity they wanted. It frustrated me because I knew it was a mindset issue, and I struggled to figure out how to help them in that area. Now, I’ve incorporated more mindset activities in my curriculum from what I’ve learned through this institute, and I’ve seen HUGE improvements already in my students’ confidence levels to the point where they don’t focus on what they’re lacking; rather, they are seeing that they add value to an organization/society at large.
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I believe it is valuable for entrepreneurship classes to be taught in Adult Education programs nationwide.
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The knowledge that I gained will help me to provide my students with a strong entrepreneurship foundation to start successful businesses. After finishing this institute, I am now confident in my ability to be able to provide my students with training that will definitely equip them to be competitive in starting and marketing their business plans. Dr. Ayers, thank you for organizing an amazing institute! I look forward to taking another course of yours in the future! You are an inspirational educator! Thanks again!