My passion for the tech startup community

Recently, I was asked to share about my passion for the tech startup scene in 500 words or less, so…

I’m posting here to share my thoughts with everyone else.

When I learned there was a way to connect my loves for learning experiences, teaching, and coaching with my hobbies in technology and starting new things, I was energized and eager to get involved. My passion for the tech startup scene began over 13 years ago, when I had the luxury of using my summer to attend a series of education focused events across Chicago. It included an “iPadapoolza,” hosted at a Chicago Public School where I met reps from edtech companies for the first time, and a lunch for educators at Navy Pier where I first learned about the concept of a coding bootcamp. The more I understood the concept of Web 2.0, the more excited I was at the idea that individual people could more easily document findings from the field, track and analyze data, and instantly make adjustments. As we enter into a new world with AI supporting us - agents, language models, and partners, I continue find opportunities to be one of those pioneering change. I want to solve hard challenges with technology, and share with others so more people are empowered to solve their own problems.

Over the years, I’ve continued to be driven by Carl Sagan’s famous quote, “We live in a society absolutely dependent on science and technology and yet have cleverly arranged things so that almost no one understands science and technology. That’s a clear prescription for disaster.” It is one of my missions to be one of those who attempts to understand the tools, and who is building systems and communities so that others are also able to understand. I recognize that coding and entrepreneurship are trades where individuals take on a complex craft and science by working directly with mentors and masters. This inspired me to lean in and participate in learning events and programs at 1871, mHub, 2112, 4pt0 and other spaces/communities for innovation and connection.

After almost a decade of working with business and software developers, founders, entrepreneurs, educators, leaders, investors, artists, and innovators in Chicago and beyond, I continue to be motivated to start new things with others and learn from those who are beginning. When I spend time with entrepreneurial ecosystem builders, I find my imposter syndrome fades and my courage to lead is strengthened. From personal growth and business partnerships, to institutional development and loose connections, most change doesn’t happen in isolation or solely by an individual; it happens when people are part of a community organization that supports, encourages, and enables their development.

When small groups of people work together on hard projects, amazing things can happen. If we can develop systems so that there are multiple small groups, then the magic can really happen. I want to nurture and excited others to make it happen by building frameworks and systems to enable more individuals to do it better and faster.

Leadership in Education - My Reflection

This year has been a unique one for me. Not only have I spent almost 10 months mentoring 23 teachers (4 Science, 1 Technology, 4 Math, 1 Engineering, 4 Mandarin, 1 Spanish, 2 Writing, 2 PE/Health, and 4 Special Education), but I have also had to evaluate these teachers according to Charlotte Danielson's Framework for Teaching, using my skills from the Illinois Teachscape Training.

While there have been satisfying aspects to my work, it has been challenging. It was the first time my coaching was combined with evaluating. Relationships have been even more delicate and complex; I've had to be explicit, channeling Robert Irvine from Restaurant Impossible, Super Nanny, and the Dog Whisperer (one must always be "cool, calm, and collected"),so that teachers understand my passion for improving their practice and the intensity I will bring to our daily work together. I've had to focus on how I communicate with others and assess how other adults communicate and learn.

At a time when Chicago Public School principals are feeling choked of their choices (see the Chicago Catalyst articles), I too, can agree that it is hard to lead a school, teachers, and students when I am not able to make systemic changes to impact student learning. I believe that all students have the right to learn, and that right begins with meeting them at a level in which they can understand. Sometimes this means differentiating within a classroom; other times, it means pre-assessing students to determine what classes and course load will lead them to the most success. Determining what those changes are often involves asking hard questions with no real answers, taking actions that involve dramatic change while the ship is already sailing. Change is good. If you've watched any of the recent episodes of Cosmos, you've seen how life, that survives, is life that is willing to adapt and change. Our world is different, and so are our students, therefore, our schools must be different.

I am going to continue to work with students and schools, so I need to have the ability to make real change. When I am not allowed implement effective strategies, I don't want to be a school leader. It seems like no matter where I go in schools, the ability to make fundamental decisions is controlled by people off the front lines. This recent awakening has led me to the belief that I need to make a pivot. I want to make a change in this world, so I have to find a way to maximize resources.

Schools are more than their students - they are the community, the families, the teachers, the districts and the networks. I want to make an impact on the lives of children. I have to be involved with an organization that is on the forefront of learning. I also need to find a way to get the technology that is available to the most privileged students, to ALL students in the US, or at the very least, Chicago. Using technology to interact with this world, is the future OF this world. Let's enable students to be 21st century citizens of our global society. Give me the ability to lead.