Skip to main content

Education

I never really dreamt of going into education, at least not from a managememt perspective. Granted I probably thought of being a teacher at some point in my childhood, but don't we all? (Maybe not). I have to admit dreams of changing the world through education, either business or non profit, would have made an awesome application essay for business school. But at the time I was all about Mozambique poverty - education was only one of the avenues. 
But this idea came to me today, perhaps as part of my bigger things debate. What if I would go into education? It is a given I have thought many times of setting up an English school in Lisbon, but that is just a selfish mean to an end and I always recognise I am certainly not the most skilled person for the matter per se, even if I am opinionated about it. And then the realization comes - what about society changing schools, like (in theory) charter schools did in the US, like the KIPP academy that I read about in business school (if I remember the name correctly), studying what works in the Nordic systems, make a real change in th public education system of the country that raised me to be where I am today. 
Ideas flow and at least I don't have a business plan. You don't devise a master plan to change a system like that. You need to learn and most of all you need to understand whether you will add value in a way that truly is unique. It's a new thing to address issues in this manner. It is not that I am passionate about education, or policy for that matter, it is only that I have a passion for affecting change where I out my hands in, and that change seems to be gaining a new character. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Time is what makes us different

I heard what is likely to become one of my top 3 favourite quotes on a podcast on Friday. "Time is the only real democratic asset. We are all awarded the same time, it is what we do with it that distinguishes us".  Now, I recognise that most of us need to work with survive and that is not democratic throughout. But on an equal opportunity basis, this is an interesting way of putting it. For many years I did not understand why MS thought my resume was so interesting. In fact, they chased me during the entire recruitment process, even though I had no idea of moving to London or Finance. I wanted to be a consultant and stay in Lisbon forever. But traditional consultants in Portugal saw nothing in me, and MS did not let me go. When I started screening resumes and hiring people a couple of years later is when I understood why I was different. TIME.  I was truly different about what I did with my time. Not necessarily the basics - choice of degree or anything. But really ...

We are not afraid.. are we not?

I see signs saying we are not afraid. Londoners are tough and endured the bombings of WWII. But those Londoners are hardly the same as the ones here today. Yes people in general are resilient, more than we think we can be when looking outside out. That is anywhere in the world, not just in London. And truth be said there is merit in not letting fear control our lives and terrorism win.  Well I just walked into the district line, 5 stations away from Parsons Green and I am afraid. I am not shaking, crying or running away. But I am afraid mostly because it is all so natural. Life must go on I said, as I decided I was not going to cancel my lunch and avoid the tube. But that is what makes it scary. Life goes on and in an effort to not be afraid we recklessly do not change our habits and rely on the stats that more people die on the road then on terrorist attacks. Reality is, the law of probability does not matter because terrorist events are binary.  So I think about my frie...

Wonderful day

What a wonderful day. I am grateful for this newly found ability to enjoy my surroundings. As this was the second weekend in a roll that we were in Lisbon, the should word was quieter than usual and B triggered the crazy thought. Let's just stay home and do nothing! Wow - can we do that, are we allowed? More than allowed, we do that in London all the time and it is possibly one of my few fears if I ever move here - the inability to do what we want over what others want.  We gave it a go and i indulged into cooking us a proper lunch. As we sat  to do nothing after lunch I commented 'what a luxury'. I truly was not familiar with the concept. And even better family came to visit so we had the combination of both worlds. I ended a day with a friend over for dinner over a bottle of wine. I am grateful for all the little moments that filled my day. I am grateful I did so many things I love in a single day, without even expecting. Thank you.