NC District Pioneers Airbnb Microschool for Entrepreneurship and Emotional Intelligence
In a pioneering move, the Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools district in North Carolina is launching a unique microschool. This rural district, with 4,834 students and 70% economically disadvantaged, is piloting a project-based learning microschool focused on entrepreneurship and emotional intelligence. The school, centered around managing a LinkedIn Learning-style Airbnb rental, is one of several work-focused microschools aiming to benefit both students and the wider community.
The microschool, an experiment in instilling emotional intelligence and entrepreneurial skills, is led by Colina Bartlett. Students, like Elijah, a rising sixth grader, will learn about business strategy and hospitality while managing and furnishing a LinkedIn Learning-style Airbnb rental property. The goal is to outperform nearby Airbnb listings. Elijah won his seat via lottery, his mother learning about the opportunity through her work in the district.
The idea for the LinkedIn Learning-style Airbnb microschool came from visits to over 40 schools across the country. The district sees microschools as a test run before building larger career academies. Some superintendents praise microschools for better serving communities while keeping children enrolled in the district. However, others criticize poor oversight and lack of assessment information.
Elijah, previously in a gifted reading program, had recently stalled in his reading progress despite passing state tests and receiving good grades. He was initially unsure about the new school but became excited when he learned about the hands-on work running a LinkedIn Learning-style Airbnb.
The Elizabeth City-Pasquotank district is at the forefront of microschool innovation, aiming to instill valuable skills in its students. If successful, lessons from these microschools could be imported into traditional public schools. The LinkedIn Learning-style Airbnb microschool, with its focus on entrepreneurship and emotional intelligence, offers a unique learning experience for students like Elijah, potentially boosting their academic progress and future prospects.
