The future of education looks like Y Combinator.
Here are 10 things schools can learn from the program:
1. Make the test matter: In school, most tests are boring and unimportant. At YC, the big test is a fundraising “Demo Day" where founders present to investors.
Here are 10 things schools can learn from the program:
1. Make the test matter: In school, most tests are boring and unimportant. At YC, the big test is a fundraising “Demo Day" where founders present to investors.
2. Project-based learning
Students don't memorize facts and figures. They’re building startups instead. Rate of learning is measured by the rate of a company's progress, and Demo Day serves as a forcing function for founders to take swift action.
Students don't memorize facts and figures. They’re building startups instead. Rate of learning is measured by the rate of a company's progress, and Demo Day serves as a forcing function for founders to take swift action.
3. Internet-first communities
Colleges started on real-world campuses and grew towards the Internet, but modern schools start on the Internet and grow towards campuses. Like tomorrow’s schools, the YC experience is live, but alumni stay in touch over the Internet.
Colleges started on real-world campuses and grew towards the Internet, but modern schools start on the Internet and grow towards campuses. Like tomorrow’s schools, the YC experience is live, but alumni stay in touch over the Internet.
4. Learning is more than skills
People can learn the core YC teachings online. But the in-person component gives people access to wealthy investors and talented advisors who raise their ambitions and inspire belief.
People can learn the core YC teachings online. But the in-person component gives people access to wealthy investors and talented advisors who raise their ambitions and inspire belief.
5. Ambitious people are under-served
The Internet is the best matching tool ever invented. It’s a gift to lonely and ambitious people, many of whom live in rural parts of the world, and see the Internet as a way to find people who think like them.
The Internet is the best matching tool ever invented. It’s a gift to lonely and ambitious people, many of whom live in rural parts of the world, and see the Internet as a way to find people who think like them.
6. Students run the show
Even though YC has a consistent structure, students choose what to work on. Instead of following a syllabus, founders are encouraged to work on their passion project — building a company.
Even though YC has a consistent structure, students choose what to work on. Instead of following a syllabus, founders are encouraged to work on their passion project — building a company.
7. Marketing is a competitive advantage
Every edition of The Harvard Business Review raises the school's prestige and builds thought leadership. Likewise, @ycombinator has Hacker News — an aggregator that doubles as a public square for software engineers — as a marketing arm.
Every edition of The Harvard Business Review raises the school's prestige and builds thought leadership. Likewise, @ycombinator has Hacker News — an aggregator that doubles as a public square for software engineers — as a marketing arm.
8. Create community, but not too much
Everybody YC founder moves to San Francisco, but the group only gets together once per week, which is long enough to build relationships, but little enough to focus on the task at hand.
Everybody YC founder moves to San Francisco, but the group only gets together once per week, which is long enough to build relationships, but little enough to focus on the task at hand.
9. You don't need to be in-person
People who try to compete with YC often try to start a co-working space. But as @sama has said, YC purposefully doesn’t have one. Companies come together once a week. That’s it. That way, companies can build their own identity.
People who try to compete with YC often try to start a co-working space. But as @sama has said, YC purposefully doesn’t have one. Companies come together once a week. That’s it. That way, companies can build their own identity.
10. Alumni network
Online schools will need to create Ivy League style alumni networks. YC participants seek guidance from alumni, and those alumni give back by angel investing in them. Many Y Combinator founders live together and invest in each other's companies too.
Online schools will need to create Ivy League style alumni networks. YC participants seek guidance from alumni, and those alumni give back by angel investing in them. Many Y Combinator founders live together and invest in each other's companies too.
I spoke with @anafabrega11 about Y Combinator too.
It's part of our weekly YouTube education-focused show called Show & Tell. We talked about rapid prototyping, project-based learning, and why teachers shouldn't be so dependent on standard curriculums.
It's part of our weekly YouTube education-focused show called Show & Tell. We talked about rapid prototyping, project-based learning, and why teachers shouldn't be so dependent on standard curriculums.
As a teacher myself, I'm driven by eight pillars of education, which I wrote about here.
Many of them are inspired by Y Combinator.
writeofpassage.school/2020/02/10/our…
Many of them are inspired by Y Combinator.
writeofpassage.school/2020/02/10/our…
