INTRODUCTION
This textbook is part of school curriculum reform in Rwanda in particular how the curriculum is taught. It is hoped that this change will make what you learn in school more useful both at school and when you leave school.
In the past, the main reason for schooling was to obtain knowledge – that is facts and ideas about each subject. But nowadays the main reason due to changes that are happening in the environment and the job market is becoming more competitive therefore you should be able to use the knowledge you will obtain to develop competencies. These competencies include ability to think for yourself, ability to communicate with others and to explain what you have learnt, as well as being creative in developing your own ideas, not just following those of the Teacher and the textbook. In this textbook, different approaches are used to help you to develop competences and make this textbook user friendly. Among these approaches are the following:
Activity-based learning
These activities present you with instructions to follow that will help you to learn some and discover others for yourself. You already have knowledge and many ideas based on the experiences you have had and your life within community. Some of the activities, therefore, require you to use the knowledge and ideas you already have.
In using this book, therefore, it is essential that you do all the activities and follow all the instructions. You will not learn very well unless you complete these activities provided. They are the most important part of the Textbook.
In some ways this makes learning more of a challenge. It is usually challenging to think for yourself than to copy what the Teacher tells you. But if you take up this challenge you will become a better person and become more productive and successful in your life.
Group work
You can also learn a lot from other people in your class. If you have a problem, it can often be solved by sharing it with others. Many of the activities in the book, therefore, involve discussion. Your teacher will help to form and organize these groups in a conducive learning environment facing each other. You cannot discuss properly unless you are facing each other.
Research
One of the objectives of the new curriculum is to help you discover for yourself. Some activities, therefore, require you to do research using Textbooks in the library, the internet if your school has access, or any other source such as newspapers and magazines etc. This means that you will develop skills of learning for yourself that can help you both when still in school and after school. Your teacher will help in case your school does not have a fully equipped library or internet.
Skills lab
Entrepreneurship subject is more practical than theoretical that is why it requires time for skills lab which is a regular time on the normal timetable when students are required to complete learning activities working in manageable groups.
During skills lab activity students are given an opportunity to talk more and get more involved in the lesson than teachers. Students receive constructive feedback on work done (Teacher gives quality feedback on student presentations).
The Skills Lab prepares students to complete portfolio assignments on their own after classes. So, classroom activity should connect directly to the portfolio assignment and the teacher during the skills lab makes sure that he links the unit with the student’s business club and back home projects.
Icons
To guide you, each activity in the book is marked by a symbol or icon to show you what kind of activity it is. The icons are as follows:
This icon reminds you to link your previous knowledge with the topic you are going to learn. As a student feel free to express what you already know about the topic. What is most important is not giving the right answer but the contribution you are making towards what you are going to learn.
Some activities require you to complete them in your exercise book or any other book. It is time for you to show if you have understood the lesson by answering the questions provided.
This icon requires you to write down the responses to activities including experiments, case studies and other activities which assess the attainment of the competences. Teachers are expected to observe the changes in you as student.