Who she is:
Tinashe Blanchet is a single mom of three, educator, teacher-trainer, speaker, entrepreneur, and creator of The Learning Laboratory, a non-profit dedicated to providing high-quality, low-cost education programs to the children of New Orleans.
How The Learning Lab works:
With weekend math programs and low-cost STEM-focused “Genius Camps" -- programs for the littlest learners -- she engages the community, the kids, and families in a “model classroom.” This classroom was built with several community partners, including Tulane University. Other educators often come to The Learning Lab to see how Tinashe convinces kids that math is fun.
Why she does it:
After 10 years as a classroom teacher, she realized that “bureaucracy creates barriers to creative teaching” and feared that America is cultivating an environment where we are teaching our kids that if it's not on the test, then it's not important.
The ah-ha moment:
“When my husband and I separated and I became a single mom to three kids, I thought, ‘there’s no way I can do this on my own,'" she said. "But I talked to my kids and they were incredibly supportive and proud and I realized that you don’t have to sacrifice your dreams to be a good mother.”
Then she hit the road:
Tinashe has visited 36 cities and encouraged more than 1,000 teachers to change their philosophy on how to use technology to get kids excited about learning.
“I’ve been in their shoes and that helps me build rapport and a sense of connection," she said.
She knows it’s working:
She started The Learning Lab four years ago and is already seeing students from The Learning Lab's inaugural year coming back to volunteer to help teach younger students.
What's next:
Tinashe wants to cast a wide net for funding in order to maintain the Learning Lab’s independence and sustainability. She also wants to find a way to bring more foster kids into the program.
“I was a foster child and education made all the difference for me,” she said. “I want to pass that on.”
Find out more about Tinashe at mrsblanchet.net. For more about The Learning Laboratory visit learnlabnola.org.
