In 2007 Newsweek published an article about the growing concern that our children are becoming increasingly disinterested in school and are falling behind in science, math, and reading.  A more recent commentary by Dr. John Eger, wisely warns, “We cannot continue to fail to put creativity at the center of education”.  Dr. Eger holds the Van Deerlin Endowed Chair of Communications and Public Policy in the School of Journalism & Media Studies at San Diego State University and like many of us, is concerned that kids are apparently losing their creative drive and expressive abilities. 

Yet when I go to cultural events like the recent Las Golondrinas Fall Harvest Festival, I see kids engaged, thriving, learning.   So are kids losing their creative drive or are we squashing it with an over-emphasis on wrote memorization and standardized tests?  These are concerning questions that are at the heart of education policy reform. 

I argue these questions are also at the heart of economic policy reform. 

We have entered the Creative Age and yet our culture is not one that embraces creativity in children.  So, if our economies are increasingly based on creativity, and numerous studies show that livelihoods and wages are improved for those in creative occupations, when will we begin to see creativity as the center of education policy and practice - instead of just knowledge?  The intersection of knowledge AND creativity is culture defined.  Combining what we believe to be true with one’s own unique expressive sensibility is culture.  

So here is my call to action: support education policy that calls for a culture of creativity in our classrooms!  And consider taking your children somewhere this weekend where history meets the present so our future is full of culture!

I don’t know about you, but when I think about writing a business plan I have a burning desire to clean out my closets, reorganize my garage, and sort through the fridge.  Luckily, Jennifer Lee of Artizen Coaching has taken the dread out of writing your business plan with her Right-Brain Business Plan.

This colorful e-book, which includes a 15-minute visualization MP3, takes you through a fun, visual, and creative  9-step process to create your business plan.  The best part is that the result isn’t it some boring, spiral bound document.  Your plan can be an accordion book, a collaged box, a deck of index cards, a mobile of paper plates, a bracelet—-whatever you can dream up.

You can learn more about Jennifer Lee and the Right Brain Business Plan on these blogs and podcasts:

• My Creative Life: Jennifer Lee on Ink on My Fingers
• Interviews with Jennifer on the Tranquility Du Jour Podcast in September 2008 and September 2009 (To listen on iTunes click here)
• How to Make Your Big Vision Real: Jennifer Lee of Artizen Coaching on The Big Vision Podcast (To  listen on Tunes click here).  You can also read a transcript on my blog Have Fun * Do Good.

Women cultural entrepreneurs! Be sure to also check out Jennifer’s list of Resources for Women Entrepreneurs.

Full disclosure: Jennifer Lee is a friend (:

Britt Bravo also blogs for Have Fun * Do Good, BlogHer, and WE Volunteer.  She is a Big Vision Consultant.