By Jonathan Hodge

Have you ever stopped to think about how much pressure your child is really under on a daily basis? This thought makes most people uncomfortable. What if I told you that your child is under an immense amount of pressure to conform – even more than you were at their age? If this thought just sent a shiver down your spine, you’re not alone.

Before you get too far ahead, let me clarify: I’m not talking about peer pressure; I’m referring to the ever-increasing (and increasingly unreasonable) national standards placed on our public education system. Do you even know about the curriculum that your children are learning? Did you know that the elementary curriculum is four-fifths (that’s 4/5) language based? And that this is part of the reason that girls are now ahead of boys in every elementary school in America? Did you know that it’s now proposed that math, science, and their variants are the only subjects necessary for a solid American education? Now I’m not against studying language, math and science, rather the contrary, but our focus on these subjects is becoming so heavy that we are beginning to lose sight of the single most important hallmark of education: creativity.

Sir Ken Robinson, a world renowned expert on education, recently noted in his address to the UK education ministry that “a curriculum which teaches skills of creativity and innovation is essential to prepare students for life in a constantly changing world.” At this many of you may be thinking…”Ok, but why should I listen to him?” Let me put it another way – creativity is what really makes the difference between those who are ok and those who are great. A 2012 study of CEOs from across the globe found that their main concerns (for themselves and their employees) were “coping with the complexity of business in the 21st century, adapting to change, and creating and promoting a culture of creativity.”

Let’s face it, the people in this study are CEOs – we can assume that many of them have business skill and know what they’re talking about when it comes to business. Does it surprise you that creativity is at the top of their list? It comes down to the fact that without creativity our students lose the ability to adapt. We don’t realize how important creativity is until we look back over the 20th century and see its mark. This can best be seen in the landscape of invention. Look at the major inventions of the 20th century that changed the way people live – automobiles, computers, cell phones, the internet, etc. Did you know that every single one of these inventions (and many more that changed our everyday lives) was invented in the West; most of them in America. Until the past 15-20 years education in the West had a strong emphasis of creativity, where many of the Eastern cultures did not. The Eastern cultures are turning out engineers by the thousands, while the number of inventors and product developers is still heavily dominated by the West. This is all changing – it’s already begun.

So, what we now have is a public education system that is being pressured and/or forced (through new regulations) to push students, and teachers, into areas that don’t seem to fit well with the future that’s shaping up. Who are we supposed to listen to? How do we reconcile these new pressures on our public education system that as a whole discourages creativity, and powerful business leaders, with their finger on the pulse of the future, who are encouraging creativity? I present to you a novel solution: summer camp. In fact, Michael Eisner (former CEO of Disney) once mentioned in a keynote address that all of the skills he used to run the Disney Corporation can be learned at summer camp. Summer camps have been a part of American life for the past 100 years, and the skills that they are still teaching are timeless. These places are perhaps the most efficient way to help children build not only creativity, but also social skills and confidence (keep in mind that creativity without confidence, or the ability to relate your creativity to others is almost the same thing as having no creativity). Camp, as an institution, is built on challenging kids and encouraging them to step out of their comfort zone. It’s a place where kids learn to trust others, trust themselves, and come together to find a way to creatively form solutions. In school this is called cheating, but in the work world it’s called collaboration. In the camp environment creativity is placed at the center – it’s a place where diversity of experience is important and expected. A landscape like this offers individuals an unparalleled opportunity for growth. All in all, many people don’t understand the true value that camp brings to kids. It’s so much more than “just plain fun.” The socio-emotional learning and development that happens during time at camp is invaluable. We need camp more than ever in a culture where conversation has been replaced with texting, where intimacy has become null and void, and where we have sacrificed creativity for the assembly line.

I’ll leave you with a sobering thought: kids that enter kindergarten in 2013 will be retiring in 2073. We don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow; much less 60 years from now…this is perhaps where creativity becomes most important, and where camp can do the most good. Education is changing and increasing amounts of time are being taken away from developing creativity and social skills. How will your children attain these skills; will they be adequately equipped to face the changing landscape of the future? This is a core-fear of every parent, but rather than worry about it – do something! Encourage creativity in your children, lead them to ask outside-the-box questions, and force yourself to do the same. Summer camp is the ideal place for this kind of goal; it’s learning disguised as fun that could make all the difference.