Reading, Writing and Entrepreneurship?

Wish you could've taken entrepreneurship instead of arithmetic in elementary school? You'll be jealous of the kids at Jean Parker Elementary School in San Francisco. It's not that they're foregoing a traditional education, but the fifth graders are getting supplemental classes in business from Salesforce.com and the BizWorld Foundation, which includes hands-on experience running their own small companies and competing for business from fourth-grade clients.

Kids in other schools are getting this type of experience, too, from the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship, which sponsors business programs for students ages 11 through 18 in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and other cities. Gerald Richards, head of the Bay Area NFTE says, "Business curriculum engages students in learning much more than the basic '2-plus-2-is-4' system, and it gives them a way to connect to their education."

Of course, not all kids will want careers in business. And some critics say that these programs corporatize the classroom a bit too much or are mere advertisements for their corporate sponsors. But these programs may be the only real glimpse some kids get into the business world.

If you think business education is a good idea, maybe you can find a local program and get involved in entrepreneurship education in your community.