What is making education policy? I am begining to think that it is really a frame of mind or a way of being. As a former avant garde artist turned all too mainstream, I understand that performance art is the same way. It can become a way of living. I wonder if I apply myself if I can become a policy “maker” like I am and was an art “maker.”

This metaphor has a huge appeal to me because, in times of frustration, I question if I am on the right path, if maybe I should be making more paintings and spending less time trying to make a difference for kids. If I became a policy “artist” then, that would put me in a frame of mind I can live in daily. I am comfortable with the insecurity of the artist who doesn’t know exactly where the next “piece” will come from.

I am excited and scared to realize what I am getting into as I step gingerly into education policy making. I recently made some recomendations to the Virginia Board of Ed. The experience was part of the policy making class I am taking through VCU. Getting my comments down to 3 minutes was excrutiaing but a very useful exercise. Actually presenting went well. I was afraid I was going to mess up because my wife has told me that when I read out loud, unless it is a children’s story, I am unintelligible. Well, it went well. I didn’t connect the way I would have liked to but, I know I made sense because I could tell they were listening.