Educating the Whole Child: Can it Be Done?

          Educating the whole child basically refers to a holistic type of education. It involves the development

of every person’s intellectual, physical, social, emotional, artistic, creative, and spiritual potentials (“What does it mean,” n.d.). This holistic approach is basically aimed at helping students to be the most that they can be. As such, the main element is interconnectedness of experience and reality (“Holistic education,” April 2012). It focuses on the relationship between the whole and the parts. It suggests to educate the whole parts of the child; educate as a whole not an assemblage of parts; and, see the child as part of a whole society, environment, humanity, etc. (Holistic education,” April 2012).

         The leading national education organization, ASCD, promoting “educating the whole child” identified five characteristics that school must address (“The whole child,” n.d.). First, each student enters school healthy, learns about and practices healthy life style. Second, each student learns in a physically and emotionally safe environment for students and adult. Third, each student is actively engaged in learning in school and community. Fourth, each student has access to personalized learning and is supported by qualified and caring adults. Fifth, each student must be challenged academically and prepared for success in college or further study.

         As educators, we only want the best for our students. We aimed to arm our students the knowledge and skills they would need to succeed the challenges and opportunities of the present and the future. Educating the whole child approach is the perfect fit for this because it is designed to ensure that every child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported and challenged. It provides for long-term students success as it addresses students’ comprehensive needs. However, the challenges for educators and schools would include limited resources and the preparation required by high-stakes testing. These two are probably the main reasons why many public schools unapologetically exclude offerings like arts, music, foreign language, and physical education. Every public school would want to focus on academics that are highly tested in the standardized test. Thus, they use the time and resources for these “extras’.  Also, programs like those of music and nutritious school lunch may entail additional cost to the school, which is definitely a big issue in scarcely resourced schools.

          However, while these schools may have reasons not to go with the whole child approach, we must admit that better physical, emotional and spiritual health produce highly intellectual and productive individuals.

References

A whole child education for every child: The grand unifying theory of education. ASCD, 27 March 2014. Retrieved on September 19, 2014 at http://www.wholechildeducation.org/blog/a-whole-child-education-for-every-child-the-grand-unifying-theory-of-educat

Holistic education: an approach for 21^st century. International Education Studies, Vol. 5, April 2012. Retrieved on September 19, 2014 at http://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ies/article/viewFile/17024/11514

Petrzela, Natalia. Educating the whole child. The Huffington Post, 5 March 2012. Retrieved on September 17, 2014 from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/natalia-mehlman-petrzela/educating-the-whole-child_b_1321422.html

The whole child. ASCD, n.d. Retrieved on September17, 2014 at http://www.wholechildeducation.org/about