Curriculum-Development Group Urges Focus Shift to Whole Child

By Vaishali Honawar Published: March 26, 2007
The definition of a successful student has to change from one whose achievement is measured solely on the basis of test scores to one who is healthy, emotionally and physically inspired, engaged in the arts, and prepared for employment in a global economy, a report says.

Prepared by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development’s Commission on the Whole Child, the report, released this month, says educational practice and policy today are concentrated overwhelmingly on testing gains. But academic achievement cannot happen without significant emphasis on other factors, including student engagement, personalized learning, and skilled and caring teachers, it adds.
“We need to rethink what education of the whole child means and make sure every student has access to a rich and challenging curriculum that pays attention to other aspects,” she added, pointing out that research shows students who feel connected to their community tend to do better academically.

Tough Sell?

The report includes several recommendations for school districts, communities, states, and the federal government. Under one recommendation on cultivating a healthy child, for instance, districts are urged to collaborate with local health and social-service agencies to ensure access to health care, offer healthy food options, and provide programs in physical and health education.

States, meanwhile, can provide incentives for schools to eliminate non-nutritional food and snacks, the report says, and the federal government can provide incentives and funding for effective health, nutrition, and school-readiness programs. The ASCD report “says that when you educate the whole child, you can count on academic growth as well, even if that’s not the primary intent,” Mr. Magnani said. But, he added, it might take some effort to convince lawmakers, who are now focused on academic gains because of the federal mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act. “Legislators and policymakers would want to know how the whole-child compact correlates with academic achievement. If they don’t get an answer to that, they won’t embrace it,” he said.

Some Schools Praised

The report highlights a handful of schools and one state for their whole-child approach. At the 200-student Quest High School outside Houston, students are actively involved in curriculum writing. They prepare, assess, and monitor their own wellness plans, including physical, social, and emotional health.
Compact for Learning

The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development is calling on policymakers to fulfill a new compact that would enable each student to:
• Enter school healthy and learn about and practice a healthy lifestyle.
• Learn in an intellectually challenging environment that is physically and emotionally safe for students and adults.
• Actively engage in learning and be connected to the school and broader community.
• Have access to personalized learning and to qualified, caring adults.
• Be prepared for success in college or further study and for employment in a global environment.

SOURCE: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development