Forming Citizens Instead of Robots: Whole Child Approach to Education

Rather than creating and encouraging students to memorize and spit out information, teachers are leaning towards the whole child approach. This is an approach to education that emphasizes all aspects of a child when considering their education. A strategy developed by the ASCD in 2007 that allows students to reach their potential of future citizens. It does this by looking beyond typical standards of academic achievement in students, and considering the five tenets of health, safety, engagement, support, and challenge. These factors are important to consider in education, so teachers can recognize where students are coming from in their learning. In a whole child approach, teachers can better cater to what students need, and help them better reach their potential. A whole child approach to student success

The whole child approach ensures that students
will graduate school as valued citizens.

Personally, I believe that a whole child approach to education is much more beneficial than the alternative of only looking at academic achievement. I have been in classrooms of each, and I remember feeling more cared for, challenged, and encouraged in classes where my teacher was looking at my peers and myself holistically. When teachers took the time to get to know their students on a personal level, they were able to accommodate to us more effectively. I can recall one instance in fourth grade where my teacher, for the first time in all my education, got to know me better, and discovered an area that I had been struggling in my education with for years. I had been able to compensate for my struggles, so my achievement appeared that there was no issue, but the closer he looked into who I was as a student and person, the better he was able to see that my past teachers had missed something. I felt supported and cared for in this instance, and was able to reach my higher potential. Therefore, I believe that whole child teaching is the most effective way to approach a classroom of children coming from all different places.