The Holistic Child

Holistic education: a system postulating that the human mind must be studied as a unit rather than as a sum of its individual parts.

People are complex.  Children are also complex.  Why then, do we treat children within the framework of their current situation?  In school, they are learners.  In sports, they are competitors.  With their friends, they are supporters. At home, they are, well, all of the above!

Isn't it time that teachers and parents develop the whole child, not simply one of many parts?  The teacher who sees a child crying in the middle of a test may send her to the nurse or guidance office for assistance...or she may allow her to finish the test then ask to speak with her after class.  The child who is constantly disappointed with less than an A+ might certainly be the stellar student, but might he also be frightened of the consequences of a B at home?  Or the child who cuts gym class to help her friend with a problem ... does she deserve a detention or a star for her compassion?  See what I mean?  Kids are complex and need a holistic approach to their education.

What are you doing to promote holistic education in your classroom?  While no specific strategy is the solution to any given challenge, Antheil Elementary in Ewing, NJ has implemented initiatives to improve the overall development of their students. Some of these same initiatives may be the answer you’ve been looking for in your school:

1. Closing Achievement Gaps: Through strategy distribution within the kindergarten grade level, students with lower reading levels were able to progress to learn at the same level as their peers at higher reading levels. Antheil brought in early literacy work and reading recovery programs and included the same alphabet in each classroom of the same grade level to provide consistency in classroom instruction.
2. Parent Involvement: Antheil Elementary brings in all 1st-grade parents in January and teaches them how teachers work with the children and demonstrate with the children how the teachers use their specific seven strategies for reading. This allows parents to go home and help their children with what the children are already learning in school, and through the same method.
3. Collaboration: Teachers at Antheil participate in common planning periods within every grade level every day.
4. Measure Twice, Cut Once: Teachers and school leaders are constantly monitoring and assessing the learning levels of children on a whole, not just through testing, making sure they’re on track.
5. Constructing a Community: The school worked to develop a relationship with the community to promote involvement with adult community members beyond parent participation.

WOW! What forward-thinking concepts!  My new series, The EntleTrons^TM helps children learn STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) topics with character education in the literacy curriculum.  Parents and teachers can use these books to springboard discussions using the free learning guides available on the website: www.entelechyed.com


Happy Teaching!
 

Lessons from a one-room schoolhouse

When you think of the one-room schoolhouse, you probably envision Little House on the Prairie with Laura Ingalls interacting with children of all ages and personalities in the classroom.  You might also envision the teacher being overworked, planning lessons for all different ages and abilities.  This may not be too far from the norm even now.

In the U.S., 237 public schools had only one teacher, according to 2009 federal data, down from 463 in 1999. Most are located in remote areas. These often lack the amenities typically associated with high-quality schooling, such as computer labs, libraries, sports, art, music, nurses and learning resources teams.

However, these schools also have advantages unknown to students in traditional classrooms. Students often build close relationships with their teachers, providing another mature role-model. Pupils in mixed-age groups help each other learn.  (Most teachers know that the easiest way to learn a subject is to teach it!)  Field trips become easier and more diverse as the teacher takes his 30 students to investigate the workings of a restaurant kitchen or post office.

On the other hand, the teacher in the one-room school may need to develop thirty different IEPs for each of his students who don't have special needs, but do have different learning styles and levels.  Many times parents volunteer their time to help the younger readers or those struggling with basic math concepts.  Talented parents also volunteer for sports, music, and art specials while the primary teacher takes a much-needed break.  Everyone helps each other learn - what an awesome concept!

But what about test scores? Enrollment at Cliff Island School, located off the coast of Maine, ranges from four to seven students in grades pre-K through 5. Its one teacher, Josh Holloway, has purchased science equipment by applying for grants. He uses videoconferencing to involve his students in book groups and programs at other schools.The test scores of students on the 85-resident island are "very competitive with the top end" of average scores in the area's 11 elementary schools, says Jim Morse, superintendent of Portland Public Schools. Parents are so involved that "it's almost a throwback to the time when schools were an extension of the family."

There are definitely advantages and disadvantages to having a small school in a small town, but personally, I love the close connection between family and education that this system affords to its residents. 

Happy teaching and Happy parenting! 

PowerPoint Posters

When my daughter got her syllabus for a master's level course, the instructor required a poster illustrating her group's research and results on alternative forms of energy.  While the topic was mildly interesting to me, the method of presentation intrigued me! 

Here's what you can do to create a poster for your room illustrating any concept you want with a minimum of time and money (unless you want to go to Staples and have them print the poster for you for about $45 on one large sheet of 3'x4' paper.  Allow enough time because they'll charge an additional $40 for a rush job!):

1. Download the FREE PowerPoint Poster template from this website depending on your version of MS Word: http://www.posterpresentations.com/html/free_poster_templates.html Choose the size that you want to fill the space available.
2. Manipulate the sample information and illustrations as you want, similar to what you would do for a regular PowerPoint presentation.  Remember that the font should be rather large because you'll be covering a larger area.  (In other words, carefully read the instructions!)
3. When you're ready to print, again follow the directions, but this is basically what you do: Convert the poster to a .pdf using the Save As feature.  Here's where you can save it to a thumb drive and take it to Staples to have the poster printed.  OR... you can manipulate the page scaling feature on the print menu and drop down to "tile all pages."  This will show you how many 8.5 x 11 sheets will print.
4. After you've printed out all your pages, tape them together and place your poster on its bulletin board.

Yes, this is a bit of work for one bulletin board, but if you do it now before school starts, I think you'll find the process rather fun.  Also, if you do a particularly stellar job, let Staples print and laminate your work for succeeding years :-)

Happy Teaching!