Jan 12 2008
If We Focus on the Whole Child, Then No Child Will Be Left Behind
Without a doubt, No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has received both support for its noble core goal of helping struggling students to improve and criticism for the realities of its implementation, narrow focus on basic skills testing and punitive labeling as failing for a growing number of schools across America.
While most of us in education will agree that the overall intentions of NCLB are admirable, it’s impossible to pick up the newspaper or any educational journal or publication without getting a sense of the growing frustration of teachers, administrators and parents. Time and time again I hear stories of the gradual transformation of classrooms as former environments of joyous learning into testing preparation centers with little time for creative expression, critical thinking opportunities, social studies or the integration of the arts.
Yet thanks to the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development’s (ASCD) recent focus on the whole child, http://www.wholechildeducation.org/ , the current emphasis on high stakes testing is beginning to be put into proper perspective.
According to The Report of the Commission of the Whole Child, “Current educational practice and policy focus overwhelmingly on academic achievement. This achievement, however, is but one element of student learning and development and only a part of any complete system of educational accountability.” The report describes a whole child as:
o Intellectually active
o Physically, verbally, socially, and academically competent
o Empathetic, kind, caring and fair
o Creative and curious
o Disciplined, self-directed, and goal oriented
o Free
o A critical thinker
o Confident
o Cared for and valued
Included in the report is a call for entire communities to get involved as partners with our educational system so that schools can truly access all the resources that are available that will allow them “to become powerful agents for change in the lives of their students and families.”
If you believe that this focus on the whole child is truly a better way to ensure that we leave no child behind, I urge you to let your legislators and our presidential candidates all know what you think. Our children’s future is clearly at stake. You can make a difference if you add your voice of support to the ASCD’s whole child initiative. Please encourage other parents and educators to join in and do the same.
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