How can we support the "whole child"?

When a student enters a classroom, the teacher may see only what is on the surface. But everything that happened to the child before walking in the door that day has an impact on learning. A teenager who seems inattentive may be running a sleep deficit from having to help out at home. A child who has difficulty sounding out words may feel anxious about reading aloud in class. Students of color may seem disengaged in learning, but they may be affected by subtle and frequent microaggressions that make them feel like outsiders.

While educators often recognize the complexities of their students, they can still benefit from a more profound understanding of the factors at play beneath the surface to understand the whole child. To help them gain that understanding, researchers from different specialties should collaborate to find out more about how and why children differ from one another. This whole child approach to research and policy considers many aspects of development including children’s physical and mental health and safety, academic and identity development, and support they need to thrive.

Bringing together our knowledge from psychology, education, sociology, neuroscience, health, and other disciplines can help inform educators’ practice. For example, years of research have shown that sleep quantity and quality can impact children’s moods and cognitive functioning. These findings provide insight into how to support children who may be struggling in their schoolwork because of sleep issues. Teachers can use evidence-based approaches that support working memory and attention, such as clear, chunked instructions. They could also use activities that support emotion and self-regulation, such as mindfulness breaks, to intentionally compensate for the impacts of limited sleep.

To continue reading, see the full article published December 21, 2021 in BOLD.

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