Teaching the Whole Child in the 21st Century

Several years ago the Legislature of Texas took a huge cut out of the education funds. This time around, they were generous enough to make some more critical changes to our education world. These changes have come by the way of House Bill 5.

House Bill 5 made changes:

•to End of Course Exams, dropping the requirement from 15 tests to 5 tests to graduate
•to the graduation plans, giving students more choices in core classes and electives
•to the ratings that campuses and districts receive, from academic only to a more comprehensive rating system

It is this last point that registers with me as an Early Childhood Educator the most.

House Bill 5: Community and Student Engagement requires that campuses and district to reflect on their opportunities that are offered and engagement of students and communities. Basically to return to teaching the "Whole Child."

According to ASCD, formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, states that The Whole Child Initiative:

The demands of the 21st century require a new approach to education to fully prepare students for college, career, and citizenship. Research, practice, and common sense confirm that a whole child approach to education will develop and prepare students for the challenges and opportunities of today and tomorrow by addressing students' comprehensive needs through the shared responsibility of students, families, schools, and communities.

The State of Texas would like to encourage campuses and districts to supply what is needed for our children to complete in the 21st Century. This is not only a chance to show what you have done; it is a time to look to the future to what campuses and districts can do to improve.

“Reflection: capacity to exercise introspection and the willingness to learn more about the fundamental nature, purpose and essence and the opportunity to make change for the better.”