Whole Child Education

How do we help each student succeed? One promising way is to personalize learning and put each student at the center of her learning experience. Broader than individualized or differentiated instruction, personalized learning is driven by the learner. Ensuring personalized learning for all students requires a shift in thinking about long-standing education practices, systems, and policies, as well as significant changes in the tools and resources. To address students’ abilities, interests, styles, and performance, schools need to rethink curricula, instruction, and technology tools to support giving learners choices and schools flexibility.

Join us as throughout December and January as we take a look at how personalized learning has the promise to ensure equity, engagement, ownership, and achievement for each child, in each school, and in each community so that she is college, career, and citizenship ready and is prepared for success in our global, knowledge-based society.

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"Educators need to prepare kids to be career and college ready, but they also need to prepare them for their present world. The Common Core State Standards set out to do that. They're not perfect, but they are a starting point" (Peter DeWitt).

The standards are not a curriculum. Standards are targets for what students should know and be able to do. Curricula are the instructional plans and strategies that educators use to help their students reach those expectations. Central to a supportive school are teachers, administrators, and other caring adults who take a personal interest in each student and in the success of each student. A whole child approach to education is essential to realizing the promise of the standards. Only when students are healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged will they be able to meet our highest expectations and realize their fullest potential.

In this episode of the Whole Child Podcast, we're looking at how we are designing course content, choosing appropriate instructional strategies, developing learning activities, continuously gauging student understanding, adjusting instruction, and involving parents and families as partners to support our students' success. You'll hear from

• Peter DeWitt is an elementary school principal in New York and the School Administrators Association of New York State's 2013 New York State Outstanding Educator. DeWitt writes the Finding Common Ground blog for Education Week and is the author of Dignity for All: Safeguarding LGBT Students (Corwin Press).
• Thomas Hoerr, a former teacher and principal, is the current head of New City School in St. Louis, Missouri. Hoerr is the author of numerous books and articles, including the recent book Fostering Grit: How do I prepare my students for the real world? and the "Principal Connection" column in Educational Leadership. He also facilitates the ASCD Multiple Intelligences Professional Interest Community and has presented internationally on multiple intelligences theory.
• Rich McKinney is an assistant principal for a middle school in Knoxville, Tenn., and the 2012 Outstanding Social Studies Teacher for the state of Tennessee. In addition to his administrative responsibilities, McKinney also serves as a professional development specialist for Knox County Schools and is a Common Core coach for the state of Tennessee.

What "shifts" are teachers making in order to effectively implement the Common Core State Standards and support student success?

Human beings are born to learn. During the last few decades, developmental science has exploded with discoveries of how, specifically, learning happens. This provides us with an unprecedented window into children's minds: how and when they begin to think, perceive, understand, and apply knowledge.

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Thomas Armstrong, education expert, author, and Whole Child Podcast guest, just can't say enough about the importance of play. The chapter "Early Childhood Education Programs: Play" is excerpted from Armstrong's ASCD book Best Schools, which looks at not just best schools, but also best practices for teaching and learning. In this chapter, Armstrong points to early education practices that actually hinder young learners rather than helping them to get ahead.

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What does "education" mean for our youngest learners? The first years of school are as important for an educated population as any other period, perhaps more. Additionally, research shows that implementation of high-quality preschool programs can be beneficial for the lifelong development of children in low-income families and that an upfront commitment to early education provides returns to society that are many times more valuable than the original investment.

With the current focus on standards and academic achievement, is learning and testing coming too early? Curriculum and assessment should be based on the best knowledge of theory and research about how children develop and learn, with attention given to individual children's needs and interests within a group and in relation to program goals. In this episode, we discuss the importance of early childhood education and the specific social, cognitive, and emotional needs these learners have that are different from those of older learners. You'll hear from

• Thomas Armstrong is an award-winning author and speaker with more than 40 years of teaching experience from the primary through the doctoral level. More than 1 million copies of his books are in print on issues related to learning and human development, including the 2012 ASCD book, Neurodiversity in the Classroom: Strength-Based Strategies to Help Students with Special Needs Achieve Success in School and Life.
• Laura Bornfreund is a senior policy analyst for the New America Foundation's Early Education Initiative. Bornfreund examines early education (birth through grade 3) studies and policies and researches and writes original policy papers. She contributes to Early Ed Watch, the Early Education Initiative's blog, writing on a variety of education policy topics including the Elementary and Secondary Education Act; federal education grant programs; teacher preparation, retention, and support; kindergarten; and early childhood assessment.
• Walter McKenzie is a lifelong learner, teacher, leader, and connector. A director of Constituent Services for ASCD, McKenzie served 25 years in public education as a classroom teacher, instructional technology coordinator, director of technology, and assistant superintendent for information services. He is internationally known for his work on multiple intelligences and technology and has published various books and articles on the subject.
• Jennifer Orr is a 1st-grade teacher at Annandale Terrace Elementary School in Fairfax County, Va. A National Board Certified Teacher in middle childhood, Orr has taught 4th, 5th, and 1st grades since 1998. In 2012 she received the International Society for Technology in Education's Kay L. Bitter Vision Award for being a K–2 educator bringing technology into the classroom effectively and with innovation. She is also an ASCD Emerging Leader and member of its 2013 class.
• Wendy Ostroff is a cognitive psychology, child development, and metacognition expert and author of the 2012 ASCD book, Understanding How Young Children Learn: Bringing the Science of Child Development to the Classroom. Ostroff has been developing curricula on children’s learning for the past 15 years in the Hutchins School of Liberal Studies at Sonoma State University; in the Department of Education and Child Study at Smith College; and, most recently, as associate professor in the program for the Advancement of Learning at Curry College.

If early childhood is where we begin to build skills and behaviors such as persistence, empathy, collaboration, and problem solving, are we teaching in developmentally appropriate ways?

What does "education" mean for our youngest learners? The first years of school are as important for an educated population as any other period, perhaps more. Additionally, research shows that implementation of high-quality preschool programs can be beneficial for the lifelong development of children in low-income families and that an upfront commitment to early education provides returns to society that are many times more valuable than the original investment.

With the current focus on standards and academic achievement, is learning and testing coming too early? Curriculum and assessment should be based on the best knowledge of theory and research about how children develop and learn with attention given to individual children's needs and interests in a group in relation to program goals. Join us throughout October as we look at the importance of early childhood education and the specific social, cognitive, and emotional needs these learners have that are different from those of older learners. If early childhood is where we begin to build skills and behaviors such as persistence, empathy, collaboration, and problem solving, are we teaching in developmentally appropriate ways?

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Resilience—the ability of each of us to "bounce back stronger, wiser, and more personally powerful" (Nan Henderson); "not only survive, but also learn to thrive" (Bonnie Benard); or even to "bungy jump through the pitfalls of life" (Andrew Fuller)—is more than a trait: it's a process that can and should be taught, learned, and required. Being resilient helps youth navigate the world around them, and schools and classrooms are becoming more attuned to providing the cognitive, emotional, and developmental supports needed for resilience to prosper and grow in each of us.

"If children are given the chance to believe they're worth something—if they truly believe that—they will insist upon it" (Maya Angelou). With that in mind, what benefits do schools, classrooms, and students gain through increased attention to resilience teaching and development? In this episode, we discuss how resilience is best developed and whether it should be taught as a curriculum, integrated across all content areas, or organically developed by each student. You'll hear from

• Sara Truebridge, an education consultant on resilience who has collaborated on the 2009 documentary film Race to Nowhere and is the author of the forthcoming book, Resilience Begins with Beliefs.
• Andrew Fuller, a clinical psychologist and author who has worked with many schools and communities around Australia, specializing in the well-being of young people and their families. He is a Fellow of the Department of Psychiatry and the Department of Learning and Educational Development at the University of Melbourne.

What does resilience look like in the classroom and how can it be developed across schools?

Resilience—the ability of each of us to "bounce back stronger, wiser, and more personally powerful" (Nan Henderson); "not only survive, but also learn to thrive" (Bonnie Benard); or even to "bungy jump through the pitfalls of life" (Andrew Fuller)—is more than a trait: it's a process that can and should be taught, learned, and required. Being resilient helps youth navigate the world around them, and schools and classrooms are becoming more attuned to providing the cognitive, emotional, and developmental supports needed for resilience to prosper and grow in each of us.

"If children are given the chance to believe they're worth something—if they truly believe that—they will insist upon it" (Maya Angelou). With that in mind, what benefits do schools, classrooms, and students gain through increased attention to resilience teaching and development? Join us throughout September as we look at how resilience is best developed and whether it should be taught as a curriculum, integrated across all content areas, or organically developed by each student.

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To me, summer has always seemed to be filled with opportunities. The weather gets warmer, the days are longer, children are on break from school, holidays are celebrated, and families and friends gather and go on vacation. Summer, particularly for educators, is also a time to look back on the past year—and look forward to the coming one. What worked, what didn't, and what can be improved?

This summer I had the opportunity to observe educators in three settings as they extended their learning through professional development, connected and reconnected with each other and their passion for teaching, and strengthened their leadership skills. At ASCD's Conference on Teaching Excellence in June, attendees were driven to learn about the latest trends in education and engage in more in-depth discussion of proven strategies.

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Summer for educators is often a time to look back on the past year—and look forward to the coming one. What worked, what didn't, and what will you change? Educating the whole child and planning for comprehensive, sustainable school improvement requires us to be "whole educators" who take the time to recharge, reflect, and reinvigorate. Where should we put our effort? What aspects of a whole child approach to education are most critical to us right now?

In this episode, we discuss educators' need to reflect on the past school year, refresh their passion for teaching, recharge their batteries, and look ahead to next year. Host Kevin Scott, a former history teacher and current director of constituent services at ASCD, is joined by

• Peter Badalament, a former social studies teacher, English teacher, dean of students, and past president of Massachusetts ASCD. Badalament is currently the principal of Concord-Carlisle High School in Massachusetts and a member of ASCD's Emerging Leaders program.
• Jason Flom, a former elementary teacher and current director of learning platforms at whole child partner Q.E.D. Foundation. At Q.E.D., Flom works with education leaders, educators, and students to build, inspire, cultivate, and sustain transformational learning practices that empower all learners. He is also a member of the ASCD Emerging Leaders program and a Board member of Florida ASCD.

Extend your reflection with the tools mentioned in the episode: the Edutopia article "Transformation Begins with Reflection: How Was Your Year," "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack" (PDF) by Peggy McIntosh, and the Transformational Change Model. Both guests also recommend their favorite personal reading material, including

• Funny Times newspaper,
• World War Z and The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks,
• Day by Day Armageddon by J. L. Bourne, and
• The Gathering Dead by Stephen Knight.

Refresh your personal learning with the summer 2013 digital issue of Educational Leadership magazine, available June 28. This issue gives you instant access to nearly 100 pages of practical tips and advice on how to refresh your personal learning, recharge your professional development, and get ready for the first days of school. If you do not currently receive Educational Leadership magazine, subscribe now to stay informed about new ideas and best practices for educators.

As educators, what strategies do you use to reflect, refresh, and recharge?