Aspects of Whole Child Classrooms

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I am very excited to share that this past week Aspects of Whole Child Classrooms posted on ASCD's Whole Child Blog. This post was written to support the mindset that is necessary while facing the challenging changes within education, along with the needs of our current generation of learners.  As I considered the other posts I have written for the Whole Child Blog (along with a collaborative post by Ann and I), I was reminded of the educational practices that have made a positive difference with our students.  It has been so important to us to design a multiage learning environment that allows us to meet the social, emotional, and academic needs of our learners, but also one that assists us in embracing the change agents we continually face in an unknown future.  Ann and I have found these aspects to allow us to keep an open-mind when change comes our way, while also allowing us to keep the needs of our students first and foremost in our minds. 

The aspects of whole child classrooms, as outlined in the blog post, include:

• Character Development
• Collaborative Environment
• Inquiry-Based Learning
• Reflective Practice
• Inspiration Focus
• Emerging-Infused Curriculum
• Personalized Instruction

Each of these have grown to become near and dear to our hearts.  We appreciate and value how each have dynamically shifted our mindset to focus on the whole child.  Our students continue to amaze us each and everyday with their thinking and insight, along with their empathy towards others.  This supportive group of learners thrive off of these essential components of our classroom.

Which of these aspects have you found to be imperative in supporting the needs of your students?  What other aspects do you feel are missing from this list?  What other educational practices support you in designing a classroom that advocates for the current generation of learners and the future they will face?  We would love to hear your feedback!

~Celina