How to Actually Support the Whole Child Right Now

If you want to change your school’s lifestyle and revitalize your school’s culture, start with these steps to genuinely begin promoting the whole child.

Beginning my educational career a few short months after 9/11, the world was instantaneously different. Columbine took place the year prior, so K-12 schooling was in a flux of a “new normal” and figuring out what that was supposed to mean. Simply, things never looked the same.

We may be looking into the same conversation when all of this is over.

Now 30 days into the COVID-19 pandemic, the educational landscape is buzzing. Chatter on all social platforms discusses the struggles, the complaints, and the concerns of remote learning.

Teachers are feeling overwhelmed with the pressure of performing and having their students perform. Parents are seeing the everyday struggles that teachers experience on the regular, both academically and socially.

What is opening eyes the most, and being shared on social, is the fact that there are bigger concerns with our students today, ones not inclusive of academics.

Over the past few years, school districts have focused on what many refer to as the “buzz words” of education: SEL, Character Education, Whole Child, Future Ready. The reality that is being discovered is the fact that these tools of the mind are a lifestyle, a long-term commitment to the everyday health of your school and district if you are going to see results.

Take the analogy of the biggest “loaded statement” we all want: to lose weight. We go on a crash diet, cut carbs, sugar, buy a Keto Book, download an App to count calorie. We lose 15 lbs. in 40 days, then gain 20 over the next 3 months when life goes back to “normal.”

The same can be said when there is inconsistency promoting the Whole Child through Social and Emotional Learning. The days of claiming, “We do SEL” because your school simply participates in RESPECT WEEK and a KINDNESS CHALLENGE are gone.

Don’t get me wrong, those are important examples, but only a small glimpse into a universe of social change. Show me your students right now and I will show you whether or not “You Do SEL.”

If you want to change your school’s lifestyle and revitalize your school’s culture, start with these steps to genuinely begin promoting the whole child.

Embrace empathy.

Now is not the time to worry about whether or not a student logged in to an attendance sheet, and if not, talk about he or she losing credit. All students are present since they are all home.

What’s more important is to consider whether or not that is where your student prefers to be. Show compassion at a time like this and realize, just as much as you are struggling as the teacher, the same can be said for your students.

Grade up, not down.

Nobody asked for this situation, especially not our students. I’m not saying give students a free pass, but be their biggest advocate in helping them boost their grades (if anything) as opposed to doing worse than when in the classroom. School is meant to thrive off of social interaction and inclusion, and success is measured through the connectivity among staff and students.

Be present.

Aligned with empathy, connectivity between teachers and students, as well as among students, leads to a positive school climate where all stakeholders “want to be” as opposed to “have to be” there. Even on the bad days, remind yourself and/or your students there are frontline workers who are exemplifying heroism to get us back in the classrooms, so we owe it to them to always be present.

Be an ally in adversity.

There is no blueprint telling schools, teachers, and students what to do during these times. Ask yourself one question, and in turn, have your students do the same:

What do you need from me right now?

Ask this as opposed to “What’s in it for me?” If both of you can answer honestly, you will end up on the other side of this, together.

21st Century Schools will never look the same, or so we think. Let distance learning remind us all that students have always dealt with academic struggles, chronic absenteeism, and discipline concerns. Moreover, we are seeing first-hand the need to address the human side of education when establishing positive connections with students.

Our students need attention, our students need sympathy, our students need us.

Our students want our help, want our support, and want our love.

Will you be the teacher that “says” you are doing SEL or be the one who doesn’t have to say anything based on the connections you are building everyday during this time?

Which teacher would you learn from?

Which teacher would you remember?