When considering the commitment to viewing “the whole child” I believe if anything, a child’s character should be measured and assessed. Having a good character will help children to build a strong foundation for a purposeful, productive, and fulfilling life. I think that teaching children how to be thoughtful, confident, self-aware, and respectful of those around them prepares them for adulthood. If they lack character, brains and success do not matter much,
“All of us who are parents naturally want our children to be successful. However, we know in our bones that it is their character – their honesty, sense of responsibility, kindness, perseverance in the face of difficulty, courage in the face of danger or social pressure – that makes them human. If they lack these, brains and success do not count for much. The novelist Walker Percy once said, "Some people get all A's but flunk life.” In living a life well, as a proverb puts it, "An ounce of character is worth a pound of intelligence (Licona) ."
http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/education/ed0229.html
Sandra, I like the Steiner Schools, I think that I could work at a school such as these schools. I especially like their take on Special Needs as they stated: There is a reluctance to categorize children, particularly in terms such as "slow" or "gifted". Instead a child's weaknesses in one area - whether cognitive, emotional or physical - is viewed as usually balanced by strengths in another area. It is the teacher's job to try to bring the child's whole being into balance.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the Steiner Schools position on children’s media: We believe that all the senses of young children are very wide open and that television; videos, DVDs, computers and electronic games have a very powerful and deep effect on these developing senses. I didn’t let my children watch television that much when they were in there primary grades. When I had my own day care center, the children didn’t look at television at all, with the exception at the end of the day when they were waiting for their parents and even then it was monitored dvd’s.
I also liked your statement on commitment to the whole child: “-their honesty, sense of responsibility, kindness, perseverance in the face of difficulty, courage in the face of danger or social pressure – that makes them human. If they lack these, brains and success do not count for much”. I need to post this statement in my own teenager’s room or make use of it in the after-school program. I always say that “honesty-is the best policy” and “getting all “A’s” yet flunking life” is also good for children to learn. My father use to tell his six children: “If you don’t follow the bible and live by it- you will become an educated, fool” these are strong words, but good to life by.