November 9, 16 and 23ED Computer Lab

2119

Anyone who spends time around young children can see that they develop along a variety of domains: social, emotional, physical, cognitive, civic, and moral. They can also see that these developmental domains are linked—as young children learn to share toys and develop social ties to other children, their moral and cognitive growth is enhanced. As they grow physically and become more

ASCD WHOLE CHILD INITIATIVE ,2007

curious and engaged in the world around them they develop new cognitive strengths. As their cognitive ability expands, they have even more opportunities to enhance their full range of competencies. Each domain is influenced and enhanced by the others, and each domain must be nurtured and supported as children grow.

In today’s education policy environment, there is little question that the primary emphasis is on the cognitive domain— measured in terms of student performance on standardized tests.

While opinions differ on theASCD WHOLE CHILD INITIATIVE ,2007

degree to which this narrow focus influences the way we educate our children, there is no doubt that educators feel enormous pressure to focus their attention on raising test scores. Inevitably, efforts to address any of the other developmental domains—that is, to address the needs of the whole child—are diminished.

ASCD WHOLE CHILD INITIATIVE ,2007

1. Teachers need to understand the key stages of neurological development in children from conception through adolescence.

2. Teachers need to understand how the brain wires itself for learning in sensitive periods in the early years and key periods of rapid neuronal development throughout life.

3. Teachers need to understand the stress-response physiology of the brain in order to know the importance of safe and engaging school/classroom environments.

Different Brains, Different LearnersBrain-Spurts and PlateausBrain and NutritionBrain and Fitness

In this assignment you will work with a team developing a topic that is relevant to the ASCD Whole Child Initiative and the integration of neurobiological research in the elementary classroom. See the rubric and student examples of presentations from past semesters.