One of the lead researchers on the NGLC MyWays Project, Grace Belfiore, recently wrote about three strategies for whole-child development that continue to serve as important touchstones for innovative educators during the massive changes to education imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In particular, as next gen learning educators, schools, and districts implement their fall plans, three (interconnected) strategies for whole-child development have persisted as important touchstones:

1. Focus on social and emotional health and well-being1

2. Build learner agency, identity, and purpose2

3. Expand learning environments by centering family engagement and community connections3

None of these strategies ignores the pursuit of knowledge and skills, but they approach the learning of content from a human development perspective that prioritizes relationships, well-being, and the development of agency, purpose, and connection that can be pursued remotely or in person. Leading educators who are pivoting in COVID conditions using these three strategies provide examples of serving urgent need while furthering longer-term transformation.

Learn more about these whole-child strategies and explore examples from schools and districts around the nation in Whole-Child Touchstones for COVID Pivots (and Beyond), published on the Next Gen Learning blog in October 2020.