Essential Pillars of Holistic Development in Early Childhood Education

​Education for young children should begin in early childhood to ensure they receive a holistic development.​ Such an approach is important as more than 80% of 10-year-olds in South Africa don’t understand the meaning of the text they read. Hence, reforms in early education become a must.

Thus, education must facilitate every aspect of a child's development process so that your child experiences balanced growth. Let us understand the need for young kids to embrace holistic growth.

What Do We Know About Early Childhood Holistic Development

By age 3, your kid’s brain grows up to 80% that of an adult brain’s size. And, by age 5, it reaches about 90%.

Therefore, holistic development in early childhood is a must. It focuses on a child's all-around personal, academic, emotional, spiritual, and social learning. Further, it accepts the notion that children’s learning processes are interrelated to a very great extent.

Unlike other methods of approaching curriculum delivery, this method goes beyond teaching skills and ensures that the child has been well nurtured, not leaving out his or her academic aspect.

Social Relevance of Holistic Approaches In Early Childhood

Ensuring that students' holistic development is balanced is a major skill focus area when it comes to lifelong learning and adaptability. It has the added quality of assisting children in becoming more resilient from an early age and also gaining emotional intelligence (EI). In fact, EI will be among on-demand skills for future jobs.

The findings show that a setup for learning social-emotional skills in early childhood drastically determines children’s behavior when they grow up, prohibiting them from facing relationship issues.

Thus, Australia’s Early Development Census keeps a check on children's growth in key domains. These include social competence and language skills to shape education policies.

Global Strategies in Education for Children under Eight Years of Age

The early childhood holistic development program is based on encouraging activities in which children are encouraged to play and use gestures and drawings. Such environments encourage children to engage with other children and their immediate surroundings. Examples of holistic approaches in childcare include games that can be self-organized and developed to promote cooperation, innovation, and problem-solving to lead children to discover their talents.

Holistic Techniques in Childcare

The HighScope Perry Preschool Study found that children in quality preschool programs had higher graduation rates (67% vs. 49%) and earnings. As mentioned, there’s no lack of examples of holistic approaches in childcare. For instance:

Children’s Group Sessions: It can be used when telling stories that will help them develop good listening and comprehension skills and provoke their imagination.

Outdoor Activities: Outdoor activities are another way that has been deemed effective in the holistic development of students. It is for physical health, social health, exploring greenery, and awareness of nature.

The Integration of Learning Methods

Using integrated learning activities in early childhood education benefits the child's overall development. The Abecedarian Project findings say that children who attended preschool are 4 times more likely to graduate college than others. The best preschool is important for your kid's holistic development.

These methods involve the integration of several fields of study and the use of practice in learning and, therefore, assist holistic development in early childhood. These may involve:

  • Enhanced Learning Through Practical Projects

Projects integrating art, science, and language deepen understanding. For example, creating a weather chart involves:

  • Art: Drawing weather elements like clouds or rain.
  • Science: Observing and recording daily weather patterns.
  • Language: Writing short descriptions or naming weather types.
  • Improved Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
    • Engaging with interdisciplinary tasks strengthens analytical abilities.
    • Children learn to approach problems from different perspectives.
  • Collaboration and Communication Skills
    • Group activities encourage teamwork and effective communication.
    • Children practice sharing ideas and working towards common goals.
  • Preparation for Lifelong Learning
    • Recognizing the connections between subjects builds adaptable learners.
    • Fosters curiosity and a love for learning that extends beyond the classroom.

Integrated learning equips children with the tools they need to thrive in diverse and interconnected environments, making it an essential approach in early education.

General Advantages of Holistic Development in Early Childhood

As per Ny Post, 78% of teachers in the USA say kids are not properly prepared for school like before. This shows a decreased number of pre-K attendance.

The impact of that can be immense. Children may miss to learn about their personalities' emotional and social aspects.

Developing such diverse skills enables learners to become responsible, sympathetic, and show appreciation to the community. Cultivating attentiveness and mindfulness today prepares children for the foundation of a healthy future.

Inclusion of Families For Overall Development

50% of parents don't take up the responsibility of teaching kids how to use books before school. But, for holistic development, their involvement is a must.

Family involvement is key to a child's growth, fostering a supportive and enriched environment.

  • Broader Support System
    • Parents' participation enhances learning both at home and school.
    • Unified efforts ensure tailored guidance for each child.
  • Holistic Growth
    • Builds emotional security and confidence. Encourages better understanding and active learning.
  • Teacher-Parent Collaboration
    • Institutions like Gurukul Academy promote healthy partnerships. Regular communication keeps parents informed and involved.
  • Positive Learning Environment
    • Shared efforts nurture children’s academic, social, and emotional well-being

Engaging families strengthens the foundation for lifelong success.

The Role of Play Toward the Achievement of Holistic Development

Research shows that play is equally important in young children, so it should form a large part of early childhood. Instead, it encourages imagination, creativity, and problem-solving skills and makes the child express their feeling and sociality. Children use objects and things to perform games that depict real-life scenarios to facilitate the usage of such conceptual knowledge in a controlled environment. ​​

Foremost, any practitioner who places a premium on play will foster development holistically. By doing so, a child’s cognitive, physical, social, and emotional growth processes go hand in hand.​

Review on Integral Human Development

Reviewing integral human development involves assessing multiple dimensions of a child's growth beyond academic performance. For example, 49% of primary teachers in England and Wales report that kids lack basic skills including toilet training and cutlery usage.

Key considerations include:

  • Comprehensive Assessment Model
    • Evaluate social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development alongside academic achievements.
    • Focus on understanding each child's unique learning trajectory to provide tailored support.
  • Understanding Early Learning Outcomes
    • Use multifaceted evaluation tools to identify strengths and areas needing intervention.
    • Gain a holistic perspective on how children grow and learn in diverse aspects.
  • Targeted Interventions
    • Assessments help educators apply specific interventions suited to individual developmental needs.
    • Address gaps effectively while fostering growth in all areas.
  • Promoting a Positive Learning Climate
    • Respect and value the early learning process of each child.
    • Create an environment where every learner feels supported and appreciated.

Ensure Your Child’s Holistic Education At Gurukul Academy

Where it's an ICSE or ICSE board school, the curriculum designed for preschool is the matter most. Focusing on the child's complete development in early childhood education is mandatory. Implementing research-based strategies, including the ones described above, in early childhood learning environments can ensure that students develop sound learning profiles with little difficulty. At Gurukul Academy, we support each child in his/her overall development and prepare them to meet the requirements both as an individual and academically in building a society with responsible citizens.​

G U R U K U L A C A D E M Y

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