In the days before early childhood educators were articulate about practice, we spoke earnestly about the holistic curriculum. Hard-headed bureaucrats and even educators in the primary and secondary sector did not know what we meant.
It is important now to describe more clearly what we mean when we speak of 'educating the whole child'. The High/Scope curriculum which caused a stir in the UK in the 1980s has changed a good deal in 25 years. There are planned experiences for children and staff to promote social problem-solving skills, sharing, respect for one another, activities that develop skills at avoiding and resolving peer conflict, and thinking-before-acting. There are training materials for helping early years staff such as teachers, play leaders and childminders to acquire these skills in the social curriculum.
Why do longitudinal studies of High/Scope graduates show them to get higher grades and better jobs and avoid getting involved in crime? Why are they more likely to be married and living with their spouse, to vote in elections and read a newspaper? Because they not only acquired academic skills at pre-school, but developed social problem-solving skills and became committed to their community of learners.
In 25 years we have moved from no curriculum to an overly academic curriculum. In this new century we should move to the balanced cognitive and social curriculum. We cannot leave these matters to chance; children need to trust, care for others, give and take opinions, work collaboratively to create and maintain a healthy environment. They must learn to control both attention and impulse, things they won't do easily without the rewards of group ownership and group achievement.
Young children will rise to these challenges; it's up to curriculum, assessment, inspection and training to work together to support them.
The Qualification and Curriculum Authority's Foundation stage for three-to five-year-olds takes seriously the learning of social skills, the development of social commitment and self-esteem alongside acquiring literacy and numeracy skills. Nurturing these skills is a difficult job; it requires generous staffing ratios, resources and, above all, training.
