Educating the Whole Child

If you cannot make good individuals, how can you make good nations? Mental health disorders are the most common health issues faced by our nation’s school-aged children. One in five children suffer from a mental health or learning disorder, and majority of chronic mental disorders begin in childhood, based on the 2016 Children’s Mental Health Report.
Children struggling with mental health disorders are at risk for poor outcomes in school and in life. Outdated approaches to discipline are only making matters worse, as it leads to chronic diseases, metabolic syndrome and hypertension. Stress and anxiety cause physical responses in a child’s body, and when faced with a stressful situation, the natural stress response goes haywire, resulting in fight or flight response mode.
The aim of education is to help the child develop intellectual, aesthetic, emotional and moral traits, and the communal life and impulses out of their own temperament and capacities. It is the attainment of human excellence and perfection, not just in any field of knowledge or activity, but life in totality. Which means nurturing of the qualities of head and heart in a way congenial towards the growth and development of the child.
In practical life, this has to be translated as qualities of truthfulness, righteous living, purity in personal life, self-confidence, integration of body, mind and intellect, love and compassion towards all living beings. Therefore, the students need to learn the competencies and skills necessary to build resilience, and effectively manage their emotions, behavior and relationships with others.