The cognitive domain of whole child education refers to the development of intellectual abilities, thinking skills, and knowledge acquisition. It involves critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and the acquisition of academic knowledge in various subjects. Cognitive development promotes curiosity, intellectual exploration, and the ability to analyze, evaluate, and apply knowledge to real-world situations.
Rigorous and engaging curriculum: comprehensive curriculums which students are able to dive deeply into subjects and concepts, pulling from a variety of diverse sources. There should be clear standards and measurable outcomes for instruction which are communicated and collaborated on with students.
Differentiated instruction: refers to molding the teaching method to the unique needs of the individual, which falls in line with the core belief of cura personalis. Teachers can use data-based decision making, separating students into smaller groups of the same level and two-way communication with students provide differentiated instruction.
Adaptive and personalized learning: personalized learning takes advantage of a student's interests and strengths, whereas adaptive learning makes use of technology to incorporate online learning.
Critical and creative thinking: teaching students how to use problem-solving skills and critical thinking analysis to come up with creative solutions to novel problems by engaging metacognitive strategies.
Inclusive learning environments: classrooms that integrate students with disabilities and non-disabilities alike.
Global, cultural and linguistic awareness: creates an inclusive class environment that acknowledges and honors that diverse cultural backgrounds of students.
Information and digital literacy: teaching students technology skills to meet the demands of an increasingly technological world.
To the right is an overall checklist that details the major steps in addressing the cognitive domain of the whole child both at your school and in the classroom.
As the you develop a team and classroom practices, this checklist is designed to help you keep track of your progress and moving forward in the pursuit of whole child development.
Keep students up to date with a world growing in coding computer skills. Familiarity with programming languages such as R, SQL, Python, SAS, MATLAB, HTML, etc... greatly increases employability.
Differentiated learning challenges educators to find different approaches to teaching than just traditional, verbal instruction. Multiple domains of the whole child can be targeted by using physically engaging approaches to learning.
Classroom environments that are decorated and explicitly discuss the cultural heritages of students help them to feel safe, valued and a sense of belonging which can support learning.
Bilingual instruction from an early is beneficial for all children. Some schools have one-way immersion programs, in which all students are native in one language and learning a foreign language or dual language program in which 50% of students one of two languages. Learn more.
Creating a culture of respect and vulnerability demands that students are involved in the discussions, planning and implementation of school and classroom policies through the following means:
Teachers should carve out intentional time in the classroom to engage students in reflective discussion regarding their own personal experiences and perspectives. Learn more at the CASEL website.
The classroom should not only be a space of instruction from teacher to student, but a place of free flowing ideas and engagement. Students should be given ample opportunities to break into pair/ group discussion, participate in polls, participate in experiments and be a critical part of problem solving. Learn more.
Centers around students developing the tools to work cooperatively in teams. Students should not only be given group assignments, but also be given instruction and practical advice on how to work effectively in the team. Students should be given the opportunity to complete self-assessments and peer assessments as a non-shameful approach to continuous improvement. Learn more.
Guide to Universal Design Learning by Novak Education
Learn about the benefits of interactive learning in this article from Harvard University
The Science of Learning & Development (SoLD) Alliance Resource Hub for researchers, educators and policymakers
Learn about research based principles of effective instruction