I think assessing children holistically means we should assess them emotionally, academically, and physically. Every child is different and they come from different situations. Understanding where the child is emotionally will make a difference in assessing the child academically. If a child has a low self-esteem, then he will be less likely to try. This could impact how the child performs on the academic part of the assessment. Knowing this information is going to provide the teacher with valuable information. I feel it is important to assess the child and his/her growth. If we understand where the child is emotionally, physically, and academically, then a teacher can address the child’s individual needs to help the child grow in each area.
Until recently most test that were used to measure emotional intelligence were developed for adults. Studies have been done that use adapted versions of these test to measure the emotional intelligence (EI) of adolescence. A study performed in Australia in 2008 was used to see if a child's academic performance could be predicted based on the results of the EI test. Their results seemed to support the thinking that emotional and academic intelligences are connected. This would suggest that based upon the results of an EI test given in elementary school then teachers could predict how well the child would perform in high school. If this information is accurate, it leaves a great opportunity for interventions to help the child. Further studies will need to be performed to validate the results found in Australia. It will take several years to complete further studies because of the gap between their original test and their completion of high school. I believe based upon this information that it would be beneficial to the children to perform some type of EI test. I feel like this could also improve their social skills.
References:
Downey, L. A., Mountstephen, J., Lloyd, J., Hansen, K., & Stough, C. (2008). Emotional intelligence and scholastic achievement in Australian adolescents. Australian Journal Of Psychology, 60(1), 10-17
Planning an environment designed to promote self-help skills is the teachers' responsibility. I believe that every aspect of the environment, from the room arrangement to the attitudes of the teachers, supports children in doing all they can for themselves.
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