Understanding and Supporting the Whole Child

This chapter proposes that in order to support young children in meeting and adapting to the demands of the future workforce, an educational system that recognizes the whole child and supports each child's strengths and needs according to their learner variability is needed. The authors outline how learning sciences research has illuminated the interconnections among many different factors of early math and literacy development, including early experiences at home and social-emotional well-being. Further, evidence from partnerships between the Learner Variability Project and practitioners and educational technology developers provides examples of implementation of a whole child approach in different learning environments. The chapter concludes with recommendations for policymakers and other stakeholders on how to build capacity to help every child reach their full potential.