An argument for educating the Whole Person

Students around the United States have grown accustom to hearing the phrase, "We live in an increasing global world, and therefore it is important that you work hard in school in order to be competitive in a now international job market." This phrase is becoming increasing ubiquitous as students find themselves living in a global world- with global expectations. 

In the budget year 2016-2017, the state of Colorado had a budget of over 6 million dollars to allocate for public education funding.  Much of this funding will go to programs focusing on student's academic development in the areas of math, science, engineering and technology.  These STEM education programs have been developed in order to maximize student's ability to be proficient in the skills needed to be competitive in our now not only globally cutthroat, but technologically centered world as well. Ultimately, these programs will serve to not only benefit students collegiate and career prospects but also benefit our local and global economies in the long run.  In 2015 former President Obama announced over 240 million in new STEM commitments to both primary and secondary educational institutions in order to harness the power of this area of academic study for the benefit of students around the country. However, as our nation turns more to focusing on STEM education and other programming similar, what educational vulnerabilities do we leave students open to when entering an increasingly complex and diverse world? 

It is not that STEM education, or any other educational programs are bad. On the contrary they will serve to benefit everyone in the long run. However, we must consider the cost of the time we use to focus our efforts on STEM in comparison to the negation of our efforts of educating the whole person, the whole student. If we choose to solely focus on one academic pursuit, we expose students to being unknowledgeable in areas of study that can deeply impact the course of their lives. This impact can go as far as to neutralize the entire investment of the education by placing students in situations where they would be unable to utilize certain aspects of their classroom knowledge because they were ignorant to certain realities within the world.  

If students know calculus, how to analyze 17th century literature, and how to code a computer program, but don't know how to prevent themselves from becoming involved in issues like: human trafficking, pornography addiction, drug addiction, unhealthy living habits and a slue of other deeply impactful situations, than the original intent of the education provided and the knowledge learned is rendered useless. In order to truly prepare our students for what they will encounter in the 21st century, we must revise the structure of student's educations to include more in-depth prevention and recognition educational lessons within already existing programs to educate students on personal and community health and wellness.  This must be done in order to provide students with the preventative knowledge needed to feel confident in their abilities to avoid adverse life circumstances, but also circumstances which would forever impact their ability to use the education they were provided.   

In other words if we choose to make a sizable investment in our student's education, as we are now, we must also accompany that investment with prevention insurance. This prevention insurance must be all encompassing and comprehensive if we are truly educating students to take on and enter the world in which we live.  

We must join together in force to create a conversation around how we can address sensitive issues within the classroom--for the betterment and protection of our students and of our communities. 

We must join together to illuminate the darkness about issues that will impact the lives of our students, because by doing so we ensure the endurance of the other areas of their education, and ultimately create a better world. If we choose not to educate the whole person, the whole student we choose to leave the state our global society up to chance. But if we take the time to protect our students from the most vulnerable and dark places of the world using prevention, recognition and awareness education we also take the time to secure a better future, a more sustainable future for us all. 

Until next time,

Jacob