scholarly journals ASCERTAINING THE USE OF EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IN PROMOTING LEARNERS’ HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT IN MULTICULTURAL SCHOOL SETTINGS

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory Alexander ◽  
◽  
Sheila Matoti ◽  
Pieter Van Zyl ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Extracurricular Activities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Leadership Roles ◽  
Holistic Development ◽  
Civil Responsibility ◽  
School Settings ◽  
Analytical Thinking ◽  
Science Clubs ◽  
Multicultural School ◽  
Multicultural Schools

Encouraging learners to participate in extracurricular activities should commence in the early phase of their growth where a basis for their personality, learning and development is laid. Extracurricular activities could further assist in improving learners’ creativity and artistic talents. Philosophers, such as Rousseau, Spencer and Dewey further reiterate the value of extracurricular activities in developing social relationships and intellectual intelligence. Learners associate with different peer groups which may satisfy their socialisation, self-assessment, self-identification and the fulfilment of their needs in becoming self-actualised. Learners can further be enabled to reach self-actualisation by participating in academic activities, such as maths, science clubs and research projects. Such activities seemingly contribute to learners’ academic development which in turn may assist them in mastering certain life tasks; developing leadership roles; increasing their involvement in the community and expressing their civil responsibility. Amidst the latter, it is noted that the lack or in some cases, the non-existence of extracurricular activities hinder learners’ growth and learning, especially in multicultural school settings, where the foundation for learners’ development has to occur in a conducive environment. Multicultural schools in the Letjweleputswa educational district, Free State province of South Africa seem not to use extracurricular activities as an effective tool in promoting learners’ holistic development. The aim of this paper is to ascertain the use of extracurricular activities in promoting learners’ holistic development in the Letjweleputswa educational district. Via a qualitative research methodology, three focus group interviews were conducted with 20 learners attached to four multicultural schools. Findings of the study revealed that learner participants are of the view that their involvement in extracurricular activities could give them a greater chance of being employed; of getting a better job; of being accepted into university and of developing certain attributes, such as creativity, innovation, problem solving and endurance. The study further recommends that multicultural schools in the Letjweleputswa educational district need to implement various extracurricular activities as a means of developing various traits and competencies such as learners’ physical-, emotional-, cognitive and social skills; moral underpinnings, life-skills, well-being, leadership qualities, analytical thinking processes and communication abilities.

scholarly journals Contemporary Relevance of Bertrand Russell’s Views on Early Childhood Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-37
Author(s):  
Runumi Sharma ◽  
Mamta Aswal
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Character Development ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Holistic Development ◽  
National Education ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Historical Method ◽  
Secondary Sources

Bertrand Russell’s educational thoughts significantly deal with reforming education for school going children and he also supported pre-primary education. He favored early childhood education for physical, intellectual and character development. His emphasis on character development of a child shows the significance of early years of life for development of an individual. This paper aims at exploring Bertrand Russell’s thoughts on early childhood education. It is an attempt to understand the significance of early childhood education for the holistic development of the children. Though there are early childhood education is prevalent in our country, but it was not mandatory to get early childhood education till the approval of National Education Policy (N.E.P., 2020). It has included early childhood education in compulsory school education for promoting better learning and well being of a child. It is a qualitative research in which historical method has been used where data has been collected from primary and secondary sources. The finding of the study shows that Bertrand Russell’sthought on early childhood education is relevant in present Indian context for developing good values, physical and mental development as well as in future learning. This shows that the encouragement to early childhood education and Bertrand Russell’s thoughts on early childhood education would be helpful for holistic development of children.

Women in the New Testament World

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Hylen
Keyword(s):  
New Testament ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Roman History ◽  
Social Expectations ◽  
Leadership Roles ◽  
The Social ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
Women's Lives ◽  
Economic Well Being

This book presents and interprets evidence for women’s lives in the social context of the New Testament. Some of the evidence from this period of Roman history suggests that women’s roles were sharply restricted. Other evidence shows women taking on leadership roles, managing property, and the like. Previous interpreters have often argued that the two kinds of evidence describe different groups or arenas where women’s activity was either forbidden or allowed. However, this book argues that the evidence points to complex gender norms that were sometimes in tension. The culture widely recognized modesty, submission to men, and silence as virtues of women. Yet society also encouraged women to contribute to the economic well-being of their families and to serve as patrons of individuals, groups, and cities. The chapters of the book address the virtues of women, their legal status, wealth, patronage, occupations, and speech. Each chapter explores the way the New Testament writings emerge out of and reflect this complex set of social expectations for women.

scholarly journals ‘The people in the purple shirts’: Froebelian insights to a Singing Medicine project in a children’s hospital

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 287-305
Author(s):  
Carolyn Blackburn
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Body Awareness ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Holistic Development ◽  
Education Professionals ◽  
Children's Hospital ◽  
Interpretive Study ◽  
The People ◽  
Children’S Hospital ◽  
Singing Games

Friedrich Wilhelm August Froebel (1782–1852) yearned to promote and foster the harmonious and holistic development of young children through a combination of outdoor activities, songs and games. His Mother Songs, with games and exercises for mothers and their infants, aimed to encourage the use of senses, limbs and body to increase body awareness and promote mental activity. This article reports on a qualitative interpretive study into the role of a Singing Medicine project in a children’s hospital where children on all wards are invited to participate in singing games and activities. An aim was to understand how the application of Froebelian principles can help us to understand and conceptualise children’s rights and well-being in restricted environments such as a Children’s Hospital. Methods included semi-structured interviews with a range of health and education professionals who support children in a children’s hospital in England. In contrast to previous largely quantitative studies relating to the transferable benefits of arts in health projects, the findings from this study suggest that participants value the human connectedness imbued by a Singing Medicine project to children, families and health professionals. Wider benefits for children’s holistic development and empowerment to make choices through participation in singing games were also raised.

Well-Being Therapy in School Settings: A Pilot Study

2006 ◽  
Vol 75 (6) ◽  
pp. 331-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Ruini ◽  
Carlotta Belaise ◽  
Chiara Brombin ◽  
Ernesto Caffo ◽  
Giovanni A. Fava
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Well Being ◽  
School Settings

scholarly journals Development and Evaluation of a Positive Youth Development Course for University Students in Hong Kong

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel T. L. Shek ◽  
Rachel C. F. Sun ◽  
Y. H. Chui ◽  
S. W. Lit ◽  
Walter W. Yuen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
University Students ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Outcome Evaluation ◽  
Preliminary Evaluation ◽  
Holistic Development ◽  
Developmental Problems ◽  
Academic Year

With higher education, university graduates are important elements of the labor force in knowledge-based economies. With reference to the mental health and developmental problems in university students, there is a need to review university’s role in nurturing holistic development of students. Based on the positive youth development approach, it is argued that promoting intrapersonal competencies is an important strategy to facilitate holistic development of young people in Hong Kong. In The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, a course entitled Tomorrow’s Leader focusing on positive youth development constructs to promote student well-being will be offered on a compulsory basis starting from 2012/13 academic year under the new undergraduate curriculum structure. The proposed course was piloted in 2010/11 school year. Different evaluation strategies, including objective outcome evaluation, subjective outcome evaluation, process evaluation, and qualitative evaluation, are being carried out to evaluate the developed course. Preliminary evaluation findings based on the piloting experience in 2010/11 academic year are presented in this paper.

scholarly journals “Let’s Just Stop and Take a Breath”: A Community-Driven Approach to Mindfulness Practice in a High Poverty Elementary School

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-205
Author(s):  
Shana Haines ◽  
Kelly Clark/Keefe ◽  
Alan Tinker ◽  
Alyssa Kotsiopoulos ◽  
Cynthia Gerstl-Pepin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Qualitative Case Study ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mindfulness Practice ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
High Poverty ◽  
Community Members ◽  
School Settings

This case study describes how a high-poverty, linguistically and culturally diverse elementary school came to embed mindfulness in its curriculum and what adults perceived to be the outcomes of the program on students’ well-being. This qualitative case study is based on 25 interviews with teachers, administrators, and community members; classroom observations; and relevant documents. Participants indicated that practicing mindfulness improved student well-being through greater self-awareness and increased ability to articulate their emotions and needs, select strategies to self-regulate, and generalize their practice of mindfulness to out-of-school settings. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

scholarly journals Extracurricular activities, screen media activity, and sleep may be modifiable factors influencing children’s cognitive functioning: Evidence from the ABCD study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Namik Kirlic ◽  
Janna Colaizzi ◽  
Kelly T. Cosgrove ◽  
Zsofia Cohen ◽  
Henry Yeh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Extracurricular Activities ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Healthy Behaviors ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Screen Media ◽  
Modifiable Factors

PurposeFluid cognitive functioning (FCF), or the capacity to learn, solve problems, and adapt to novel situations, is instrumental for academic success, psychological well-being, and adoption of healthy behaviors. Our knowledge concerning factors associated with FCF, including those that may be targeted with interventions to improve outcomes, remains limited. MethodsWe used a machine learning (ML) framework in conjunction with a large battery of measures from 9,718 youth from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study to identify factors associated with the observed variability in FCF performance. Youth age-corrected composite FCF score was derived from the National Institutes for Health Toolbox Neurocognitive Battery. A ML pipeline using a stack ensemble of multiple ML algorithms and nested cross-validation to avoid overfitting was conducted to examine factors associated with FCF. Results The identified ML algorithm explained 14.74% of variance (95%CI: 14.53-14.88%) in FCF. Among the most important factors were those that replicated previous research (e.g., socioeconomic factors), as well as novel, potentially modifiable factors, including extracurricular involvement, screen media activity, and sleepConclusionsPragmatic and scalable interventions targeting these behaviors may not only enhance cognitive performance but may also protect against the negative impact of socioeconomic and mental health factors on cognitive performance in at-risk youth. The longitudinal data from ABCD will be able to begin to assess causality by examining how changes in these factors affect subsequent cognitive performance.

Empowerment through induction: supporting the well-being of beginning teachers

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-70
Author(s):  
Chris Wilcoxen ◽  
Julie Bell ◽  
Amanda Steiner
Keyword(s):  
Beginning Teachers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
First Year ◽  
Induction Programs ◽  
Leadership Roles ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Project Impact ◽  
Qualitative Thematic Analysis ◽  
First Year Teacher

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore ways teachers undergoing induction via the Career Advancement and Development of Recruits and Experienced (CADRE) Teachers Project felt empowered and supported in their well-being through mentoring and coaching. Design/methodology/approach Surveys about CADRE Project impact were e-mailed to 675 current and former participants. Out of 438 surveys returned, researchers used homogeneous sampling to identify 341 teacher respondents. Researchers used qualitative thematic analysis to determine ways teachers felt supported. Findings Coaching and mentoring supported CADRE Project participants’ well-being through empowerment (theme). Sub-themes included: growth, collaboration, networking, improvement and resources. Research limitations/implications Possibilities for future research include exploring the role of mentors/coaches, tracking teachers’ leadership roles and investigating the link between induction and teacher retention in more detail. Practical implications Opportunities for growth and collaboration are cornerstones of first-year teacher support. These support systems can lead to a sense of belonging, develop a mindset for continuous improvement and create long-term networking opportunities. The support teachers need to empower them and maintain their well-being changes with each first-year teacher phase. Originality/value Few studies exist on induction programs with the longevity of the CADRE Project. The high survey response rate with overwhelmingly positive responses suggests that CADRE is unique in its support of beginning teachers’ well-being through the first-year teacher phases, specifically due to the combination of mentoring and coaching beginning teachers receive.

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