Key Moments
Holistic Support: Seeing and Supporting the Whole Human
MIT OpenCourseWareKey Moments
Holistic support in education recognizes the whole human: students, educators, and communities. Focus on teacher well-being is clave for student success, using systems thinking and inclusive pedagogies.
Key Insights
Holistic support, encompassing educator, student, and community well-being, is crucial for academic achievement and overall thriving.
Teacher well-being is a critical, often overlooked, factor directly impacting student performance, satisfaction, and happiness.
A nationally representative survey in Jordan identified six key dimensions of teacher occupational well-being: financial, social, psychological, physical environment, physical workload, and cognitive.
Interventions for teachers should be holistic, addressing their needs and aspirations, and empowering them in their professional development and emotional regulation.
Communities of practice and collaborative learning environments are essential for teacher professional development and mutual support.
Sustainable learning frameworks and co-designing with teachers are key to creating adaptive, contextually relevant educational resources and interventions, especially for displaced populations.
THE IMPERATIVE OF HOLISTIC SUPPORT
The session emphasizes that academic achievement and overall thriving in educational settings are intrinsically linked to holistic support for all stakeholders. This includes not only students but also educators, parents, and the broader community. The discussion highlights that attending to the well-being of these individuals is not a secondary concern but is essential for creating generative learning ecosystems that foster success.
URGENT NEED FOR TEACHER WELL-BEING FOCUS
A significant portion of the discussion centers on the critical role of teacher well-being, which is often under-resourced and overlooked. Both speakers underscore that unless teachers are well – mentally, emotionally, and professionally – it is unrealistic to expect children to thrive. The challenges faced by teachers, exacerbated by factors like refugee crises and the COVID-19 pandemic, necessitate targeted interventions that support their well-being.
SAVING CHILDREN JORDAN'S TREE PROGRAM APPROACH
The 'Transforming Refugee Education towards Excellence' (TREE) program in Jordan illustrates a comprehensive approach to teacher well-being. It addresses the decline in learning outcomes by focusing on teacher professional development and well-being, recognizing teachers as central to the educational process. The program initiated a national teacher survey to gather evidence on occupational well-being, leading to the identification of six key dimensions crucial for teachers.
DIMENSIONS OF TEACHER OCCUPATIONAL WELL-BEING
The national teacher survey in Jordan revealed six critical dimensions of teacher well-being: financial stability, social connections (with colleagues, parents, leadership), psychological health (self-awareness, emotional regulation), the physical school environment, manageable physical workload, and opportunities for cognitive growth and professional development. These dimensions provide a framework for designing targeted support interventions.
CE INTERNATIONAL'S SUSTAINABLE LEARNING FRAMEWORK
CE International's work, particularly through their Center for Professional Learning, is guided by a Sustainable Learning Framework. This framework offers five disciplines and 16 practices to help educators and organizations navigate complex educational landscapes. It emphasizes systems thinking, loop learning, purposeful pedagogy, democratic engagement, and digital inclusion to foster quality, holistic learning experiences, especially for displaced learners.
CO-CREATING AND LOCALIZING EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTIONS
Both programs strongly advocate for co-creation and localization of educational initiatives. By involving teachers directly in the design and adaptation of professional development courses and learning materials, interventions become more relevant, effective, and sustainable within diverse local contexts. This approach ensures that the unique needs, priorities, and aspirations of educators and learners are met, fostering a sense of ownership and empowering local capacity.
BUILDING COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE AND COLLECTIVE ACTION
Central to both TREE and CE International's strategies is the establishment of strong communities of practice. These collaborative spaces allow educators to share experiences, seek support, and collectively problem-solve. The emphasis is on fostering generative environments where teachers can meaningfully connect, learn from each other, and drive improvements within their professional practice and within the broader educational system.
ADDRESSING GAPS AND SCARCE RESOURCES
The speakers acknowledge the challenges of implementing programs in resource-scarce areas, including limited internet access. They stress the importance of flexible approaches, utilizing multiple modalities (online, offline, radio, print), and adapting tools like WhatsApp for communication. The goal is to ensure that support is accessible and relevant, regardless of technological infrastructure, particularly in contexts of growing refugee crises.
THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP AND SYSTEMIC CHANGE
Effective implementation requires engagement from all levels of the educational system, including school principals, supervisors, and ministries of education. By involving these stakeholders from the outset, programs can achieve greater systemic impact and sustainability. This collective approach, supported by a clear theory of change and a focus on evidence-based practices, is crucial for driving meaningful and lasting educational reform.
FUTURE DIRECTIONS AND COLLABORATIVE POTENTIAL
There is a clear call for continued collaboration between organizations like Save the Children and CE International, as well as with other stakeholders. By sharing insights, resources, and best practices, these groups can amplify their impact, particularly in addressing the ongoing and growing challenges faced by refugee and displaced populations worldwide. The focus remains on empowering educators and fostering inclusive, high-quality learning environments.
Mentioned in This Episode
●Software & Apps
●Organizations
●Studies Cited
●Concepts
●People Referenced
Common Questions
Holistic support in education means attending to the well-being of students, educators, parents, and communities, recognizing that this is essential for academic achievement and overall thriving.
Topics
Mentioned in this video
An organization that co-organized the Migration Summit 2022, focusing on building bridges between diverse communities for refugee and migrant empowerment.
Attaff ElOud's master's degree institution for international human rights.
Attaff ElOud's current institution for her PhD candidacy in international law.
A funder for CE International's project on Quality Holistic Learning for refugees and internally displaced children.
An organization that CE International works with on the ground to support refugee education.
An organization that is a partner in the Migration Summit, presenting their work on teacher well-being through the TREE project.
Attaff ElOud's undergraduate alma mater.
Attaff ElOud worked here, responsible for education and youth development programs.
An organization presenting their work on building generative learning ecosystems through social emotional learning, systems thinking, and inclusive pedagogies.
Attaff ElOud previously served as an education advisor, co-chair of the SCI group on safe schools, and contributed to the approach on addressing violence in schools.
An organization connected to Attaff ElOud's regional gender equality initiatives.
One of the four countries where CE International's Quality Holistic Learning project is implemented, with a handbook developed aligned with the national curriculum.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Mentioned as providing input on CE International's quality holistic learning handbook in Kenya.
Transforming Refugee Education towards Excellence, a program by Save the Children Jordan focused on teacher well-being and quality learning.
A framework developed by CE International consisting of five disciplines and 16 practices to help organizations navigate complex learning environments, particularly for educators and displaced learners.
The national curriculum in Kenya that CE International's work for teachers in Kenya is aligned with.
A program by CE International focused on improving the learning experience for refugee students, building on SEL measurement tools and centering teachers.
One of the four countries where CE International's Quality Holistic Learning project is implemented.
The country where Save the Children's TREE program operates, facing challenges like refugee crises and the impact of COVID-19 on its education system.
Mentioned as a current example of a growing refugee crisis, highlighting the relevance of the work discussed.
The region where Attaff ElOud has worked on rule of law and gender equality initiatives.
One of the four countries where CE International's Quality Holistic Learning project is implemented.
One of the four countries where CE International's Quality Holistic Learning project is implemented, facing challenges with remoteness and technology connectedness.
Program Director for transforming refugee education for excellence (TREE project) at Save the Children Jordan, with extensive experience in international development and education.
Director of the Center for Professional Learning at CE International, an expert in learning strategy design and implementation, focusing on underserved populations.
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