Growing Healthy Bodies, Minds, and Communities Phase 2: A Mixed-Methods Study of a Whole-Child Approach to School Readiness

• In Event: The Place of Holistic Education in Schooling

Abstract

Two-thirds of children in communities across Mississippi are considered unprepared to enter Kindergarten. There have been many efforts to address school readiness, but few focus on the development of children's overall health. A majority of interventions have emphasized “skill and drill” methods to close the achievement gap instead of approaching the learning and well-being of children from a holistic approach. Therefore, this study addresses the aforementioned problem through the development of an innovative standards-based curriculum that integrates social, emotional, and physical skills through the key areas of yoga/mindfulness, gardening/nutrition, physical activity, and anti-bullying/anti-bias education. This mixed-methods study examines the effectiveness of an integrated curriculum being piloted in twenty-two classrooms, within four diverse preschools during the 2020-2021 school year.

Authors

• Kenya Wolff, The University of Mississippi

• Alicia Cooper Stapp, The University of Mississippi