Parris Watts

The Whole Person Concept as a Part of the Elementary School Health Education Program

Recently, interest in a “wholistic approach” to school health education has reemerged. It is hoped that this renewed emphasis on the total person, combined with the innovative teaching strategies and outstanding in- structional materials currently available will help advance the cause of health education from a human wholeness perspective.

An important aspect of the wholistic health education movement is the emphasis placed on consideration of the physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual components of the total person. Also included as part of the wholistic approach are various environmental factors and the important assumption of responsibility for one’s personal health.

This article focuses on the need to incorporate the total person concept within the elementary school health education program. Sample segments of concept unit plans for use at the intermediate level are included.

The purpose of the article is to raise the consciousness of educators who are currently teaching children or who are involved in teacher preparation work, regarding the need to emphasize wholistic health education within ele- mentary schools. Only then can the optimum degree of “total person” health education be attained in pro- grams dedicated to promoting the wellness and whole- ness of young persons.

Recently, interest in a “wholistic approach” to school health education has reemerged. This renewed emphasis on the need to promote the health of the total person has been welcomed by school health educators. It is hoped that its reappearance, combined with the innova- tive teaching strategies and outstanding instructional materials currently available, will enable school health education specialists to do a better job of advancing the cause of health from a human wholeness perspective.

An extremely effective blending of the wholistic approach with health education methods and materials has been quietly occurring in elementary schools across the country. In classrooms throughout America, ele- mentary school children are regularly being treated to imaginative, well-developed teaching strategies and in- structional materials, within a total person frame of reference.

The Primary Grades Health Curriculum Project (for the first through the third grade) and the School Health Curriculum Project (applicable within grades four through six) both offer elementary school age children unique learning opportunities. Incorporated as a part of the young persons’ educational experiences are health promotion principles which are presented against the backdrop of physical, mental, emotional and social aspects.

Another example of an effective mixture of methods, materials and the wholistic health education approach is an elementary school program produced under the aus- pices of the American Cancer Society. This program, like the aforementioned projects, was developed for primary and intermediate levels. “An Early Start to Good Health” (for K-3rd grade) enhances health awareness by applying active, total person learning ex- periences. Also from the whole being perspective, inter- mediate level young people are exposed to positive health precepts and behaviors through the “Health Network” program component.

Support for the reemergence of the whole person concept in school health education was offered by Crase, Hamrick and Rosato in a recent journal article.’ Within that article, they expressed the opinon that the wholistic health issue may become one of the more significant movements during the 1980’s. Crase and his

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colleagues accentuated the broad-based nature and pre- ventive aspects inherent within the wholistic approach.

Curtis and Papenfuss also underscored the need to place greater emphasis on the total being within their book Health Instruction: A Task Approach.= They stressed the fact that the “dimensions” of the whole person are interrelated and are vitally important in the educational effort. Although this concept is not new it continues to have significant meaning in the disciple of health education.

In applying total being principles at the elementary school level, Sorochan and Bender devoted several pages of Teaching Elementary Health Science to a discussion of “five fitness components of well-being.’ They too referred to the interdependency features of the physical, emotional, social, spiritual and cultural aspects of the total person.

As a result of a perceived need to encourage the use of a wholistic approach in health education (especially at the elementary school level), the author has formulated a model based on ideas shared by others in the past. An illustration of that prototype, known as the Health for Human Wholeness Model, is presented below. (See Figure 1)

Figure I The Health For Human Wholeness Model

*Denotes Personal Health Responsibility

Because Health for Human Wholeness Model is in- cluded within this article only to provide the reader with a new way of looking at an old idea, little elaboration will be offered. If more explanation is desired, the reader may contact the author. Nevertheless, to help the reader gain some insight into the nature of the Health for Human Wholeness Model, the following overview is offered.

The five interlocking circles in the illustration depict the equally important nature of each component of the total person. The overlapping of the circles represents the interdependency and intersupportiveness of the respective aspects of the whole individual.

Much has been written about the various aspects of the whole individual. However, for clarification it might be helpful to describe the five total being components given special attention in the model. Although the reader could easily formulate descriptions of each aspect, the author has decided to offer his own to help others identify their frame of reference. The following delineation is provided with that in mind.

Physical: Having to do with the levels of conditioning within the cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular and other body systems. Generally considered in terms of physical fitness.

Mental: Concerned with the mind’s ability to intellectually comprehend the nature of one’s self and hidher environment. Often thought of as mental attunement .

Emotional: Related to feelings of love and worth ‘which render the person better able to cope with the stresses and strains of daily life. Sometimes viewed in the context of emotional stability.

Social: Associated with the ability to relate to people of all ages and walks of life in a meaningful and generally acceptable manner. Frequently described in the form of social balance.

Spiritual: Linked to the presence of a spirit within human-kind and an awareness of a higher purpose in life with aspirations toward it for oneself and for society. Commonly regarded in the realm of spiritual fulfillment.

The influence of the environment in relationship to the total person is evidenced by its incorporation in the Health for Human Wholeness Model. Of significance is the fact that each aspect of the whole being is portrayed in the illustration as having equal “exposure” to the environment. Although such a portrayal is common sense, the need to graphically include the relationship of the individual and environment to one another is deemed vital by the author.

In the middle of the Health for Human Wholeness Model are the letters PHR, Personal Health Responsi-

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bility, representing what may be the most notable characteristic of the model. The position of the PHR aspect in relationship to the various total person com- ponents has special significance. The location of the PHR element symbolizes the individual’s need to assume responsibility for promoting the health of hidher whole being. That responsibility for one’s per- sonal health then becomes the focal point within the model, particularly because it involves each component of the total person.

Now that the different features of the wholistic health model have been identified and briefly discussed, it would seem appropriate to define “human wholeness”. Simply stated, the human wholeness concept can be per- ceived as “becoming the best a person can become physically, mentally, emotionally, socially and spirit- ually, in light of and in spite of his or her limi- tations”. Such a definition implies that human wholeness is a process, instead of a product and also deters unrealistic attempts to attain a “perfection level” which can never be reached. The deterrent factor is found in the personal and societal acceptability of “being the best one can be”. Because the emphasis is placed on “building” from “where a person is”, the human wholeness concept has unlimited applicability. Undoubtedly, the wholistic approach to health instruc- tion in the schools is being utilized and has tremendous potential for use in secondary school health education programs.

However, because schools may not have gained access to the previously discussed wholeness-oriented “project and program materials”, the need to incorporate the total person concept into present health education efforts seems well justified. In addition, certain class- room teachers currently using the aforementioned materials may not recognize the wholistic nature of those instructional aids and may need a human whole- ness teaching example. Finally, elementary school educators who have identified the total person emphasis within the recently developed instructional materials may need additional teaching aids and strategies to introduce the human wholeness idea.

On the basis of these and other needs, the author has developed a means for introducing and emphasizing the whole person concept in the elementary school. A glimpse of the instructional methods and materials are provided in this article.

As a result of personal application of the concept unit plans for fourth, fifth and sixth grade students, the author has concluded that both sets of methods and materials are appropriate for use with intermediate level elementary school students. Moreover, based on per- sonal experience, the author recommends that the

“Freddie Fitness’ Wholeness Balancing Act” idea be utilized in either the fourth or fifth grade and the ‘‘Commander Cosmos’ Wellness Exploration Mission” concept be employed at the fifth or sixth grade level.

Following are two selected segments of the aforemen- tioned concept unit plans. The last concept and sup- portive materials of the “Freddie Fitness’ Wholeness Balancing Act” will be presented first (See Figure 2.) Six other concepts and associated materials which precede the final one are included herein. Then the first concept and supportive information pertaining to the inter- mediate level “Commander Cosmos’ Wellness Exploration Mission” will be presented. (See Figure 3.) Again, there are six additional concepts and associated information items which follow the one included as a part of this article.

“FREDDIE FITNESS’ WHOLENESS BALANCING ACT” CONCEPT UNIT PLAN

(Presented as the Final Concept Included in the Unit Plan)

CONCEPT 7: Try to be the best you can in all “life aspects”.

Figure 2 “Freddie Fitness” Visual Aid

Be Like Freddie Fitness: Balance Your Whole Self’

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BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVE: As a part of a review/ synthesis session the day after the concept is presented, the student will be able to describe the meaning and state the value of “human wholeness” (in hidher own words). The student’s description and stated value must be in agreement with the material presented in class the day before. CONTENT MATERIAL

“Human wholeness” means that a person becomes the “best he or she can be” in all five (physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual) total being components. The value of progressing toward such a GOAL is that an individual continually becomes a more complete (whole) and fulfilled person. LEARNING EXPERIENCE

With the use of a transparency (master available from author free of charge) or bulletin board display (based on the “Freddie Fitness” illustration shown in Figure 2 of this article) and on the content material included above, a discussion on the meaning and value of the human wholeness concept is facilitated by the instruc- tor. Emphasis is placed on getting the students actively involved in the discussion. This can be promoted via small group interaction that enables the students to identify what the human wholeness concept means to them and how they can apply its principles to their lives. EVALUATION PROCEDURE: The student’s ability to describe the meaning of and state the value associated with human wholeness will be assessed during the review/ synthesis session. RESOURCES Teacher Resources

All aspects of the instructor’s personal study of the five total being components, including the “Health For Human Wholeness Model” (Figure 1). Student Resources

The “Freddie Fitness” transparency or teacher- prepared bulletin board featuring Freddie balancing all five fitness components of the total person and the content material on the meaning and value of human wholeness presented by the teacher.

“COMMANDER COSMOS’ WELLNESS EXPLORATION MISSION”

CONCEPT UNIT PLAN (Presented a s the First of Seven Concepts

Included in the Unit Plan) CONCEPT 1: “Whole” human beings must keep at least five aspects of themselves healthy.

BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVE: As a part of a report made to “The Force” the day after the concept is pre- sented (exploratory mission is completed) the student will be able to name the five components which make up the “whole person”. The student’s list of five aspects must be the same ones presented in class the day before. CONTENT MATERIAL

The components of the whole human being (or the planets in the “Human Wholeness Solar System”) are:

a. Physical (Planet) - Emphasis on the body b. Mental (Planet) - Emphasis on intellectual capacity c. Emotional (Planet) - Emphasis on feelings d. Social (Planet) - Emphasis on relationships with

e. Spiritual (Planet) - Emphasis on awareness of others

spiritual aspects of one’s self LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Using an overhead projector, “Commander Cosmos - Health Explorer” is introduced via a transparency (based on the illustration presented in Figure 3 of this article with the master available from the author at no cost). Commander Cosmos is shown pointing to a map of the “Human Wholeness Solar System”. Each of the five “planets” of that “solar system” represents a human wholeness component. The planets appear to be revolving around a sphere (the “sun”) which symbolizes personal health responsibility. EVALUATION PROCEDURE: The initial part of the report made to “The Force” the day following the pre- sentation of the concept (completion of the mission), will assess the student’s ability to name the five human wholeness components. RESOURCES Teacher Resources

a. The “Health for Human Wholeness Model” illus- trating the interdependency of the five components of the total person, the relationship of those components to one’s environment and the need to accept personal health responsibility.

b. The “Fitness Components of Well-Being (with accompanying description and discussion) found on pages 8-13 of Walter Sorochan’s and Stephen Bender’s book Teaching Elementary Health Science. The reader will find that the author has included the mental component in his Health for Human Model, substituting it for the cultural component found within the Sorochan and Bender reference.

Within this article, the author has offered his support of the whole person concept reemergence, especially in relationship to the elementary school health education

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Figure 3

program. It is hoped that the need for a wholistic health education emphasis is an elementary school setting pre- sented herein, will raise the consciousness of educators who are either currently involved in teaching children or preparing teachers to do so. The author extends an invitation to all such educators to join with him and other professionals who are dedicated to promoting the application of an wholistic approach to health educa- tion for elementary school young persons.

References 1 . Crase D, Hamrick M, Rosato F: Emerging consciousness:

Health, wellness, and a quality lifestyle. Healrh Ed 10(5):4-7, 1979. 2. Curtis JD, Papenfuss RL: Health Instruction: A Task

Approach. Minneapolis, Minnesota, Burgess Publishing Co, 1980. 3 . Sorochan WD, Bender SJ: Teaching Elementary Health

Science. Reading, Massachusetts, Addison-Wesley Publishing Co Inc, 1979.

Acknowledgements Special thanks are extended to Derrick Watts, the author’s son and to William Stinson, PED for their con- tributions relative to the development of the “‘Freddie Fitness ’’ and “Commander Cosmos” materials.

Parris R . Watts, HSD, Assistant Professor of Health Education, Department of Health and Physical Educa- tion, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65201.

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10th Annual Schering Symposium

Adolescence: The Transition Years

Presented at the 55th Annual Convention

of the American School Health Association

Friday, October 16, 1981 Washington, DC

Richard Jessor

Cheryl L. Perry

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Sheppard G . Kellum

THE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH MAY 1982