Holistic Child Development Curriculum
Compassion's Holistic Child Development Curriculum
Compassion International, a non-profit organization dedicated to releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name, has been a champion for holistic child development for over sixty years. ForChildren.com is pleased to offer the full Compassion International Core Curriculum for Holistic Child Development: over 1400 lessons that help children and adolescents learn and grow in all aspects of who they are – body, mind, heart, and soul. Leadership development resources are also included below to encourage continued growth for young adults.
The Survival & Early Childhood Home-based Global Resource Curriculum (SEC GRC) is a set of lesson plans designed for caregivers and children in the prenatal period through age three. Lessons are divided into two groups: Home Visits - facilitated at the participants' home, and Group Activities - used to build social skills and provide opportunity for relationships between caregivers whose children are of similar age. Trained implementers deliver home-based programming through regular home visits and group activities. The curriculum is flexible and can be delivered according to specific needs of the caregivers and children; however, there is a suggested sequence of themes/topics per month based on the recommended implementation schedule of two hours of visits per month and one group activity. The Curriculum Overview includes Scope and Sequence documents, which include the main topics and suggested schedule for implementing the curriculum, as well as the User's Guide & Training Guide.
This curriculum has helped millions of children around the world learn, grow and pursue the plan God has for their lives despite the challenges they face, living in poverty. Each lesson includes clear objectives and indicators, as well as instructions to help teachers prepare and deliver the lessons. Lessons also include suggested activities for facilitating further learning in a fun, interactive manner. The curriculum is organized by age and includes lessons for: 3-5 year olds, 6-8 year olds, 9-11 year olds and adolescents. There are approximately 300 lessons for each age group that focus on the four areas of development listed below.
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Cognitive lessons develop academic learning and teach children practical skills and problem-solving. These lessons increase their overall knowledge of the world.
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Physical lessons develop children's understanding of health and teach them how to have a healthy lifestyle and take care of their bodies.
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Socio-emotional lessons develop children's understanding of social interaction and emotional responses. These lessons teach them how to develop good character and make wise choices, as well as how to process their emotions and pursue healthy relationships.
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Spiritual lessons develop children's understanding of God and what it means to follow Him, teaching biblical knowledge, spiritual practices, and overall faith development.
Curriculum for Ages 3 to 5 (view lessons)
Curriculum for Ages 6 to 8 (view lessons)
The Leadership Development resources below help young adults better understand themselves and the world. They build confidence and instill leadership skills for personal development, healthy relationships and better job prospects. Lessons are divided into five development areas that represent Compassion's holistic approach and can be completed in any order. These resources can be engaged at a personal level. However, most lessons include questions for group discussion and conversations with a mentor because leadership development happens best within a community where mulitple perspectives and experiences can be shared.
ForChildren.com, presented by Compassion International, offers ideas, learning opportunities and relationships to help equip people who work with children-at-risk. We are a worldwide community of Jesus-followers who are committed to the holistic development of children. We invite you to join our collaborative community as we share with one another the ideas, experiences, methods and tools that help children thrive even in the midst of adversity.
ForChildren.com is presented by Compassion International, a registered 501(c)3 non profit organization. All resources, courses, and discussions are intended for educational use only, not for profit.
